Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the relatedness of one or more communications devices. More particularly, the invented method relates to the associating of individualized contact identifications with custom, user-created messages (audio or text). The invention further relates to the field of identification and transmission of a GPS signal. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. 
         [0003]    Previous methods of generating automatic responses to incoming calls, text messages, or email transmissions have proved inefficient because the automatic responses as they currently exist are too unilateral. In an “attention economy,” wherein the necessity exists of being consistently and deeply available to customers, clients and other business associates, such generalized response messages such as voicemail or automated email responses are not sufficient to retain the interest of current or potential associates. General automated responses also prove inefficient because they cannot include confidential information of a kind that may need to be communicated between, for example, attorneys and clients or healthcare providers and their patients. Individuals in sales, for example, have an urgent need to be responsive to customer desires, questions and concerns, but cannot necessarily be constantly available. A lack of total availability on the part of such an individual may result in short- and/or long-term pecuniary loss. 
         [0004]    There is therefore a long-felt need to provide a method and system that provide increased efficiencies in the area of customized automatic response messages. 
       SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Towards these objects and other objects that will be made obvious in light of the present disclosure, a system and method are provided that enable an “attention economy” asset. The method of the present invention (hereinafter “the invented method”) comprises the generation and assignment of individualized response messages to a remotely initiated communication from known contacts. In a preferred embodiment of the invented method, the remotely initiated communication may be a telephone call. A user may create a personalized audio message for a known contact, containing information specific to that known contact. When a communications device receives a telephone call from the known contact, and when the user does not pick up the telephone call, the communications device may transmit the previously recorded audio response to the known contact initiating the communication. 
         [0006]    According to an alternate embodiment of the invented method, the initiated communication may optionally be a text message. A user may designate a previously written text message containing information relevant to a known contact, and the previously written text message may be transmitted by the communications device upon receiving a text message from the known contact. 
         [0007]    In a further alternate embodiment of the invented method, the remotely initiated communication may optionally be an email. A user may designate a previously written email containing information relevant to a known contact, and the previously written email may be transmitted by the communications device upon receiving an email from the known contact. 
         [0008]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0009]    These, and further features of the invention, may be better understood with reference to the accompanying specification and drawings depicting the preferred embodiment, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of an electronics communication network, comprising a client, a communications device, a server and a plurality of contacts; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart of an aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device identifies a known contact of origin for an incoming phone call and transmits an automatic audio message to the known contact from which the communication originates; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart describing a client side process whereby the client of  FIG. 1  sends telephone call identification information to the server and receives a designated custom message for transmission to the device from which the telephone call originates from the server; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart describing a server side process whereby the server of  FIG. 1  determines which of a plurality of custom messages to transmit to a designated contact identification address in response to a telephone call; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a further aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device identifies the origin of an incoming text message or email transmission and transmits a predetermined text message or email transmission to the device from which the initial text message or email transmission originates; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of an aspect of the invented method whereby the client of  FIG. 1  transmits text message or email transmission information to the server and receives from the server a designated custom message for transmission to the device from which the text message or email transmission originates; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of an additional aspect of the invented method whereby the server of  FIG. 1  determines which of a plurality of custom messages to transmit to a designated contact identification request in response to a text message or an email transmission; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a yet additional aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device identifies the origin of an incoming video call and transmits a predetermined video message response to the device from which the communication originated; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a flowchart of a yet additional aspect of the invented method whereby the client of  FIG. 1  transmits information concerning a designated video call to the server and receives from the server a designated custom video message for transmission to the device from which the video call originated; 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a flowchart of a further aspect of the invented method whereby the server of  FIG. 1  determines which of a plurality of custom video messages to transmit to a designated contact identification request; 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is a flowchart of a further aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device identifies the origin of an incoming communication and transmits a predetermined set of profile information to the device from which the communication originated; 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is a flowchart of a further aspect of the invented method whereby the client of  FIG. 1  transmits information concerning a designated communication to the server and receives from the server a designated custom set of profile information; 
           [0022]      FIG. 13  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method whereby the server of  FIG. 1  determines which of a plurality of custom sets of profile information to transmit to a designated contact identification request; 
           [0023]      FIG. 14  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device identifies the origin of an incoming text message or email transmission and transmits a predetermined text message or email transmission to the device from which the initial text message or email transmission originate, along with the current GPS location data of the communications device; 
           [0024]      FIG. 15  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device identifies the origin of an incoming text message or email transmission and transmits a predetermined text message or email transmission to the device from which the initial text message or email transmission originate, along with previously designated GPS location data of the communications device; 
           [0025]      FIG. 16  is a flowchart describing a contact side process whereby one of the plurality of contacts of  FIG. 1  initiates a telephone call, a text message or an email transmission, and receives a custom, previously determined response; 
           [0026]      FIG. 17  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device attaches a media file with a custom message to a designated contact; 
           [0027]      FIG. 18  is a block diagram of the communications device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 19  is a block diagram of the client of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 20  is a block diagram of the server of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 21  is a block diagram of an exemplary first contract profile; 
           [0031]      FIGS. 22A-22D  are block diagrams of exemplary incoming communications; 
           [0032]      FIG. 23  is a block diagram of an exemplary general response message; 
           [0033]      FIG. 24  is a block diagram of an exemplary first custom audio response message; 
           [0034]      FIG. 25  is a block diagram of an exemplary first custom textual response message, with optional audio, visual, video, document and/or GPS location attachment(s); and 
           [0035]      FIG. 26  is a block diagram of an exemplary first custom video response message. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0036]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an electronic communications network  100 , comprising a client  102 , a communications device  104 , a server  106  and a plurality of contacts  108  through  112 . 
         [0037]    The communications device  104 , client  102  and server  106  preferably comprise a database management system software (“DBMS”)  104 A,  102 A and  106 A, respectively. The communications device DBMS  104 A, the client DBMS  102 A, and the server DBMS  106 A may be or comprise one or more prior art database management systems including, but not limited to, an ORACLE DATABASE™ database management system marketed by Oracle Corporation, of Redwood City, Calif.; an MQSERIES™ database management system marketed by SyBase, Inc. of Dublin, Calif.; a Database 2 ™, also known as DB2™, relational database management system as marketed by IBM Corporation of Armonk, N.Y.; a Microsoft SQL Server™ relational database management system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; MySQL™ as marketed by Oracle Corporation of Redwood City, Calif.; and a MONGODB™ as marketed by MongoDB, Inc. of New York City, USA; and the POSTGRESQL™ open source object-relational database management system. 
         [0038]    It is understood that the client  102 , the communications device  104  and the server  106  may be a software program hosted and/or enabled by, or may be or comprise a bundled computer software and hardware product such as but not limited to, (a.) a network-communications enabled THINKPAD WORKSTATION™ notebook computer marketed by Lenovo, Inc. of Morrisville, N.C.; (b.) a NIVEUS 5200 computer workstation marketed by Penguin Computing of Fremont, Calif. and running a LINUX™ operating system or a UNIX™ operating system; (c.) a network-communications enabled personal computer configured for running WINDOWS VISTA™, WINDOWS 7 ™, or WINDOWS 8 ™ operating system marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; (d.) a MACBOOK PRO™ personal computer as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.; (e.) an IPHONE G4 ™ internet enabled cellular telephone marketed by Apple, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.; (d.) an IPAD™ tablet computer marketed by Apple, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.; (f.) a GALAXY™ internet enabled cellular telephone marketed by Samsung, Inc. of Suwon, Republic of Korea; or (g.) other suitable computational system or electronic communications device known in the art capable of executing contact identification and responding message transmission. 
         [0039]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  is a flowchart of an aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device  104  identifies a contact  108 - 112  of origin for an incoming telephone call  113  and transmits an automatic audio message  114  to the contact  108 - 112  from which the incoming telephone call  113  originates. In step  2 . 02  the communications device  104  adds contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to designated contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. A single contact profile CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N may optionally contain a plurality of contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, for example if a single individual is associated with a home telephone number, a cellular telephone number, and a workplace telephone number, all three identifiers may be associated with the individual&#39;s contact profile CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. In step  2 . 04  a user  115  records a plurality of custom audio recordings AUD.RESP.001-AUD.RESP.N, using any suitable software audio recording program known in the art, and the communications device  104  associates the custom audio recordings AUD.RESP.001-AUD.RESP.N with the contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. In step  2 . 06  the communications device  104  determines whether a telephone call  113  has been received. When the determination in step  2 . 06  is negative, i.e. the communications device  104  has not received a call, the communications device  104  advances to step  2 . 08 . In step  2 . 08  the communications device  104  determines whether to terminate the process. When the communications device  104  determines to terminate the process in step  2 . 08 , the communications device  104  advances to step  2 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  advances to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the communications device  104  determines in step  2 . 08  not to terminate the process, the communications device  104  returns to step  2 . 02 , wherein the loop of steps  2 . 02  through  2 . 08  is executed as necessary. In the alternative, when the communications device  104  determines in step  2 . 06  that a call has been received, the communications device  104  advances to step  2 . 10 , wherein the communications device  104  determines whether to answer the incoming telephone call  113 . When the communications device  104  determines in step  2 . 10  to answer the incoming telephone call  113 , the communications device  104  connects the session in step  2 . 12 . Upon execution of step  2 . 12 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  2 . 09 , wherein the process is terminated. 
         [0040]    Alternatively, when the determination in step  2 . 10  is negative, and the communications device  104  determines not to answer the incoming telephone call  113 , the communications device  104  determines in step  2 . 14  whether the address associated with the incoming phone call is registered in the list of contacts in the communications device  104 . When the determination in step  2 . 14  is positive, the communications device  104  determines in step  2 . 18  whether a custom audio recording AUD.RESP.001-AUD.RESP.N is associated with the known contact  108 - 112  initiating the telephone call  113 . When the determination in either step  2 . 14  or step  2 . 18  is negative, the communications device  104  advances to step  2 . 16 , wherein the communications device  104  transmits the standard, universal message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N to the address associated with the incoming phone call. The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  2 . 22 , wherein a response from the contact  108 - 112  is taken. Alternatively, when the determination in step  2 . 18  is positive, the communications device  104  transmits the custom audio recording AUD.RESP.001-AUD.RESP.N associated with the known contact identification CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. When the communications device  104  has completed the execution of step  2 . 20 , the communications device  104  advances to step  2 . 22 , wherein a response from the contact  108 - 112  is taken. The communications device  104  subsequently returns to step  2 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  2 . 02  through  2 . 22  as necessary. 
         [0041]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method, describing a client side process whereby the client  102  of  FIG. 1  sends telephone call  113  identification information to the server  106  and receives from the server  106  a custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N for transmission to the device from which the telephone call  113  originates. In step  3 . 02  the client  102  adds contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. In step  3 . 04  the user  115  creates custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N, and the client  102  associates the custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N added in step  3 . 02 . In step  3 . 06  the client  102  transmits the data collected in steps  3 . 02  through  3 . 04  to the server  106 . In step  3 . 08  the client  102  determines whether a telephone call  113  has been received. When the determination in step  3 . 08  is negative, the client  102  advances to step  3 . 10  wherein the client  102  determines whether to terminate the process. When the client  102  determines in step  3 . 10  to terminate the process, the client  102  proceeds to step  3 . 16 , wherein the client  102  continues to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the determination in step  3 . 10  is negative, the client  102  returns to step  3 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  3 . 02  through  3 . 16  as necessary. In the alternative, when the client  102  determines in step  3 . 08  that a call has been received, the client  102  advances to step  3 . 12 . In step  3 . 12  the client  102  determines whether to answer the incoming telephone call  113 . When the client  102  determines in step  3 . 12  to answer the incoming telephone call  113 , the client  102  connects the session in step  3 . 14 , and subsequently continues to alternate processes in step  3 . 16 . 
         [0042]    Alternatively, when the client  102  determines in step  3 . 12  not to answer the incoming telephone call  113 , the client  102  advances to step  3 . 18 , wherein the client  102  transmits the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the server  106 . In step  3 . 20  the client  102  determines whether to transmit a custom message RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the telephone call  113  originated. When the determination in step  3 . 20  is positive, the client  102  receives a custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N from the server  106  in step  3 . 22 . in step  3 . 24 , the client  102  transmits the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the telephone call  113  originated. In the alternative, when the determination in step  3 . 20  is negative, the client  102  receives the standard response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N from the server in step  3 . 26  and transmits the standard response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the telephone call  113  originated in step  3 . 28 . The client  102  proceeds either from the execution of step  3 . 24 , or from the execution of step  3 . 28  to step  3 . 30 , wherein a response to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is recorded. In step  3 . 32  the response recorded in step  3 . 30  is transmitted to the server  106 . The client  102  subsequently returns to step  3 . 02 , and re-executes the loop of steps  3 . 02  through  3 . 32  as necessary. 
         [0043]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a yet further embodiment of the invented method whereby the server  106  of FIG.  1  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N and associates them a plurality of contact profiles PROF.CON.001-PROF.CON.N. In step  4 . 02  the server  106  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. In step  4 . 04  the server  106  receives the user-created automatic response messages RESP.001-RESP.N associated with the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N received in step  4 . 02 . In step  4 . 04  the server  106  determines whether the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N for an incoming telephone call  113  has been received. When the determination in step  4 . 08  is negative, the server  106  advances to step  4 . 08 , wherein the server  106  determines whether to terminate the process. When the determination in step  4 . 08  is positive, the server  106  in step  4 . 10  continues to alternate processes. When the determination in step  4 . 08  is negative, the server  106  returns to step  4 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  4 . 02  through  4 . 12  as necessary. Alternatively, when the determination in step  4 . 12  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  4 . 14 , wherein the server  106  queries the plurality of contact profiles PROF.CON.001-PROF.CON.N of contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. In step  4 . 16  the server  106  determines whether a record of a contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N matched the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N associated with the incoming telephone call  113 . When the determination in step  4 . 16  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  4 . 18 , wherein the sever  106  determines whether to transmit a custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N to the client  102 . When the determination in step  4 . 18  is positive, the server  106  transmits the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N to the client  102  in step  4 . 22 . In the alternative, when the determination in either step  4 . 16  or step  4 . 18  is negative, the server  106  in step  4 . 20  transmits the standard, general message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N to the client  102 . The server  106  advances either from the execution of step  4 . 22  or step  4 . 20  to the execution of  4 . 24 , wherein the server  106  receives and saves a response to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. The server  106  subsequently returns to step  4 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  4 . 02  through  4 . 24  as necessary. 
         [0044]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device  104  associates a custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N with a contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, and transmits the response message RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N upon reception of a text message  121  or an email transmission  122 . In step  5 . 02  the communications device  104  adds contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the designated contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. A single contact profile CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N may optionally contain a plurality of contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, for example if a single individual is associated both a personal email address and a work email address, both identifiers may be associated with the individual&#39;s contact profile CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. In step  5 . 04  a user  115  creates the custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N, and the communications device  104  associates the custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N created in step  5 . 02 . In step  5 . 06  the communications device  104  determines whether a text message  121  or an email transmission  122  has been received. When the determination in step  5 . 06  is false, the communications device  104  advances to step  5 . 08 , wherein the communications device  104  determines whether to terminate the process. When the communications device  104  determines in step  5 . 08  to terminate the process, the communications device  104  advances to step  5 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  continues to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the determination in step  5 . 08  is negative, and the communications device  104  determines not to terminate the process, the communications device  104  returns to step  5 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  5 . 02  through  5 . 12  as necessary. In the alternative, when the determination in step  5 . 06  is positive, i.e. when the communications device  104  determines that a text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been received, the communications device  104  advances to step  5 . 10 , wherein it is determined whether a request to open the text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been inputted by a user. When the communications device  104  in step  5 . 10  determines that a user  115  has requested that the text message  121  or email transmission  122  be opened, the text message  121  or email transmission  122  is opened on the screen  120  of the communications device  104  in step  5 . 12 . The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  5 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  executes alternate processes. 
         [0045]    Alternatively, when the communications device  104  determines in step  5 . 10  that no request to open the text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been received, the communications device  104  proceeds to step  5 . 14 . In step  5 . 14  the communications device  104  determines whether the incoming text message  121  or email transmission  122  is associated with a known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. When the communications device  104  determines in step  5 . 14  that the incoming text message  121  or email transmission  122  is associated with a known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, the communications device  104  determines in step  5 . 18  whether to transmit the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N associated with the known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. Alternatively, when the determination in step  5 . 14  is false, or when the communications device  104  determines in step  5 . 18  not to transmit the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N, the communications device  104  advances to step  5 . 16 , wherein a general message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N is transmitted to the address of the contact identifier from the communication originated. The communications device  104  then advances to step  5 . 22 , wherein a reply from the known contact  108 - 112  to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is taken. Alternatively, subsequent to a positive determination in step  5 . 18 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  5 . 20 . In step  5 . 20  the custom response message is transmitted to the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the communication  117  originated. The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  5 . 22 , wherein a reply from the known contact  108 - 112  to the custom message response RESP.001-RESP.N is accepted. The communications device  104  then returns to step  5 . 02 , and re-executes the loop of steps  5 . 02  through  5 . 22  as necessary. 
         [0046]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method, describing a client side process whereby the client  102  of  FIG. 1  sends text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  identification information to the server  106  and receives from the server  106  a custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N for transmission to the contact  108 - 112  device from which the text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  originated. In step  6 . 02  the client  102  adds contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. In step  6 . 04  the user  115  creates custom textual response messages TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N, and the client  102  associates the custom textual response messages TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N added in step  6 . 02 . In step  6 . 06  the client  102  transmits the data collected in steps  6 . 02  through  6 . 04  to the server  106 . In step  6 . 08  the client  102  determines whether a text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  has been received. When the determination in step  6 . 08  is negative, the client  102  advances to step  6 . 10  wherein the client  102  determines whether to terminate the process. When the client  102  determines in step  6 . 10  to terminate the process, the client  102  proceeds to step  6 . 16 , wherein the client  102  continues to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the determination in step  6 . 10  is negative, the client  102  returns to step  6 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  6 . 02  through  6 . 16  as necessary. In the alternative, when the client  102  determines in step  6 . 08  that a text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  has been received, the client  102  advances to step  6 . 12 . In step  6 . 12  the client  102  determines whether to open the incoming text message  121  and/or email transmission  122 . When the client  102  determines in step  6 . 12  to open the incoming text message  121  and/or email transmission  122 , the client  102  connects the session in step  6 . 14 , and subsequently continues to alternate processes in step  6 . 16 . 
         [0047]    Alternatively, when the client  102  determines in step  6 . 12  not to open the incoming text message  121  and/or email transmission  122 , the client  102  advances to step  6 . 18 , wherein the client  102  transmits the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the server  106 . In step  6 . 20  the client  102  determines whether to transmit a custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  originated. When the determination in step  6 . 20  is positive, the client  102  receives a custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N from the server  106  in step  6 . 22 . in step  6 . 24 , the client  102  transmits the custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  originated. In the alternative, when the determination in step  6 . 20  is negative, the client  102  receives a standard textual response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N from the server in step  6 . 26  and transmits the standard textual response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  originated in step  6 . 28 . The client  102  proceeds either from the execution of step  6 . 24 , or from the execution of step  6 . 28  to step  6 . 30 , wherein a reply to the custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N from the contact  108  is recorded. In step  6 . 32  the reply recorded in step  6 . 30  is transmitted to the server  106 . The client  102  subsequently returns to step  6 . 02 , and re-executes the loop of steps  6 . 02  through  6 . 32  as necessary. 
         [0048]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 7  is a flowchart of a yet further embodiment of the invented method whereby the server  106  of  FIG. 1  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N and associates them with records of automatic textual responses TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N. In step  7 . 02  the server  106  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from the client  102 . In step  7 . 04  the server  106  receives the user-created automatic textual response messages TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N associated with the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N received in step  7 . 02 . In step  7 . 04  the server  106  determines whether the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N for an incoming text message  121  and/or email transmission  122  has been received from the client  102 . When the determination in step  7 . 08  is negative, the server  106  advances to step  7 . 08 , wherein the server  106  determines whether to terminate the process. When the determination in step  7 . 08  is positive, the server  106  in step  7 . 10  continues to alternate processes. When the determination in step  7 . 08  is negative, the server  106  returns to step  7 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  7 . 02  through  7 . 12  as necessary. 
         [0049]    Alternatively, when the determination in step  7 . 12  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  7 . 14 , wherein the server  106  queries the records of contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N contained within the server memory  106 G. In step  7 . 16  the server  106  determines whether a record of a contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N matched the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N associated with the incoming text message  121  and/or email transmission  122 . When the determination in step  7 . 16  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  7 . 18 , wherein the sever  106  determines whether to transmit a custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N to the client  102 . When the determination in step  7 . 18  is positive, the server  106  transmits the custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N to the client  102  in step  7 . 22 . In the alternative, when the determination in either step  7 . 16  or step  7 . 18  is negative, the server  106  in step  7 . 20  transmits a standardized textual response message to the client  102 . The server  106  advances either from the execution of step  7 . 22  or step  7 . 20  to the execution of  7 . 24 , wherein the server  106  receives and saves a reply to the custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001-TXT.RESP.N. The server  106  subsequently returns to step  7 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  7 . 02  through  7 . 24  as necessary. 
         [0050]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 8 ,  FIG. 8  is a flowchart of an aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device  104  identifies a contact  108 - 112  of origin for an incoming video call  123  and transmits an automatic video message  116  to the contact  108 - 112  from which the video call  123  originated. In step  8 . 02  the communications device  104  adds contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to designated contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N contained within the communications device memory  104 G. In step  8 . 04  a user  115  records a plurality of custom video responses VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N, using any suitable software video recording program known in the art, and the communications device  104  associates the custom video responses VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N with the contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. In step  8 . 06  the communications device  104  determines whether a video call  123  has been received. When the determination in step  8 . 06  is negative, i.e. when the communications device  104  has not received a video call  123 , the communications device  104  advances to step  8 . 08 . In step  8 . 08  the communications device  104  determines whether to terminate the process. When the communications device  104  determines to terminate the process in step  8 . 08 , the communications device  104  advances to step  8 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  advances to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the communications device  104  determines in step  8 . 08  not to terminate the process, the communications device  104  returns to step  8 . 02 , wherein the loop of steps  8 . 02  through  8 . 08  is executed as necessary. In the alternative, when the communications device  104  determines in step  8 . 06  that a video call  123  has been received, the communications device  104  advances to step  8 . 10 , wherein the communications device  104  determines whether to answer the incoming video call  123 . When the communications device  104  determines in step  8 . 10  to answer the incoming video call  123 , the communications device  104  connects the session in step  8 . 12 . Upon execution of step  8 . 12 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  8 . 09 , wherein the process is terminated. 
         [0051]    Alternatively, when the determination in step  8 . 10  is negative, and the communications device  104  determines not to answer the incoming video call  123 , the communications device  104  determines in step  8 . 14  whether the contact identifier address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N associated with the incoming video call  123  is registered in the list of contacts  108 - 112  in the communication device memory  104 G. When the determination in step  8 . 14  is positive, the communications device  104  determines in step  8 . 18  whether a custom video recording VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N is associated with the known contact  108 - 112  initiating the video call  123 . When the determination in either step  8 . 14  or step  8 . 18  is negative, the communications device  104  advances to step  8 . 16 , wherein the communications device  104  transmits a standardized video message  116  to the address associated with the incoming video call  123 . The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  8 . 22 , wherein a reply from the contact  108 - 112  is taken. Alternatively, when the determination in step  8 . 18  is positive, the communications device  104  transmits the custom video recording VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N associated with the known contact identification CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. When the communications device  104  has completed the execution of step  8 . 20 , the communications device  104  advances to step  8 . 22 , wherein a reply from the contact  108 - 112  is taken. The communications device  104  subsequently returns to step  8 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  8 . 02  through  8 . 22  as necessary. 
         [0052]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 9 ,  FIG. 9  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method, describing a client side process whereby the client  102  of  FIG. 1  sends video call  123  identification information to the server  106  and receives from the server  106  a custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N for transmission to the contact  108 - 112  device from which the video call  123  originated. In step  9 . 02  the client  102  adds contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N contained within the client memory  102 G. In step  9 . 04  a user  115  creates custom video response messages VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N, and the client  102  associates the custom video response messages VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N added in step  9 . 02 . In step  9 . 06  the client  102  transmits the data collected in steps  9 . 02  through  9 . 04  to the server  106 . In step  9 . 08  the client  102  determines whether a video call  123  has been received. When the determination in step  9 . 08  is negative, the client  102  advances to step  9 . 10  wherein the client  102  determines whether to terminate the process. When the client  102  determines in step  9 . 10  to terminate the process, the client  102  proceeds to step  9 . 16 , wherein the client  102  continues to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the determination in step  9 . 10  is negative, the client  102  returns to step  9 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  9 . 02  through  9 . 16  as necessary. In the alternative, when the client  102  determines in step  9 . 08  that a video call  123  has been received, the client  102  advances to step  9 . 12 . In step  9 . 12  the client  102  determines whether to accept the incoming video call  123  transmission. When the client  102  determines in step  9 . 12  to answer the incoming video call  123 , the client  102  connects the communications device  104  to the device of the known client  108 - 112  in step  9 . 14 , and subsequently continues to alternate processes in step  9 . 16 . 
         [0053]    Alternatively, when the client  102  determines in step  9 . 12  not to answer the incoming video call  123 , the client  102  advances to step  9 . 18 , wherein the client  102  transmits the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the server  106 . In step  9 . 20  the client  102  determines whether to transmit a custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the video call  123  originated. When the determination in step  9 . 20  is positive, the client  102  receives a custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N from the server  106  in step  9 . 22 . in step  9 . 24 , the client  102  transmits the custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the video call  123  originated. In the alternative, when the determination in step  9 . 20  is negative, the client  102  receives a standard video response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N from the server in step  9 . 26  and transmits the standard video response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the video call  123  originated in step  9 . 28 . The client  102  proceeds either from the execution of step  9 . 24 , or from the execution of step  9 . 28  to step  9 . 30 , wherein a reply from the contact  108  to the custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N is recorded. In step  9 . 32  the reply recorded in step  9 . 30  is transmitted to the server  106 . The client  102  subsequently returns to step  9 . 02 , and re-executes the loop of steps  9 . 02  through  9 . 32  as necessary. 
         [0054]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 10 ,  FIG. 10  is a flowchart of a yet further embodiment of the invented method whereby the server  106  of  FIG. 1  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N and associates them with records of automatic video responses VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N. In step  10 . 02  the server  106  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from the client  102 . In step  10 . 04  the server  106  receives the user-created automatic video response messages VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N associated with the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N received in step  10 . 02 . In step  10 . 04  the server  106  determines whether the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N for an incoming video call  123  has been received from the client  102 . When the determination in step  10 . 08  is negative, the server  106  advances to step  10 . 08 , wherein the server  106  determines whether to terminate the process. When the determination in step  10 . 08  is positive, the server  106  in step  10 . 10  continues to alternate processes. When the determination in step  10 . 08  is negative, the server  106  returns to step  10 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  10 . 02  through  10 . 12  as necessary. 
         [0055]    Alternatively, when the determination in step  10 . 12  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  10 . 14 , wherein the server  106  queries the records of contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N contained within the server memory  106 G. In step  10 . 16  the server  106  determines whether a record of a contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N matched the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N associated with the incoming video call  123 . When the determination in step  10 . 16  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  10 . 18 , wherein the sever  106  determines whether to transmit a custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N to the client  102 . When the determination in step  10 . 18  is positive, the server  106  transmits the custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N to the client  102  in step  10 . 22 . In the alternative, when the determination in either step  10 . 16  or step  10 . 18  is negative, the server  106  in step  10 . 20  transmits a standardized video response message to the client  102 . The server  106  advances either from the execution of step  10 . 22  or step  10 . 20  to the execution of step  10 . 24 , wherein the server  106  receives and saves a reply from the contact  108 - 112  to the custom video response message VID.RESP.001-VID.RESP.N. The server  106  subsequently returns to step  10 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  10 . 02  through  10 . 24  as necessary. 
         [0056]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 11  is a flowchart of an aspect of the invented method whereby the communications device  104  identifies a contact  108 - 112  of origin for an incoming communication  117  and transmits a set of profile information to the contact  108 - 112  from which the communications initiation originated. The communications initiation may be, but is not limited to, an email, a message from an instant messenger service (for example, ICHAT™, marketed by Apple Inc, of Cupertino Calif.), a text message  121 , or a voice over IP call. In step  11 . 02  the communications device  104  adds contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to designated contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N contained within the communications device memory  104 G. In step  11 . 04  a user  115  designates a plurality of profile records, and/or a plurality of custom combinations of profile response messages PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N, and the communications device  104  associates the custom profile response messages PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N with the contact identifier addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. The profile records messages PROF.RESP.001. In step  11 . 06  the communications device  104  determines whether a video call  123  has been received. When the determination in step  11 . 06  is negative, i.e. the communications device  104  has not received a communication, the communications device  104  advances to step  11 . 08 . In step  11 . 08  the communications device  104  determines whether to terminate the process. When the communications device  104  determines to terminate the process in step  11 . 08 , the communications device  104  advances to step  11 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  advances to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the communications device  104  determines in step  11 . 08  not to terminate the process, the communications device  104  returns to step  11 . 02 , wherein the loop of steps  11 . 02  through  11 . 08  is executed as necessary. In the alternative, when the communications device  104  determines in step  11 . 06  that a communication  117  has been received, the communications device  104  advances to step  11 . 10 , wherein the communications device  104  determines whether to answer the communication. When the communications device  104  determines in step  11 . 10  to answer the incoming communication, the communications device  104  connects the session in step  11 . 12 . Upon execution of step  11 . 12 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  11 . 09 , wherein the process is terminated. 
         [0057]    Alternatively, when the determination in step  11 . 10  is negative, and the communications device  104  determines not to answer the incoming communication, the communications device  104  determines in step  11 . 14  whether the contact identifier address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N associated with the incoming communication  117  is registered in the list of contacts  108 - 112  in the communication device memory  104 G. When the determination in step  11 . 14  is positive, the communications device  104  determines in step  11 . 18  whether a custom profile record response PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N is associated with the known contact  108 - 112  initiating the communication. When the determination in either step  11 . 14  or step  11 . 18  is negative, the communications device  104  advances to step  11 . 16 , wherein the communications device  104  transmits a standardized set of profile records to the address associated with the incoming communication. The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  11 . 22 , wherein a reply from the contact  108 - 112  associated with the contact identification COND.ID.001-COND.ID.N is taken. Alternatively, when the determination in step  11 . 18  is positive, the communications device  104  transmits the custom set of profile response messages PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N associated with the known contact identification CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. When the communications device  104  has completed the execution of step  11 . 20 , the communications device  104  advances to step  11 . 22 , wherein a reply from the contact  108 - 112  associated with the contact identification COND.ID.001-COND.ID.N is taken. The communications device  104  subsequently returns to step  11 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  11 . 02  through  11 . 22  as necessary. 
         [0058]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 12 ,  FIG. 12  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method, describing a client side process whereby the client  102  of  FIG. 1  sends communication  117  identification information to the server  106  and receives from the server  106  a custom set of profile records PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N for transmission to the contact  108 - 112  device from which the communication  117  originated. In step  12 . 02  the client  102  adds contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N contained within the client memory  102 G. In step  12 . 04  a user  115  creates custom profile response messages PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N, and the client  102  associates the custom profile response messages PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N added in step  12 . 02 . In step  12 . 06  the client  102  transmits the data collected in steps  12 . 02  through  12 . 04  to the server  106 . In step  12 . 08  the client  102  determines whether a communication  117  has been received. When the determination in step  12 . 08  is negative, the client  102  advances to step  12 . 10  wherein the client  102  determines whether to terminate the process. When the client  102  determines in step  12 . 10  to terminate the process, the client  102  proceeds to step  12 . 16 , wherein the client  102  continues to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the determination in step  12 . 10  is negative, the client  102  returns to step  12 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  12 . 02  through  12 . 16  as necessary. In the alternative, when the client  102  determines in step  12 . 08  that a communication  117  has been received, the client  102  advances to step  12 . 12 . In step  12 . 12  the client  102  determines whether to accept the incoming communication. When the client  102  determines in step  12 . 12  to answer the incoming communication, the client  102  connects the session in step  12 . 14 , and subsequently continues to alternate processes in step  12 . 16 . 
         [0059]    Alternatively, when the client  102  determines in step  12 . 12  not to answer the communication, the client  102  advances to step  12 . 18 , wherein the client  102  transmits the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the server  106 . In step  12 . 20  the client  102  determines whether to transmit a custom profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the communication  117  originated. When the determination in step  12 . 20  is positive, the client  102  receives a custom profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N from the server  106  in step  12 . 22 . In step  12 . 24 , the client  102  transmits the custom profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the communication  117  originated. In the alternative, when the determination in step  12 . 20  is negative, the client  102  receives a standard profile response message from the server in step  12 . 26  and transmits the standard profile response message to the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from which the communication  117  originated in step  12 . 28 . The client  102  proceeds either from the execution of step  12 . 24 , or from the execution of step  12 . 28  to step  12 . 30 , wherein a reply from the contact  108  to the custom profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N is recorded. In step  12 . 32  the reply recorded in step  12 . 30  is transmitted to the server  106 . The client  102  subsequently returns to step  12 . 02 , and re-executes the loop of steps  12 . 02  through  12 . 32  as necessary. 
         [0060]    Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 13 ,  FIG. 13  is a flowchart of a yet further embodiment of the invented method whereby the server  106  of  FIG. 1  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N and associates them with records of automatic profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N. In step  13 . 02  the server  106  receives contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from the client  102 . In step  13 . 04  the server  106  receives the user-created automatic profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N associated with the contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N received in step  13 . 02 . In step  13 . 04  the server  106  determines whether the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N for an incoming communication  117  has been received from the client  102 . When the determination in step  13 . 08  is negative, the server  106  advances to step  13 . 08 , wherein the server  106  determines whether to terminate the process. When the determination in step  13 . 08  is positive, the server  106  in step  13 . 10  continues to alternate processes. When the determination in step  13 . 08  is negative, the server  106  returns to step  13 . 02  and executes the loop of steps  13 . 02  through  13 . 12  as necessary. 
         [0061]    Alternatively, when the determination in step  13 . 12  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  13 . 14 , wherein the server  106  queries the records of contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N contained within the server memory  106 G. In step  13 . 16  the server  106  determines whether a record of a contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N matched the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N associated with the incoming communication. When the determination in step  13 . 16  is positive, the server  106  advances to step  13 . 18 , wherein the sever  106  determines whether to transmit a custom profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N to the client  102 . When the determination in step  13 . 18  is positive, the server  106  transmits the custom profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N to the client  102  in step  13 . 22 . In the alternative, when the determination in either step  13 . 16  or step  13 . 18  is negative, the server  106  in step  13 . 20  transmits a standardized profile response message to the client  102 . The server  106  advances either from the execution of step  13 . 22  or step  13 . 20  to the execution of  13 . 24 , wherein the server  106  receives and saves a reply to the custom profile response message PROF.RESP.001-PROF.RESP.N. The server  106  subsequently returns to step  13 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  13 . 02  through  13 . 24  as necessary. 
         [0062]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 14 ,  FIG. 14  is a flowchart of a further aspect of the invented method whereby GPS location data of the current location GPS.LOC.001-GPS.LOC.N of the communications device  104  is attached to an outgoing custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. In step  14 . 02  the communications device  104  adds contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the designated contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. In step  14 . 04 , the user  115  creates custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N, and the communications device  104  associates the custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification addresses added in step  14 . 02 . In step  14 . 06  the communications device  104  determines whether a text message  121  or an email transmission  122  has been received. When the determination in step  14 . 06  is false, the communications device  104  advances to step  14 . 08 , wherein the communications device  104  determines whether to terminate the process. When the communications device  104  determines in step  14 . 08  to terminate the process, the communications device  104  advances to step  14 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  continues to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the determination in step  14 . 08  is negative, and the communications device  104  determines not to terminate the process, the communications device  104  returns to step  14 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  14 . 02  through  14 . 09  as necessary. In the alternative, when the determination in step  14 . 06  is positive, i.e. when the communications device  104  determines that a text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been received, the communications device  104  advances to step  14 . 10 , wherein it is determined whether a request to open the text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been inputted by a user  115 . When the communications device  104  in step  14 . 10  determines that the user  115  has requested that the text message  121  or email transmission  122  be opened, the text message  121  or email transmission  122  is opened on the screen of the communications device  104  in step  3 . 12 . The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  14 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  executes alternate processes. 
         [0063]    Alternatively, when the communications device  104  determines in step  14 . 10  that no request to open the text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been received, the communications device  104  proceeds to step  14 . 14 . In step  14 . 14  the communications device  104  determines whether the incoming text message  121  or email transmission  122  is associated with a known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. When the communications device  104  determines in step  14 . 14  that the incoming text message  121  or email transmission  122  is associated with a known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, the communications device  104  determines in step  14 . 18  whether to transmit the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N associated with the known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. Alternatively, when the determination in step  14 . 14  is false, or when the communications device  104  determines in step  14 . 18  not to transmit the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N, the communications device  104  advances to step  14 . 16 , wherein a standard response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N is transmitted to the address of the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from the communication  117  originated. The communications device  104  then advances to step  14 . 26 , wherein a response to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is taken. Alternatively, subsequent to a positive determination in step  14 . 18 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  14 . 20 . In step  14 . 20  the communications device  104  determines whether a GPS location GPS.LOC.001-GPS.LOC.N may be retrieved. When the determination in step  14 . 20  is positive, the communications device  104  advances to step  14 . 22 , wherein the current GPS location GPS.LOC.001-GPS.LOC.N is retrieved. The current GPS location GPS.LOC.001-GPS.LOC.N is attached to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N in step  14 . 23 . Alternatively, when the determination in step  14 . 20  is negative, or upon completion of step  14 . 22 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  14 . 24 , wherein the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is transmitted. The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  14 . 26 , wherein a response to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is accepted. The communications device  104  then returns to step  14 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  14 . 02  through  14 . 26  as necessary. 
         [0064]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 15 ,  FIG. 15  is a flowchart of a further aspect of the invented method whereby GPS data of a user-designated location GPS.USR.001-GPS.USR.N is attached to an outgoing custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. In step  15 . 02  the communications device  104  adds contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N to the designated contact profiles CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N. In step  15 . 04 , the user  115  creates custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N, and the communications device  104  associates the custom response messages RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification addresses added in step  15 . 02 . In step  15 . 06  the communications device  104  determines whether a text message  121  or an email transmission  122  has been received. When the determination in step  15 . 06  is false, the communications device  104  advances to step  15 . 08 , wherein the communications device  104  determines whether to terminate the process. When the communications device  104  determines in step  15 . 08  to terminate the process, the communications device  104  advances to step  15 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  continues to alternate processes. Alternatively, when the determination in step  15 . 08  is negative, and the communications device  104  determines not to terminate the process, the communications device  104  returns to step  15 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  15 . 02  through  15 . 09  as necessary. In the alternative, when the determination in step  15 . 06  is positive, i.e. when the communications device  104  determines that a text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been received, the communications device  104  advances to step  15 . 10 , wherein it is determined whether a request to open the text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been inputted by a user. When the communications device  104  in step  15 . 10  determines that a user has requested that the text message  121  or email transmission  122  be opened, the text message  121  or email transmission  122  is opened on the screen of the communications device  104  in step  3 . 12 . The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  15 . 09 , wherein the communications device  104  executes alternate processes. 
         [0065]    Alternatively, when the communications device  104  determines in step  15 . 10  that no request to open the text message  121  or email transmission  122  has been received, the communications device  104  proceeds to step  15 . 14 . In step  15 . 14  the communications device  104  determines whether the incoming text message  121  or email transmission  122  is associated with a known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. When the communications device  104  determines in step  15 . 14  that the incoming text message  121  or email transmission  122  is associated with a known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, the communications device  104  determines in step  15 . 18  whether to transmit the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N associated with the known contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. Alternatively, when the determination in step  15 . 14  is false, or when the communications device  104  determines in step  15 . 18  not to transmit the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N, the communications device  104  advances to step  15 . 16 , wherein a standard response message is transmitted to the address of the contact identifying address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N from the communication  117  originated. The communications device  104  then advances to step  15 . 26 , wherein a response to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is taken. Alternatively, subsequent to a positive determination in step  15 . 18 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  15 . 20 . In step  15 . 20  the communications device  104  determines whether a GPS location may be retrieved GPS.USR.001-GPS.USR.N. When the determination in step  15 . 20  is positive, the communications device  104  advances to step  15 . 22 , wherein it is determined whether a GPS location datum GPS.USR.001-GPS.USR.N has been previously recorded. When the determination in step  15 . 22  is negative, the communications device  104  receives a data location input from the user  115  of the communications device  104 . Upon execution of step  15 . 24 , or alternatively when the determination in step  15 . 22  is positive, the communications device  104  advances to step  15 . 26 , wherein the recorded GPS location data GPS.USR.001-GPS.USR.N is attached to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. In the alternative, when the determination in step  15 . 20  is negative, or upon completion of step  15 . 26 , the communications device  104  proceeds to step  15 . 28 , wherein the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is transmitted. The communications device  104  subsequently advances to step  15 . 30 , wherein a response to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is accepted. The communications device  104  then returns to step  15 . 02  and re-executes the loop of steps  15 . 02  through  15 . 30  as necessary. 
         [0066]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 16 ,  FIG. 16  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method whereby an exemplary first contact  108  receives an automated custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. In step  16 . 02  the contact  108  inputs the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N for the client  102 . In step  16 . 04 , the contact  108  initiates a communication  117  with the client  102 , which communication  117  may optionally be, but is not limited to, a telephone call  113 , and/or a text message  121  and/or an email transmission  122 . In step  16 . 06  the contact  108  determines whether the communication  117  was answered. When the determination in step  16 . 06  is positive, the contact  108  connects the communication session, and proceeds to step  16 . 10 , wherein the contact  108  continues to alternate processes. In the alternative, when the determination in step  16 . 06  is negative, the contact  108  advances to step  16 . 12 , wherein the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N is received. The contact  108  subsequently sends a response message in step  16 . 14 , then proceeds to step  16 . 10 , wherein the contact  108  continues to alternate processes. 
         [0067]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 17 ,  FIG. 17  is a flowchart of a yet further aspect of the invented method whereby a custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N may optionally be populated with attached media files  128 . In step  17 . 02 , the communications device  104  determines whether to transmit a custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N to a contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N associated with an incoming communication. When the determination in step  17 . 02  is negative, the communications device  104  sends the standard, general response message MSG.GEN.001-MSG.GEN.N in step  17 . 04 . The communications device  104  then continues to alternate processes in step  17 . 06 . When the determination in step  17 . 02  is positive, the communications device  104  determines in step  17 . 08  whether to attach GPS location data GPS.001-GPS.N to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. When the determination in step  17 . 08  is positive, the communications device  104  retrieves the current GPS location data GPS.LOC.001-GPS.LOC.N, and attaches the current GPS location data GPS.LOC.001-GPS.LOC.N to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. The communications device  104  proceeds either from a negative determination in step  17 . 08 , or from the execution of step  17 . 10  to step  17 . 12 . In step  17 . 12  the communications device  104  determines whether to attach one or more photo files  130 , and/or one or more video files  132 , and/or one or more audio files  134  to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. When the determination in step  17 . 14  is positive, the communications device  104  retrieves the specified media files  128  and attaches the specified media files  128  to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N in step  17 . 14 . The communications device  104  proceeds either from the execution of step  17 . 14 , or from a negative determination in step  17 . 12  to step  17 . 16 . In step  17 . 16  the communications device  104  determines whether to attach document files  136  to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. When the determination in step  17 . 16  is positive, the communications device  104  retrieves the specified document files  136  and attaches the specified document files  136  to the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N. The communications device  104  proceeds either from an execution of step  17 . 18 , or from a negative determination in step  17 . 16  to step  17 . 20 . In step  17 . 20  the communications device  104  transmits the custom response message RESP.001-RESP.N to the contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N with which the incoming communication  117  was associated. The communications device  104  then advances to step  17 . 06  and continues to alternate processes. 
         [0068]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 18 ,  FIG. 18  is a block diagram of the communications device  104  of  FIG. 1 . A communications device system server operating system software OP.SYS  104 H of the communications device  104  may be selected from freely available, open source and/or commercially available operating system software, to include but not limited to a LINUX™ or UNIX™ or derivative operating system, such as the DEBIAN™ operating system software as provided by Software in the Public Interest, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind.; a WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7 ™ operating system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; or the MAC OS X operating system or iPhone G4 OS™ as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
         [0069]    The communications device  104  further includes an communications device central processing unit  104 B (“CPU  104 B”) that is bi-directionally communicatively coupled by an communications device internal communications bus  104 C with (a.) an optional communications device user input module  104 D that accepts input, e.g., information and commands, from a user, (b.) an optional communications device video display module  104 E that provides visual information rendering output, (c.) an communications device network interface  104 F that bi-directionally communicatively couples the communications device  104  with the server  106  and with the client  102 . 
         [0070]    The communications device  104  further contains a communications device memory  104 G. Stored within the communications device system memory  104 G is a communications device server software SW.CD, a communications device user module driver UDRV.CD, an optional communications device display driver DIS.CD, a communications device network interface driver NIF.CD enables the communications device network interface  104 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the communications device  104  with the client  102  and the server  106 . 
         [0071]    The communications device server software SW.CD enables the communications device  104  to execute, perform and instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed within  FIGS. 2, 5, 8, 11, and 14  and accompanying descriptions. The communications device user input module driver UDRV.CD enables the communications device user module  104 D to input information and commands entered by a user  115  into the communications device  104 . The communications device display driver DIS.CD enables the communications device  104  to visually render information by means of the communications device video display module  104 E. The communications device network NIF.CD enables the communications device network interface module  104 F to bi-directionally communicate with the client  102  and the server  106 . 
         [0072]    Within the communications device DBMS  104 A, there are a plurality of recorded responses RESP.001, RESP.002, RESP.003 and RESP.N. The recorded responses RESP.001-RESP.N may be in the form of an audio recording, a video recording, a textual message, and/or a document, as disclosed in  FIGS. 2 through 17 , and accompanying descriptions. Further contained within the communications device DBMS  104 A are a plurality of contact profiles CON.PROF.001, CON.PROF.002, CON.PROF.003 and CON.PROF.N. Each contact profile CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N may contain a plurality of contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, as presented in  FIG. 21 . 
         [0073]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 19 ,  FIG. 19  is a block diagram of the client  102  of  FIG. 1 . A client system server operating system software OP.SYS  102 H of the client  102  may be selected from freely available, open source and/or commercially available operating system software, to include but not limited to a LINUX™ or UNIX™ or derivative operating system, such as the DEBIAN™ operating system software as provided by Software in the Public Interest, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind.; a WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7 ™ operating system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; or the MAC OS X operating system or iPhone G4 OS™ as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
         [0074]    The client  102  further includes an client central processing unit  102 B (“CPU  102 B”) that is bi-directionally communicatively coupled by an client internal communications bus  102 C with (a.) an optional client user input module  102 D that accepts input, e.g., information and commands, from a user, (b.) an optional client video display module  102 E that provides visual information rendering output, (c.) an client network interface  102 F that bi-directionally communicatively couples the client  102  with the server  106  and with the communications device  104 . 
         [0075]    The client  102  further contains a client memory  102 G. Stored within the client system memory  102 G is a client server software SW.CLN, a client user module driver UDRV.CLN, an optional client display driver DIS.CLN, a client network interface driver NIF.CLN enables the client network interface  102 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the client  102  with the communications device  104  and the server  106 . 
         [0076]    The client server software SW.CLN enables the client  102  to execute, perform and instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed within  FIGS. 3, 6, 9, and 12  and accompanying descriptions. The client user input module driver UDRV.CLN enables the client user module  102 D to input information and commands entered by a user  115  into the client  102 . The client display driver DIS.CLN enables the client  102  to visually render information by means of the client video display module  102 E. The client network NIF.CLN enables the client network interface module  102 F to bi-directionally communicate with the communications device  104  and the server  106 . 
         [0077]    Within the client DBMS  102 A, there are a plurality of recorded responses RESP.001, RESP.002, RESP.003 and RESP.N. The recorded responses RESP.001-RESP.N may be in the form of an audio recording, a video recording, a textual message, and/or a set of profile information, as disclosed in  FIGS. 2 through 17 , and accompanying descriptions. Further contained within the server DBMS  106 A are a plurality of contact profiles CON.PROF.001, CON.PROF.002, CON.PROF.003 and CON.PROF.N. Each contact profile CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N may contain a plurality of contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, as presented in  FIG. 21 . 
         [0078]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 20 ,  FIG. 20  is a block diagram of the server  106  of  FIG. 1 . A server system server operating system software OP.SYS  106 H of the server  106  may be selected from freely available, open source and/or commercially available operating system software, to include but not limited to a LINUX™ or UNIX™ or derivative operating system, such as the DEBIAN™ operating system software as provided by Software in the Public Interest, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind.; a WINDOWS XP™, VISTA™ or WINDOWS 7 ™ operating system as marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.; or the MAC OS X operating system or iPhone G4 OS™ as marketed by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. 
         [0079]    The server  106  further includes an server central processing unit  106 B (“CPU  106 B”) that is bi-directionally communicatively coupled by an server internal communications bus  106 C with (a.) an optional server user input module  106 D that accepts input, e.g., information and commands, from a user, (b.) an optional server video display module  106 E that provides visual information rendering output, (c.) an server network interface  106 F that bi-directionally communicatively couples the server  106  with the server  106  and with the communications device  104 . 
         [0080]    The server  106  further contains a server memory  106 G. Stored within the server system memory  106 G is a server software SW.SRV, a server user module driver UDRV.SRV, an optional server display driver DIS.SRV, a server network interface driver NIF.SRV enables the server network interface  106 F to bi-directionally communicatively couple the server  106  with the communications device  104  and the server  102 . 
         [0081]    The server software SW.SRV enables the server  106  to execute, perform and instantiate aspects of the invented method as disclosed within  FIGS. 4, 7, 10, and 13  and accompanying descriptions. The server user input module driver UDRV.SRV enables the server user module  106 D to input information and commands entered by a user  115  into the server  106 . The server display driver DIS.SRV enables the server  106  to visually render information by means of the server video display module  106 E. The server network NIF.SRV enables the server network interface module  106 F to bi-directionally communicate with the server  102  and the server  104 . 
         [0082]    Within the server DBMS  106 A, there are a plurality of recorded responses RESP.001, RESP.002, RESP.003 and RESP.N. The recorded responses RESP.001-RESP.N may be in the form of an audio recording, a video recording, a textual message, and/or a set of profile information, as disclosed in  FIGS. 2 through 17 , and accompanying descriptions. Further contained within the server DBMS  106 A are a plurality of contact profiles CON.PROF.001, CON.PROF.002, CON.PROF.003 and CON.PROF.N. Each contact profile CON.PROF.001-CON.PROF.N may contain a plurality of contact identification addresses CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N, as presented in  FIG. 21 . 
         [0083]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 21 ,  FIG. 21  is a block diagram of an exemplary first contact profile CON.PROF.001, wherein the exemplary first contact profile includes a plurality of contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N. Each of the plurality of contact identification address CON.ID.001-CON.ID.N may be, but are not limited to, telephone numbers, email addresses, text messenger identifiers, and/or VOIP identifiers. 
         [0084]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIGS. 22A-22D ,  FIGS. 22A-22D  are block diagrams of exemplary incoming communications  117 , wherein the exemplary incoming communications  117  may include, but are not limited to, telephone calls  113 , text messages  121 , email transmissions  122 , and/or video calls  123 . The exemplary first telephone call  113  includes the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the sending address, and a first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the receiving address. The exemplary first incoming text message  121  includes the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the sending address, a first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the receiving address, and the text-containing body BODY.001 of the text message  121 . The exemplary incoming email transmission  122  includes the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the sending address, a first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the receiving address and the text-containing body BODY.001 of the email transmission  122 . The exemplary first video call  123  includes the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the sending address, and a first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the receiving address. 
         [0085]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 23 ,  FIG. 23  is a block diagram of an exemplary first general response message MSG.GEN.001. The exemplary first general response message MSG.GEN.001 includes, but is not limited to, the first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the sending address, the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the receiving address, the text-containing body BODY.001 of the first general response message MSG.GEN.001, and/or an audio recording AUD.REC.001 from the user  115 , and/or a video recording VID.REC.001 from the user  115 . 
         [0086]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 24 ,  FIG. 24  is a block diagram of an exemplary first custom audio response message RESP.001. The first custom audio response message RESP.001 includes, but is not limited to, the first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the sending address, the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the receiving address, a custom audio recording AUD.REC.001 from the user  115 . 
         [0087]    Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 25 ,  FIG. 25  is a block diagram of an exemplary first custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001, with optional audio file attachment(s)  134 , photo file attachment(s)  130 , video file attachment(s)  132 , document file attachment(s)  136  and/or attached GPS location data GPS.001. The exemplary first custom textual response message TXT.RESP.001 further includes the first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the sending address, the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the receiving address, and a text-containing body BODY.001. Referring now generally to the Figures, and particularly to  FIG. 26 ,  FIG. 26  is a block diagram of an exemplary first custom video response message VID.RESP.001. The first custom video response message VID.RESP.001 includes, but is not limited to, the first user identification address USER.ID.001 as the sending address, the first contact identification address CON.ID.001 as the receiving address, a custom video recording VID.REC.001 from the user  115 . 
         [0088]    The foregoing disclosures and statements are illustrative only of the Present Invention, and are not intended to limit or define the scope of the Present Invention. The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Although the examples given include many specificities, they are intended as illustrative of only certain possible configurations or aspects of the Present Invention. The examples given should only be interpreted as illustrations of some of the preferred configurations or aspects of the Present Invention, and the full scope of the Present Invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the Present Invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the Present Invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. The scope of the present invention as disclosed and claimed should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above.

Technology Category: h