Abstract: A system for providing group accessibility is provided. An example method includes storing a profile associated with a user in a database; maintaining a service group including a plurality of service representatives in the database; and in response to a session between the user and a first one of the service representatives: adding, with a processor, the service group to the profile associated with the user; and associating a rule with the profile to cause the service group to be indicated to the user as present on a network only when the first service representative is present on the network.

Abstract: Included herein are systems and methods for associating information related to a first communication and information related to a second communication. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving a first communication, the first communication being associated with a first communications protocol; and associating the received first communication with a communication thread. Additionally embodiments of the method include receiving a second communication, the second communication associated with a second communications protocol, wherein the first communications protocol is different than the second communications protocol; and associating the second communication with the communication thread. Other methods and devices are also provided.

Abstract: An email message is filtered to determine whether or not it is an undesired email message (e.g., “spam,” “junk mail,” etc.) that originates from an undesirable domain, such as, for example, a domain designated as originating from an undesirable geographic location. In some embodiments, upon determining that the email message originates from an undesirable domain, the email message is deleted (e.g., permanently removed, moved to a designated folder, marked for followup, etc.). In other embodiments, upon determining that the email message originates from an undesirable domain, the email message is further filtered to determine whether or not the email message includes attributes that indicate that the email message should not be discarded.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for merging of instant messaging (IM) chat sessions. At least one embodiment includes a communication method configured for establishing an instant messaging (IM) chat session between a first sender and a recipient. Some embodiments include receiving an IM message from a second sender to the recipient and establishing an IM chat room between the recipient, the first sender, and the second sender.

Abstract: A system for providing group accessibility is provided. A representative resource list management system includes a group management system operable to store a resource list for a user, and a service manager operable to detect a status of a contact associated with the resource list. The resource list includes at least one group, said at least one group including a plurality of contacts. The service manager is operable to update accessibility of the at least one group in response to at least one of the plurality of contacts being accessible on a network. Methods and other systems for resource list management are also provided.

Abstract: A system for regulating e-mail comprises a database of information profiling legitimate e-mail usage. When an e-mail is received at the system, it is scrutinized relative to the information in the database. If the e-mail is found to be legitimate based upon this evaluation, it is delivered to the intended recipient. If, however, the e-mail appears on the basis of the evaluation to be the last in a series of illegitimate e-mails or otherwise has characteristics inconsistent with the profile of legitimate e-mail usage, the e-mail may not be delivered and the postmaster and administrator at the source of the e-mail is contacted.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing advanced instant messaging (IM) notification are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an event message, which is received prior sending of an initial message by a user, is used to generate a notification to a contact. The notification indicates to the contact that the user is preparing to initiate a chat session prior to opening a chat window.

Abstract: A method for delivering a time-sensitive message to a recipient includes receiving the time-sensitive message, the time-sensitive message having a rule set for delivering the time-sensitive message. The rule set is extracted from the time-sensitive message. The rule set specifies a starting time and an expiration time for the time-sensitive message. The time-sensitive message is provided to the recipient based on the starting time. A determination is made if a current time is within a threshold of the expiration time. An extension message is sent to a source of the time-sensitive message if the current time is within a threshold of the expiration time.

Abstract: An event manager is disclosed for sending services through an email communication. The event manager provides a template through which a user may select an available service that he wishes to send as an attachment to an email. The event manager enables the user to attach electronic services such as an audio file, a video file, a gift certificate, or a money transfer, among others, to an email message and package it with items such as wallpaper or background music, among others, to send to another email user.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for reminding a user to include an e-mail attachment file with an e-mail communication. The e-mail application is configured to provide a menu of different types of e-mail for the user to select, and to provide templates that require the user to attach an attachment file when that option is selected.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for transferring instant messages from one recipient to another recipient. In some embodiments, when an instant messaging (IM) message is received by one recipient, that IM message is conveyed to another recipient.

Abstract: Communication services are integrated. A communication suite includes several communications accounts for a first communications service and several communications accounts for a second communications service. Logic is configured to detect when one of the communications accounts in the first communication suite for the first communications service is being actively utilized by a user. Upon detection, the logic is configured to make the second communications service available to the user via the communications accounts in the communication suite for the second communications service.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented which generate modified email messages, which are largely devoid of embedded functions, from original email messages, which have embedded functions. The embedded functions are amenable to self-executing codes such as viruses, worms, and Trojan programs Thus, the modified email message without these embedded functions, and any argument associated with these functions, provides a more secure email environment.

Abstract: Several embodiments, among others, provided in the present disclosure teach a filtering of email messages for spam based on phonetic equivalents of words found in the email message. In some embodiments, an email message having a word is received, and a phonetic equivalent of the word is generated. Thereafter, the phonetic equivalent of the word is tokenized to generate a token representative of the phonetic equivalent. The generated token is then used to determine a spam probability.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and system for composing a package of application files to be sent as e-mail attachments in e-mail communications. A plurality of data structures are created, wherein each data structure groups together a plurality of different user application files designated as attachments to an e-mail communication. Application files designated from within user applications are associated with selected data structures, such that each designated application file is associated with a selected data structure. During composition of an e-mail communication having attachments, a list of the data structures containing application files are provided.

Abstract: Several embodiments, among others, provided in the present disclosure teach a filtering of email messages for spam based on phonetic equivalents of words found in the email message. In some embodiments, an email message having a word is received, and a phonetic equivalent of the word is generated. Thereafter, the phonetic equivalent of the word is tokenized to generate a token representative of the phonetic equivalent. The generated token is then used to determine a spam probability.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented which generate modified email messages, which are largely devoid of embedded functions, from original email messages, which have embedded functions. The embedded functions are amenable to self-executing codes such as viruses, worms, and Trojan programs. Thus, the modified email message without these embedded functions, and any argument associated with these functions, provides a more secure email environment.

Abstract: System and method for providing a customer with the ability to obtain temporary advanced telecommunication services in the Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) for the customer's calling line by dialing a call to special access code, without the intervention of a service representative. The call is recognized as a request for an initiation of a temporary advanced telecommunication service with respect to the customer's calling line. On the basis of the recognition, an association may be retained between the calling line number and the service switching point serving the calling line number. This retained association may be used later in the activation of the temporary advanced telecommunication service for the calling line number. The call is routed to a rental service interface through which rental information from the caller may be collected.

Abstract: Methods and systems for using a communication to execute a transaction with respect to an account. A communication is received on a calling line associated with a calling line number. An account number and a transaction amount are obtained from the communication. The account number corresponds to an account with respect to which a transaction is to be conducted. The transaction amount may be a number of units, a dollar amount, etc. A validation may be carried out to determine whether the caller or calling line number is authorized with respect to the conduct of the transaction. In an exemplary embodiment, a billing message is created to include the account number, the transaction amount, and the calling line number. The account number and the transaction amount from the billing message are used to execute the transaction with respect to the account corresponding to the account number.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method for providing access to the Internet on a pre-paid or pay-per-use basis that utilizes an Advanced Intelligent Network (“AIN”) to set up a dial up connection between a subscriber and an Internet Service Provider (“ISP”). The telecommunications system communicates with the ISP's computer systems to coordinate verification of callers attempting access to the ISP. The system uses features of the AIN to identify a call as a pre-authorized call so that the ISP grants access without requiring a username and a password from a caller. If the ISP receives a call that is not so identified, the caller is treated as regular ISP subscriber, and requires a username and a password to authenticate the caller prior to granting access to the ISP's resources. The present invention further utilizes the telephone service provider's billing systems to aggregate bills and collect revenue from subscribers.