SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AGGREGATING AND RESPONDING TO COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20140337448A1
• Filed: 07/24/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Disconnect Me Now, LLC
• Original Assignee: Disconnect Me Now, LLC
• Inventors: Kline, Mitchell A., Kline, Jane M., Kline, Evan J., Kline, Brett A.
• Application Number:
  US14/339,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337448A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1076 Screening of IP real time communications, e.g. spam over Internet telephony [SPIT]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/559 Sorting systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

The present application is directed to a method of aggregating and responding to communications. The method includes receiving incoming communications from a plurality of network connected communication sources, and automatically receiving, at a computing device, incoming communications from a plurality of network connected communication sources; and automatically sending to each of the plurality of network connected communication sources a customized message that is based on at least identification information associated with a sender of the respective incoming communication.

Claims

1. A method of aggregating and responding to communications, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, incoming communications from a plurality of network connected communication sources;

determining, by the computing device, a customized message for each of the plurality of network connected communication sources based on at least identification information associated with a sender of the respective incoming communication; and

automatically sending from the computing device to each of the plurality of network connected communication sources the respective customized message, wherein the each respective customized message is based on a priority ranking of the sender of the respective incoming communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized message includes an expected response time.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, upon expiration of the expected response time, automatically sending a second message to those network connected communication sources to which a response has not been sent within the expected response time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the expected response time is specific to a particular sender of an incoming communication.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a query to at least one of the plurality of network connected communication sources to determine if the expected response time is acceptable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network connected communication sources comprises network connected communication sources having different formats.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of network connected communication sources comprises at least two of a social media communication source, a telephone communication source, an email communication source, and a short messaging service communication source.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving rankings of a plurality of contacts from a user of the computing device; and

aggregating the plurality of contacts into a prioritized list based on the received rankings.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling one or more functions of an electronic device or the computing device for a predetermined time in response to a command from a user of the computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more functions are disabled when the electronic device or the computing device are determined to be in motion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein content of the customized message is based on a priority previously assigned to the sender of the respective incoming communication and a total number of incoming communications.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a quick disconnect command from a user of the computing device, wherein the quick disconnect command indicates that the user is to be unavailable for indefinite amount of time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user is to be unavailable to contacts of a first group but available to contacts of a second group.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating a disconnection period in response to receiving an input to create an appointment in an electronic calendar associated with the computing device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting a message to the plurality of network connected communication sources, wherein the plurality of network connected communication sources comprise a variety of different communication formats.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving incoming communications from a plurality of network connected communication sources;

determining a customized message for each of the plurality of network connected communication sources based on at least identification information associated with a sender of the respective incoming communication; and

automatically sending from the computing device to each of the plurality of network connected communication sources the respective customized message, wherein the each respective customized message is based on a priority ranking of the sender of the respective incoming communication.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the customized response includes an expected response time.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of network connected communication sources comprises at least two of a social media communication source, a telephone communication source, an email communication source, and a short messaging service communication source.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of network connected communication sources comprises communication sources from at least two different forms of social media.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations further comprising:

receiving rankings of a plurality of contacts from a user of the computing device; and

aggregating the plurality of contacts into a prioritized list based on the received rankings.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations further comprising disabling one or more functions of an electronic device or the computing device for a predetermined time in response to a command from a user of the computing device.

22. A device comprising:

a memory configured to store a communication aggregation program;

a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute the communication aggregation program to;

receive incoming communications from a plurality of network connected communication sources;

determine a customized message for each of the plurality of network connected communication sources based on at least identification information associated with a sender of the respective incoming communication; and

automatically send to each of the plurality of network connected communication sources the respective customized message, wherein the each respective customized message is based on a priority ranking of the sender of the respective incoming communication.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to disable one or more functions of an electronic device for a predetermined period of time in response to a command from a user of the device.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to disable one or more functions of an electronic device in response to the electronic device being located at a predetermined location or within a predetermined area.