Systems And Methods For Initiating Communications With Contacts Based On A Communication Specification

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for initiating communications with contacts based on a communication specification. According to an aspect, a method may include receiving a communication specification. The communication specification may include identification of one or more contacts, a communication persistence parameter, a geographic location, an event, a date, and a communication channel. The method may also include determining one or more contacts based on the communication specification. Further, the method may include initiating multiple communications with the contacts via at least one communication channel. A communication channel may be a telephone call, an email, a text message, an instant message, and the like.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 at a computing device:
 receiving an input that specifies an event; 
 determining a plurality of contacts based on the specified event and a geographic relationship to the event; 
 in response to the input, initiating a plurality of communications with the plurality of contacts; 
 determining that one of the plurality of communications has been accepted by a first recipient device associated with a first contact, wherein the specified event is associated with the first contact 
 in response to determining that acceptance to the one of the plurality of communications has been received:
 communicating with the first contact; 
 notifying a second recipient device associated with the second contact of the accepted communication; and 
 discontinuing the other initiated communications, 
 
   wherein initiating a plurality of communications comprises initiating a communication with the second contact via one of the communication channels.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified event is associated with one or more of the at least one contact, a communication persistence parameter, a date, and a communication channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising receiving selection of a subset of the plurality of contacts for communication, and
 wherein initiating a plurality of communications comprises initiating the plurality of communications with the selected subset of the plurality of contacts.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising receiving selection of an order for communicating with the selected subset of the plurality of contacts, and
 wherein initiating a plurality of communications comprises initiating the plurality of communications with the selected subset of contacts in the selected order.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that one of the communications has been received accepted, deleting a history of the other initiated communications. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein initiating a plurality of communications comprises initiating the plurality of communications via at least one of a telephone call, an email, a text message, and an instant message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a user interface guide, and
 wherein receiving the input comprises receiving the input into the user interface guide for specifying the event.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the plurality of communication channels. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining the plurality of communication channels comprises determining the plurality of communication channels based on the specified event. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the specified event is associated with one or more of the at least one contact, a communication persistence parameter, a date, and a communication channel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of contacts comprises determining contacts within a predetermined distance of the geographic location. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a plurality of contacts comprises dynamically determining the plurality of contacts based on the communication specification, and
 wherein initiating a plurality of communications comprises dynamically initiating the plurality of communications with the plurality of contacts via the plurality of communication channels.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising reinitiating the plurality of communications until at least one of the communications is accepted. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, requesting that the second recipient device join in the accepted communication in response to determining that one of the communications has been accepted. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 at least a processor and memory;   a communication manager configured to:
 receive an input that specifies an event; 
 determine a plurality of contacts based on the specified event and a geographic relationship to the event; 
 determine that one of the communications has been accepted by a first recipient device associated with a first contact, wherein the specified event is associated with the first contact; 
 control communication with the first contact; 
 control discontinuation of the other initiated communications; and 
   a communication interface configured to:
 initiate the plurality of communications including initiating a communication with a second contact via one of the communication channels; and 
 notify a second recipient device associated with a second contact of the accepted communication in response to determining that one of the communications has been accepted by a first recipient device associated with a first contact. 
   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing the following steps:
 receiving an input that specifies an event;   determining a plurality of contacts based on the specified event and a geographic relationship to the event;   initiating a plurality of communications with the plurality of contacts via a plurality of communication channels in response to the input, including initiating a communication with a second contact via one of the communication channels;   determining that one of the communications has been accepted by a first recipient device associated with a first contact, wherein the specified event is associated with a first contact; and   in response to determining that one of the communications has been accepted:
 communicating with the first contact; 
 notifying a second recipient device associated with the second contact of the accepted communication; and 
 discontinuing the other initiated communications, 
   wherein initiating a plurality of communications comprises initiating a communication with the second contact via one of the communication channels.