US007409428B1
`
`(12) Ulllted States Patent
`Brabec et a].
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`(54) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MESSAGING
`T0 MULTIPLE GATEWAYS
`
`6,970,909 B2 * 11/2005 SchulZrinne .............. .. 709/206
`7,058,710 B2
`6/2006 McCall et a1. ............ .. 709/224
`
`(75) IIWBHIOISI Frantisek Brabec, North Potomac, MD
`(Us); David R- Drescherserlingtonswe
`(Us); DanielA- Gad", Aelngtom VA
`(Us); Dfmiel D- Pare Arhnewn’ VA
`(Us); Rlchard A‘ Tlene, Arhngton’ VA
`(Us)
`
`(73) Assigneez Cooper Technologies Company,
`Houston’ TX (Us)
`
`6/2006 Stark et a1. ................ .. 709/206
`7,062,535 B1
`6/2007 Hunter et a1.
`455/4041
`7,233,781 B2
`7,254,614 B2* 8/2007 Mulligan e181. ..
`..... .. 709/207
`7,277,018 B2 10/2007 Reyes et a1. ..... ..
`340/5731
`2001/0032232 A1 * 10/2001 Zombek et a1. ........... .. 709/201
`2001/0047391 A1 * 11/2001 SZutu ....................... .. 709/206
`2002/0091944 A1* 7/2002 Anderson et a1. .
`713/201
`
`709/206
`2003/0018726 A1* 1/2003 LoW et a1. .... ..
`709/206
`2003/0023695 A1* 1/2003 Kobata et a1.
`2003/0050986 A1* 3/2003 Matthews et a1. ......... .. 709/206
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`
`
`Subject to any disclaimer’ the term Ofthis patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`
`2003/0110097 A1
`
`
`
`Hunter et a1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6/2003 Lei et 31
`
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 794 days.
`
`21 A 1.No.: 10/829 181
`(
`)
`pp
`’
`(22) F1led:
`Apr. 22, 2004
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Related U‘s‘Application Data
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/514,873, ?led on Oct.
`29, 2003, provisional application No. 60/320,133,
`?led on Apr. 22, 2003.
`
`National Information Technology Center, “The Computer Emer
`gency Noti?cation System (CENS) Application: Sep' 23’ 2003’
`WWW'OCIO'usda'gOV/mtC/productS/cens'html'
`(Continued)
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`G06F 15/16
`(52) US. Cl. ..................... .. 709/206; 709/205; 709/207;
`709/230; 709/246; 709/248
`(58) Field of Classi?cation Search ............... .. 709/205,
`709/206, 207, 230, 246, 248
`See application ?le for Complete Search history
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`Us‘ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,493,692 A *
`5,946,386 A *
`6’507’589 B1 *
`*
`639073416 B2
`
`2/1996 Theimer et a1. .......... .. 455/261
`8/1999 Rogers et a1~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~ 379/26509
`1/ 2003 Ramasubmmani et al' " 370/465
`5253:1331‘ """" " 3794:???
`6/2005 Tasooji et a1. ............... .. 705/50
`
`6,909,903 B2
`6,938,076 B2 *
`
`6/2005 Wang .................... .. 455/4561
`8/2005 Meyer et a1. .............. .. 709/219
`
`Primary ExamineriMichael Won
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or FirmiKing & Spadling
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Systems and methods for providing message communication
`among multiple communication gateways. In particular, sys
`tems and methods for providing non-voice message delivery
`to intended recipients With increased speed and reliability to
`multiple users on multiple platforms. The systems and meth
`ods relate to non-voice messaging to multiple messaging
`gateways. In at least one embodiment, the systems and meth
`ods include Internet based electronic messaging using a mes
`saging subsystem con?gured to optimize text message deliv
`ery to Commumcanon gateways‘
`
`18 Claims, 22 Drawing Sheets
`
`SYSTEM [100
`
`102
`ALERT
`m INATOR
`O G
`.
`
`103
`ALERT
`A MESSAGE
`{
`l
`V REPLIES
`
`MESSAGING
`SUBSYSTEM1
`
`MESSAGING
`101
`\ suasvsrmz
`
`G A 101
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 1
`
`

`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`Page 2
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2003/0135575 A1
`7/2003 Mareika et a1. ........... .. 709/207
`2003/0158891 A1
`8/2003 Lei et al.
`2004/0008125 A1
`1/2004 AratoW et a1. ........ .. 340/870.07
`2005/0159973 A1
`7/2005 Krause et al. ................ .. 705/1
`2005/0162267 A1
`7/2005 Khandelwalet al. .
`340/506
`2006/0168185 A1
`7/2006 McCale et al. ............ .. 709/223
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Roaming Messenger, Inc., “Breakthrough Solution for Mobile Mes
`saging,” WWW.roamingmessenger.com/, 2003.
`
`Roaming Messenger, Inc., “overview,” WWWroamingmessenger.
`com/Technology, 2003.
`Roaming Messenger, Inc., “architecture,” WWWroamingmessenger.
`com/Technology/architecture.php, 2003.
`Roaming Messenger, Inc., “core technology,” WWW.roamingmes
`senger.com/Technology/coretechphp, 2003.
`Roaming Messenger, Inc., “patent info,” WWWroamingmessenger.
`com/Technology/patent-info.php, 2003.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`Sheet 1 of 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
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`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 3
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`Sheet 2 0f 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`DEVICE I
`DEVICE 2
`I CARRIER E |-—— DEV'CE 3
`ETC.
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`f 101
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`2011
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 4
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5,2008
`
`Sheet 3 0f 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`101\
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`FIG. 3
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 5
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 5, 2008
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`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 8
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`

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`US. Patent
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`Aug. 5, 2008
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`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 9
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`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 10
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`

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`

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`US. Patent
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`Aug. 5, 2008
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`Sheet 13 0f 22
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`US 7,409,428 B1
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`Aii Daiivery Channels
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 15
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5,2008
`
`Sheet 14 0f 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`7205
`
`START
`
`7270
`
`‘I’
`
`1F
`
`REGiSTER USERS '
`RECEEVE ALERTI
`1215\
`
`MESSAGE
`
`DETERMTNE A SET
`1220\
`OF RECEIVING USER
`TERMTNALS
`
`1225
`
`"
`CONVERT MESSAGE TO
`GATEWAY ALERT MESSAGE
`
`1230
`
`SMS
`
`OTHER
`GATEWAYS
`’?
`
`YES
`
`1235\ TRANSFER GATEWAY
`ALERT MESSAGES TO
`COMMUNTCATION GATEWAYS
`
`1240\ DELEVER MESSAGES TU
`RECEIVENG USER TERMINALS
`USiNG NONNGTCE CHANNELS
`
`7245
`
`‘II’
`TRACK USER REPLIES
`
`1250/@
`FIG. 12
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 16
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`Sheet 15 0f 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`1210 f
`
`ADMENISTRATGR
`[EHNES ADDiTiONAL
`BSER REGiSTRATION
`QUESTIONS
`
`ASSOCiATE THE
`REGISTERING USER
`WlTH USER TERMENAE_(S)
`
`1315
`
`OTHER
`USER
`TERMINALS
`?
`
`YES
`
`7320 \§ 0002000025 THE USER'
`
`733U\ COLLECT INFORMATiON
`FROM THE REGiSi'ERiNG USER
`
`1335\ STORE USER PROVIDED
`iNFORMATION
`
`FIG. 13
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 17
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`22r1061LI.eehS
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
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`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 18
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 5,2008
`
`Sheet 17 0f 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`7505
`
`START
`
`[1220
`
`‘F
`
`1510\ ANALYZE uSER |NEORAAAT|OA1
`EOR AAATORTNG OE CRITERIA
`
`‘I
`SELECT USER TERMENAMS) TO
`7515\ RECEEVE MESSAGE BASED ON
`MATCH CRiTEREA
`
`0
`
`1520@
`FIG. 15
`
`1225
`
`'’
`
`7605 \( START )
`‘I:
`1610\ RECEIVE GATEWAY
`PARAMETERS
`
`V
`REEORMAT ALERT MESSAGE
`1675\ TO GATEWAY ALERT MESSAGE
`GOAARATTSLE FORMAT
`
`‘F
`FORM AOORESS FOR TRE
`1620\ GATEWAY AEERT MESSAGE
`BASED ON DOMAIN NAME AND
`OSER lDENTiFlER
`
`1625
`
`GATEWAYS
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 19
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`22r10001LI.eehS
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
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`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 20
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`Sheet 19 of 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`‘I/IA WEB:
`ALERT CATEGORY
`
`RECIPIENT/EXCLUDE GROUPS
`
`§ GRAPHIC PROFILE
`ALERT SUBJECT AND CONTENT
`TAG LINES
`ATTACHMENTS
`ALERT PRIORITY
`RESPONSE DELIVERY
`
`VIA OTHER MEANS (REIVIOTE ALERT,
`THIRD PARTY CONTENT, ETC.)‘.
`RECEIVE DATA
`VERIFY AUTHORIZATION
`
`7830
`
`SEND DATA TO
`REMOTE SERVERS
`
`1800-\‘
`
`1805
`
`' STORE ALERT
`INFO IN
`OATABASE
`
`T875
`
`GROUP
`
`PROCESSING
`
`1820
`
`BUILD TAG
`LINES
`
`STORE ALERT
`DEVICE INFO
`IN DATABASE
`
`MODULE
`SPECIFIC
`DELIVERY
`
`FIG. 18/I
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 21
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`Sheet 20 of 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`F1835
`
`FENO CARREERS WITH CAPCODES DEFINED FOR
`AT LEAST ONE OF THE DESTINATION GROUPS
`
`EIND ALL DEVICES OF THE DELIVER‘! CLASS THAT
`BELONG TO USERS WITH THES ERLORITY LEVEL
`FOR THE DESTINATION GROUPS
`Y
`
`ADO DEVIOES TO DESTINATION DEVICE LIST
`
`IVEARK DEVICES WHOSE CARRiER IS
`‘CAPCODED’ FOR REEVIOVAL
`
`LOOK UP DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF THE
`7870\ DESTINATION GROUPS AND ADD USERS
`IVIATCHIAIG SEARCH CRITEREA TO THE
`INDIVIDUAL USER RECIPIENTS LIST
`
`FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL USER RECIPIENT OF
`>
`T872\_§ TH S PRIORITY, DETERMINE DEVICES MATCHING
`'
`TFE CARRIER CLASS FOR TRES MESSAGE AND
`ADD RESULTING DEVICES TO THE LIST OF DEVICES
`
`END DEVICES FOR USERS OF THIS PRIORITY
`THAT BELONG TO AT LEAST ONE EXCLUDED
`GROUP AND REMOVE SUCH DEVICES FROM
`THE LIST OF DEVICES
`
`7876 \I REMOVE DEVICES IVEARKEDWEOF. REMOVAL
`
`ADD CAPCODES FOR ALL INVOLVED
`GROUPS TO THE LIST 0? DEVICES
`
`FIG. 18B
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 22
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`Sheet 21 of 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`/- 1845
`
`E—MAlL DELJVERY MODULE
`
`DROP FELE
`ATTACHMENT
`AS PER CARFHER
`
`MESSAGE
`PIECE
`CALCULANON
`
`MESSAGE
`COUNT
`CALCUE_AT!ON
`
`OPTIMIZED
`DELSVERY
`
`SETUP
`
`M£SSAGES
`CREATEG FOR
`DELIVERY
`
`FIG. 188
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 23
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 5, 2008
`
`Sheet 22 of 22
`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`’/-1900
`
`RECEIVE RESPONSE(S)
`
`1915
`
`IDENTIFY THE DEVICE OR USERTTERMINAL
`THAT THE RESPONSE GAME mew:
`
`1920
`
`CORRELATE RESPONSE WITH A MESSAGE OR ALERT
`
`VALID
`RESPONSE
`
`7930
`
`MARK AS IDENTIFIED/NOT IDENTIFIED AND
`STORE RESPONSE IN RESPONSE LOG
`
`1935
`
`IVIARK THE OWNER OF THE DEVICE AS A PERSON
`WHO RESPON OED TO THE IVIESSAGE;’ALERT AND
`ADJUST THE IVIESSAGE/‘ALERT STATISTICS
`
`RESPONSE
`FORWARDING
`REQUESTED
`’?
`
`1945
`
`FORWARD RESPONSE TOSPECIFEED DESTINATIONS
`
`1950
`
`END
`
`FIG. 19
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 24
`
`

`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`1
`SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MESSAGING
`TO MULTIPLE GATEWAYS
`
`This application claims the benefit of US. Provisional
`Application No. 60/320,133, filed Apr. 22, 2003, and U.S.
`Provisional Application No. 60/514,873, filed Oct. 29, 2003.
`Tl1is disclosure contains information subject to copyright
`protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the fac-
`simile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure or the
`patent as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights
`whatsoever.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`1. Field of Invention
`The present invention relates to the field of communica-
`tions and, more specifically, to methods and systems for trans-
`mitti11g and receiving messages.
`2. Description of Related Art
`ln today’s world, information exchanges between people
`in many ways. In that regard, numerous types of communi-
`cation systems exist for this purpose, including, for example,
`radio, television, cable, intemet, two-Way radio, cellular tele-
`phone systems, LANS, VVANS, and optical communication ,
`systems. Advances in technology enable the distribution of
`information faster and more efficiently than was possible just
`several years ago. Some information is trivial, while other
`information can be critical and needs to travel immediately to
`the recipients.
`ln responding to emergency situations, the need for par-
`ticular information relating to the emergency is sorely acute.
`Such emergency related information may include a threat of
`a disastrous event, terrorism induced threats and events, loca-
`tion and description of the event, evacuation instructions and
`status, and the status and coordination of the response to the
`threat or event. This information is invaluable to government
`and private agencies responsible for preventing, assessing,
`and responding to such events, and also by tl1o se on the front
`lines that are present at such an event and are dealing with it
`directly (e.g., “first responders” such as police, fire and res-
`cue, emergency medical personnel). Fast and reliable dis-
`semination of emergency information to emergency response
`personnel is necessary in order for the emergency to be con-
`tained and neutralized with minimal loss of life in terms of
`both emergency personnel and the general population.
`Therefore, systems have been deployed to assist emer-
`gency personnel and responsible agencies in disseminating
`emergency alerting messages and notifications to emergency
`response personnel. However, such existing systems are noto-
`riously slow and unreliable. Furthermore, many ofthese sys-
`tems lack any practical confimiation mechanism from which
`the alert originator can ascertain whether or not a sufficient
`response team has been assembled or dispatched. For
`example, many agencies at all levels of government may
`employ a telephone based auto—dialer system in which emer-
`gency response personnel are contacted by telephone indi-
`vidually seriatim. Such systems may include, for example, a
`human dispatcher who simply begins contacting, one at a
`time, individual members of an emergency response team by
`dialing the emergency contact telephone number for each
`team member whose name appears on a predefined list cor-
`responding to the type of threat or emergency. Alternatively,
`multiple operators may dial emergency personnel in parallel,
`or a computer—based auto—dialer may be used in which a voice
`message is played over the telephone to the answerer. Such
`systems and methods are plagued with limitations and inef-
`
`.
`
`2
`ficiencies, not the least of which is the slow speed at which a
`response team can be contacted and assembled, and provided
`with relevant information concerning the emergency. For
`example,
`telephone based auto-dialers typically contact
`emergency response personnel one-at-a-time, resulting in a
`slow notification process. Even in the case in which multiple
`dispatchers or auto-dialers are used, coordination problems
`may ensue i11 tracking which persomiel have been reached
`and given positive confirmation of their response. For com-
`puter—assisted auto-dialers, the voice mail message played to
`an individual may not provide significant information spe-
`cific to the emergency and, further, may r1ot be customizable
`to include important infonnation conceming the particular
`nature of the threat or event leading to the emergency situa-
`tion.
`Over and above all of these limitations, all voice—based
`existing systems and methods depend on the reliability and
`availability of the telephone service in providing emergency
`message notification. Unfortunately, both land line based and
`‘ mobile telephone communication are vulnerable in times of
`emergency,
`in terms of both reliability ar1d availability.
`Because telecommunication systems are designed to accom-
`modate a statistical average number of voice users having a
`particular call duration (e.g., commonly modeled using the
`Erlang probability density function), voice circuits may
`become saturated or overloaded i11 ar1 emergency situation i11
`which many callers are attempting to connect using the voice
`carrying network. Wireless voice—based connnunications sys-
`tems such as cellular telephone systems and their digital
`counterparts are also susceptible to overloading due to band-
`width limitations of and shared access to the radio channel.
`These situations occurred in certain metropolitan areas dur-
`ing the events of Sep. 11, 2001.
`First responders may also use one or more radio-based
`systems for coordination and status of response activities,
`typically at the site ofthe emergency. Such radio systems may
`be simplex systems (i.e., one-way voice traffic only) and have
`a limited number of frequency channels for communications.
`In addition, different agencies and teams typically use differ-
`ent frequency channels, radios, and/or air interface technolo-
`gies and modulation techniques (eg, Single Side Band (SSH),
`Very High Frequency (VHF), spread spectrum). Thus, coor-
`dination among multiple government agencies responding to
`a large scale event is problematic, if possible at all. The
`current situation engenders at lea st confusion and inefliciency
`for thoseresponding to emergencies and, ofmost concern, the
`potential for additional loss of human life.
`Thus. there is a need for reliable and fast communication
`systems and methods that overcome these limitations of
`voice—based communications for disseminating alerts and
`notifications that may be, for example, associated with emer-
`gency prevention and response.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`The present invention is directed generally to providing
`systems and methods for communication among multiple
`conmiunication gateways. Furthermore, embodiments may
`provide non-voice message delivery to intended recipients
`with increased speed and reliability. Embodiments may also
`provide efiicient and user-friendly systems and methods for
`non-voice messaging to multiple users or1 multiple platforms.
`In particular, the advent of consumer wireless devices has
`provided a powerful, but underutilized, communication infra-
`structure. Many such devices may be included in an overall
`strategy to place vital information quickly and reliably to
`many recipients.
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 25
`
`

`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`3
`More specifically, the systems and methods may relate to
`non-voice messaging to multiple messaging gateways, and. in
`at least one embodiment, to messaging using channels con-
`figured for data or control traflic. Embodiments may also
`include a packet-based electronic messaging application that
`may include a process for optimizing text message delivery to
`electronic mail and SMS (or “text-messaging”) gateways. For
`example, in an embodiment, methods and systems may be
`provided for Internet based electronic messaging to multiple
`messaging gateways. Embodiments may include an Internet
`based messaging application that incorporates a process for
`optimizing message deliveqi to electronic mail and Short
`Message Service (SMS), or “text-messaging” gateways.
`Embodiments may also include message delivery using pager
`systems. The systems and methods may be device and carrier
`agnostic and conform to industry Internet and wireless stan-
`dards allowing it to work with existing carriers and equip-
`ment. Embodiments may provide reliable and fast alert deliv-
`ery,
`simple web—browser based management,
`and a
`networking option for forming messaging coalitions for
`cross-jurisdictional message sharing that supports agency
`interoperability. Embodiments may also include easy inter-
`facing with existing emergency-management infrastructure
`to provide flexible and improved message distribution within
`and across organizational boundaries.
`Still further aspects included for various embodiments are
`apparent to one skilled in the art based on the study of the
`following disclosure and the accompanying drawings thereto.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The utility, objects, features and advantages of the inven-
`tion will be readily appreciated and understood from consid-
`eration of the following detailed description of the embodi-
`ments of this invention, when taken with the accompanying
`drawings, in which same numbered elements are identical
`and:
`FIG. 1 is a top level system block diagram of a system
`according to at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 2 is an illustration of message groups associated with
`multiple messaging subsystems according to an embodiment;
`FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a messaging sub-
`system according to at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 4 is a11 example group membership interactive page
`according to at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 5 is an example ofa Graphical User Interface (GUI)
`interactive page for configuring remote user messaging
`groups according at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 6 is an example of a GUI for an alert tracking inter-
`active page according to at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram ofo11e embodiment of
`a computing platform;
`FIGS. 8:1 and 8b are an example of a GUI for a registration
`interactive page according to at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 9 is an example ofa grid illustrating cross-jurisdic-
`tional messaging for emergency management according to at
`least one embodiment;
`FIG. 10 is an example of a GUI for a management console
`interactive page according to at
`least one embodiment,
`including one or more quick alert icons;
`FIGS. 11a and 111) are example interactive report pages
`according to at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 12 is a flow chart of a method according to at least one
`embodiment;
`FIG. 13 is a [low chart showing further detail regarding
`registration ofusers according to a11 embodiment;
`
`4
`illustration of message transfer
`FIG. 14 is a graphical
`according to at least one embodiment;
`FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing further detail regarding
`determining a set of receiving users according to an embodi-
`mcnt;
`FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing further detail regarding
`converting an alert message to a gateway message according
`to an embodiment;
`FIG. 17 is an example of a GUI for an interactive delivery
`charmels page according to at least one embodiment;
`FIGS. 18a through 180 are flow charts of a detailed ines-
`saging method according to an embodiment; and
`FIG. 19 is a flow chart of a method of response tracking
`according to at least one embodiment.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`The present invention is directed generally to providing
`systems and methods for 11on-voice based communication.
`~ For example, the methods and systems may relate to Intemet
`based electronic messaging to multiple messaging gateways.
`In at least one embodiment, the systems and methods may
`include an Internet based messaging application having a
`process for optimizing text message delivery to one or r11ore
`communication gateways such as, for example, electronic
`mail and SMS (or “text-messaging”) gateways.
`In particular, exemplary embodiments may include stan-
`dards-based systems and methods that provide emergency
`conmiunications to text message enabled appliances such as,
`but not limited to, wireless devices and other such e-mail
`addressable delivery points. Such embodiments thereby com-
`bine the inherent redundancy of communication networks
`such as, for example, the Internet with delivery to multiple
`devices per user to provide a high delivery success rate that
`persists even in the case ofbreakdowns within or overloading
`of public communication infrastructures.
`At least one embodiment of a communication system 100
`according to the present invention may be as shown in FIG. 1.
`Referring to FIG. 1,
`tl1e connnunication system 100 may
`include at least one messaging subsystem 101. The messag-
`ing subsystem 101 may be coupled to an alert originator 102
`via a network 103 and one or more communication gateways
`104 via a network 106. Each communication gateway 104
`may be coupled to one or more user terminals 105 via a
`network 107. Further, in an embodiment, the system 100 may
`include more than one messaging subsystem 101 (e.g., up to
`“n” such subsystems as shown in FIG. 1). In such embodi-
`ments, one or n1ore oftl1e messaging subsystems 101 may be
`coupled to each other using a network 108.
`The alert originator 1 02 may be a communications enabled
`terminal provided in communication with the messaging sub-
`system 101 via the network 103. For example, the alert origi-
`nator 102 may be a personal computer having a network
`connection, such as a dial-up modem connection to a net-
`work. In such embodiments,
`the network 103 may be a
`packet—switched network such as, for example. the Internet.
`In some embodiments, the alert originator 102 may include an
`electronic mail application for receiving electronic mail mes-
`sages in accordance with, for example, the Simple Mail
`Transfer Protocol (SMTP). Further, the alert originator 102
`may include a web browser capable of transmitting and
`receiving and displaying information in accordance with the
`IIyperText Transfer Protocol (IITTP) using the network 103.
`The alert originator 102 may send a first message, such as an
`alert message, to the messaging subsystem 101 via the net-
`work 103 in the form of a11 electronic message such as, for
`example, an SMTP electronic message, an HTML or XML
`
`General Electric Co. 1007 - Page 26
`
`

`
`US 7,409,428 B1
`
`5
`message, or an SMS message from the wireless device. Fur-
`ther, in an embodiment the alert originator 102 may be a
`remote sensor or a sensor monitoring device or system that
`automatically generates a message to the messaging sub-
`system 101 in response to the occurrence of a conditional
`event (e.g., flood gates opened at a dam). In an embodiment,
`a message or alert generated by a remote alert originator 102
`(including, for example, an automated process), the alert
`originator l 02 may provide an identifier (e.g., for authentica-
`tion), the intended target recipients of the message]alert, and
`the content ofthe message/alert. In an embodiment, the origi-
`nator identification may be provided ir1 the forr11 of a Personal
`Identification Number (PIN) code. In at least one embodi-
`ment, the messaging subsystem 101 may only provide mes-
`saging for authorized senders or alert originators 102.
`In an embodiment, tl1e communication gateway 104 may
`be an access poi11t for a coimnunication network 107 that
`provides communication services for a plurality of user ter-
`minals 105. For example, the communication network 107
`may be a landline based network such as the Public Switched
`Telecor11r11ur1ications Network (PSTN). In ar1 embodiment,
`the network 107 may be a wireless telecommunications net-
`work such as a cellular service provider or a Personal Com-
`munications Services (PCS) service provider. Such networks
`107 may be. for example, but not limited to, based on the ,
`Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code
`Division Multiple Access (CDl\&A) such as the system
`described in Interim Standard (IS)—95 for digital cellular radio
`systems, IS—54 dual mode analog and digital cellular tele-
`phone service, IS-54B digital Time Division Multiple Access
`(TDMA) cellular telephone service, IS-41 based Advanced
`Mobile Phone Service (AMPS, or “analog”) telephone ser-
`vice, IS—l36 Digital AMPS tel