Interactive voice enabled email notification and alert system and method

• US 7,620,735 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corybant, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Corybant, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheppard, Wayne, Salim, Mohammad, Rossner, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phuoc
• Application Number:
  US10/503,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20050089019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/231, 709/246, 709/206, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• 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 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4545 Message forwarding selective message forwarding in packet switching networks H04L51/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An interactive, voice-enabled email message notification and alert system 10 and method are disclosed. The system 10 relates to computer and communication systems and more particularly to delivery of electronic mail and other forms of electronic messages over the public switched and wireless telephone networks.

Claims

1. A distributed notification system for delivering selected communications in real time to a recipient in an alternate communication format and/or via an alternate communication network, the system comprising;

a communication server for receiving and storing an initial communication in a first format intended for a first destination over a first communication network;

a selection module that screens said initial communication pursuant to a first set of rules defined by the recipient to determine whether said initial communication should be identified as a selected communication for alternate delivery;

a rules database that stores recipient state information and a second set of rules, which are at least in part defined by the recipient, for application to said selected communication wherein said second set of rules, in conjunction with said recipient state information, determine said alternate communication format and/or said alternate communication network for delivery of said selected communication;

a rules module that queries said rules database for said recipient state information and said second set of rules and instantiates an instruction application based on said recipient state information and said second set of rules to direct further processing of said selected communication;

a service module that is invoked by said instruction application and that converts said selected communication from said first format to a second format; and

a delivery module that automatically delivers said selected communication in said second format to a second destination directed by the instruction application according to said recipient state information and said second set of rules.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said delivery module delivers said selected communication in said second format to said second destination over a second communication network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said service module further comprises a third party application service invoked temporarily by said instruction application to become part of the system, wherein said third party application service is connected with the communication server via a network;

said third party application service receives said selected communication from said communication server via said network;

said third party application service converts said selected communication from said first format to a second format; and

said third party application service further functions as said delivery module and delivers said selected communication in said second format to said second destination pursuant to said recipient state information and said second set of rules.

4. The system of claim 3 fun her comprising a command interface accessible by said third party service application for instantiating an additional instruction application.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a scheduling module and an event database that stores event records, wherein said scheduling module queries said event database and independently instantiates said instruction application upon reaching an activation time for each of said event records.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a command interface accessible via a network through which the recipient of said selected message can amend at least one of said first set of rules and said second set of rules.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a command interface accessible via a network through which the recipient of said selected message can independently instantiate said instruction application.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a command interface accessible via a network through which an enterprise can amend at least one of said first set of rules and said second set of rules applicable to multiple recipients associated with the enterprise.

9. A method for providing select messages to a recipient in real time in an alternate communication format and/or via an alternate communication network, the method comprising;

receiving an initial communication in a first format intended for a first destination at a communication server via a first communication network;

screening said initial communication pursuant to a first set of rules defined, at least in part, by the recipient, to determine whether said initial communication should be identified as a selected communication for alternate delivery;

temporarily storing said selected communication at said communication server;

sending an alert message to a notification system to initiate a process for delivery of said selected communication in a second format;

querying a rules database for recipient state information and a second set of rules for application to said selected communication, wherein said second set of rules, in conjunction with said recipient state information, determine said alternate communication format, an alternate destination, and/or said alternate communication network for delivery of said selected communication;

converting said selected communication from said first format to a second format based upon said recipient state information and said second set of rules; and

automatically delivering said selected communication in said second format to said alternate destination.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of delivering further comprises delivering said selected communication in said second format over said alternate communication network.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of converting further comprises:

temporarily invoking a third party application service to convert said selected communication from said first format to said second format; and

transmitting said selected communication from said communication server to said third party application service via a network;

wherein said step of delivering is performed by said third party application service.