IP Library Granted Patent US 12,483,525
Granted Patent B2
US 12,483,525 · App. 17/581,265 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Systems and methods for electronic distribution of messages over communication channels

Inventors: William G. Wetherell (San Francisco, CA); David G. Louie (Mountain View, CA); Jeffry B. Sabat (Fairfax, VA)
Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
H04L51/214H04L51/52H04L51/56H04W4/14H04W24/10H04W72/51H04W72/563H04L51/48H04L51/58H04W4/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,483,525
App. No.
17/581,265
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for electronically distributing messages over communication channels. In accordance with one implementation, a system is provided that comprises at least one database for storing instructions for operating an input field and transmitting messages over a plurality of different communication channels, and at least one processing system configured to execute the instructions, to perform a method. The method may include displaying to a user, over a network, an input field for entering messages and receiving from the user, over the network and by entry into the input field, a message, an identification of one or more recipients, and a selection of at least one communication channel. The method may also include determining whether an identifier is stored in relation to each recipient for the selected communication channel and electronically sending, to each recipient with a stored identifier, the message via the selected communication channel.

Claims (59)

1 . A system for electronically transmitting messages over communication channels, the system comprising:

at least one database storing instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations including:

displaying, over a network, a universal input field configured to accept messages for transmission over a plurality of different communication channels;

receiving, from a user device, over the network, in response to a user interacting with the universal input field, a message, an indication to use an auto-mode channel selection, and an identification of one or more recipients;

determining, for each of the identified one or more recipients, a unique identifier associated with the respective recipient for each of the plurality of different communication channels;

excluding a particular communication channel, of the plurality of different communication channels, upon determining that there is no unique identifier associated with a respective recipient, of the identified one or more recipients, for the particular communication channel, to determine a plurality of remaining communication channels that does not include the particular communication channel;

ranking the plurality of remaining communication channels, based on historical behavior data and current behavior data of each of the identified one or more recipients, the historical behavior data including past usage information associated with one or more past communication channels previously used between each of the identified one or more recipients and the user;

based on receiving the indication to use the auto-mode channel selection, automatically selecting one of the ranked plurality of remaining communication channels for each of the identified one or more recipients based on using machine learning to identify the historical behavior data and one or more communication preferences of the identified one or more recipients;

modifying the displayed universal input field to display the automatically selected communication channel for each of the identified one or more recipients for a limited time, the display including a preview of one or more quick responses to the message; and

using the unique identifier associated with the respective recipient for the selected communication channel to electronically transmit display the message to each of the identified one or more recipients via the communication channel automatically selected for the respective recipient and display a reason for selecting the communication channel to the user.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different communication channels includes at least one of: e-mail messaging, SMS text messaging, instant messaging, or social network messaging.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform further operations including:

determining whether each of the identified one or more recipients is available via the plurality of different communication channels based on the determined unique identifier of each identified one or more recipients for the plurality of different communication channels.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, if the selected one or more communication channels include SMS text messaging and the message exceeds a length permitted for SMS text messaging, the one or more processors are configured to perform further operations including:

separating the message into a plurality of SMS text messages; and

displaying, to the user, a number of SMS text messages that will be sent to transmit the message.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the historical behavior data is weighted based on time-of-day.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein excluding a particular communication channel is based on customized settings set by the user or a respective recipient of the message.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting the user or recipient has changed the communication channel automatically selected; and

automatically selecting a different communication channel based on the detected change.

8 . A computer-implemented method for electronically transmitting messages over communication channels, the method comprising:

displaying, over a network, a universal input field configured to accept messages for transmission over a plurality of different communication channels;

receiving, from a user device, over the network, in response to a user interacting with the universal input field, a message, an indication to use an auto-mode channel selection, and an identification of one or more recipients;

determining, for each of the identified one or more recipients, a unique identifier associated with the respective recipient for each of the plurality of different communication channels;

excluding a particular communication channel, of the plurality of different communication channels, upon determining that there is no unique identifier associated with a respective recipient, of the identified one or more recipients, for the particular communication channel, to determine a plurality of remaining communication channels that does not include the particular communication channel;

ranking the plurality of remaining communication channels, based on historical behavior data and current behavior data of each of the identified one or more recipients, the historical behavior data including past usage information associated with one or more past communication channels previously used between each of the identified one or more recipients and the user;

based on receiving the indication to use the auto-mode channel selection, automatically selecting one of the ranked plurality of remaining communication channels for each of the identified one or more recipients based on using machine learning to identify the historical behavior data and one or more communication preferences of the identified one or more recipients;

modifying the displayed universal input field to display the automatically selected communication channel for each of the identified one or more recipients for a limited time, the display including a preview of one or more quick responses to the message; and

using the unique identifier associated with the respective recipient for the selected communication channel to electronically display the message to each of the one or more recipients via the communication channel automatically selected for the respective recipient and display a reason for selecting the communication channel to the user.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of different communication channels includes at least one of: e-mail messaging, SMS text messaging, instant messaging, or social network messaging.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining whether each of the identified one or more recipients is available via the plurality of different communication channels based on the determined unique identifier of each identified one or more recipients for the plurality of different communication channels.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein, if the selected one or more communication channels include SMS text messaging and the message exceeds a length permitted for SMS text messaging, the method further comprises:

separating the message into a plurality of SMS text messages; and

displaying, to the user, a number of SMS text messages that will be sent to transmit the message.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the historical behavior data is weighted based on time-of-day.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein excluding a particular communication channel is based on customized settings set by the user.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , further comprising:

detecting the user or recipient has changed the communication channel automatically selected; and

automatically selecting a different communication channel based on the detected change.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for electronically distributing messages over communication channels and storing instructions to execute operations including:

displaying, over a network, a universal input field configured to accept messages for transmission over a plurality of different communication channels;

receiving, from a user device, over the network, in response to a user interacting with the universal input field, a message, an indication to use an auto-mode channel selection, and an identification of one or more recipients;

determining, for each of the identified one or more recipients, a unique identifier associated with the respective recipient for each of the plurality of different communication channels;

excluding a particular communication channel, of the plurality of different communication channels, upon determining that there is no unique identifier associated with a respective recipient, of the identified one or more recipients, for the particular communication channel, to determine a plurality of remaining communication channels that does not include the particular communication channel;

ranking the plurality of remaining communication channels, based on historical behavior data and current behavior data of each of the identified one or more recipients, the historical behavior data including past usage information associated with one or more past communication channels previously used between each of the identified one or more recipients and the user;

based on receiving the indication to use the auto-mode channel selection, automatically selecting one of the ranked plurality of remaining communication channels for each of the identified one or more recipients based on using machine learning to identify the historical behavior data and one or more communication preferences of the identified one or more recipients;

modifying the displayed universal input field to display the automatically selected communication channel for each of the identified one or more recipients for a limited time, the display including a preview of one or more quick responses to the message; and

using the unique identifier associated with the respective recipient for the selected communication channel to electronically display the message to each of the identified one or more recipients via the communication channel automatically selected for the respective recipient and display a reason for selecting the communication channel to the user.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of different communication channels includes at least one of: e-mail messaging, SMS text messaging, instant messaging, or social network messaging.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further include:

determining whether each of the identified one or more recipients is available via the plurality of different communication channels based on the determined unique identifier of each identified one or more recipients for the plurality of different communication channels.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein, if the selected one or more communication channels include SMS text messaging and the message exceeds a length permitted for SMS text messaging, the operations further include:

separating the message into a plurality of SMS text messages; and

displaying, to the user, a number of SMS text messages that will be sent to transmit the message.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the historical behavior data is weighted based on time-of-day.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein excluding a particular communication channel is based on customized settings set by the user.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2022
From: WETHERELL, WILLIAM G.; LOUIE, DAVID G.; SABAT, JEFFRY B.
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 058727/0992 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2022
From: OATH INC.
To: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
Reel/Frame 058806/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2022
From: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 058806/0313 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 21, 2022
From: AOL INC.
To: OATH INC.
Reel/Frame 058812/0953 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16152016 · Oct 4, 2018
Continuation 13010265 · Jan 20, 2011
Provisional Application 61360478 · Jun 30, 2010
Provisional Application 61296844 · Jan 20, 2010
Related Publication 20220150672A1 · May 12, 2022
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