Systems and methods for notifying a computing device of a communication addressed to a user based on an activity or presence of the user
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein are methods and systems for notifying a computing device of a communication addressed to a user based on an activity or presence of the user. According to an aspect, a method includes storing identification of a computing device associated with one or both of an activity and presence of a user. For example, the identification may be stored in a mobile device. The method may include receiving a communication addressed to the user. For example, the communication may be received at a mobile device and managed by a communication manager. In response to receiving the communication, the communication manager may apply a communication rule for notifying the computing device of the communication based on the activity and/or presence of the user.
1. A method comprising:
storing identification of each of a plurality of computing devices associated with a user;
storing information specifying a functionality of each of the plurality of computing devices;
receiving data associated with at least one of the plurality of computing devices, the data comprising at least one of an activity and presence of the user at the at least one computing device;
receiving a communication addressed to the user; and
in response to receiving the communication:
applying a communication rule to determine, based on the at least one of the activity and presence of the user, at least one of the plurality of computing devices to send a notification message about the communication;
formatting the notification message based on the stored information specifying the functionality of the at least one determined computing device; and
communicating the formatted notification message to the at least one determined computing device.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the method comprises storing identification of each of the plurality of computing devices, and
wherein applying a communication rule comprises
determining to notify the at least one computing device from among the plurality of computing devices based on at least one of activity of the computing device associated with the user, proximity of the computing device to another computing device, functionality of the computing device, user preferences for receiving communications, another user in proximity to the computing device, urgency of the communication addressed to the user, and presence of the user or others.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a communication comprises receiving at least one of a telephone call, an email, a text message, and an instant message.
4. The method of claim 1 , forwarding the communication to the at least one determined computing device in response to receiving the communication.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a communication rule comprises automatically forwarding the communication to the at least one determined computing device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein formatting the notification message comprises formatting the notification message based on the activity of the user, a characteristic of the communication, a content of the received communication, a preference of the user, and another user in proximity to the at least one determined computing device.
7. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving identification of the at least one determined computing device and the at least one of the activity and presence of the user.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein receiving identification of the at least one determined computing device and the at least one of the activity and presence of the user comprises receiving, at a first computing device, at least one communication that contains the identification and that has been communicated to another computing device.
9. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving information concerning activity of each of the plurality of computing devices associated with the user, proximity of at least one of the plurality of computing devices to another one of the plurality of computing devices, preferences of the user for receiving communications, another user in proximity to at least one of the plurality of computing devices, urgency of the received communication addressed to the user.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein applying a communication rule comprises applying the communication rule based on the received information.
11. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving an instruction from one of the plurality of computing devices for managing the communication, and
wherein the method comprises applying the instruction to the received communication in response to receiving the instruction.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the instruction specifies that the received communication is to be held for the user, and
wherein applying the instruction comprises holding the communication for answering by the user.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the instruction specifies that the received communication is to be ignored, and
wherein applying the instruction comprises ignoring the communication.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the instruction specifies that the received communication is to be forwarded, and
wherein applying the instruction comprises forwarding the communication to one of the at least one determined computing device or another computing device of the plurality of computing devices specified in the instruction.
15. A system comprising:
a data store configured to:
store identification of each of a plurality of computing devices associated with a user; and
store information specifying a functionality of each of the plurality of computing devices;
a communication manager comprising at least a processor and memory configured to:
receive data associated with at least one of the plurality of computing devices, the data comprising at least one of an activity and presence of a user at the at least one computing device;
receive a communication addressed to the user;
apply, in response to receiving the communication, a communication rule to determine, based on the at least one of the activity of the user, at least one of the plurality of computing devices to send a notification message about the communication;
format, in response to the determination, the notification message based on the stored information specifying the functionality of the at least one determined computing device; and
communicate, in response to receiving the communication, the formatted notification message to the at least one determined computing device.
16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing the following steps:
storing identification of each of a plurality of computing devices associated with a user;
storing information specifying a functionality of each of the plurality of computing devices;
receiving data associated with at least one of the plurality of computing devices, the data comprising at least one of an activity and presence of the user at the at least one computing device;
receiving a communication addressed to the user; and
in response to receiving the communication:
applying a communication rule to determine, based on the at least one of the activity and presence of the user, at least one of the plurality of computing devices to send a notification message about the communication;
formatting the notification message based on the stored information specifying the functionality of the at least one determined computing device; and
communicating the formatted notification message to the at least one determined computing device.