Method and apparatus of providing notification services to smartphone devices
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus of establishing a notification distribution is disclosed. The method may include receiving user information in a notification database identifying a notification recipient. The method may further provide receiving synchronization information from a business entity configured to upload notifications intended for the at least one user recipient. The method may also include transmitting at least one notification to the user recipient during a time window specified by the business entity.
1. A method of establishing a notification distribution, the method comprising:
receiving user information in a notification database identifying at least one user notification recipient;
receiving synchronization information from at least one entity configured to upload at least one notification intended for the at least one user notification recipient by periodically uploading appointment information which triggers at least one appointment reminder to be transmitted to the at least one user notification recipient ahead of a scheduled appointment time;
receiving the at least one notification and storing the at least one notification in a transfer queue until a time window is invoked as determined by the at least one entity, wherein the time window includes a “window begin” parameter designating the earliest time in a date-time format at which the at least one notification can be transmitted and a “window end” parameter, designating the latest time in a date-time format at which the notification can be transmitted;
transmitting the at least one notification to the at least one user notification recipient during the time window specified by the at least one entity, the at least one notification comprising the at least one appointment reminder; and
responding, by the at least one user notification recipient, to the transmitted at least one notification, by performing at least one of: confirming the scheduled appointment time and unsubscribing from receiving the at least one notification.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
periodically receiving messages at an application programming interface to upload at least one appointment notification scheduled for the at least one user notification recipient.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
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.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
periodically receiving update messages at the notification database; and
creating new notification entries in the notification database responsive to receiving the update messages.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the update messages prompt a rescheduling of existing notifications.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one notification is transmitted to a mobile station operated by the at least one user notification recipient automatically during the time window associated with the at least one notification via a push protocol.
7. An apparatus configured to establish a notification distribution, the apparatus comprising:
a processor;
memory;
a receiver configured to:
receive user information in a notification database identifying at least one user notification recipient, and
receive synchronization information from at least one entity configured to upload at least one notification intended for the at least one user notification recipient and which periodically uploads appointment information which triggers at least one appointment reminder to be transmitted to the at least one user notification recipient ahead of a scheduled appointment time;
receive the at least one notification and store the at least one notification in a transfer queue until a time window is invoked as determined by the at least one entity, wherein the time window includes a “window begin” parameter designating the earliest time in a date-time format at which the at least one notification can be transmitted and a “window end” parameter, designating the latest time in a date-time format at which the notification can be transmitted; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the at least one notification to the at least one user notification recipient during the time window specified by the at least one entity, the at least one notification comprising the at least one appointment reminder;
wherein the receiver is configured to receive, from the at least one user notification recipient, based on the transmitted at least one notification, at least one of: a confirmation of the scheduled appointment time and an unsubscription from receiving the at least one notification; and
wherein the memory, the receiver and the transmitter are communicably coupled to the processor.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the receiver is further configured to periodically receive messages at an application programming interface to upload at least one appointment notification scheduled for the at least one user notification recipient.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a notification engine configured to trigger the at least one notification scheduled for the at least one user notification recipient, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the at least one notification to the at least one user responsive to the at least one notification being triggered.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the receiver is further configured to periodically receive update messages at the notification database, and a processor is configured to create new notification entries in the notification database responsive to receiving the update messages.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the update messages prompt a rescheduling of existing notifications.
12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the at least one notification is transmitted to a mobile station operated by the at least one user notification recipient automatically during the intended time window associated with the at least one notification via a push protocol.
13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to establish a notification distribution, the processor being further configured to perform:
receiving user information in a notification database identifying at least one user notification recipient;
receiving synchronization information from at least one entity configured to upload at least one notification intended for the at least one user notification recipient by periodically uploading appointment information which triggers at least one appointment reminder to be transmitted to the at least one user notification recipient ahead of a scheduled appointment time;
receiving the at least one notification and storing the at least one notification in a transfer queue until a time window is invoked as determined by the at least one entity, wherein the time window includes a “window begin” parameter designating the earliest time in a date-time format at which the at least one notification can be transmitted and a “window end” parameter, designating the latest time in a date-time format at which the notification can be transmitted;
transmitting the at least one notification to the at least one user notification recipient during the time window specified by the at least one entity, the at least one notification comprising the at least one appointment reminder; and
responding, by the at least one user notification recipient, to the transmitted at least one notification, by performing at least one of: confirming the scheduled appointment time and unsubscribing from receiving the at least one notification.
14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , 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.
15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , 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.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , 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.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the update messages prompt a rescheduling of existing notifications.