Patent ID: 8140620

Claim:
A non-transitory machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of: subscribing a user to a service; establishing a contact list comprising the at least one other entity to maintain in contact with the user while the user is unavailable or unable to communicate directly with the at least one other entity; establishing at least one service rule used for the service to contact the at least one other entity, wherein the at least one service rule defines when and how the at least one other entity in the contact list is to be contacted, wherein the at least one service rule is user-customizable and is followed when attempting to reach the at least one other entity; establishing by the user at least one contact rule used for the service to contact the user after the at least one other entity has been contacted, wherein the at least one contact rule defines if, when, and how the user should be contacted; when the user is unavailable to initiate contact or upon being activated by the user, the service automatically contacting each entity on the contact list and eliciting specified information according to the at least one service rule; obtaining the specified information from the at least one other entity; and subsequently conveying the obtained information to the user if the at least one contact rule is satisfied.