Time-dependent message delivery method and system

• US 7,197,538 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2002
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Sakata, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit; Bunjob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang; Julian
• Application Number:
  US10/153,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/200, 709/207, 379/200, 379/908, 379/207.3, 455/412.1, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A message delivery system allows a member to obtain a message delivery service at a designated time with easy operation. The message delivery system has an initialization function of initializing a list of member identification information. The list of member identification information is initialized at a predetermined initialization time. After the initialization, a member is registered in the list of member identification information in response to user request. A message is transmitted to the member newly registered in the list.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server;

at least one member terminal; and

a network,

wherein the server comprises;

a member memory for storing a list of identification information of registered members;

a reserved-member memory for storing a list of reserved-member information including at least one reserved time designated by at least one member and identification information of said at least one member;

a cancellation time memory for storing at least one cancellation time;

a member manager for managing the list of identification information registered in the member memory and the list of reserved-member information such that when a current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time, the list of identification information in the member memory is canceled, and

when the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time, reserved-member information in said reserved-member memory that corresponds to said at least one reserved time is registered into the member memory; and

a transmission controller for transmitting a message through the network to a member terminal having identification information registered in the member memory.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a single member is allowed to designate a plurality of reserved times at a time to store them in the reserved-member memory.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein;

every time the transmission controller transmits a message, the member manager determines whether the current time corresponds to one of said at Least one reserved time.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the member manager determines with a predetermined frequency whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time and whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the member manager determines whether each of said at least one cancellation time corresponds to a current time on a one-time basis and whether each of said at least one reserved time corresponds to a current time on a one-time basis.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the member manager sets one of said at least one cancellation time so as to be notified to a member.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the member manager places one of said at least one cancellation time on public view.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein, when the member manager registers a member into the member memory, the transmission controller transmits to the member a message including a cancellation time immediately following the current time.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein one of said at least one cancellation time is fixed.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein one of said at least one cancellation time includes a dynamic time which is changeable, wherein the dynamic time is allowed to be fixed when said dynamic time has been determined.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein abstract information allowed to be converted to time information is employed as a reserved time.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when a deletion request has been received from a member, the member manager deletes identification information of the member from the member memory.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when a current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time, the member manager resets the member memory to an initial state.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the initial state comprises a state that the member memory is empty.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the initial state comprises a state that the member memory stores only identification information of at least one predetermined member.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the member manager changes a reserved time designated by a member to a latest cancellation time before the reserved time designated by the member and stores a changed reserved time into the reserved member memory.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the member manager determines whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time, and, after the list of identification information is canceled, continues to determine whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time.

18. A method for delivering a message to at least one member terminal via a network, comprising:

storing a list of identification information of registered members in a member memory;

storing a list of reserved-member information including at least one reserved time designated by at least one member and identification information of said at least one member in a reserved-member memory;

storing at least one cancellation time in a cancellation time memory;

determining whether a current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time;

when the current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time, canceling the list of identification information in said member memory;

determining whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time;

when the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time, registering reserved-member information in said reserved-member memory that corresponds to said at least one reserved time; and

transmitting a message through the network to a member terminal having identification information registered in the member memory.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein a single member is allowed to designate a plurality of reserved times at a time to store them in the reserved member memory.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein, every time the transmission controller transmits a message, it is determined whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein it is determined with a predetermined frequency whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time and whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time.

22. A computer-readable medium storing a program for instructing a computer to perform a message delivery operation of delivering a message to at least one member terminal via a network, the program comprising:

instructions for storing a list of identification information of registered members in a member memory;

instructions for storing a list of reserved-member information including at least one reserved time designated by at least one member and identification information of said at least one member in a reserved-member memory;

instructions for storing at least one cancellation time in a cancellation time memory;

instructions for determining whether a current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time;

instructions for canceling the list of identification information when the current time corresponds to one of said at least one cancellation time;

instructions for determining whether the current time corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time;

instructions for registering reserved-member information in said reserved-member memory that corresponds to one of said at least one reserved time when the current time corresponds to said one of said at least one reserved time; and

instructions for transmitting a message through the network to a member terminal having identification information registered in the member memory.