Patent ID: 8565149

Claim:
A method of providing and operating a progressive, store and forward, messaging system capable of supporting near real-time communication, the method comprising: providing a first communication application, configured to be embedded in a first non-transitory computer readable medium on a first communication device, the first communication application including a first progressive, store and forward, messaging module that progressively stores and progressively transmits over a network media of a first message created using the first communication device as the media of the first message is created; providing a second communication application, configured to be embedded in a second non-transitory computer readable medium on a second communication device, the second communication application including a second progressive, store and forward, messaging module that progressively stores and progressively transmits over the network media of a second message created using the second communication device as the media of the second message is created; and operating a communication services infrastructure on the network by: (a) progressively storing the media of the first message on the communication services infrastructure as the media of the first message is progressively received over the network from the first communication device and (b) progressively transmitting the media of the first message to the second communication device as the media of the first message is progressively received and stored on the communication services infrastructure; and (c) progressively storing the media of the second message on the communication services infrastructure as the media of the second message is progressively received over the network from the second communication device and (d) progressively transmitting the media of the second message to the first communication device as the media of the second message is progressively received and stored on the communication services infrastructure, wherein the first communication application is further configured to progressively transmit the first message over the network using a transmission protocol capable of supporting near real-time communication, while guaranteeing delivery of a complete copy of the media of the first message.