NETWORK-BASED MESSAGING SYSTEM WITH DATABASE MANAGEMENT FOR COMPUTER BASED INTER-USER COMMUNICATION

• US 20160191453A1
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, C. Douglass Thomas
• Original Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, C. Douglass Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Douglass, Penilla, Albert S.
• Granted Patent: US 11,303,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• 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 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Methods and systems for network-based messaging systems with database management for supporting based inter-user communications, such as via computing devices, are disclosed. The methods and systems facilitate improved message transmission management for more efficient communications. The methods and systems can provide enhanced electronic communications, such as via electronic mail or text messaging. Improved communication tools are provided to better manage and/or control communications. The computing devices can be personal communication/computing devices, such as mobile, portable or handheld computing devices (e.g., smart phone, a laptop, a tablet, etc.).

Claims

1. A cloud system for servicing message exchanges between users that operate as senders and recipients of messages, the cloud system comprising:

a server interfaced with storage, the storage used to store messages being exchanged by the users, the users being provided with access to the cloud system via user accounts managed by the cloud system, the user accounts enabling the users to send and receive messages, the server operates to receive messages from one or more senders and to cause the messages to be sent to one or more recipients,

the server includes throttle logic that enables users to configure and apply throttle settings on the one or more senders that send messages,

the throttle setting is a configuration that limits messages that will be presented to the recipient from the sender, configuration of the throttle settings further acting to provide an automatic notification to the sender informing the sender that messages sent to the recipient have been delayed due to throttling of the messages; and

a database operatively accessible by the server, the database being configured to store message management data for the users, the message management data including the throttle settings.

2. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein the throttle setting pertains to a predefined threshold number of messages.

3. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein the recipient of one or more messages from the sender is provided with a user interface control for applying a throttle setting on the sender.

4. The cloud system of claim 1, further comprising:

server-side logic for interfacing with client-side logic, the client-side logic being associated with an application that is downloadable from a network-based service that provides applications for user devices, the application including user interfaces for composing messages, reading messages, sending messages and setting throttle settings,

5. The cloud system of claim 1, wherein the throttle setting is associated with the sender, such that messages from the sender to the recipient are handled in accordance with the corresponding throttle setting.

6. The cloud system of claim 1, further comprising,

a data center for operating the server, and the data center providing access to the database.

7. The cloud system of claim 1, further comprising,

an application programming interface (API) to a server of a social network, the social network identifying friends of a sender or recipient, the API providing a structured form for requesting data and receiving data from the social network.

8. A computer-implemented method for processing text messages exchanged between senders and recipients, the computer-implemented method is executed by one or more servers of a messaging service that is accessible to users that are users having user accounts with the messaging service, the computer-implemented method comprising:

processing text messages by a user that acts as a sender to a user that acts as a recipient;

receiving a throttle setting from the recipient, the throttle setting being a configuration that identifies the sender, the configuration identifying a threshold number of text messages that will be sequentially received from the sender to the recipient before a throttle action is applied to the text messages received from the sender for the recipient;

detecting that the threshold number of text messages sent from the sender to the recipient has been exceeded; and

stopping additional text messages sent by the sender to the recipient from being presented to the recipient after the threshold number of text messages has been detected to have been sent by the sender to the recipient.

9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

sending a notification to the sender informing the sender that the additional text messages to the recipient have been stopped due to exceeding the threshold number of text messages.

10. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 9, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

using a custom message for the notification.

11. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 9, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

providing a visual indicator on a display of a computing device associated with the sender, the visual indicator indicating those one or more messages from the sender that have been stopped from been presented to the recipient.

12. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, wherein the users access the messaging service via an application accessible by user devices, the application including user interfaces for composing text messages, reading text messages, controls for sending text messages, controls for applying the throttle setting, controls for selecting recipients of text messages, and controls for viewing a history of messages between one or more senders and recipients.

13. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, wherein a server-side application to connected with a client-side application of the messaging service, the client-side application being a downloadable application that is provided by the messaging service for devices to user the client-side application, the client-side application includes a user interface for applying the throttle setting.

14. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 8, wherein a database stores message management information regarding at least throttle settings assigned to users acting as senders to particular recipients.