MESSAGING INCLUDING ACTIVE RESPONSE FEATURE

• US 20080062133A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Generationone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mobix Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Wolf, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

An enhanced messaging capability which enables the recipient of the message to respond to a query by pressing a single button or multiple buttons to issue the response. Code for enabling a receiving device to display the message and provide simplified response options is carried by a messaging format such as SMS, MMS, etc., in which a web browser application is not required nor invoked to permit active response functionality. A mechanism is provide to allow delivery of response in a variety of formats. The system may automatically take a selected action if a response is not received within a present time period. A message and response system greatly simplified from the senders and recipients perspective is provided.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating communication between two users, comprising:

creating, at a first user'"'"'s station, a message for display on a display device of a second user'"'"'s station and at least one response option to the message, said message and at least one option formatted for display without requiring or invoking a web browser;

displaying, for selection at said first user'"'"'s station, at least one format for said response options;

automatically creating an instruction set for causing the second user'"'"'s station to associate a unique key on said station with said at least one response option without requiring or invoking a web browser;

associating said message, said at least one response option, and said instruction set into a group; and

transmitting said group to the second user'"'"'s station.

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

receiving said group at the second user'"'"'s station;

operating on said group such that said message and response options are displayed, and the instruction set is interpreted such that the second user'"'"'s station is caused to display the responses in the selected format.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said at least one format being a display of text representing the response options and assignment of a key on said second user'"'"'s station associated with each said response option such that activating a said key results in selection of the associated response.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said key is a programmable general purpose key forming a part of said second user'"'"'s station.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said key is a soft key.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps, prior to transmitting, of:

providing an interface for specifying that a response is expected from the second user'"'"'s station within a selected period of time;

providing an interface for specifying that a certain action take place if an expected response is not received with the selected period of time; and

associating said specification of an expected response, selected time period, and specified certain action with said group.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the group is encoded according to the short messaging standard (SMS) protocol prior to transmission.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

selecting, at the second user'"'"'s station, one of said response options by physically interacting with the second user'"'"'s station; and

transmitting the selected response to a selected party.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected party is the first user'"'"'s station.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the selection and transmission of a response is accomplished in one step by activating a single key on the second user'"'"'s station associated with the selected response.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the group is periodically automatically retransmitted to the second user'"'"'s station.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the group further includes code which causes the second user'"'"'s station to periodically repeat the display of said message and said response options in the selected format.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein said message and response options are periodically redisplayed on said second user'"'"'s station without retransmission from said first user'"'"'s station.

14. A system facilitating communication between two users, comprising:

a first user'"'"'s station provided with software permitting a user to create a message for display on a display device of a second user'"'"'s station and at least two response options to the message, said message and options formatted for display without requiring or invoking a web browser;

an interface for displaying, for selection at said first user'"'"'s station, at least one format for said response options;

software associated with the first user'"'"'s station which automatically creates an instruction set for causing the second user'"'"'s station to associate a unique key on said station with each said response option without requiring or invoking a web browser;

software which associates said message, said at least two response options, and said instruction set into a group; and

a networked connection permitting the transmission of said group to the second user'"'"'s station.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

memory located at the second user'"'"'s station for receiving said group;

display software operating on said group such that said message and response options are displayed; and

interpreter software for interpreting the instruction set such that the second user'"'"'s station is caused to display the responses in the selected format.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

at least two programmable general purpose keys forming a part of said second user'"'"'s station; and

software for associating text representing said response options with a unique one of said programmable general purpose keys such that activating a said key results in selection of the associated response.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said programmable general purpose keys are soft key.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an interface for specifying that a response is expected from the second user'"'"'s station within a selected period of time;

an interface for specifying that a certain action take place if an expected response is not received with the selected period of time; and

software which associates said specification of an expected response, selected time period, and specified certain action with said group.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising software which encodes the group according to the short message service (SMS) protocol prior to transmission.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

software which transmits, in response to the selection at the second user'"'"'s station of one of said response options by physically interacting with the second user'"'"'s station, the selected response to a selected party.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein software which accomplishes the selection and transmission of a response enables the second user'"'"'s station to select and transmit a response in one step by activating a single key on the second user'"'"'s station associated with the selected response.