Patent ID: 8140097
Filing Date: 2012-03-20
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for broadcasting information in real time to a plurality of recipients, the method comprising: receiving, by a broadcast system, a request from an administrator to gain access to a broadcast messaging interface operated by the broadcast system, said request including a group identifier and a authentication code, said broadcast messaging interface configured to enable the administrator to broadcast a message simultaneously to a plurality of recipients associated with the group identifier; authenticating, by the broadcast system, the administrator with respect to the group identifier using the authentication code provided by the administrator; subsequent to authentication of the administrator, displaying, by the broadcast system, a user interface providing the administrator with a plurality of interface tools for composing and broadcasting said information in the form of an SMS message to the plurality of recipients associated with the group identifier, receiving, by the broadcast system, a selection of a message type of the SMS message to be broadcast, the selection enabling the user to optionally configure the SMS message to be transmitted to the plurality of recipients as a one-way message or a bidirectional message, said one-way message preventing recipients from being able to respond to the eventually transmitted SMS message, said bidirectional message providing recipients with the option of responding to one or more of the administrator or the plurality of recipients with a response to the eventually transmitted SMS message; receiving, by the broadcasts system, the administrator's selection of one or more recipients or one or more groups of recipients associated with the group identifier, said one or more groups of recipients having been predefined based on specific broadcasting criteria defined by the administrator, said selection for identifying specific recipients for receiving the administrator's information as an SMS message in the message type as previously selected by the administrator; receiving, by the broadcast system, a body of the SMS message from the administrator via the user interface; and transmitting, by the broadcast system, the SMS message to said specific recipients as identified by the administrator, wherein upon receipt of the SMS message by each specific recipient, the broadcast system enables the recipient to subscribe as an authenticated subscriber associated with the group identifier prior to being able to retrieve the SMS message if the recipient is not already registered as a valid subscriber.