EVENT NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20080096531A1
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A., McQuaide, Arnold Chester
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Methods for notifying a user via a wireless communications device regarding the occurrence of an event are provided in which a request is received from a user for notification upon the occurrence of the event. At least one information source is monitored for the occurrence of the event. Once this monitoring indicates that the event has occurred, a notification message that the event has occurred is sent to the wireless communications device. Thereafter, a response is received from the wireless communications device. Related systems, devices and computer program products are also described.

Claims

1. A method of notifying a user via a wireless communications device regarding an occurrence of an event, the method comprising:

receiving a request from the user for notification of the occurrence of the event;

monitoring at least one information source for the occurrence of the event;

identifying that the event has occurred;

sending a notification message that the event has occurred to the wireless communications device, wherein the notification message is suitably structured to be presented to the user in an audible form.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a response transmitted by the wireless communications device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the response comprises an acknowledgement that the notification message was received.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the response comprises a request for additional information regarding the event, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting additional information to the wireless communications device in response to the request for additional information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the additional information is transmitted to a second communications device associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the response comprises a request that an action be initiated by a system that sent the notification message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message is in a suitable form to permit conversion of at least a portion of the notification message into a speech-based message.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a threshold that must be met for the event to be deemed to have occurred.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message is sent to the wireless communications device over a data network, the method further comprising determining that the wireless communications device is connected to the data network before sending a notification message that the event has occurred to the wireless communications device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring at least one additional information source for the occurrence of the event.

11. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising sending additional information relating to the event to the wireless communications device along with the notification message that is not included in the speech-based message.

12. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising sending at least one additional notification message to the wireless communications device in response to receiving a response that indicates that the notification should be kept active.

13. A computer program product for notifying a user via a wireless communications device regarding an occurrence of an event, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code configured to carry out the method of claim 1.

27. A computer program product for notifying a user regarding an occurrence of an event, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code configured to carry out the method of claim 13.

14. A method of notifying a user regarding the occurrence of an event, the method comprising:

receiving a notification message that indicates that the event has occurred over a data network on a wireless communications device; and

notifying the user regarding the occurrence of the event by playing an audible message on the wireless communications device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the audible message comprises a speech-based message.

16. The method of claim 15, the method further comprising receiving an acknowledgment from the user in response to the playing of the speech-based message.

17. The method of claim 14, the method further comprising receiving from the user a request for additional information regarding the event.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the request for additional information comprises a speech-based command.

19. The method of claim 14, the method further comprising:

inviting the user to send a command;

receiving the command from the user; and

forwarding the command to a notification system.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein notifying the user regarding the occurrence of the event by playing an audible message on the wireless communications device comprises:

converting at least a portion of the notification message into a speech based-based audio message; and

playing the speech-based audio message to the user on the wireless communications device.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the received notification message comprises a speech-based message.

22. The method of claim 14, the method further comprising:

requesting notification regarding the occurrence of any of a plurality of events; and

establishing a threshold that must be met for at least some of the plurality of events in order for notification to occur.

23. The method of claim 14, the method further comprising:

playing audio content on the wireless communications device; and

continuing to play the audio content on the wireless communications device during the playing of the audible message.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

playing audio content on the wireless communications device; and

suspending the playing of the audio content during the playing of the audible message.

25. The method of claim 23, the method further comprising reducing a volume of the audio content during the playing of the audible message.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the audible message is played at a lower volume level than a volume level at which the audio content is played.

28. A wireless communications device, comprising:

a wireless receiver that is configured to receive a notification message from a data network;

a speaker system;

a processor coupled to the wireless receiver, the processor configured to play an audible message over the speaker system in response to receiving the notification message;

wherein the notification message comprises a notification regarding the occurrence of a pre-selected event.

29. The wireless communications device of claim 28, wherein the audible message comprises a speech-based message.

30. The wireless communications device of claim 29, further comprising a text-to-speech converter that is configured to convert text in the notification message into the speech-based message.

31. The wireless communications device of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to replay the speech-based message at predefined intervals until cancellation of the notification

32. The wireless communications device of claim 29, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to store additional information regarding the pre-selected event in the memory, and to provide the information in a speech-based format in response to a request for the additional information.

33. The wireless communications device of claim 28, further comprising a wireless transmitter that is configured to send a response to the notification message.

34. The wireless communications device of claim 28, further comprising a microphone and a speech recognition module that is configured to convert the output of the microphone into a non-speech format.

35. The wireless communications device of claim 29, further comprising an audio source, wherein the speaker system comprises a first speaker system, and wherein the processor is further configured to play the speech-based message over the first speaker system while the audio source simultaneously provides audio content over a second speaker system.

36. The wireless communications device of claim 35, wherein the processor is configured to disconnect the audio source from the second speaker system while playing the speech-based message.