Abstract:
A method and system for communicating. The system and method can include steps for entering contact information and a communication into a database. A communications system capable of accessing the data in the database may use the contact information to contact a recipient or a plurality of recipients. Following the receipt of feedback from the recipients who were contacted and entry of the correct passcode by the recipients who were contacted, the communications system may relay the contents of the communication to the recipients.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Modern communications employ a variety of formats. Wireless telephones, personal digital assistants and other mobile or portable communication devices are capable of sending and receiving voice calls, data calls, SMS messages, email, facsimiles and other data rapidly and securely. Communication through any of these devices allows professionals to remain in contact with their places of employment despite being remotely located and allowing individuals to remain in close contact with others despite geographic differences. In some instances, mobile and portable communication devices are used by people to distribute information to remote recipients. 
         [0002]    Modern communication has also allowed people to send information to several recipients. Copies of a single message may be distributed to multiple recipients simultaneously. However, the sender of the message is usually not informed whether the sent message was read by the intended recipients nor which individuals out of multiple recipients had read the message. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An embodiment of the invention includes a method of communicating. The method may include a variety of steps, such as entering contact information into a database and entering message contents into a database. The method may have a further step of setting conditions for a communication system associated with the database to communicate with a remotely located communication device as well as communicating with the remotely located communication device by the communication system associated with the database when a first condition is met. The method may then include a step for performing a first action when the remotely located communication device provides an appropriate response to the communication between the communication system associated with the database and the remotely located communication device and then can have a step for performing a second action when the remotely located communication device provides an inappropriate response to the communication between the communication system associated with the database and the remotely located communication device. The method also includes a step for performing a third action when the remotely located communication device fails to provide a response to the communication between the communication system associated with the database and the remotely located communication device. 
         [0004]    Another exemplary embodiment may include a system for communication. The system can include database that houses data. The system may also have a first communication device that communicates with the database through a second communication device, the first communication device provides data to the database, the database housing the data provided by the first communication device and a second communication device that accesses data in the database and communicates with the first communication device. In some exemplary embodiments, the second communication device retrieves information from the database and attempts to communicate with the first communication device at predetermined intervals. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0005]    Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary diagram showing a computer system. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary diagram showing an exemplary communication system. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary flowchart showing a communication methodology. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description, discussion of several terms used herein follows. 
         [0010]    The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the terms “embodiments of the invention,” “embodiment” and “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation. 
         [0011]    Further, many embodiments are described in terms of sequences of actions to be performed by, for example, elements of a computing device. It will be recognized that various actions described herein can be performed by specific circuits (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)), by program instructions being executed by one or more processors, or by a combination of both. Additionally, these sequence of actions described herein can be considered to be embodied entirely within any form of computer readable storage medium having stored therein a corresponding set of computer instructions that upon execution would cause an associated processor to perform the functionality described herein. Thus, the various aspects of the invention may be embodied in a number of different forms, all of which have been contemplated to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. In addition, for each of the embodiments described herein, the corresponding form of any such embodiments may be described herein as, for example, “logic configured to” perform the described action. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a computer system  111  upon which an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented. The computer system  111  includes a bus  112  or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor  113  coupled with the bus  112  for processing the information. The computer system  111  also includes a main memory  114 , such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), and synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)), coupled to the bus  112  for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor  113 . In addition, the main memory  114  may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions by the processor  113 . The computer system  111  further includes a read only memory (ROM)  115  or other static storage device (e.g., programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), and electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM)) coupled to the bus  112  for storing static information and instructions for the processor  113 . 
         [0013]    The computer system  111  also includes a disk controller  116  coupled to the bus  112  to control one or more storage devices for storing information and instructions, such as a magnetic hard disk  117 , and a removable media drive  118  (e.g., floppy disk drive, read-only compact disc drive, read/write compact disc drive, compact disc jukebox, tape drive, and removable magneto-optical drive). The storage devices may be added to the computer system  111  using an appropriate device interface (e.g., small computer system interface (SCSI), integrated device electronics (IDE), enhanced-IDE (E-IDE), direct memory access (DMA), or ultra-DMA). 
         [0014]    Further, exemplary embodiments include or incorporate at least one database which may store software, descriptive data, system data, digital images and any other data item required by the other components necessary to effectuate any embodiment of the present system known to one having ordinary skill in the art. The database may be provided, for example, as a database management system (DBMS), a relational database management system (e.g., DB2, ACCESS, etc.), an object-oriented database management system (ODBMS), a file system or another conventional database package as a few non-limiting examples. The database can be accessed via a Structure Query Language (SQL) or other tools known to one having skill in the art. 
         [0015]    Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the computer system  111  may also include special purpose logic devices (e.g., application specific integrated circuits (ASICs)) or configurable logic devices (e.g., simple programmable logic devices (SPLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)). 
         [0016]    The computer system  111  may also include a display controller  119  coupled to the bus  112  to control a display  120 , such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD) or any other type of display, for displaying information to a computer client  204 . The computer system includes input devices, such as a keyboard  121  and a pointing device  122 , for interacting with a computer client  204  and providing information to the processor  113 . Additionally, a touch screen could be employed in conjunction with display  120 . The pointing device  122 , for example, may be a mouse, a trackball, or a pointing stick for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor  113  and for controlling cursor movement on the display  120 . In addition, a printer may provide printed listings of data stored and/or generated by the computer system  111 . 
         [0017]    The computer system  111  performs a portion or all of the processing steps of the invention in response to the processor  113  executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in a memory, such as the main memory  114 . Such instructions may be read into the main memory  114  from another computer readable medium, such as a hard disk  117  or a removable media drive  118 . One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement may also be employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in main memory  114 . In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. 
         [0018]    As stated above, the computer system  111  includes at least one computer readable medium or memory for holding instructions programmed according to the teachings of the invention and for containing data structures, tables, records, or other data described herein. Examples of computer readable media are compact discs, hard disks, floppy disks, tape, magneto-optical disks, PROMs (EPROM, EEPROM, flash EPROM), DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, or any other magnetic medium, compact discs (e.g., CD-ROM), or any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, or other physical medium with patterns of holes, a carrier wave (described below), or any other medium from which a computer can read. 
         [0019]    Stored on any one or on a combination of computer readable media, the present invention includes software for controlling the computer system  111 , for driving a device or devices for implementing the invention, and for enabling the computer system  111  to interact with a human client  204 . Such software may include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operating systems, development tools, and applications software. Such computer readable media further includes the computer program product of the present invention for performing all or a portion (if processing is distributed) of the processing performed in implementing the invention. 
         [0020]    The computer code devices of the present invention may be any interpretable or executable code mechanism, including but not limited to scripts, interpretable programs, dynamic link libraries (DLLs), Java classes, and complete executable programs. Moreover, parts of the processing of the present invention may be distributed for better performance, reliability, and/or cost. 
         [0021]    The term “computer readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to the processor  113  for execution. A computer readable medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical, magnetic disks, and magneto-optical disks, such as the hard disk  117  or the removable media drive  118 . Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as the main memory  114 . Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that make up the bus  112 . Transmission media also may also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications. 
         [0022]    Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying out one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor  113  for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions for implementing all or a portion of the present invention remotely into a dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to the computer system  111  may receive the data on the telephone line and use an infrared transmitter to convert the data to an infrared signal. An infrared detector coupled to the bus  112  can receive the data carried in the infrared signal and place the data on the bus  112 . The bus  112  carries the data to the main memory  114 , from which the processor  113  retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by the main memory  114  may optionally be stored on storage device  117  or  118  either before or after execution by processor  113 . 
         [0023]    The computer system  111  also includes a communication interface  123  coupled to the bus  112 . The communication interface  123  provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link  124  that is connected to, for example, a local area network (LAN)  125 , or to another communications network  126  such as the Internet. For example, the communication interface  123  may be a network interface card to attach to any packet switched LAN. As another example, the communication interface  123  may be an asymmetrical digital subscriber line (ADSL) card, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of communications line. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface  123  sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information. 
         [0024]    The network link  124  typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, the network link  124  may provide a connection to another computer or remotely located presentation device through a local network  125  (e.g., a LAN) or through equipment operated by a service provider, which provides communication services through a communications network  126 . In preferred embodiments, the local network  124  and the communications network  126  preferably use electrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on the network link  124  and through the communication interface  123 , which carry the digital data to and from the computer system  111 , are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information. The computer system  111  can transmit and receive data, including program code, through the network(s)  125  and  126 , the network link  124  and the communication interface  123 . Moreover, the network link  124  may provide a connection through a LAN  125  to a mobile device  127  such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) laptop computer, or cellular telephone. The LAN communications network  125  and the communications network  126  both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on the network link  124  and through the communication interface  123 , which carry the digital data to and from the system  111 , are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information. The processor system  111  can transmit notifications and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), the network link  124  and the communication interface  123 . 
         [0025]    Other aspects of the invention may include data transmission and Internet-related activities. See Preston Gralla, How the Internet Works, Ziff-Davis Press (1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference into this patent application. Still other aspects of the invention may utilize wireless data transmission, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,456,645, 5,818,328 and/or 6,208,445, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this patent application. 
         [0026]    In one exemplary embodiment, a method and system for communicating are disclosed. The system may utilize any of a variety of communication devices, for example one or more wireless telephones, one or more traditional telephones, one or more devices capable of connecting to the Internet, one or more servers and one or more databases. Additionally, the system may allow for the communication of data or a message to one or more parties through the one or more wireless telephones, one or more devices capable of connecting to the Internet or one or more traditional telephones. 
         [0027]    In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a database  202 , similar to that described with respect to  FIG. 1 , may be accessed and data may be deposited within the database  202 . The database  202  may be any type of known database and may be accessible in any known manner, for example through a communication link  206  between the database  202  and communication device or computer or combination thereof. Additionally, the database  202  may be capable of storing any of a variety of information in any of a variety of formats. For example, the database  202  may be capable of receiving information from a client  204  through the use of a communication service. The client  204  may connect to the database  202 , for example using a personal computer, wireless telephone or personal digital assistant (PDA) (not pictured). The client  204  may then create a contact card for each of the client&#39;s intended message recipients. The client  204  may then submit any of a variety of contact information to the database  202  for each intended recipient  208 . The contact information may include the recipient&#39;s name, address, telephone number or numbers, email, and any other desired data. The database  202  may also be compatible with a variety of standard electronic business card formats, such as, for example, the vCard format. The client  202  may also import contact information from an external database or electronic address book rather than inputting the contact information manually. 
         [0028]    In a further exemplary embodiment, the client  204  may then create a message intended for distribution to a recipient or a plurality of recipients  208 . The message may be a voice message, text message, picture message, or any other form of media message. The client  204  may then add the desired recipients  208  or groups of recipients  210  to the list of intended recipients of the message. 
         [0029]    In one exemplary embodiment, the client  204  may enter a personal passcode for every recipient  208  in the client&#39;s contact list. The system may then contact each recipient  208  to inform the recipient of the passcode. In another exemplary embodiment, the system may create a randomly-generated passcode for each recipient  208  and may then contact each recipient to inform the recipient  208  of the passcode. In another exemplary embodiment, each recipient  208  may contact the system to manually create a passcode. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the client  204  may input a message into the system for distribution, in step  302 . The client  204  may dispatch the message for immediate distribution or schedule distribution for any predetermined date and time or period of time at which the client  204  may desire the message to be distributed. In step  304 , the system may send out the message to the intended recipient  208  or plurality of recipients  208  at the time desired by client  204 . Recipients  208  may be notified of an incoming message in step, 306 . 
         [0031]    A recipient  208  may respond to a message notification in step  308 . If a recipient  208  does not respond, the system may, in step  316 , determine how many notification attempts have been made. If the amount of notification attempts made is less than a predetermined maximum number of notification attempts, the system may make further notification attempts until the number of notification attempts is equal to the predetermined maximum number. In one exemplary embodiment, the system may have the predetermined maximum number be equal to 4 by default. In another exemplary embodiment, the client may program the predetermined maximum number of notification attempts to be any desired number. 
         [0032]    Upon receipt of a message notification, the recipient  208  may then enter a passcode to access the message. The system may determine in step  310  whether the passcode entered by the recipient  208  matches the stored passcode for that recipient. If the passcodes match, the system may then grant the recipient  208  access to the contents of the message in step  312 . 
         [0033]    In step  314 , the system may then record that the intended recipient  208  has observed the contents of the message. The system may then, in step  318 , update the database  202  to reflect that the intended recipient  208  has observed the contents of the message. 
         [0034]    In another exemplary embodiment, the system may attempt to contact the intended recipient  208 , but may not be able to communicate with the intended recipient  208  or may not receive a response from the intended recipient  208 . The system may then make a repeat attempt to communicate with the intended recipient  208 . This repeat notification attempt may occur at any time, for example a predetermined interval set by the client  204  or at a default time interval. Similar repeat notification attempts may be made at any predetermined or preset intervals. If the intended recipient  208  has not responded to the notifications after the maximum number of notification attempts, the system may, in step  316 , record that the recipient  208  has not observed the contents of the message. In a further embodiment, if the intended recipient  208  has responded to a notification attempt and entered a passcode that does not match the stored passcode for that recipient, the system may, in step  316 , record that the recipient has not observed the contents of the message. The system may then, in step  318 , update the database  202  to reflect that the intended recipient  208  has not observed the contents of the message. 
         [0035]    In further examples, the client  204  may access the system to obtain statistics on the messages sent through the system. In one exemplary embodiment, message statistics may include the number of recipients  208 , the amount of messages received, the amount of delivery attempts for each message, and the amount of messages not received. In another exemplary embodiment, message statistics may include the amount of messages delivered in each delivery attempt, or any other desired information. 
         [0036]    The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
         [0037]    Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.