System and method for automatic social messaging

Abstract

A system and method for automatic social messaging is provided. The social networking device includes an automatic social messaging module and one or more applications configured to coordinate with the automatic social messaging module. In a social network device, the automatic messaging module receives, from an application, an indication that a predefined trigger event has occurred. The automatic messaging module then accesses a set of event parameters for the predefined trigger event. The set of parameters includes a set of recipients for a notification message associated with the trigger event. The parameters may also include update information, message details, a filter criteria for the trigger event. The automatic messaging module then transmits the notification message associated with the predefined trigger event to the set of recipients according to the trigger event parameters.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for automatic social messaging in a user communication device, comprising:
 providing a user interface by which a user can define a plurality of trigger events, each trigger event in the plurality of trigger events being respectively associated with one of a plurality of different applications that are available for execution on the user communication device;   receiving, from a particular application within the plurality of applications that is executing on the user communication device, an indication of an occurrence of a particular predefined trigger event within the plurality of trigger events;   accessing a set of event parameters stored on the user communication device for the particular predefined trigger event, the set of event parameters including a set of recipients for a notification message associated with the particular predefined trigger event; and   automatically transmitting the notification message associated with the particular predefined trigger event to the set of recipients via a communications network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of applications include one or more of:
 a social networking application;   a location-based application;   a game application;   an application that provides alarm functionality;   an application that provides video watching functionality;   an application that provides music listening functionality; and   an application that provides event scheduling and/or event monitoring functionality.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of event parameters includes notification update information, the notification update information including an update interval. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 automatically transmitting an updated notification message to the set of recipients each time the update interval expires.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of event parameters includes filter criteria for the particular predefined trigger event. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining whether to transmit the notification message based on the filter criteria for the predefined trigger event.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining the set of recipients based on the filter criteria for the particular predefined trigger event.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically transmitting the notification message includes:
 automatically transmitting the notification message to an account on a social networking server for forwarding to one or more recipients associated with the account on the social networking server.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication of the occurrence of the event includes:
 receiving from a location application executing on the communication device an indication of the occurrence of a location request trigger event.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication of the occurrence of the event includes:
 receiving from a location application executing on the communications device an indication of the occurrence of a direction request trigger event.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the indication of the occurrence of the event includes:
 receiving from an application executing on the communication device an indication of the occurrence of a function activation by a user of the communications device.   
     
     
         12 . A user communication device, comprising:
 a memory configured to store software;   a processor configured to execute the software to:
 provide a user interface by which a user can define a plurality of trigger events, each trigger event in the plurality of trigger events being respectively associated with one of a plurality of different applications that are available for execution on the user communication device; 
 receive, from a particular application within the plurality of applications that is executing on the user communication device, an indication of an occurrence of a particular predefined trigger event within the plurality of trigger events; 
 access a set of event parameters stored in the memory for the particular predefined trigger event, the set of event parameters including a set of recipients for a notification message associated with the particular predefined trigger event; and 
 automatically transmit the notification message associated with the particular predefined trigger event to the set of recipients via a communications network. 
   
     
     
         13 . The user communication device of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of applications include one or more of:
 a social networking application;   a location-based application;   a game application;   an application that provides alarm functionality;   an application that provides video watching functionality;   an application that provides music listening functionality; and   an application that provides event scheduling and/or event monitoring functionality.   
     
     
         14 . The user communication device of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 automatically transmit an updated notification message each time an update interval associated with the particular predefined trigger event expires.   
     
     
         15 . The user communication device of  claim 12 , wherein the user communication device is a multi-media phone system. 
     
     
         16 . The user communication device of  claim 12 , wherein the particular predefined trigger event is activation of an application on the multi-media phone system. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that, when executed by a processor of a user communication device, cause the user communication device to perform a method comprising:
 providing a user interface by which a user can define a plurality of trigger events, each trigger event in the plurality of trigger events being respectively associated with one of a plurality of different applications that are available for execution on the user communication device;   receiving, from a particular application within the plurality of applications that is executing on the user communication device, an indication of an occurrence of a particular predefined trigger event within the plurality of trigger events;   accessing a set of event parameters stored on the user communication device for the particular predefined trigger event, the set of event parameters including a set of recipients for a notification message associated with the particular predefined trigger event; and   automatically transmitting the notification message associated with the particular predefined trigger event to the set of recipients via a communications network.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:
 automatically transmitting an updated notification message to the set of recipients each time an update interval for the particular predefined trigger event expires.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining whether to transmit the notification message based on filter criteria associated with the particular predefined trigger event.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein automatically transmitting the notification message includes:
 automatically transmitting the notification message to an account on a social networking server for forwarding to one or more recipients associated with the account on the social networking server.