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 method comprising:
 presenting a graphical user interface of a client application to facilitate management of alert preferences associated with the client application;   receiving user input by way of the graphical user interface;   setting, using at least one processor, one or more alert preferences associated with the client application based on the received user input; and   sending, to a remote server associated with the client application, the one or more alert preferences associated with the client application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting an alert in accordance with the one or more alert preferences; and   providing, at a client device and in response to the detected alert, a notification of the detected alert.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the notification of the detected alert comprises one or more of an instant message, an icon, a pop-up window, or an audio alarm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the client device comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending a request to receive a particular type of alerts. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the request comprises a request to receive one or more of third party alerts, weather alerts, calendar alerts, or news alerts. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a client device associated with the client application is not running the client application; and   providing, at the client device, a notification of an alert when the client device is not running the client application.   
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 presenting a graphical user interface to facilitate management of alert preferences associated with a user profile;   receiving user input by way of the graphical user interface;   setting, using at least one processor, one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile based on the received user input; and   sending, to a remote server, the one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile relates to third party alerts. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving a third party alert in accordance with the one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile; and   providing, at a client device and in response to the received third party alert, a notification of the received third party alert.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the received third party alert comprises one or more of an advertisement, a coupon, a notification that an order is done or a service is complete, or a message regarding confirmation, cancellation, or rescheduling of an appointment. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile relates to calendar alerts. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving a calendar alert in accordance with the one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile; and   providing, at a client device and in response to the received calendar alert, a notification of the received calendar alert.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile relates to news alerts. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a news alert in accordance with the one or more alert preferences associated with the user profile; and   providing, at a client device and in response to the received news alert, a notification of the received news alert.   
     
     
         16 . A mobile device comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:   present a graphical user interface of a client application to facilitate management of alert preferences associated with the client application;   receive user input by way of the graphical user interface;   set one or more alert preferences associated with the client application based on the received user input; and   send, to a remote server associated with the client application, the one or more alert preferences associated with the client application.   
     
     
         17 . The mobile device of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
 detect an alert in accordance with the one or more alert preferences; and   provide, in response to the detected alert, a notification of the detected alert.   
     
     
         18 . The mobile device of  claim 17 , wherein the notification of the detected alert comprises one or more of an instant message, an icon, a pop-up window, or an audio alarm. 
     
     
         19 . The mobile device of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
 determine that the mobile device is not running the client application; and   provide a notification of an alert when the mobile device is not running the client application.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more alert preferences associated with the client application relates to one or more of third party alerts, weather alerts, calendar alerts, or news alerts.