Distributing Messages in a Network Environment

Abstract

In a method, system, and computer readable medium for distributing messages in a network environment, a message distribution system receives, from a device of a first user who is a follower of a second user, a selection of a plurality of communications endpoints for receiving messages from the second user. The system stores the selection in a storage. The system later receives, from a device of the second user, a message for distribution to one or more unspecified recipients. The system identifies the followers of the second user (including the first user) as recipients of the message, and identifies the plurality of communications endpoints selected by the first user. The system then sends the message to the followers of the second user, including the first user, sending including sending the message to each of the plurality of communications endpoints selected by the first user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of message distribution, comprising:
 receiving, from a first computing device of a first user, a selection of a plurality of endpoints for receiving messages, wherein the first user is one of a plurality of users who are followers of a second user;   storing the selection of the plurality of endpoints in a storage;   receiving, from a second computing device of the second user, a message for distribution to one or more unspecified recipients;   identifying, by a computer processor, the followers of the second user as recipients of the message;   identifying, in the storage, the plurality of endpoints selected by the first user; and   sending the message to the followers of the second user, including the first user, wherein the sending includes sending the message to each of the plurality of endpoints selected by the first user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second user is one of a plurality of users who are followers of the first user, and wherein the second user receives messages sent to followers of the first user, and wherein the plurality of endpoints comprises e-mail, short messaging service (SMS), and web. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first computing device, an SMS registration message requesting creation of a new account of the first user;   creating the new account in response to receiving the SMS registration message; and   sending, to the first computing device, an acknowledgement message indicating that the new account is created, wherein the plurality of endpoints is associated with the new account in the storage.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first computing device, an SMS message requesting to join the plurality of users who are followers of the second user; and   adding the first user to the followers of the second user in response to receiving the SMS message.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the first computing device of the first user, an SMS configuration message comprising a plurality of message receipt preferences, wherein the sending of the message to the first user is based on the plurality of message receipt preferences.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of message receipt preferences comprises a time window for receiving messages, and wherein the method further comprises:
 making a determination that a current time is within the time window for receiving messages, wherein the sending of the message to the first user is based on the determination.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a hyperlink within the message; and   displaying the hyperlink to the first user as an active link, wherein the active link comprises a shortened representation of the hyperlink.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying, within the message, a reference to an image; and   displaying, to the first user, the message with an indication of the image.   
     
     
         9 . A message distribution system, comprising:
 a computer processor;   a routing engine executing on the computer processor and configured to:
 receive, from a first computing device of a first user a selection of a plurality of endpoints for receiving messages, wherein the first user is one of a plurality of users who are followers of a second user; 
 store the selection of the plurality of endpoints in a data repository; 
 receive, from a second computing device of the second user, a message for distribution to one or more unspecified recipients; 
 identify the followers of the second user as recipients of the message; and 
 identify, in the data repository, the plurality of endpoints selected by the first user; and 
   a transmission engine configured to send the message to the followers of the second user, including the first user, wherein the transmission engine sends the message to each of the plurality of endpoints selected by the first user.   
     
     
         10 . The message distribution system of  claim 9 , wherein the second user is one of a plurality of users who are followers of the first user, and wherein the second user receives messages sent to followers of the first user. 
     
     
         11 . The message distribution system of  claim 9 , wherein the routing engine is further configured to:
 receive, from the first computing device, an SMS registration message requesting creation of a new account of the first user; and   create the new account in response to receiving the SMS registration message, and   wherein the transmission engine is further configured to send, to the first computing device, an acknowledgement message indicating that the new account is created wherein the plurality of endpoints is associated with the new account in the data repository.   
     
     
         12 . The message distribution system of  claim 11 , wherein the routing engine is further configured to receive, from the first computing device, an SMS message requesting to join the plurality of users who are followers of the second user and wherein the message distribution system further comprises a group expansion module configured to:
 add the first user to the followers of the second user in response to receiving the SMS message.   
     
     
         13 . The message distribution system of  claim 9 , wherein the message distribution system further comprises a rules module configured to:
 identify, for the first user, a plurality of message receipt preferences comprising a time window for receiving messages; and   make a determination that a current time is within the time window for receiving messages, wherein the sending of the message to the first user is based on the determination.   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions for message distribution the plurality of instructions comprising functionality to:
 receive, from a first computing device of a first user a selection of a plurality of endpoints for receiving messages, wherein the first user is one of a plurality of users who are followers of a second user;   store the selection of the plurality of endpoints in a storage;   receive, from a second computing device of the second user, a message for distribution to one or more unspecified recipients;   identify the followers of the second user as recipients of the message;   identify, in the storage, the plurality of endpoints selected by the first user; and   send the message to the followers of the second user including the first user, wherein the sending includes sending the message to each of the plurality of endpoints selected by first user.   
     
     
         15 . A message distribution system for distributing messages, the message distribution system comprising:
 a computer processor;   a routing engine executing on the computer processor and configured to:
 receive, from a first computing device of a first user, a request for joining a follower group of users following a second user; 
 in response to receiving the request for joining, store information about the first user in a data repository for storing follower group information about the follower group of users; 
 receive, from the first computing device of the first user, a selection of a plurality of endpoints for receiving messages, the plurality of endpoints including two or more of email, short messaging service (SMS) and web; 
 store selection information regarding the selection of the plurality of endpoints in the data repository; 
 receive, from a second computing device of the second user, a message for distribution to one or more unspecified recipients; 
 identify, based on the stored follower group information, the users in the follower group as recipients of the message; and 
 identify, based on the stored selection information the plurality of endpoints selected by the first user; and 
   a transmission engine configured to send the message to each of the users in the follower group, including the first user, wherein the transmission engine is configured to send the message to each of the plurality of endpoints selected by the first user.