Selective communication of messages

• US 9,807,044 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Amit D., Bezos, Jeffrey P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Strange, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US13/620,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20130018707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,872 Days
• Field of Search: 709204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A message originator may generate messaging data for selective communication by a messaging provider via an interface generated by a browser software application. The user may also interact with various content providers such that event data is generated based on the user interaction with each content provider. The messaging provider can then obtain the messaging data and the event data to determine a target set of messages to be published. Additionally, the messaging provider can select a set of message recipients to receive, or otherwise access, the target set of messages based on filtering criteria submitted by the message originator, content provider, service provider, and/or message recipients. Credit may be allocated based on activity associated with the communicated messages. The messaging provider may also facilitate additional interaction between the message originator and the message recipients including the initiation of additional communication channels.

Claims

1. A method for selectively communicating messages comprising:

obtaining messaging data based at least in part on a message originator'"'"'s manipulation of an interface control within a browser application, wherein the messaging data is generated by the message originator'"'"'s interaction with the interface control;

processing the messaging data based, at least in part, on a processing rule, wherein the processing rule is configured to modify at least one of format or content of the messaging data;

identifying a first set of potential message recipients based on a first filtering rule provided by the message originator;

identifying a first set of message recipients from the first set of potential message recipients based on a second filtering rule provided by the potential message recipients;

processing the messaging data to determine a first set of one or more messages to be selectively communicated to the first set of message recipients as a function of the messaging data; and

causing the selective communication of the first set of one or more messages to be published to the first set of message recipients based at least in part on the message originator'"'"'s interaction with the interface control.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more messages published to the first set of message recipients includes at least one control for facilitating additional interaction between the message originator and a message recipient, wherein the at least one control corresponds to a control operative to initiate a direct communication channel between the message originator and the message recipient.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the direct communication channel corresponds to a voice over IP communication channel.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a subsequent message originator is a service provider.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the messaging data corresponds to a message originator submitted question.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the messaging data corresponds to including at least one selectable control in at least one of the one or more messages to be selectively communicated to the set of message recipients.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one selectable control includes at least one embedded hyperlink based on a subject matter associated with the messaging data.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one control corresponds to one or more hyperlinks, wherein the hyperlinks are associated with content generated from processing the messaging data.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the messaging data corresponds to multi-media data.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second filtering rule comprises rules for electing receipt of the one or more messages corresponding to message originators identified in a social graph associated with the at least one of the set of message recipients.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least some of the messaging data is provided by a service provider.

12. A system for managing the selective communication of content comprising:

a data store operative to maintain processing data corresponding to at least one of messaging data and event data; and

a computing device in communication with the data store and that is operative to;

obtain messaging data based at least in part on a message originator'"'"'s manipulation of an interface control within a browser application, wherein the messaging data is generated by the message originator'"'"'s interaction with the interface control;

process the messaging data according to the processing rules in the data store, wherein the processing rules are configured to modify at least one of format or content of the messaging data;

identify a first set of potential message recipients based on a first filtering rule provided by the message originator;

identify first message recipients from the first set of potential message recipients based on a second filtering rule provided by the potential message recipients;

cause the selective communication of a first set of one or more messages to the first message recipients based at least in part on the message originator'"'"'s interaction with the interface control, wherein the content of the first set of one or more messages is based at least in part on the messaging data.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more messages published to the first set of message recipients includes at least one control for facilitating additional interaction between the message originator and a message recipient, wherein the at least one control corresponds to a control operative to initiate a direct communication channel between the message originator and the message recipient.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the direct communication channel corresponds to a voice over IP communication channel.

15. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the message recipient was previously qualified to obtain the selectively communicated message.

16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the message recipient corresponds to a service provider.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the service provider is associated with a content provider.

18. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one control includes at least one embedded hyperlink based on a subject matter associated with the messaging data.

19. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one control corresponds to one or more hyperlinks, wherein the hyperlinks are associated with content generated from the processed messaging data.

20. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the messaging data corresponds to multi-media data.

21. A method for generating messaging data comprising:

generating at least one control for obtaining messaging data, wherein the control is generated on a browser software application independent of a network resource being rendered by the browser software application;

obtaining a user manipulation of the at least one control, the user manipulation received from a message originator;

processing the messaging data based, at least in part, on a processing rule, wherein the processing rule is configured to modify at least one of format or content of the messaging data;

identifying a first set of potential message recipients based on a first filtering rule provided by the message originator;

identifying a first set of message recipients from the first set of potential message recipients based on a second filtering rule provided by the potential message recipients; and

transmitting the user manipulation of the at least one control, wherein the transmission of the user manipulation is operative to request publication of a first message to the first set of message recipients on behalf of the message originator associated with the browser software application to the set of message recipients, wherein content of the first message is based on the messaging data.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the at least one control corresponds to a control for obtaining messaging data from the message originator.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein the messaging data corresponds to text-based messaging data.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the at least one control comprises a second control for obtaining event data from the message originator, wherein the event data corresponds to interaction with a network resource via a communication network.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the second control is configured to control publishing a resource identifier associated with the network resource.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the second control is configured to control publishing a resource identifier associated with the network resource and at least a subject matter of the network resource.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the second control is configured to control requesting assistance with the network resource.

28. A system for generating messaging data comprising:

a computing device that is operative to execute computer executable components, including;

a data processing component for generating at least one control for obtaining messaging data, wherein the control is generated on a browser software application independent of a network resource being rendered by the browser software application;

an interface component for obtaining a user manipulation of the at least one control, the user manipulation received from a message originator; and

a messaging interface component for transmitting the user manipulation of the at least one control, wherein the transmission of the user manipulation is operative to request publication of a first message to a first set of message recipients on behalf of the message originator associated with the browser software application, wherein the message interface component is operative to;

process the messaging data based, at least in part, on a processing rule, wherein the processing rule is configured to modify at least one of format or content of the messaging data;

identify a first set of potential message recipients based on a first filtering rule provided by the message originator, and

identify the first set of message recipients from the first set of potential message recipients based on a second filtering rule provided by the potential message recipients.

29. The system as recited in claim 28, wherein the at least one control corresponds to a control for obtaining messaging data from the message originator.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the messaging data corresponds to text-based messaging data.

31. The system as recited in claim 28, wherein the at least one control comprises a second control for obtaining event data from the message originator, wherein the event data corresponds to interaction with a network resource via a communication network.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, wherein the second control is configured to control publishing a resource identifier associated with the network resource.