Method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting membership of a communication flow expression

• US 20050232401A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Weiss, David M., Tendick, Patrick, Ordille, Joann J., Slye, John Hamilton
• Granted Patent: US 8,001,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/205 Education administration or guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 : Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4874 : Intercept announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 : Message broadcasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 : Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 : Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for dynamically adjusting membership of a communication flow expression in a notification and response system. A message is provided from a sender to at least one recipient in accordance with a communication flow having a plurality of potential paths. The communication flow is controlled by a communication flow expression that contains at least one primitive keyword for dynamically adjusting the at least one recipient. A plurality of the recipients included in the communication flow form an instant focus group. The recipients in the instant focus group can be notified of other recipients in the instant focus group and/or receive the responses of other recipients in the instant focus group. The communication flow expression contains primitive keywords for adding and removing recipients in the communication flow.

Claims

1. A method for providing a message from a sender to at least one recipient in accordance with a communication flow having a plurality of potential paths, said method comprising:

receiving said message from said sender;

evaluating said communication flow, wherein said communication flow is controlled by a communication flow expression that contains at least one primitive keyword for dynamically adjusting said at least one recipient; and

processing said message based on said communication flow expression.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said recipients included in said communication flow form an instant focus group.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said recipients in said instant focus group are notified of other recipients in said instant focus group.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said recipients in said instant focus group receive the responses of other recipients in said instant focus group.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein an application selectively enables formation of said instant focus groups.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein a given recipient can selectively participate in said instant focus group.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein a given recipient can select a subset of the responses for delivery.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein one or more recipients are placed in said instant focus group based on a relationship with at least one additional recipient.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication flow expression contains at least one primitive keyword for adding a recipient to said communication flow.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication flow expression contains at least one primitive keyword for removing a recipient from said communication flow.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one recipient is dynamically adjusted by a subscription server in response to an addition or modification of one or more subscriptions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one recipient is dynamically adjusted by a subscription server in response to transient values associated with one or more subscriptions.

13. An apparatus for providing a message from a sender to at least one recipient in accordance with a communication flow having a plurality of potential paths, said apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to;

receive said message from said sender;

evaluate said communication flow, wherein said communication flow is controlled by a communication flow expression that contains at least one primitive keyword for dynamically adjusting said at least one recipient; and

process said message based on said communication flow expression.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a plurality of said recipients included in said communication flow form an instant focus group.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said recipients in said instant focus group are notified of other recipients in said instant focus group.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said recipients in said instant focus group receive the responses of other recipients in said instant focus group.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein an application selectively enables formation of said instant focus groups.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a given recipient can selectively participate in said instant focus group.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a given recipient can select a subset of the responses for delivery.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one or more recipients are placed in said instant focus group based on a relationship with at least one additional recipient.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said communication flow expression contains at least one primitive keyword for adding a recipient to said communication flow.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said communication flow expression contains at least one primitive keyword for removing a recipient from said communication flow.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one recipient is dynamically adjusted by a subscription server in response to an addition or modification of one or more subscriptions.

24. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one recipient is dynamically adjusted by a subscription server in response to transient values associated with one or more subscriptions.