Method and apparatus in a wireless communication system for identifying who has received a group message

• US 20030223449A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kotzin, Michael, Hill, Thomas Casey
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A server (102) receives (302) from an originator a group message directed to an address associated in the server with a pre-defined plurality of recipients whose coupling to the wireless communication system at any given time is either active or inactive. The server stores (304) the group message, and transmits (316) the group message to each recipient of the pre-defined plurality of recipients whenever the recipient is actively coupled to the wireless communication system. The server indicates (318) thereafter to the originator that the recipient has received the group message.

Claims

1. 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;

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; and

indicating thereafter to the originator that the recipient has received the group message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

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.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

informing the originator when the group message has been transmitted to all of the pre-defined plurality of recipients.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

separating the pre-defined plurality of recipients into a plurality of predetermined categories; and

informing the originator whenever the group message has been transmitted to all of the recipients in one of the plurality of predetermined categories.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of

identifying to the originator one of the pre-defined plurality of recipients who is first to receive the group message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when a predetermined condition is met, the steps of

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.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined condition is that the originator is no longer actively coupled to the wireless communication system.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined condition is selected from a group of predetermined conditions consisting of a time of day range, a message priority level, and a pre-programmed preference.

9. A server coupled to a wireless communication system for identifying who has received a group message, the server comprising:

a communication port for 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; and

a processor coupled to the communication port, the processor comprising a memory, for storing the group message,

wherein the processor cooperates with the communication port to;

transmit the group message to each recipient of the pre-defined plurality of recipients whenever the recipient is actively coupled to the wireless communication system; and

indicate thereafter to the originator that the recipient has received the group message.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to cooperate with the communication port to

identify 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.

11. The server of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to cooperate with the communication port to

inform the originator when the group message has been transmitted to all of the pre-defined plurality of recipients.

12. The server of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to cooperate with the communication port to:

separate the pre-defined plurality of recipients into a plurality of predetermined categories; and

inform the originator whenever the group message has been transmitted to all of the recipients in one of the plurality of predetermined categories.

13. The server of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed to cooperate with the communication port to

identify to the originator one of the pre-defined plurality of recipients who is first to receive the group message.

14. The server of claim 9, wherein the processor is further programmed, when a predetermined condition is met, to cooperate with the communication port to

designate a person other than the originator to receive message status notifications intended for the originator, and

send to the person designated the message status notifications intended for the originator.

15. The server of claim 14, wherein the predetermined condition is that the originator is no longer actively coupled to the wireless communication system.

16. The server of claim 14, wherein the predetermined condition is selected from a group of predetermined conditions consisting of a time of day range, a message priority level, and a pre-programmed preference.

17. A software program that, when installed and executing on a processor that is coupled to a wireless communication system through a communication port, causes the processor to cooperate with the communication port to:

receive, from an originator, a 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;

store the group message,

transmit the group message to each recipient of the pre-defined plurality of recipients whenever the recipient is actively coupled to the wireless communication system; and

indicate thereafter to the originator that the recipient has received the group message.

18. The software program of claim 17, further causing the processor to cooperate with the communication port to

identify to the originator the pre-defined plurality of recipients who are actively coupled to the wireless communication system when the group message is received.

19. The software program of claim 17, further causing the processor to cooperate with the communication port to

inform the originator when the group message has been transmitted to all of the pre-defined plurality of recipients.

20. The software program of claim 17, further causing the processor to cooperate with the communication port to:

separate the pre-defined plurality of recipients into a plurality of predetermined categories; and

inform the originator whenever the group message has been transmitted to all of the recipients in one of the plurality of predetermined categories.