Mobile Device Notification with Options

• US 20070298763A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clayton, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Notifying users of mobile communication devices, which may include providing options for response to notifications. A component of a communication service provider system receives an indication of a notification for a user of a mobile communication device. The notification may be received from a source internal or external to the communication service provider system. A component of the mobile communication service provider formats the notification so that it is compatible with the mobile communication device of the user and sends the notification to the mobile communication device of the user. The notification may include one or more options to respond to the notification using the mobile communication device. The notification may, for example, pertain to minutes-of-use in a mobile communication service plan, or to other information, including notifications from outside service providers such as airlines, banks, restaurants, hotels, libraries, credit card companies, etc.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user of a mobile device with notifications, the method comprising:

at a mobile communication service provider system, receiving a communication having contents associated with a notification for the user, wherein the subject of the notification is not associated with services provided by the mobile communications service provider;

formatting at least a portion of the contents of the received communication into a form compatible with the mobile device of the user; and

sending the formatted contents to the mobile device of the user, wherein the formatted contents include multiple options for the user to respond to the notification using the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatting is based, at least in part, on preferences of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is received from a source that is external to a system of the mobile communication service provider.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is received from a source that is internal to a system of the mobile communication service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject of the communication is a notification that the user'"'"'s usage of the mobile device has exceeded a predetermined threshold of units of a communication service plan.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatted contents sent to the mobile device are sent as a text message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the text message is sent using short message service (SMS).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatted contents sent to the mobile device are sent as electronic mail.

9. A system for providing users of a mobile communication devices with notifications, the system comprising:

means for receiving communications, wherein each of the received communications has contents associated with a notification for a user, wherein the subject of the notification is not associated with services provided by the mobile communications service provider;

means for formatting the contents of each of the received communications into a form compatible with the mobile communication device of a user to which the notification is directed; and

means for sending the formatted contents to the mobile communication device of the user to which the notification is directed, wherein the formatted contents include multiple options for the user to respond to the notification using the mobile device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the formatting is based, at least in part, on preferences of the user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the communications are received from a source that is external to a system of the mobile communication service provider.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the communications are received from a source that is internal to a system of the mobile communication service provider.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the subject of the communications is a notification that the user'"'"'s usage of the mobile device has exceeded a predetermined threshold of units of a communication service plan.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the formatted contents sent to the mobile communication device are sent as a text message.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the text message is sent using short message service (SMS).

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the formatted contents sent to the mobile communication device are sent as electronic mail.

17. A computer-readable medium containing contents that allows users of mobile communication devices to be notified of events, wherein the notification is provided by a method comprising:

at a mobile communication service provider system, receiving a communication having contents associated with a notification for the user;

formatting at least a portion of the contents of the received communication into a form compatible with the mobile communication device of the user; and

sending the formatted contents to the mobile communication device of the user, wherein the formatted contents include multiple options for the user to respond to the notification using the mobile device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein one of the multiple options for the user to respond includes an option for placing a call to a customer service number for responding to the notification.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein one of the multiple options for the user to respond includes an option for automatically selecting an offer associated with the notification.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable medium is a logical node in a computer network receiving the contents.