Network-based messaging system with database management for computer based inter-user communication

• US 11,303,599 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 04/12/2022
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, C. Douglass Thomas
• Original Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, C. Douglass Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Douglass, Penilla, Albert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarka, David P
• Application Number:
  US14/985,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20160191453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Methods and systems for network-based messaging systems with database management for supporting based inter-user communications, such as via computing devices, are disclosed. The methods and systems facilitate improved message transmission management for more efficient communications. The methods and systems can provide enhanced electronic communications, such as via electronic mail or text messaging. Improved communication tools are provided to better manage and/or control communications. The computing devices can be personal communication/computing devices, such as mobile, portable or handheld computing devices (e.g., smart phone, a laptop, a tablet, etc.).

Claims

1. A cloud system for servicing message exchanges between users that operate as senders and recipients of messages, the cloud system comprising:

a server interfaced with storage, the storage used to store messages being exchanged by the users, the users being provided with access to the cloud system via user accounts managed by the cloud system, the user accounts enabling the users to send and receive messages, the server operates to receive the messages from one or more senders and to cause the messages to be sent to one or more recipients,

the server includes throttle logic that enables the users to configure and apply throttle settings on the one or more senders that send the messages,

for a particular sender of the one or more senders and a particular recipient of the one or more recipients, the throttle settings is a configuration that limits messages that will be presented to the particular recipient from the particular sender, configuration of the throttle settings further acting to provide an automatic notification to the particular sender informing the particular sender that messages sent to the particular recipient have been delayed due to throttling; and

a database operatively accessible by the server, the database being configured to store message management data for the users, the message management data including the throttle settings that are distinct for a plurality of the one or more senders that send messages to the particular recipient,

wherein the particular recipient is provided with a user interface control for controlling invocation of at least one of the throttle settings on messages from the particular sender,

wherein the messages that have been sent to the particular recipient that have been delayed due to throttling are chat or instant text messages,

wherein the messages that have been sent to the particular recipient that have been delayed due to throttling are received, as text messages, by the particular recipient at a later time after the throttling, and

wherein, when throttling is being performed, a visual indication is configured to be presented on a display of a computing device associated with the particular sender, the visual indication indicating those one or more messages from the particular sender that are being delayed from been presented to the particular recipient, and the visual indication being provided on or adjacent to the display of those one or more messages from the particular sender that are being delayed from being presented to the recipient.

2. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the throttle setting pertains to a predefined threshold number of messages.

3. The cloud system of claim 1, further comprising:

server-side logic for interfacing with client-side logic, the client-side logic being associated with an application that is downloadable from a network-based service to a user device, the application including user interfaces for composing messages, reading messages, sending messages and setting throttle settings.

4. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein a particular throttle setting of the throttle settings utilized is associated with the particular sender of a plurality of messages to the particular recipient, such that the plurality of messages from the sender to the recipient are handled in accordance with the particular throttle setting.

5. The cloud system of claim 1, further comprising:

a data center for operating the server, and the data center providing access to the database.

6. The cloud system of claim 1, further comprising:

an application programming interface (API) to a server of a social network, the social network identifying friends of a sender or recipient, the API providing a structured form for requesting data and receiving data from the social network.

7. A computer-implemented method for processing text messages exchanged between senders and recipients, the computer-implemented method is executed by one or more servers of a messaging service that is accessible to users that are users having user accounts with the messaging service, the computer-implemented method comprising:

processing text messages by a user that acts as a sender to a user that acts as a recipient;

receiving a throttle setting provided by the recipient, the throttle setting being a configuration that is applicable to the sender, the configuration identifying a threshold number of text messages that will be permitted to be sequentially received from the sender to the recipient before a throttle action is applied to the text messages received from the sender for the recipient, wherein the recipient is provided with a user interface control for setting at least one of the throttle settings applicable to messages from the sender;

detecting that the threshold number of text messages sent from the sender to the recipient has been exceeded;

delaying additional text messages sent by the sender to the recipient from being presented to the recipient after the threshold number of text messages has been detected to have been sent by the sender to the recipient; and

presenting, as text messages, the additional text messages sent by the sender to the recipient at a later time after the delaying,

providing a visual indication on a display of a computing device associated with the sender, the visual indication indicating those one or more text messages from the sender that have been delayed from been presented to the recipient, and the visual indication being provided on or adjacent those one or more text messages from the sender while such one or more text messages are being delayed from being presented to the recipient.

8. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

sending a notification to the sender informing the sender that the additional text messages to the recipient have been delayed due to exceeding the threshold number of text messages.

9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

using a custom message for the notification.

10. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the visual indication comprises a numeric indicator that indicates a number of those one or more messages from the sender that have been delayed from been presented to the recipient.

11. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the users having user accounts with the messaging service are able to access the messaging service via an application accessible by user devices, the application including user interfaces for composing text messages, reading text messages, controls for sending text messages, controls for applying the throttle setting, controls for selecting recipients of text messages, and controls for viewing a history of messages between one or more senders and recipients.

12. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the messaging service is configured to interact with a client-side application of the messaging service, the client-side application being a downloadable application that is provided by the messaging service, the client-side application includes a user interface for establishing the throttle setting.

13. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein a database stores message management information regarding at least throttle settings assigned to users acting as senders to particular recipients.

14. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 13, wherein the receiving of the throttle setting provided by the recipient operates to receive the throttle setting provided by the recipient from the database.