Event notification system

• US 6,617,969 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infor Global Solutions Michigan Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Vigilance, Inc. (Netflix, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Sandeep, Tantry, Subhash B., Mi, Peiwei, Tu, Kevin Hsiaohsu
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/886,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20020154010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/517, 340/524, 340/525, 340/539, 340/541, 340/3.1, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/517
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for sending a notification message in accordance with a set of notification preferences. The notification message is sent upon the detection of an event or satisfaction of a condition with respect to a detected event. The set of notification preferences may indicate a desired notification medium via which the notification message is to be sent, a notification addressee to which the notification message is to be sent, and/or a notification timing preference indicating a date and/or time during which the notification is to be sent (or received).

Claims

1. A method of monitoring data, comprising:

monitoring data and one or more indicators transmitted therewith, the indicators indicating one or more events;

detecting one or more of a specified set of one or more events within the data and the one or more indicators transmitted therewith; and

sending a message indicating that one or more of the specified set of events has been detected, the message being sent in accordance with a set of notification preferences associated with the detected one or more of the specified set of events, the set of notification preferences indicating at least one of a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent and a notification timing preference.

2. A method of sending a notification message, comprising:

receiving a notification indicator adapted for indicating that one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more events that have been detected from a set of flagged data, the set of flagged data including data and one or more indicators indicating a set of one or more events associated therewith;

obtaining a set of notification preferences associated with the one or more events that have been detected; and

sending a notification message in accordance with the set of notification preferences, the set of notification preferences indicating at least one of a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent and a notification timing preference.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the notification indicator is further adapted for indicating that the one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more event attributes associated with the one or more events.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the set of notification preferences are associated with at least one of one or more entities to whom the notification message is to be sent, one or more of the events, and the condition.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more events and the set of one or more events are configurable.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more conditions are configurable.

7. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for monitoring data for detection of one or more conditions for which a notification message is to be transmitted, comprising:

instructions for monitoring a set of flagged data for a specified set of events, the set of flagged data including data and one or more indicators indicating one or more events associated therewith;

instructions for determining when one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events; and

instructions for obtaining a set of notification preferences associated with the one or more of the specified set of events or the one or more conditions that have been satisfied with respect to the one or more of the specified set of events and sending a notification message in accordance with the obtained set of notification preferences when it is determined that one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events, the set of notification preferences indicating at least one of a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent and a notification timing preference.

8. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer readable medium is selected from the group consisting of CD-ROM, floppy disk, tape, flash memory, system memory, hard drive, and data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

9. An apparatus for monitoring data for detection of one or more conditions for which a notification message is to be transmitted, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

monitoring a set of flagged data for a specified set of events, the set of flagged data including data and one or more indicators indicating one or more events associated therewith;

determining when one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events; and

obtaining a set of notification preferences associated with the one or more of the specified set of events or the one or more conditions that have been satisfied with respect to the one or more of the specified set of events and sending a notification message in accordance with the obtained set of notification preferences when it is determined that one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events, the set of notification preferences indicating at least one of a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent and a notification timing preference.

10. An apparatus for monitoring data for detection of one or more conditions for which a notification message is to be transmitted, comprising:

means for monitoring a set of flagged data for a specified set of events, the set of flagged data including data and one or more indicators indicating one or more events associated therewith;

means for determining when one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events; and

means for obtaining a set of notification preferences associated with the one or more of the specified set of events or the one or more conditions that have been satisfied with respect to the one or more of the specified set of events and sending a notification message in accordance with the obtained set of notification preferences when it is determined that one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events, the set of notification preferences indicating at least one of a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent and a notification timing preference.

11. A method of monitoring data for detection of one or more conditions for which a notification message is to be transmitted, comprising:

monitoring a set of flagged data for a specified set of events, the set of flagged data including data and one or more indicators indicating one or more events;

determining when one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events; and

when it is determined that one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events, obtaining a set of notification preferences associated with the one or more of the specified set of events and sending a notification message in accordance with the obtained set of notification preferences, the set of notification preferences indicating at least one of a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent and a notification timing preference.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining the notification message associated with the obtained set of notification preferences prior to sending the notification message.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the set of notification preferences is associated with one or more entities to whom the notification message is to be transmitted.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the set of notification preferences is associated with at least one of the one or more of the specified set of events, the one or more conditions, and a set of one or more individuals.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the condition is satisfied with respect to a set of one or more event attributes associated with one or more of the specified set of events, and wherein the set of notification preferences maps one or more of the set of event attributes to one or more entities to whom the notification message is to be transmitted.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the set of notification preferences maps one or more values of the one or more attributes to the one or more entities to whom the notification message is to be transmitted.

17. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the specified set of events has one or more associated event attributes, and wherein the set of notification preferences maps one or more of the event attributes to one or more entities to whom the notification message is to be transmitted.

18. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the specified set of events has one or more associated event attributes, and wherein the set of notification preferences maps one or more values associated with one or more of the event attributes to one or more entities to whom the notification message is to be transmitted.

19. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the notification message indicates satisfaction of the one or more conditions with respect to one or more of the specified set of events.

20. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more conditions each have an associated one of a plurality of condition types.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the plurality of condition types include single occurrence, multiple occurrence, event attribute comparison, follow-by paired event, cancel-by paired event, overdue event and impending event.

22. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the specified set of events is defined by one or more event attributes.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein one or more of the event attributes that define one of the specified set of events includes at least one metric, the metric identifying a data value in the set of flagged data that is to be monitored.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the set of notification preferences indicates one or more values for one or more of the event attributes for which the notification message is to be sent.

25. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the one or more events are configured to be events of interest to an entity associated with a business enterprise.

26. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the specified set of events is configured to be events of interest to a first entity associated with a business enterprise and each of the one or more events are configured to be events of interest to a second entity associated with a business enterprise.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the first entity is the second entity.

28. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the one or more conditions are defined such that they are associated with one or more of the specified set of events.

29. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

sending a second notification message when the one or more conditions are no longer satisfied with respect to the one or more of the specified set of events.

30. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the set of notification preferences indicates one or more individuals to whom the notification message is to be sent.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the set of notification preferences indicates that notification grouping is disabled for one or more users when in a first state, and indicates that notification grouping is enabled for one or more users when in a second state, the notification grouping enabling specified users to receive notifications addressed to a group associated with the specified users.

32. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the set of notification preferences indicates a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the communication medium is at least one of electronic mail, alpha numeric pager, numeric pager and voice mail.

34. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the set of notification preferences indicate a notification timing preference.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the notification timing preference indicates that the notification message is to be sent immediately.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the notification timing preference indicates that the notification message is to be sent after a specified delay.

37. A method of monitoring data, comprising:

receiving flagged data including one or more indicators adapted for indicating a specified set of events;

determining from the flagged data associated with the specified set of events whether one or more conditions are satisfied; and

when it is determined that one or more conditions are satisfied with respect to one or more of the specified set of events, obtaining a set of notification preferences associated with the one or more of the specified set of events for which the one or more conditions have been satisfied and sending a message in accordance with the set of notification preferences, the set of notification preferences indicating at least one of a communication medium via which the notification message is to be sent and a notification timing preference.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, further comprising:

sending a request for flagged data associated with the specified set of events prior to receiving the flagged data.

39. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein each of the specified set of events is defined by a set of one or more attributes, the method further comprising:

filtering the flagged data associated with the specified set of events according to one or more of the set of one or more attributes.

40. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein the notification message indicates satisfaction of the one or more conditions with respect to one or more of the specified set of events.

41. A method of sending a notification message, comprising:

obtaining a set of notification preferences, the set of notification preferences being associated with a condition that has been satisfied with respect to one or more events such that the set of notification preferences is associated with one of the events that has been detected;

ascertaining a notification timing preference from the set of notification preferences, the notification timing preference indicating at least one of one or more specified days of the week and one or more specified times of the day;

obtaining a notification addressee from the set of notification preferences;

obtaining a notification medium from the set of notification preferences; and

sending a notification message indicating satisfaction of the condition with respect to the one or more events via the notification medium to the notification addressee in accordance with the notification timing preference.

42. The method as recited in claim 41, wherein the condition has been satisfied with respect to one or more attributes, the one or more attributes being associated with the events.

43. A method of configuring a notification system to enable a notification message to be transmitted, comprising:

obtaining a notification timing preference indicating a time preference during which the notification message can be transmitted, the time preference indicating at least one of one or more specified days of the week and one or more specified times of the day;

obtaining a notification medium selection indicating a notification medium via which the notification message is to be transmitted; and

storing a set of notification preferences including the notification timing preference, and the notification medium selection such that the set of notification preferences is associated with at least one of an event for which the notification message is to be sent or a condition for detecting the event for which the notification message is to be sent.

44. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein the notification medium is at least one of electronic mail, alphanumeric pager, numeric pager, phone, and cell phone.

45. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising:

associating the set of notification preferences with one or more entities.

46. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising:

associating the set of notification preferences with one or more conditions to be satisfied with respect to one or more events.

47. The method as recited in claim 46, wherein the events are configurable by a business.

48. The method s recited in claim 46, wherein the events are selectable.

49. The method as recited in claim 46, wherein each of the events is defined by one or more event attributes.

50. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising:

obtaining a notification addressee preference indicating one or more addressees to whom the notification message is to be transmitted;

wherein the set of notification preferences further includes the notification addressee preference; and

wherein the set of notification preferences is associated with a condition to be satisfied with respect to one or more events.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the events are modifiable.

52. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the one or more events are to be detected through monitoring a set of flagged data that identifies a plurality of events associated therewith.