State change alerts mechanism

Abstract

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)