Method apparatus and business system for online communications with online and offline recipients

• US 8,504,631 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EveryMD LLC
• Original Assignee: EveryMD LLC
• Inventors: Weyer, Frank Michael, Javaher, Troy Kurosh
• Primary Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US13/234,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-207, 709/202
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/37 E-mail addresses
• 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 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

The present invention comprises a method, apparatus and business system for allowing on-line communications with members of a group of recipients for whom the invention has been implemented. A group may, for example, comprise members of a particular business or profession. For example, a group may consist of doctors admitted to practice medicine in the United States. Individual members of the group may or may not have existing internet presences. The invention allows online users to communicate with each member of a given group regardless of whether or not the member has an existing internet presence. In one or more embodiments, the invention does so by setting up a database of contact information for members of the group, creating an internet presence for each member of such group, creating an on-line user interface allowing a user to access the member'"'"'s created internet presence, and providing means of communications between the created internet presence and the member recipient.

Claims

1. A method for providing for communications by a server computer system among a first member of a group of members for whom said server computer system has created a first server created email box and a second member of said group of members for whom said server computer system has created a second server created email box, said method comprising the steps of:

said server computer system transmitting a first server created web page to a first internet access device of said second member, said first server created web page comprising a message interface for receiving by said server computer system input data comprising a first message to said first member;

said server computer system receiving first input data entered into said message interface from said first internet access device of said second member;

said server computer system sending a second message to a telephone number associated with said first member notifying said first member of said first input data;

said server computer system sending a third message to said first server created email box of said first member, said third message comprising said first input data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises audio data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises image data.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said image data comprises fax image data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises said first input data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises instructions for replying to said first user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said second message comprises instructions for obtaining said input data.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

said server computer system receiving a reply message to said first message from a second internet access device of said first member;

said server computer system sending a fourth message to said second server created email box of said second member, said fourth message comprising said reply message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said first server created web page comprises a home page for said first member.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said third message comprises said second server created email box.