Patent ID: 7177657

Claim:
A method in a server coupled to a wireless communication system for identifying who has received a group message, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from an originator, the group message directed to an address associated with a pre-defined plurality of recipients whose coupling to the wireless communication system at any given time is one of active and inactive; storing the group message; identifying to the originator the pre-defined plurality of recipients who are actively coupled to the wireless communication system when the group message is received by the server; transmitting the group message to each recipient of the pre-defined plurality of recipients whenever the recipient is actively coupled to the wireless communication system; indicating thereafter to the originator that the recipient has received the group message; the method, further comprising, when a predetermined condition is met, designating a person other than the originator to receive message status notifications intended for the originator, and sending to the person designated, the message status notifications intended for the originator.