Electronic message delivery based on presence information

• US 9,253,136 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Hussain, Muhammad Mohsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, John B
• Application Number:
  US13/617,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20130097254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/06 Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

An electronic message may be reconfigured to effect an enhanced notification using an input interface to receive at least one electronic message created by or on behalf of a message source for delivery to an intended recipient. A matching engine determines whether the electronic message corresponds to a predetermined definition of an enhanced notification. An enhancement engine reconfigures the electronic message to the enhanced notification if stored information related to the intended recipient indicates that the intended recipient is subscribed to receive the enhanced notification. Reconfiguring the electronic message may include reconfiguring the message to provide special handling, routing or presentation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a setting associated with an intended recipient defining a concurrent delivery mechanism that is designated to receive all electronic messages;

identifying that the intended recipient is a recipient of an electronic message;

identifying a user-defined delivery precedence for a plurality of delivery mechanisms;

determining, using at least one processor, presence information associated with a delivery mechanism with a highest precedence;

based on the intended recipient being present on the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence, concurrently sending the electronic message to the intended recipient via the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence and via the concurrent delivery mechanism;

based on the intended recipient not being present on the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence, determining presence information associated with a delivery mechanism with a second highest precedence;

based on the intended recipient being present on the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence, concurrently sending the electronic message to the intended recipient via the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence and via the concurrent delivery mechanism; and

based on the intended recipient not being present on the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence, sending the electronic message via the concurrent delivery mechanism.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the presence information associated with the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence comprises an online presence.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising sending the electronic message via the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence based on the intended recipient having the online presence.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the online presence is an active instant message session.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence is an instant message.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the online presence indicates current website browsing.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence is a pop-up window.

8. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the online presence indicates online activity via a television.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence is a pop-up window.

10. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the presence information associated with the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence comprises a presence on a mobile device.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the mobile device is a wireless phone.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the mobile device is a personal digital assistant.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence is a text message.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising reconfiguring the electronic message as a notification and sending the notification to the mobile device.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the notification contains only a portion of the electronic message.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein sending the notification causes an icon to be displayed on the mobile device.

17. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

determining an urgency corresponding to the electronic message;

based on the determined urgency, altering the user-defined delivery precedence; and

sending the electronic message based on the altered user-defined delivery precedence.

18. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising sending the electronic message via a delivery mechanism with a third highest precedence if the intended recipient has a geographic position within a predefined range.

19. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive a setting associated with an intended recipient defining a concurrent delivery mechanism that is designated to receive all electronic messages

identify that the intended recipient is a recipient of an electronic message;

identify a user-defined delivery precedence for a plurality of delivery mechanisms;

determine presence information associated with a delivery mechanism with a highest precedence;

based on the intended recipient being present on the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence, concurrently send the electronic message to the intended recipient via the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence and via the concurrent delivery mechanism;

based on the intended recipient not being present on the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence, determine presence information associated with a delivery mechanism with a second highest precedence;

based on the intended recipient being present on the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence, concurrently send the electronic message to the intended recipient via the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence and via the concurrent delivery mechanism; and

based on the intended recipient not being present on the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence, send the electronic message via the concurrent delivery mechanism.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the presence information associated with the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence comprises an online presence.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein one or more definitions indicate an order of precedence of the plurality of delivery mechanisms.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the one or more definitions are preferences set by the intended recipient.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to send the electronic message via the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence based on the intended recipient having the online presence.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence is a pop-up window.

25. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the presence information associated with the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence comprises a presence on a mobile device.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the mobile device is a wireless phone.

27. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the mobile device is a tablet computer.

28. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence is a text message.

29. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

determine an urgency corresponding to the electronic message;

based on the determined urgency, alter the user-defined delivery precedence; and

send the electronic message based on the altered user-defined delivery precedence.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:

reconfigure the electronic message as a notification; and

send the notification to the mobile device.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the notification contains only a portion of the electronic message.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein sending the notification causes an icon to be displayed on the mobile device.

33. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the notification is a pop-up notification.

34. A method comprising:

receiving a setting associated with an intended recipient defining a concurrent delivery mechanism that is designated to receive all electronic messages;

identifying that the intended recipient is a recipient of an electronic notification;

identifying a delivery precedence for a plurality of delivery mechanisms;

determining, using at least one processor, presence information associated with a delivery mechanism with a highest precedence;

determining presence information associated with a delivery mechanism with a second highest precedence;

based on the intended recipient being present on the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence, concurrently sending the electronic notification to the intended recipient via the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence and via the concurrent delivery mechanism;

based on the intended recipient not being present on the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence, and if the intended recipient is present on the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence, concurrently sending the electronic notification to the intended recipient via the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence and via the concurrent delivery mechanism; and

based on the intended recipient not being present on either the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence or the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence, sending the electronic message via the concurrent delivery mechanism.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the delivery precedence for the plurality of delivery mechanisms are preferences set by the intended recipient.

36. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the delivery precedence for the plurality of delivery mechanisms are default system definitions.

37. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the presence information associated with the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence comprises an indication that the intended recipient is currently logged into a communications system.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, further comprising sending the electronic notification to the intended recipient via the communications system.

39. The method as recited in claim 38, further comprising sending the electronic notification as a pop-up window.

40. The method as recited in claim 38, further comprising causing an icon to be displayed to the intended recipient.

41. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein:

the communications system comprises an instant message system; and

the one or more delivery mechanisms comprise an instant message.

42. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the presence information associated with the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence comprises an indication that the intended recipient is currently active on a mobile device.

43. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the mobile device is a wireless phone.

44. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the mobile device is a tablet computer.

45. The method as recited in claim 42, further comprising:

determining an urgency corresponding to the electronic message;

altering the user-defined delivery precedence for the plurality of delivery mechanisms; and

sending the electronic notification based on the altered user-defined delivery precedence.

46. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence causes an icon to be displayed to the intended recipient.

47. The method as recited in claim 46, wherein the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence is a pop-up notification.

48. The method as recited in claim 46, wherein the delivery mechanism with the second highest precedence is an audible alert.

49. The method as recited in claim 34, wherein the presence information associated with the delivery mechanism with the highest precedence comprises an indication that the intended recipient is currently logged into a software program.

50. The method as recited in claim 49, further comprising sending the electronic notification to the intended recipient via the software program.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the software program comprises one of a task program or a calendar program.

52. The method as recited in claim 50, further comprising sending the electronic notification as a pop-up window.

53. The method as recited in claim 50, further comprising causing an icon to be displayed to the intended recipient.