Individual XML message processing platform

• US 8,706,904 B1
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Interactive Services Corporation (West Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Notifications, Inc. (West Corporation)
• Inventors: Stark, Juergen, Goren, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US12/765,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-206, 709/245, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/83 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/33 containing protocol addresses or telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/37 E-mail addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A communications platform (Centerpost) provides a message processing platform along with an XML message format (SmartMessage) which provides for the reception, organization, summarization, filing, storage, synthesis, routing, formatting, and intelligent processing of XML-based electronic messages and SMTP electronic mail from corporations and other senders to fully integrate individuals'"'"' existing e-mail boxes, cellular telephones, paging equipment, facsimile machines, wireless and wired telephones, and other devices. The Centerpost platform utilizes a nickname-based routing to enable device specific sending without knowledge of the specific device address.

Claims

1. A communications platform that enables individuals to receive XML electronic SmartMessages from corporations and others, the communications platform comprising at least one server, said at least one server comprising a processor that executes logic to perform:

a message-processing platform comprising automatic intelligent routing such that said message-processing platform can receive an XML-based electronic SmartMessages from an XML SmartMessage sender and route said XML-based SmartMessage on behalf of an individual user; and

a sender stylesheet and an electronic message stylesheet, wherein said sender stylesheet comprises meta-data that describes a sender and said electronic message stylesheet describes an activity and an event.

2. The communications platform in claim 1, wherein said message processing platform further provides the organization, summation, filing, storage, synthesis, formatting and intelligent processing of XML-based electronic SmartMessages.

3. The communications platform in claim 2, wherein said XML electronic SmartMessage comprises at least one standardized XML tag and at least one sender-defined XML tag.

4. The communications platform in claim 3, wherein said sender-defined XML tag comprises an envelope, said envelope comprising a header and a document.

5. The communications platform in claim 3, wherein said sender-defined XML tag comprises a SmartMessage definition document, wherein said definition document is used by the communications platform to automatically determine how to display, summarize and process the XML electronic SmartMessage.

6. The communications platform in claim 5, wherein said SmartMessage definition document comprises an entity and a class.

7. The communications platform in claim 3, wherein said sender-defined XML tag comprises a receipt document, said receipt document specifies a SmartMessage processing server response.

8. The communications platform in claim 2, further comprising an Informant stylesheet and a SmartMessage stylesheet, wherein said Informant stylesheet describes meta-data pertaining to the sender, said SmartMessage stylesheet describes an activity and an event.

9. The communications platform in claim 8, wherein said meta-data includes information pertaining to the Informant'"'"'s name, website address, and industry category.

10. The communications platform in claim 8, wherein said Informant stylesheet further authenticates the Informant.

11. The communications platform in claim 8, wherein said SmartMessage Stylesheet further describes the XML schemas of said activity and event, and defines how the activity and event is transmitted to at least one endpoint.

12. The communications platform in claim 11, wherein said at least one endpoint comprises an electronic mail box, a wired or wireless telephone, a facsimile machine, a paging device, or a personal digital assistant.

13. The communications platform in claim 8, wherein said Informant stylesheet and said SmartMessage stylesheet reside on said Informant'"'"'s web servers.

14. A communications platform that enables individual users to receive electronic messages from corporations and others, the communications platform comprising at least one server, said at least one server comprising a processor that executes logic to perform a nickname-based routing system, said nickname-based routing system configured to enable a sender of an electronic message to transmit said message to the server, an address of the message comprising a recipient identifier component that identifies a recipient registered with the communications platform and a device nickname component that identifies one of a plurality of endpoints of the recipient that are registered with the communications platform as being associated with the recipient, the server configured to receive the message, determine the recipient from the recipient identifier, extract the device nickname from the address and determine an address of an endpoint of the recipient from the recipient identifier and the device nickname and to transmit the message from the server to the endpoint.

15. The communications platform in claim 14, wherein said endpoint comprises an electronic mail box, a wired or wireless telephone, a facsimile machine, a paging device, or a personal digital assistant.

16. The communications platform in claim 15, wherein said nickname-based routing system comprises at least one address containing a nickname.

17. The communications platform in claim 16, wherein said nickname comprises information pertaining to said receiver'"'"'s name and endpoint.

18. The communications platform in claim 17, wherein said nickname further comprises information pertaining to said endpoint.

19. The communications platform in claim 18, wherein said information pertaining to said endpoint comprises a telephone number, a facsimile number, a pager number, an electronic address or a resident address.