Message distribution system

• US 8,009,815 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Voicetree Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bradley Jacob Nathan, David Justin Bergert, Richard Shannon Smith, Thomas James Newell
• Inventors: Newell, Thomas James, Nathan, Bradley Jacob, Bergert, David Justin, Smith, Richard Shannon
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang; Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohammed; Assad
• Application Number:
  US11/510,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20070047702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 379 68- 8828, 379/101.01, 379/93.01, 370/390
• US Class Current: 379/101.01
• 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 system 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 the user to create an account number;

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

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

a contact information confirmation system that comprises;

the plurality of servers contacting each phone number and email address on the user'"'"'s list of phones numbers and email addresses with a message generated by the contact information confirmation system;

the plurality of servers prompting a recipient to confirm that the phone number or email address supplied by the user for 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 process is completed, the contact information confirmation process is completed and the contact information confirmation process is repeated after a predefined period of time and continues to be repeated after the same for another predefined period of time, and;

a distribution system comprising;

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 for identifying the user and allowing the plurality of servers to locate that user'"'"'s single distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses;

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

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

in the distribution process, 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 single distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses, send a user message to the plurality of servers through the means for a user to send a user message to the plurality of servers, and the plurality of servers distribute the user message to the phone numbers and email addresses on the single distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses that the user entered through the means for the plurality of servers to send the user message to the phone numbers and email addresses of the single distribution list of phone numbers and email addresses;

a message delivery confirmation system that comprises;

the plurality of servers deliver the user message to each phone number and email address on the user'"'"'s single distribution list of phones numbers and email addresses;

the plurality of servers determine the delivery status of the user message sent to each phone number and email address on the user'"'"'s single distribution list of phones numbers and email addresses;

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

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