Method and system for controlling delivery of notifications in real-time communications based on communication channel state

Abstract

A critical notification is reliably delivered to at least one participant in a real-time communication session. A candidate delivery channel is selected, and a set of one or more communication state variables associated with the candidate delivery channel are identified. Current values associated with the communication state variables and determined, and a determination is made as to whether the current values associated with the communication state variables indicate that the notification can currently be reliably delivered using the candidate delivery channel. If the notification cannot currently be reliably delivered using the candidate delivery channel, an alternative delivery option is selected that may include using an alternative delivery channel and/or delaying delivery of the notification.

1 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor and at least one computer readable memory, said computer readable memory having stored thereon program code for reliably delivering a notification to at least one user, said program code including
 program code for selecting a candidate delivery channel, 
 program code for identifying a set of one or more communication state variables associated with said candidate delivery channel, 
 program code for determining current values associated with said communication state variables, 
 program code for determining whether current values associated with said communication state variables indicate that said notification can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, 
 program code for, responsive to a determination that said notification can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, delivering said notification to said at least one user through said candidate delivery channel; and 
 program code for, responsive to a determination that said notification cannot currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, selecting an alternative delivery option for delivering said notification to said at least one user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein said at least one user comprises at least one participant in a real-time communication session; and   wherein said notification comprises a notification that said real-time communication session is being recorded.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein said at least one user comprises at least one participant in a real-time communication session; and   wherein said notification comprises a notification that another participant in said real-time communication would like to make a comment in the real-time communication session.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , said program code further comprising:
 program code for determining that said real-time communication session is to be recorded; and   wherein said program code for selecting said candidate delivery channel is responsive to said determining that said real-time communication session is to be recorded.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , said program code further comprising:
 program code for determining that delivery of said recording notification to said at least one of said participants is required; and   wherein said program code for selecting said candidate delivery channel is responsive to said determining that delivery of said recording notification to said at least one of said participants is required.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 wherein said candidate delivery channel comprises an audio communication channel; and   wherein said program code for selecting said alternative delivery option for delivering said notification that said real-time communication session is being recorded to said at least one participant in said real-time communication session comprises program code for selecting a visual communication channel for delivering a visual notification that said real-time communication session is being recorded.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 wherein said candidate delivery channel comprises a visual communication channel including an associated user interface window within a graphical user interface in a client system associated with said at least one of said participants; and   wherein said program code for selecting said alternative delivery option for delivering said notification that another participant in said real-time communication session would like to make a comment comprises program code for selecting an audio communication channel for delivering an audible notification to said at least one participant that another participant in said real-time communication session would like to make a comment.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 wherein said audio communication channel comprises a voice over IP (VoIP) communication session;   wherein said program code for determining whether current values associated with said communication state variables indicate that said notification that said real-time communication session is being recorded can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel comprises program code for determining that the audio output on a client system associated with said at least one participant in said real-time communication session is currently muted; and   wherein said visual communication channel comprises a pop-up window generated in a display device on a client system associated with said at least one participant in said real-time communication session.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 wherein said program code for determining whether current values associated with said communication state variables indicate that said notification can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel comprises program code for determining that said user interface window within said graphical user interface in said client system associated with said at least one of said participants is currently not visible because it is obscured by another user interface window within said graphical user interface; and   wherein said audible notification comprises a predetermined sound generated by an audio subsystem in said client system associated with said at least one participant in said real-time communication session.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 wherein said audio communication channel comprises a voice over IP (VoIP) communication session;   wherein said program code for determining whether current values associated with said communication state variables indicate that said notification that said real-time communication session is being recorded can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel comprises program code for determining that said VoIP communication session is currently on hold; and   wherein said visual communication channel comprises a pop-up window generated in a display device on a client system associated with said at least one participant in said real-time communication session.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein said program code for selecting said alternative delivery option for delivering said notification to said at least one participant in said real-time communication session comprises program code for selecting a time period for which to delay delivery of said notification that said real-time communication session is being recorded.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein said real-time communication session comprises a Web conference.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein said communication state variables include an online presence status of said at least one participant in said real-time communication session; and   wherein said determination that said notification cannot currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel is responsive to program code for determining that a current value of said online presence status of said at least one participant in said real-time communication session indicates that said at least one participant is currently unavailable to receive communications sent to a client system associated with said at least one participant.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein said at least one user comprises at least one participant in a real-time communication session; and   wherein said notification comprises a notification that recording of said real-time communication session has been paused.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein said at least one user comprises at least one participant in a real-time communication session; and   wherein said notification comprises a notification that recording of said real-time communication session has been stopped.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 3 , said program code further comprising:
 program code for determining that another participant in said real-time communication session would like to make a comment; and   wherein said program code for selecting said candidate delivery channel is responsive to said determining that another participant in said real-time communication session would like to make a comment.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 wherein said determining that another participant in said real-time communication session would like to make a comment is responsive to detecting that said other participant in said real-time communication session has selected a graphical object in a graphical user interface within a client system associated with said other participant.   
     
     
         18 . A computer implemented method of reliably delivering a notification to at least one user, comprising:
 selecting a candidate delivery channel;   identifying a set of one or more communication state variables associated with said candidate delivery channel;   determining current values associated with said communication state variables;   determining whether current values associated with said communication state variables indicate that said notification can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel;   delivering, responsive to a determination that said notification can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, said notification to said at least one user through said candidate delivery channel; and   selecting, responsive to a determination that said notification cannot currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, an alternative delivery option for delivering said notification to said at least one user.   
     
     
         19 . A computer program product, comprising:
 at least one computer readable storage medium, said computer readable storage medium having stored thereon program code for reliably delivering a notification to at least one user, said program code including
 program code for selecting a candidate delivery channel, 
 program code for identifying a set of one or more communication state variables associated with said candidate delivery channel, 
 program code for determining current values associated with said communication state variables, 
 program code for determining whether current values associated with said communication state variables indicate that said notification can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, 
 program code for, responsive to a determination that said notification can currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, delivering said notification to said at least one user through said candidate delivery channel; and 
 program code for, responsive to a determination that said notification cannot currently be reliably delivered using said candidate delivery channel, selecting an alternative delivery option for delivering said notification to said at least one user.