Methods, systems, and products for customized alerts
View Patent ↗Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for presenting a custom alert to a recipient of an incoming data communication. A data message is received that specifies the custom alert associated with the data communication. The customer alert is then visually and/or audibly presented to provide notice of the data communication.
1. A method for presenting a custom alert, comprising:
receiving a data message at a recipient's communications device that specifies the custom alert associated with a data communication;
receiving the data communication at the recipient's communications device;
retrieving the custom alert from memory; and
presenting the custom alert prior to receipt of the data communication to provide advance notice of the data communication.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein presenting the custom alert comprises visually presenting the custom alert.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein presenting the custom alert comprises audibly presenting the custom alert.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving the custom alert based on a time.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving the custom alert based on a day.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a profile associated with a communications address.
7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising retrieving a rule from the profile.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising associating the custom alert with a communications address.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the communications address is a telephone number.
10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the communications address is an Internet Protocol address.
11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising associating the custom alert with a rule for at least one of an unknown communications address, a blocked communications address, and a private communications address.
12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising associating the custom alert with a rule for an out of area communications address.
13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising selecting the custom alert from a database.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data communication comprises at least one of an email, a text message, and an instant message.
15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising associating the custom alert with at least a portion of a subject line of the data communication.
16. A system, comprising:
a processor;
memory; and
code stored in the memory that when executed causes the processor at least to:
receive a data message at a recipient's communications device, the data message specifying a custom alert associated with a data communication;
receive the data communication at the recipient's communications device;
retrieve the custom alert; and
present the custom alert prior to receipt of the data communication to provide advance notice of the data communication.
17. The system according to claim 16 , further comprising code that causes the processor to select the custom alert based on a time.
18. The system according to claim 16 , further comprising code that causes the processor to select the custom alert based on a day.
19. The system according to claim 16 , further comprising code that causes the processor to select the custom alert according to a rule.
20. A computer readable medium storing processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:
receiving a data message at a recipient's communications device that specifies a custom alert associated with a data communication;
retrieving the custom alert from memory;
presenting the custom alert prior to receipt of the data communication to provide advance notice of the data communication; and
receiving the data communication at the recipient's communications device after presentation of the custom alert.