Non-intrusive interactive notification system and method

Abstract

A method for displaying an image which can include a text or graphic message on a display driven by an electronic device that includes a graphical user interface, including the steps of storing the image at an electronic device, displaying the image in relation to a cursor icon of the graphical user interface (GUI), and moving the image as the cursor icon moves in response to user commanded movement of the cursor icon so that the image stays in relation to the cursor icon. A system and method for facilitating interactive communication between a cursor icon on a display screen of an electronic device and an image transmitted to the electronic device by an application program. A system and method that receives and manages notification alerts containing notification data from a variety of resources, and generates and distributes interactive notifications to a variety of recipients.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for providing notifications based on a plurality of resources, comprising: 
 a first program that receives notification alerts from the plurality of resources, generates notifications based on the notification alerts, and delivers the notifications; and    a second program that receives and presents the notifications without generating an interrupt and provides access to a designated resource.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second program presents the notifications as interactive sprites.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the notifications comprise dynamic data.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the designated resource comprises a program.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the designated resource comprises a program that generated the corresponding notification alert.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first program provides a centralized interface for a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second program provides a single presentation interface for a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second program provides a single input interface to interact with a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second program provides receipt confirmations for successfully delivered notifications.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the notification alerts comprise notification content and recipient identification.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the notification alerts specify a notification type for the notification.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the notification type specifies at least one of: 
 format;    priority level;    retry schedule;    escalation schedule.    
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the format comprises at least one of: 
 graphics;    video;    audio;    text.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface module that allows a user to configure and customize the system.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a system reporting module that monitors and reports system activities.  
     
     
         16 . A system for providing notifications based on a plurality of resources, comprising: 
 a server executing a first program for receiving notification alerts from the plurality of resources, generating notifications based on the notification alerts, and delivering the notifications; and    a client executing a second program and a third program, said second program receiving and presenting the notifications without interfering with execution of said third program, and providing access to a designated resource.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the third program comprises a program executing in the foreground of the client.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second program does not generate interrupts in course of receiving and presenting the notifications.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second program presents the notifications as interactive sprites.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the notifications comprise dynamic data.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the designated resource comprises a program.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the designated resource comprises a program that generated the corresponding notification alert.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first program provides a centralized interface for a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second program provides a single presentation interface for a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second program provides a single input interface to interact with a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second program provides receipt confirmations for successfully delivered notifications.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the notification alerts comprise notification content and recipient identification.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the notification alerts specify a notification type for the notification.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the notification type specifies at least one of: 
 format;    priority level;    retry schedule;    escalation schedule.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the format comprises at least one of: 
 graphics;    video;    audio;    text.    
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a user interface module that allows a user to configure and customize the system.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a system reporting module that monitors and reports system activities.  
     
     
         33 . A system for providing interactive notifications based on a plurality of resources, comprising: 
 a notification manager that generates notifications based on the notification alerts received from the plurality of resources, and delivers the notifications;    a notification device; and    a client operatively coupled to the notification device that receives the notifications and presents the notifications as interactive sprites on the notification device.    
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the interactive sprites comprise dynamic data.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the designated resource comprises a program.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the designated resource comprises a program that generated the corresponding notification alert.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the notification manager provides a centralized interface for a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the client provides a single presentation interface for a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the client provides a single input interface to interact with a resource generating a notification alert.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the client provides receipt confirmations for successfully delivered interactive notifications.  
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the notification alerts comprise notification content and recipient identification.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the notification alerts specify a notification type for the interactive sprite.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the notification type specifies at least one of: 
 format;    priority level;    retry schedule;    escalation schedule.    
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the format comprises at least one of: 
 graphics;    video;    audio;    text.    
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising a user interface module that allows a user to configure and customize the system.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising a system reporting module that monitors and reports system activities.  
     
     
         47 . A method for providing interactive notifications, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) receiving notification alerts by operation of a plurality of resources;    (b) generating interactive notifications based upon content of the notification alerts;    (c) presenting the interactive notifications through a client without interfering with operation of the client; and    (d) providing access to a designated resource through the interactive notifications.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said step (c) includes presenting the interactive notifications as interactive sprites.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said step (c) includes presenting dynamic data through the interactive notifications.  
     
     
         50 . A computer readable medium storing a set of instructions which when executed by a computer causes the computer to provide a system for providing interactive notifications by performing the following steps: 
 (a) receiving event notification alerts by operation of a plurality of resources;    (b) generating interactive notifications based upon content of the event notification alerts;    (c) presenting the interactive notifications through a client without interfering with operation of the client; and    (d) providing access to a designated resource through the interactive notifications.    
     
     
         51 . The computer readable medium of claim  50 , further including instructions to perform the following step: 
 presenting the interactive notifications as interactive sprites.    
     
     
         52 . The computer readable medium of claim  50 , further including instructions to perform the following step: 
 presenting dynamic data through the interactive notifications.