Message distribution system

• US 20070047702A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voicetree Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bradley Nathan, David Bergert, Richard Smith, Thomas Newell
• Inventors: Smith, Richard, Nathan, Bradley, Bergert, David, Newell, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,009,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/101.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting

Abstract

The invention is a message distribution system that can deliver a single message to a large number of people with a single act using a group of computer servers. The preferred embodiment requires the user to establish an account using a website and enter a contact list. The contact list can include both email addresses and telephone numbers. When the user wishes to send a message, at a later time, the user contacts the group of computer servers by a telephone number or email address. The user records a message on the servers and the server sends the messages to all email addresses and telephone numbers on the contact list for that user. Other embodiments include procedures to confirm the validity of the email addresses and telephone numbers and to confirm the delivery of messages to the email address and telephone numbers on the contact list.

Claims

1. A message distribution system comprising:

a registration stage comprising;

a plurality of servers;

a means of contacting the plurality of servers;

a means for a user to create an account;

a means for a user to create an account number;

a means for the user to enter a list of telephone numbers and email addresses;

used in the steps so that the user contacts the plurality of servers through the means of contacting the plurality of servers, creates an account and an account number through the means for a user to create an account and an account number and then enters a list of phone numbers and email addresses through the means for the user to enter a list of phone numbers and email address so that the user can created a distribution list;

a distribution stage comprising;

a plurality of servers;

a means of contacting the plurality of servers;

a means for the user to enter the account number the user previously created as a means of identifying the user and allowing the plurality of servers to locate that users distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses;

a means for a user to send a message to the plurality of servers;

a means for the plurality of servers to send the message to the phone numbers and email addresses on the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses;

used in the steps so that the user contacts the plurality of servers through the means of contacting the plurality of servers, accesses the user'"'"'s account through the means for the user to enter the account number as a means of identifying the user and allowing the plurality of servers to locate that user'"'"'s distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses, send a message to the plurality of servers through the means for a user to send a message to the plurality of servers, and the plurality of servers distribute the message to the phone numbers and email addresses on the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses that the user entered through the means for the plurality of servers to send the message to the phone numbers and email addresses of the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses.

2. The message distribution system of claim 1 where the registration stage is followed by a contact information confirmation stage that comprises:

the plurality of servers contacting each phone number and email address on the users distribution list of phones numbers and email addresses;

the plurality of servers prompts any recipient to confirm that the phone number or email address of the recipient is correct;

the plurality of servers then reporting to the user whether each phone number or email address was correct based upon the replies of the recipients.

3. The message distribution system of claim 2 where the contact information confirmation stage is repeated after a certain period of time and continues to be repeated after the same period of time.

4. The registration stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means of contacting the plurality of servers is a website.

5. The registration stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means of contacting the plurality of servers is a telephone.

6. The registration stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means for a user to create an account comprises:

a prompt to create an account;

a prompt to enter an account number.

7. The registration stage of the message distribution system of claim 6 where the account number is the user'"'"'s telephone number.

8. The registration stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means for the user to enter a list of telephone number and email addresses comprises:

a prompt to enter a first telephone number or email address;

a prompt to add another entry to the lists;

a prompt to enter an additional telephone number or email address;

so that the user is prompted to add a telephone number or email address until the user elects to stop adding telephone numbers or email addresses.

9. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means of contacting the plurality of servers is a telephone.

10. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means of contacting the plurality of servers is an email address.

11. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means of contacting the plurality of servers is a text message.

12. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means for a user to send a message to the plurality of servers comprising:

a prompt to enter a message;

a prompt to confirm and send the message.

13. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where a means for the user to enter the account number as a means of identifying the user and allowing the plurality of servers to locate that users list of phone numbers and email addresses comprising:

the user contacting a voice recognition software;

the voice recognition software confirming the user'"'"'s account number;

the voice recognition software receiving the message;

the voice recognition software stores the message on a media storage server.

14. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means for a user to send a message to the plurality of servers comprises:

the user contacting a voice recognition software;

the voice recognition software confirming the user'"'"'s account number;

the voice recognition software receiving the message;

the voice recognition software stores the message on a media storage server.

15. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the means for the plurality of servers to send the message to the phone numbers and email addresses of the list of phone numbers and email addresses comprises a server collecting the message from the media storage server and the telephone number and email address list from the database server via the web provider server and send the message to each telephone number via the phone server or email address via the web provider server.

16. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the message is an audio file attached to an email.

17. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 16 where the message is a link in an email that links to a file on the media storage server.

18. The distribution stage of the message distribution system of claim 1 where the message is translated into a text message.

19. The message distribution system of claim 1 where the distribution stage is followed by a message delivery confirmation stage that comprises:

the plurality of servers deliver the message to each phone number and email address on the users list of phones numbers and email addresses;

the plurality of servers determine the delivery status of the message send to each phone number and email address on the users list of phones numbers and email addresses;

the plurality of servers send the user a status report that demonstrates the status of the message delivery by phone and by email for each recipient.

20. The message distribution system of claim 1 where the distribution stage sends the message from the plurality of servers to the phone numbers and email addresses on the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses as soon as the plurality of servers receives the message.

21. The message distribution system of claim 1 where the distribution stage sends the message from the plurality of servers to the phone numbers and email addresses on the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses at a time defined by the user so that the plurality of servers wait until the time defined by the user to send the message to the phone numbers and email addresses on the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses.

22. A message distribution system comprising:

a registration stage comprising;

a plurality of servers;

a means of contacting the plurality of servers;

a prompt for a user to create an account;

a prompt for a user to create an account number;

a means for the user to enter a list of telephone numbers and email addresses;

used in the steps so that the user contacts the plurality of servers through the means of contacting the plurality of servers, creates an account and an account number through the means for a user to create an account and an account number and then enters a list of phone numbers and email addresses through the means for the user to enter a list of phone numbers and email address so that the user can created a distribution list;

a contact information confirmation stage that comprises;

a plurality of servers;

the plurality of servers contacting each phone number and email address on the users list of phones numbers and email addresses;

the plurality of servers prompt any recipient to confirm that the phone number or email address of the recipient is correct;

the plurality of servers then reporting to the user whether each phone number or email address was correct based upon the replies of the recipients;

so that after the registration stage is completed, the contact information confirmation stage is completed and the contact information confirmation stage is repeated after a predefined period of time and continues to be repeated after the same predefined period of time, and;

a distribution stage comprising;

a plurality of servers;

a means of contacting the plurality of servers;

a voice recognition software device for the user to enter the account number the user previously created as a means of identifying the user and allowing the plurality of servers to locate that users distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses;

a means for a user to send a message to the plurality of servers;

a means for the plurality of servers to send the message to the phone numbers and email addresses on the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses;

used in the steps so that the user contacts the plurality of servers through the means of contacting the plurality of servers, accesses the user'"'"'s account through the voice recognition software device for the user to enter the account number as a means of identifying the user and allowing the plurality of servers to locate that user'"'"'s distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses, send a message to the plurality of servers through the means for a user to send a message to the plurality of servers, and the plurality of servers distribute the message to the phone numbers and email addresses on the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses that the user entered through the means for the plurality of servers to send the message to the phone numbers and email addresses of the distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses;

a message delivery confirmation stage that comprises;

a plurality of servers;

the plurality of servers deliver the message to each phone number and email address on the users list of phones numbers and email addresses;

the plurality of servers determine the delivery status of the message send to each phone number and email address on the users list of phones numbers and email addresses;

the plurality of servers send the user a status report that demonstrates the status of the message delivery by phone and by email for each recipient;

so that after the distribution stage is completed, the message delivery confirmation stage is completed.