METHOD AND SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR MASS NOTIFICATION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20150113316A1
• Filed: 01/05/2015
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Benbria Corporation
• Inventors: Lefrancois des Courtis, Eric Alexandre, Du, Ying, Le, Dan, Liu, Yuanyuan
• Granted Patent: US 9,998,417 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/4.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for simultaneously distributing mass notifications to multiple users. A mass notification system receives input data and, based on this input data, creates notifications for mass distribution. The notifications are then transmitted to computing devices used by the users who are to be notified.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A computer server for sending notifications to computing devices associated with a plurality of users, the server coupled to said computing devices over at least one network, the server comprising:

an administrator manager module for receiving input data relating to said notifications;

a scheduler for processing said input data to

select users from said plurality of users to receive said notifications, and

create notification data to be sent to at least one computing device used by at least one selected user; and

a notification module for sending said created notification data to the at least one computing device used by the at least one selected user, said notification data to be used by said at least one computing device to

execute, based on said notification data, instructions for presenting indicia to said at least one selected user,

wherein said presenting indicia further comprises presenting an acknowledgement block to the at least one selected user to send an acknowledgement of said notification data, and

further wherein if said at least one selected user does not send said acknowledgement before expiry of a timer, said presenting of indicia is terminated.

14. A server according to claim 13 wherein said input data is received from at least one administrative device.

15. A server according to claim 13 further comprising a computing devices manager for registering and managing said computing devices.

16. A server according to claim 13 further comprising an interface module for presenting a user interface for use by a user of at least one administrative device.

17. A server according to claim 13 wherein each computing device is registered with said server using a unique identifier.

18. A server according to claim 13 wherein said computing devices are logically grouped by said server based on the locations of said computing devices.

19. A server according to claim 13, wherein said server is an active server, further comprising

the active server communicating with one or more standby servers to act as backup to the active server;

and

a heartbeat process to

keep track of said active server and said one or more standby servers,

maintain said communications between said active server and said one or more standby servers, and

promote one of the one or more standby servers to become the active server if the active server fails to perform its operations.

20. A server according to claim 13 wherein, based on contents of said notification data, said at least one computing device executes instructions for launching at least one separate application.

21. A server according to claim 13 wherein said notification module prioritizes the sending of notification data to the at least one computing device used by the at least one selected user, said prioritizing based on one or more geo-locations associated with the at least one computing device.

22. A server according to claim 13, further wherein upon executing said instructions, a notification window is displayed on at least one screen associated with the at least one computing device,

said notification window adapted based on at least one of

size of said at least one screen,

type of said at least one computing device, and

computing capability of said at least one computing device.

23. A method for sending notifications, by a server, to computing devices associated with a plurality of users, the server coupled to said computing devices over at least one network, the method comprising:

receiving, by an administrator manager module, input data relating to said notifications;

processing, by a scheduler, said input data, wherein said processing comprises

selecting users from said plurality of users to receive said notifications, and

creating notification data to be sent to at least one computing device used by at least one selected user; and

sending, by a notification module, said created notification data to the at least one computing device used by the at least one selected user, said notification data to be used by said at least one computing device for

executing, based on said notification data, instructions for presenting indicia to said at least one selected user,

wherein said presenting indicia further comprises presenting an acknowledgement block to the at least one selected user to send an acknowledgement of said notification data, and

further wherein if said at least one selected user does not send said acknowledgement before expiry of a timer, said presenting of indicia is terminated.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein said input data is received from at least one administrator.

25. A method according to claim 23, further comprising

registering, by said server, said computer devices.

managing, by said server, said computing devices.

26. A method according to claim 23, further comprising presenting, by said server, a user interface to at least one administrative device.

27. A method according to claim 23 wherein each computing device is registered with said server using a unique identifier.

28. A method according to claim 23 further comprising grouping, by said server, said computing devices based on the locations of said computing devices.

29. A method according to claim 23, wherein said server is an active server, further comprising

the active server communicating with one or more standby servers to act as backup to the active server;

keeping track of said active server and said one or more standby servers;

maintaining said communications between said active server and said one or more standby servers;

promoting one of the one or more standby servers to become the active server if the active server fails to perform its operations.

30. A method according to claim 23 wherein, based on contents of said notification data, said at least one computing device executes instructions for launching at least one separate application.

31. A method according to claim 23 further comprising prioritizing, by said notification module, the sending of notification data to the at least one computing device used by the at least one selected user, said prioritizing based on one or more geo-locations associated with the at least one computing device.

32. A computing device client running on a computing device connected to a server over a network, wherein said client

determines contents of notification data received from said server;

executes instructions, based on said contents, for presenting indicia to a user of said computing device,

wherein said presenting indicia further comprises presenting an acknowledgement block to the user to send an acknowledgement of said notification data, and

further wherein if said user does not send said acknowledgement before expiry of a timer, said presenting of indicia is terminated.