NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20130304840A1
• Filed: 07/22/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wendell A. Thomas
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Sons Inc.
• Inventors: Thomas, Wendell A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,306,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services

Abstract

A notification system with a method for providing a notification including storing a notification request at a home unit; receiving the notification request at a central location, the notification request comprising a message, a notification time, and a destination; storing the message at the central location; associating the message with the notification time and destination; determining a current time; comparing the determined current time to the notification time; opening a communication session with the destination based on the determination; and transmitting the stored message to the destination during the communication session based on the opening.

Claims

1. A method for providing a notification, the method comprising:

storing a notification request at a home unit;

receiving the notification request at a central location, the notification request comprising a message, a notification time, and a destination;

storing the message at the central location;

associating the message with the notification time and destination;

determining a current time;

comparing the determined current time to the notification time;

opening a communication session with the destination based on the determination; and

transmitting the stored message to the destination during the communication session based on the opening.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is an audible message.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the stored message is an audible message.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising presenting the stored message on an audio output device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a smart phone, and a cell phone.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising presenting the stored message on a landline phone.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising converting the audible message to a text message, the stored message being a text message.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying the text message on a text display device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a smart phone, and a cell phone.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the home unit is an audio input device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a smart phone, and a cell phone.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the home unit is a landline phone.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is a text message.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the stored message is a text message.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying the stored message on a text display device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a smart phone, and a cell phone.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising converting the text message to an audible message, the stored message being an audible message.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising presenting the audible message on an audio output device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a smart phone, and a cell phone.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising presenting the audible message on a landline phone.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the home unit is a text input device selected from the group consisting of a computer, a smart phone, and a cell phone.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer readable code for providing a notification, the medium comprising:

computer readable code for storing a notification request at a home unit;

computer readable code for receiving the notification request at a central location, the notification request comprising a message, a notification time, and a destination;

computer readable code for storing the message at the central location;

computer readable code for associating the message with the notification time and destination;

computer readable code for determining a current time;

computer readable code for comparing the determined current time to the notification time;

computer readable code for opening a communication session with the destination based on the determination; and

computer readable code for transmitting the stored message to the destination during the communication session based on the opening.

18. A system for providing a notification, the system comprising:

means for storing at a home unit a notification time, message and destination;

means for receiving at a central location the stored notification time, message and destination;

means for storing at the central location the received notification time, message and destination;

means for determining a current time;

means for comparing the determined current time to the notification time;

means for opening a communication session with the destination based on the determination; and

means for transmitting the stored message to the destination during the communication session based on the opening.