Profile-Based Message Control

Abstract

A computer system includes a profile associated with one or more logic modules. Each logic module specifies a condition and a corresponding action. The profile may be applied to context data, such as messages transmitted over a network, to perform the actions specified by the logic modules in response to detecting that the context data satisfies the conditions specified by the logic modules. The profile may have an activation state, in which case the logic modules may be applied to the context data only if the profile's activation state indicates that the profile is active. One application of the system is to perform different actions (such as blocking, forwarding, deferring, and allowing) in connection with messages transmitted via different modes of communication (such as one or more of email communication, text messaging communication, and live voice call communication).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by at least one computer processor, the method comprising:
 (A) detecting a first message transmissible via a first communication mode;   (B) determining that a profile is active;   (C) in response to determining that the profile is active:
 (C)(1) determining whether first output from a time sensor representing a first time satisfies a first condition specified by the profile; 
 (C)(2) performing a first action specified by the profile in association with the first communication mode if the first output from the time sensor satisfies the first condition specified by the profile, wherein the first action comprises blocking a notification of the first message; and 
 (C)(3) not performing the first action if the first output from the time sensor does not satisfy the first condition specified by the profile; 
   (D) receiving first user input;   (E) deactivating the profile in response to the first user input;   (F) detecting a second message transmissible via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode;   (G) determining that the profile is inactive;   (H) in response to determining that the profile is inactive, not performing a second action specified by the profile in association with the second communication mode.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (I) receiving second user input;   (J) activating the profile in response to the second user input;   (K) detecting a third message transmissible via a third communication mode that differs from the first communication mode and the second communication mode;   (L) determining that the profile is active;   (M) in response to determining that the profile is active:
 (M)(1) determining whether second output from the time sensor representing a second time satisfies the first condition specified by the profile; 
 (M)(2) performing a third action specified by the profile in association with the third communication mode if the second output from the time sensor satisfies the first condition specified by the profile, wherein the third action comprises blocking a notification of the third message; and 
 (M)(3) not performing the third action if the second output from the time sensor does not satisfy the first condition specified by the profile. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 :
 wherein the first communication mode comprises one of an email communication mode, a text message communication mode, and a voice call communication mode;   wherein the second communication mode comprises one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode; and   wherein the third communication mode comprises one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first communication mode comprises one of an email communication mode, a text message communication mode, and a voice call communication mode;   wherein the second communication mode comprises one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first action comprises blocking the first message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the first message comprises detecting receipt of the first message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (C)(1) comprises:
 (C)(1)(a) receiving context data, wherein the context data comprises the first output from the time sensor; and   (C)(1)(b) determining whether the first condition specified by the profile is satisfied by the context data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein blocking the notification of the first message comprises preventing the notification of the first message from being manifested. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein blocking the notification of the first message comprises:
 receiving the notification of the first message; and   preventing the notification of the first message from being manifested.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein blocking the notification of the first message further comprises:
 after preventing the notification of the first message from being manifested, allowing the notification of the first message to be manifested.   
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program instructions tangibly stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the instructions are executable by at least one computer processor to perform a method comprising:
 (A) detecting a first message transmissible via a first communication mode;   (B) determining that a profile is active;   (C) in response to determining that the profile is active:
 (C)(1) determining whether first output from a time sensor representing a first time satisfies a first condition specified by the profile; 
 (C)(2) performing a first action specified by the profile in association with the first communication mode if the first output from the time sensor satisfies the first condition specified by the profile, wherein the first action comprises blocking a notification of the first message; and 
 (C)(3) not performing the first action if the first output from the time sensor does not satisfy the first condition specified by the profile; 
   (D) receiving first user input;   (E) deactivating the profile in response to the user input;   (F) detecting a second message transmissible via a second communication mode that differs from the first communication mode;   (G) determining that the profile is inactive;   (H) in response to determining that the profile is inactive, not performing a second action specified by the profile in association with the second communication mode.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (I) receiving second user input;   (J) activating the profile in response to the second user input;   (K) detecting a third message transmissible via a third communication mode that differs from the first communication mode and the second communication mode;   (L) determining that the profile is active;   (M) in response to determining that the profile is active:
 (M)(1) determining whether second output from the time sensor representing a second time satisfies the first condition specified by the profile; 
 (M)(2) performing a third action specified by the profile in association with the third communication mode if the second output from the time sensor satisfies the first condition specified by the profile, wherein the third action comprises blocking a notification of the third message; and 
 (M)(3) not performing the third action if the second output from the time sensor does not satisfy the first condition specified by the profile. 
   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 :
 wherein the first communication mode comprises one of an email communication mode, a text message communication mode, and a voice call communication mode;   wherein the second communication mode comprises one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode; and   wherein the third communication mode comprises one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 :
 wherein the first communication mode comprises one of an email communication mode, a text message communication mode, and a voice call communication mode;   wherein the second communication mode comprises one of the email communication mode, the text message communication mode, and the voice call communication mode.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the first action comprises blocking the first message. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein detecting the first message comprises detecting receipt of the first message. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein (C)(1) comprises:
 (C)(1)(a) receiving context data, wherein the context data comprises the first output from the time sensor; and   (C)(1)(b) determining whether the first condition specified by the profile is satisfied by the context data.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein blocking the notification of the first message comprises preventing the notification of the first message from being manifested. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein blocking the notification of the first message comprises:
 receiving the notification of the first message; and   preventing the notification of the first message from being manifested.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein blocking the notification of the first message further comprises:
 after preventing the notification of the first message from being manifested, allowing the notification of the first message to be manifested.