Method and apparatus of providing notification services to smartphone devices

1. A method of providing notifications to a mobile station user, the method comprising:

receiving a user registration for a notification application and storing the corresponding user registration information in a notification database, the user registration information comprising a quick response (QR) code scan entry identified by the mobile station and associated with at least one business entity;

receiving at least one business entity designation from the mobile station identifying the at least one business entity from which the user desires to receive notifications, responsive to the QR code scan entry;

linking the user registration information and the at least one business entity designation in the notification database to provide a link between notifications scheduled by the at least one business entity, and at least one notification to be sent to the mobile station;

identifying a send window parameter comprising a window begin parameter and a window end parameter which together define a predetermined send window in the at least one notification to be transmitted to the mobile station;

scheduling the at least one notification to be transmitted to the mobile station based on the predetermined send window; and

transmitting the at least one notification to the mobile station during the predetermined send window responsive to the at least one business entity designation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the registration is performed via at least one of a website registration, a scanning operation performed via the mobile station and an alphanumeric code entered into the notification application.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the scanning operation is performed via the mobile station scanning a quick response (QR) code.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein registration comprises receiving at least one of a user name, address, e-mail address and notification preferences.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

flagging the user as a consented notification recipient and storing the flag in the notification database.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

linking the user registration and the at least one business entity designation in the notification database prior to transmitting the at least one notification to the mobile station.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notification is transmitted to the mobile station automatically via a push protocol.

8. An apparatus configured to provide notifications to a mobile station user, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to

receive a user registration for a notification application and storing the corresponding user registration information in a notification database, the user registration information comprising a quick response (QR) code scan entry identified by the mobile station and associated with at least one business entity;

receive at least one business entity designation from the mobile station identifying the at least one business entity from which the user desires to receive notifications, responsive to the QR code scan entry;

a processor and memory communicably coupled to the processor, the processor configured to

link the user registration information and the at least one business entity designation in the notification database to provide a link between notifications scheduled by the at least one business entity, and at least one notification to be sent to the mobile station;

identify a send window parameter comprising a window begin parameter and a window end parameter which together define a predetermined send window in the at least one notification to be transmitted to the mobile station;

schedule the at least one notification to be transmitted to the mobile station based on the predetermined send window; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the at least one notification to the mobile station during the predetermined send window responsive to the at least one business entity designation.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the registration is performed via at least one of a website registration, a scanning operation performed via the mobile station and an alphanumeric code entered into the notification application.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the scanning operation is performed via the mobile station scanning a quick response (QR) code.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein registration comprises receiving at least one of a user name, address, e-mail address and notification preferences.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:

a processor configured to flag the user as a consented notification recipient and store the flag in the notification database.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

linking, via the by processor, the user registration and the at least one business entity designation in the notification database prior to transmitting the at least one notification to the mobile station.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notification is transmitted to the mobile station via a push protocol.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform establishing a notification distribution, the processor being further configured to perform:

receiving a user registration for a notification application and storing the corresponding user registration information in a notification database, the user registration information comprising a quick response (QR) code scan entry identified by the mobile station and associated with at least one business entity;

receiving at least one business entity designation from the mobile station identifying the at least one business entity from which the user desires to receive notifications, responsive to the QR code scan entry;

linking the user registration information and the at least one business entity designation in the notification database to provide a link between notifications scheduled by the at least one business entity, and at least one notification to be sent to the mobile station;

identifying a send window parameter comprising a window begin parameter and a window end parameter which together define a predetermined send window in the at least one notification to be transmitted to the mobile station;

scheduling the at least one notification to be transmitted to the mobile station based on the predetermined send window; and

transmitting the at least one notification to the mobile station during the predetermined send window responsive to the at least one business entity designation.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the synchronization information includes at least one appointment scheduled for the at least one user notification recipient.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

periodically receiving messages at an application programming interface to upload at least one appointment notification scheduled for the at least one user notification recipient.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

triggering the at least one notification scheduled for the at least one user notification recipient via a notification engine; and

transmitting the at least one notification to the at least one user responsive to triggering the at least one notification.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

periodically receiving update messages at the notification database; and

creating new notification entries in the notification database responsive to receiving the update messages.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the update messages prompt a rescheduling of existing notifications.