Method and apparatus for message transmission verification

• US 6,219,542 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aas, David, Leuca, Ileana A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US09/215,557
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/426-458, 455/515, 455/412, 455/413, 340/825.44, 340/825.47, 379/88.25, 379/88.26
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability

Abstract

A method and apparatus improve the user-friendliness of messaging systems. A message sender is requested to create a message ID which is used to identify a message being sent by the message sender. At some later time the message sender can query the message center using the sender generated message ID to ask the center to verify whether the message has either been sent to or received by the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A method by which an originator of a message can verify receipt of the message by an intended recipient comprising the steps of:

receiving a message;

associating a status indicator with said message, said status indicator having two possible states, a first indicating non-receipt of the message by the intended recipient, a second indicating receipt of the message by the intended recipient;

transmitting said message;

receiving a receipt acknowledgment in response to the transmission;

changing said status indicator from the first state to the second state upon receiving said receipt acknowledgment;

receiving a receipt verification request, said request including a user created message identifier;

in response to said request, searching the database for the status indicator associated with the message based on said user created message identifier;

detecting the state of the searched for status indicator; and

reporting that said message has been received based on a detection of the status indicator being in said second state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said user created message identifier is based on the message itself.

3. A method for allowing an originator of a message to verify receipt of the message by an intended recipient, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message transmission request;

prompting the originator to provide a message identifier and a message, wherein said message identifier is created by the originator;

storing said message and said message identifier;

upon receiving an acknowledgment of receipt, setting a receipt status indicator associated with the message to reflect that the intended recipient has received the message;

receiving a receipt verification request including said message identifier;

searching for the message associated with said message identifier; and

after finding the message, reporting a state of said receipt status indicator associated with said message.

4. A method by which an originator of a message can verify transmission of the message to an intended recipient comprising the steps of:

receiving a message;

associating a status indicator with said message, said status indicator having two possible states, a first indicating non-transmission of the message to the intended recipient, a second indicating transmission of the message to the intended recipient;

transmitting said message;

changing said status indicator from the first state to the second state upon transmission of the message;

receiving a transmission verification request, said request including a user created message identifier;

in response to said request, searching the database for the status indicator associated with the message based on said user created message identifier;

detecting the state of the searched for status indicator; and

reporting that said message has been transmitted based on a detection of the status indicator being in said second state.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said user created message identifier is based on the message itself.

6. A method for allowing an originator of a message to verify transmission of the message to an intended recipient, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message transmission request;

prompting the originator to provide a message identifier and a message, wherein said message identifier is created by the originator;

storing said message identifier;

after transmission, setting a transmission status indicator associated with the message to reflect that the message has been transmitted to the intended recipient;

receiving a transmission verification request including said message identifier; and

reporting a state of said receipt status indicator associated with said message using said message identifier.

7. A method by which an originator of a message can verify receipt of the message by an intended recipient comprising the steps of:

receiving a message;

associating a status indicator with said message, said status indicator having two possible states, a first indicating non-receipt of the message by the intended recipient, a second indicating receipt of the message by the intended recipient;

transmitting said message;

receiving a receipt acknowledgment in response to the transmission;

changing said status indicator from the first state to the second state upon receiving said receipt acknowledgment;

receiving a receipt verification request, said request including a user created message identifier, wherein said user created identifier includes said message;

in response to said request, searching the database for the status indicator associated with the message based on said user created message identifier;

detecting the state of the searched for status indicator; and

reporting that said message has been received based on a detection of the status indicator being in said second state.

8. A method for allowing an originator of a message to verify receipt of the message by an intended recipient, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message transmission request;

prompting the originator to provide a message identifier and a message, wherein said message identifier includes said message;

storing said message and said message identifier;

upon receiving an acknowledgment of receipt, setting a receipt status indicator associated with the message to reflect that the intended recipient has received the message;

receiving a receipt verification request including said message identifier;

searching for the message associated with said message identifier; and

after finding the message, reporting a state of said receipt status indicator associated with said message.

9. A method by which an originator of a message can verify transmission of the message to an intended recipient comprising the steps of:

receiving a message;

associating a status indicator with said message, said status indicator having two possible states, a first indicating non-transmission of the message to the intended recipient, a second indicating transmission of the message to the intended recipient;

transmitting said message;

changing said status indicator from the first state to the second state upon transmission of the message;

receiving a transmission verification request, said request including a user created message identifier, wherein said user created message identifier includes said message;

in response to said request, searching the database for the status indicator associated with the message based on said user created message identifier;

detecting the state of the searched for status indicator; and

reporting that said message has been transmitted based on a detection of the status indicator being in said second state.

10. A method for allowing an originator of a message to verify transmission of the message to an intended recipient, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message transmission request;

prompting the originator to provide a message identifier and a message, wherein said message identifier includes said message;

storing said message identifier;

after transmission, setting a transmission status indicator associated with the message to reflect that the message has been transmitted to the intended recipient;

receiving a transmission verification request including said message identifier; and

reporting a state of said receipt status indicator associated with said message using said message identifier.