STATE CHANGE ALERTS MECHANISM
A communications system including one or more alert gates and an alert controller. Each alert gate is configured to detect a different type of alert feed corresponding to a particular kind of alert. The alert controller is connected to the alert gates and operable to receive detected alerts from the alert gates and to deliver the detected alerts to a user of the communications system.
1 . A communications system, comprising:
multiple alert gates, each alert gate being configured to detect a different type of alert feed corresponding to a particular type of alert; and
an alert controller connected to the alert gates and operable to receive detected alerts from the alert gates d to deliver the detected alerts to a user of the communications system.
2 . The communications system of claim 1 , wherein the alert controller is configured to maintain a record of alert types registered for by the user of the communications system.
3 . The communications system of claim 1 , wherein the user comprises a subscriber of an instant messaging system and the alert controller delivers one or more detected alerts to the subscriber through the instant messaging system.
4 . The communications system of claim 1 , wherein the user comprises a subscriber of an online service provider, d the alert controller delivers one or more detected alerts to the subscriber through the online service provider.
5 . The communications system of claim 1 , further comprising multiple alert controllers, wherein an alert controller is assigned to a user according to a hashing technique.
6 . The communications system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an instant messaging controller connected to the alert controller, the instant messaging controller and the alert controller being assigned to the user of the communications system.
7 . The communication system of claim 6 , wherein the instant messaging controller is assigned to the use according to a hashing technique.
8 . The communications system of claim 6 , wherein the instant messaging controller is connected to the alert controller through a routing gateway.
9 . The communications system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the alert gates detects an alert feed from remote server.
10 . The communications system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one alert gate sends a status inquiry to the remote server.
11 . The communications system of claim 9 , wherein the remote server comprises a mail server.
12 . The communications system of claim 9 , wherein the remote server comprises a stock server.
13 . The communications system of claim 9 , wherein the remote server is a third party server.
14 . The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the remote server comprises a weather server.
15 . The communications system of claim 9 , wherein the remote server comprises a news server.
16 . The communications system of claim 9 , wherein the remote server comprises a calendar server.
17 . The communications system of claim 1 further comprising an alert controller network having multi e alert controllers including the alert controller and the alert controller being configured to coil communicate with all alert controllers in the alert controller network.
18 . The communications system of claim 1 , wherein at least one type of alert feed contains information related to a group and the alert controller is dedicated to receiving information related to certain members of the group.
19 . The communications system of claim 18 , wherein the group comprises a group of users.
20 . The communications system of claim 18 , wherein the group comprises a group of stocks.
21 - 40 . (canceled)