Adaptor Based Communication Systems, Apparatus, and Methods

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for sending electronic messages. One embodiment provides methods which include accepting a message in a disparate source-message-type. The recipient, a recipient-message-type, and the source-message-type are determined and, responsive thereto, adaptors are selected for changing the message from the source-message-type to the recipient-message-type. The message is adapted and versions of the adapted message are sent to the recipients. The message types correspond to permutations of technologies and user preferences associated with the messages. Moreover, the message could be an emergency notification, part of a campaign, etc. Quality of service (QOS) measurements regarding the message can be gathered and different adaptors can be dynamically selected responsive thereto. Further, third-party adaptors can be accepted and rules can be implemented pursuant to which the third-party adaptors will be used. In some cases the message can further comprise data in differing formats on which the adaptors are used.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . In an environment in which electronic messages are sent in a plurality of disparate source-message-types and in which disparate recipient-message-types are associated with corresponding recipients, a method comprising:
 accepting a message in one of the disparate source-message-types using a processor wherein at least one recipient is associated with the message;   determining the recipient and the message types using the processor;   responsive to the determination of the recipient and the message types, selecting a set of adaptors to change the message from the source-message-type to the recipient-message-type using the processor;   changing the message to the recipient-message type using the set of adaptors and the processor; and   sending the adapted message to the recipient.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the recipient is one of a plurality of recipients selected by their geographic proximity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the message types correspond to arbitrary permutations of communication technologies and user preferences associated with the messages. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the set of adaptors includes one or more of a communications adaptor, a transformation adaptor, a process adaptor, a collaboration adaptor, or an analytic adaptor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising receiving a response message from the recipient and repeating the method on the response message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising accepting a third-party adaptor, implementing a rule pursuant to which the third-party adaptor is used to change the accepted message to the adapted message pursuant to the rule and adapting the message accordingly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the message is responsive to a message trigger selected from the group consisting of an incident, a sensor, a metric, and a campaign and wherein the recipients are selected responsive to the message trigger. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the message is a portion of an emergency notification and the recipients are selected apriori based on an emergency associated with the emergency notification. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising determining a user selected preference to determine the recipient-message-type. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising measuring a user selected quality of service (QOS) associated with the method wherein the QOS measurement pertains to one or more of network cost, network reliability, network capacity, network current status, access control, or location compatibility. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising replacing one of the adaptors with a different adaptor responsive to the QOS measurement, the changing of the accepted message to the recipient-message-type being with the different adaptor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the adapted message further comprises data in a plurality of differing formats and wherein the adapting of the accepted message further comprises using the adaptors on the data in the differing formats. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for operation in an environment in which electronic messages are sent in a plurality of disparate source-message-types and in which disparate recipient-message-types are associated with corresponding recipients, the apparatus comprising:
 an interface;   a processor in communication with the interface; and   a memory in communication with the processor and storing processor readable instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute a method comprising:
 accepting one of the messages in one of the disparate source-message-types from the interface wherein a plurality of recipients are associated with the message; 
 determining the recipients, the source-message-type, and the recipient-message-types; 
 responsive to the determination of the recipient and the message types, selecting a plurality of sets of adaptors stored in the memory with which to change the message from the source-message-type to the recipient-message-types; 
 changing the message to the recipient-message-types using the plurality of sets of adaptors; and 
 sending the adapted messages to the intended recipients via the interface. 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the message types correspond to arbitrary permutations of communication technologies and user preferences associated with the messages. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the method further comprises measuring a user selected quality of service (QOS) associated with the method wherein the QOS measurement pertains to one or more of network cost, network reliability, network capacity, network current status, access control, a delivery time, a delivery attempt, or location compatibility. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises replacing one of the adaptors with a different adaptor responsive to the QOS measurement, the changing of the accepted message to the recipient-message-type being associated with the different adaptor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the adapted message further comprises data in a plurality of differing formats and wherein the adapting of the accepted message further comprises using an adaptor on the data in the differing formats. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15  accepting a third-party adaptor, implementing a rule pursuant to which the third-party adaptor is used to change the accepted message to the adapted message pursuant to the rule and adapting the message accordingly. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the adapted message further comprises unstructured data and wherein the adapting of the accepted message further comprises using the adaptors on the unstructured data. 
     
     
         22 . In an environment in which electronic messages are sent in a plurality of disparate source-message-types, a method comprising:
 accepting a message in one of the disparate source-message-types using a processor wherein at least one recipient is associated with the message;   determining the recipient and the source-message-type using the processor;   responsive to the determination of the recipient and the source-message-type selecting a set of adaptors to change the message from the source-message-type to a recipient-message-type using the processor;   changing the message to the recipient-message type using the set of adaptors and the processor; and   sending the adapted message to the recipient.