Abstract:
An automatic messaging system for sending inspirational messages is disclosed. The system utilizes existing cellular telephone networks and service providers. A telephone owner creates the messages with his or her telephone and stores the same therein. The telephone automatically transmits the messages at prescribed times to a receiving unit provided to an intended recipient of the inspirational messages. The receiving unit is formed in unique character shape (e.g., angel). The receiving unit comprises a display for displaying the messages received. Optionally a light source and speaker provide means for notifying the intended recipient that a message has been received. For example, the speaker may output an audio tone corresponding to a chime or bell or may output verbal tones.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The embodiments of the present invention relate to an inspirational messaging system. More particularly, the embodiments relate to a system for sending daily inspirational messages to loved ones and those without loved ones.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     At no point during modern civilization has life been so complicated and time-consuming. Although advances in technology are meant to simplify lives, in reality all the new gadgets and gizmos seemingly complicate lives even more. As a result, people are so preoccupied with the daily hurdles of everyday life, that they are losing touch with their fellow man and woman. This disconnect is true among strangers, friends and family members.  
         [0003]     At least in the United States, we as a free society have drifted away, both geographically and emotionally, from one another. Accordingly, family members do not stay in touch with regularity such that the family bond weakens over time. A perfect example is the plight of the elderly. We are so busy with our own lives that we place our own parents and grandparents in nursing homes. More disturbingly, we do not take the time to visit or contact our parents or grandparents in the homes where we have forced them to live out their remaining days.  
         [0004]     Not surprisingly, the plight is even more disturbing for the elderly who have no family. These individuals, in many cases, have no significant personal contact during the winter of their lives. Similarly, those individuals requiring mental health care fail to receive any significant personal contact.  
         [0005]     Unfortunately, this lack of personal contact causes the elderly, mentally ill and similarly positioned individuals to become depressed such that they feel like a burden on society.  
         [0006]     There continues to be the need for a method or system for encouraging and inspiring the elderly, mentally ill and other disregarded individuals. The cellular telephone and pager technology we currently utilize in our daily lives is suitable for remedying the problems disclosed above.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     The embodiments of the present invention comprise an automatic system for sending inspirational messages to those in need of such messages. In a first embodiment, the system utilizes current cellular telephone technology to send messages to a receiving device (e.g., pager) in the possession of the intended recipient. Ideally, the receiving device is in the form of an inspirational character (e.g., angel). In this embodiment, individuals wishing to send inspirational messages purchase the receiving device and provide it to the intended recipient. Then, the individual desiring to send the inspirational messages, engages a cellular telephone service provider (e.g., Cingular®) to automatically disseminate the inspirational messages of their choosing as frequently as desired. Pager, satellite and similar technology may also facilitate the embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0008]     In this manner, the hustle and bustle of everyday life does not impede one&#39;s ability to provide some level of personal contact with those who need and want such contact. The content of the messages may be crafted by the sending individual and/or may be pre-established and offered by the cellular telephone service provider. The messages may be sent at random times and/or at selected times determined by the individual responsible for sending them.  
         [0009]     Other features, variations and embodiments will become evident from the detailed description, drawings and claims set forth below. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention utilizing a cellular telephone system;  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  show a message receiving device in the form of an angel; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a flow chart detailing the first embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     The detailed description below relates to a inspirational messaging system. The description below focuses on the use of a cellular telephone network for facilitating the system. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other signal sending systems, such as a pager system, may be used to facilitate the embodiments of the system.  
         [0014]     The system disclosed below is intended to provide an automatic means for sending inspirational messages to those persons identified by an individual desirous of sending such messages. In other words, the complications of daily life require that the sender&#39;s message be sent without the sender having to remember to cause the message to be sent. Such a system is ideal for sending messages to loved ones, friends and even strangers who may not have friends or family. For example, many elderly find themselves alone in nursing homes without any personal outside contact. The system described herein is a easy means for providing the aforementioned elderly with an inspirational message intended to lift their spirits.  
         [0015]     Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred to by like numerals throughout.  FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a first embodiment of an inspirational messaging system generally referred to by reference numeral  100 . A sender&#39;s cellular telephone  110  and a receiving unit  120  are the basic components comprising the system. The sender&#39;s cellular telephone includes conventional components, including a circuit board  130  and corresponding processor  135 , antenna  140 , display  150 , keyboard  160 , microphone  170 , speaker  180 , memory device  190  and battery  200 . The receiving unit  120  is a scaled down cellular telephone, including a circuit board  205  and corresponding processor  210 , display  215 , antenna  220 , battery  230  and optionally speaker  240 . In other words, it is not intended to permit the user to talk or otherwise communicate with a message sender.  
         [0016]     Cellular telephone systems comprise a plurality of base stations arranged approximately one per every ten square miles. The base stations hand off calls as a subject cellular telephone enters one base station location and leaves another. This is why people are able to talk continuously on their cellular telephone as they change locations. The detailed specifics of the current cellular telephone networks is known to those skilled in the art and therefore does not need to be fully described herein.  
         [0017]     In this first embodiment, the sender&#39;s cellular telephone  110  is responsible for causing an inspirational message to be sent. The circuit board  130  includes the microprocessor  135  which deals with command and control signaling with a closely located base station. The microprocessor  135  is pre-programmed to automatically send messages upon activation of such service. That is, the owner of the cellular telephone subscribes to the automatic message sending service through the cellular telephone service provider which then activates the service on the owner&#39;s telephone providing access to the cellular telephone service provider&#39;s cellular telephone network. Once the service is activated, the owner uses the cellular telephone&#39;s keyboard  160  to create the messages which are then stored in the cellular telephone&#39;s memory device  190 . Depending on the service offered, the owner programs the times and frequency for sending the messages from his or her cellular telephone. Alternatively, random times maybe selected by the microprocessor  135  or related device (e.g., random number generator). Besides the microprocessor  135 , it is conceivable that other chips on the telephone&#39;s circuit board may handle these functions as well.  
         [0018]     In an alternative embodiment, a central transmission station affiliated with the cellular telephone service provider and cellular telephone network may send a signal to the owner&#39;s cellular telephone thereby causing the corresponding cellular telephone to send the stored messages. In this embodiment, the central station maintains owner accounts and corresponding cellular telephone identification information such that the central station is capable of contacting the owner&#39;s cellular telephone to instruct it to send the stored messages. In other words, the central station functions as the microprocessor  135  of the first embodiment, but it communicates with all cellular telephone owners subscribing to the automatic service.  
         [0019]     In a manual embodiment, the owner of the cellular telephone causes the messages to be sent by pulling up the message from storage and pressing the send button on the cellular telephone. In this embodiment, the owner may receive notification, for example from the central station, the messages have not been sent for some pre-established time period (e.g., 24 hours). This reminder ensures that the owner sends the messages as desired. In another embodiment, the central transmission station stores pre-established messages (e.g., prayers) which the cellular phone user may access, retrieve through their cellular telephone and then send as desired.  
         [0020]     In the first embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the receiving unit  120  is fabricated in the form of a inspirational character like a Buddha, Jesus or an angel. With such a design, the service may be promoted by the cellular telephone service provider under the fanciful name of “Heavenly Messengers” or similar unique names. Using the angel as an example, the angel character houses the processor  205 , display  210 , antenna  220  and battery  230 . The display  210  may be a LCD display, graphic display or any other suitable display. Thus, once received, the inspirational messages are displayed on the display  210 . The display  210  may be positioned anywhere on the receiving unit  120 . To alert the receiver that a message has been received, the receiving unit  120  may include a light source  215  which illuminates upon receiving a message. In an angel embodiment, the light source  215  appears as a candle being held by the angel. The candle is then made to light via a small concealed LED upon receipt of a message. Optionally, the receiving unit  120  includes speaker  240 . The speaker  240 , in communication with the processor  205 , may cause the message to be transmitted in an audio and/or verbalized format. For example, the receipt of a message may be accompanied by the sound of a mission bell, chime or similar peaceful sound. The speaker  240  also facilitates a reading of the message. In such an embodiment, software embedded in the microprocessor  205  is responsible for generating voice outputs corresponding to the message.  
         [0021]     The receiving unit  120  may remain in a recipient&#39;s home, car or any other desired location. In this manner, the recipient is always capable of receiving a message.  
         [0022]     While a inspirational type characters are disclosed above, any character attractive to the recipient may be utilized. For example, celebrities, athletes and other well-known characters may be utilized.  
         [0023]     Now referring to  FIG. 3 , a flow chart  300  details the first embodiment of the present invention. At step  310 , a cellular telephone owner subscribes to service, purchases a receiving unit and provides the receiving unit to the intended individual. The cellular telephone service provider shall determine the appropriate fee for said service. Most likely, the fee will be a flat monthly fee or a flat fee related to each message transmitted. Ideally, the individual receiving the messages is not financially impacted by the service. During the subscription process, the one or more receiving units are linked to the owner&#39;s telephone such that the messages are only sent to telephone numbers associated with corresponding receiving unit. Multiple receiving units may correspond to owner&#39;s telephone such that each receiving unit receives the same messages or different messages. At step  320 , the telephone owner creates the messages with the telephone&#39;s keyboard and stores then therein. Alternatively and/or additionally, the telephone may be pre-programmed with suitable stored inspirational messages such as prayers. At step  330 , the telephone owner sets the time periods for the messages to be transmitted. The time periods may be exact times, pre-established time periods in between transmissions and/or random transmission times during given time period (e.g., messages sent randomly once every 24 hours). At step  340 , it is determined whether the pre-established time has passed or other condition precedent has occurred such that the one or more messages may be sent. If so, at step  350 , the subject message is sent to the corresponding one or more receiving units. If not, the flow chart loops back to step  340  until the time passes or the condition precedent has occurred. At step  360 , the corresponding receiving units receive the message and the processor causes the received message (or messages) to be displayed. Optionally, a light source may illuminate to notify the recipient that a message has been received. Also, optionally, a speaker verbalizes the received message. Along with the transmitted message, the identity of the sender is displayed so that the recipient knows who sent the inspirational message. Steps  340  and  350  are repeated until the owner unsubscribes from the service.  
         [0024]     The messaging system disclosed herein is a novel means for sending family members, friends and even strangers well-wishes in a manner akin to flowers but with much less time invested.  
         [0025]     Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to several embodiments, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.