System and method for automated remote messaging to wireless mobile devices

• US 8,948,793 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian Snyder, Bruce R. Birkhold
• Original Assignee: Brian Snyder, Bruce R. Birkhold
• Inventors: Birkhold, Bruce R., Snyder, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Casca, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/026,911
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/412.2, 455/414.4, 455/417, 455/412.1, 455/428, 455/461, 455/445, 455/428.OR, 379/38, 709/206, 709/226, 709/238, 340/539.1, 714/3, 370/277, 370/282
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A computerized appointment confirmation system for communication with a mobile device comprising a database comprising data regarding an appointment and a server configured to communicate with an MMS server, the MMS server configured to send an MMS message to the mobile device and receive an MMS response message, receive a communication from the MMS server indicating receipt of the MMS response message by the MMS server, communicate with an SMS server if no MMS response message is received from the mobile device within a predetermined time period, the SMS server configured to send an SMS message to the mobile device and receive an SMS response message, update the database to indicate whether confirmation data was received by the MMS or SMS server from the mobile device, and store in the database data indicating whether an MMS response message or SMS response message was received by the mobile device.

Claims

1. A computerized appointment confirmation system for communication with a mobile device comprising:

a database comprising data regarding one or more appointments; and

a server configured to;

communicate with an MMS server upon creation of an appointment, the MMS server configured to send an MMS message to the mobile device and receive an MMS response message from the mobile device;

receive a communication from the MMS server indicating receipt of the MMS response message by the MMS server;

communicate with an SMS server when no MMS response message is received from the mobile device within a predetermined time period, the SMS server configured to send an SMS message to the mobile device and receive an SMS response message from the mobile device;

update the database to indicate whether confirmation data was received by the MMS or SMS server from the mobile device;

store in the database data indicating whether an MMS message or SMS message was received by the mobile device; and

send a message to the mobile device at a predetermined time prior to the time at which the appointment is scheduled, the message being sent using MMS after having received a prior MMS response message from the mobile device, the sent message having additional information relating to the appointment comprising the appointment time, provider contact information, provider address, and an embedded map of a location of the appointment;

wherein the server is further configured to poll at least one MMS server at a predetermined time interval for verification of online statue of the at least one MMS server, or poll at least one SMS server at a predetermined time interval for verification of online status of the at least one SMS server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the MMS message comprises identifying information that is retained in an SMS response message sent by the mobile device and received by the SMS server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the server is further configured to update the database in response to receipt of the SMS response message by the SMS server to indicate that an MMS message was received by the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

send an email message to the mobile device if an MMS or SMS response message is not received by the MMS or SMS servers within a predetermined time period; and

store in the database data indicating receipt of an email response message when an email response message is received from the mobile device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

communicate with the MMS server wherein the MMS server sends a second MMS message to the mobile device when an SMS response is not received by the SMS server within a predetermined time period.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to receive an error message from the SMS server and generate an exception report.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to send a reminder message to the mobile device at a predetermined time prior to the time at which the appointment is scheduled, the reminder message being sent using the same communication method as that which resulted in a prior response message from the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication method is SMS and the additional information comprises the appointment time, provider contact information, and provider address.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication method is email and the additional information comprises the appointment time, provider contact information, provider address, and web link to an online map of the provider'"'"'s location.

10. A computerized appointment confirmation method for communication with a mobile device, the method comprising:

storing in a database, using a server, data regarding one or more appointments;

communicating, by the server, with an MMS server upon creation of an appointment, the MMS server configured to send an MMS message to the mobile device and receive an MMS response message from the mobile device;

receiving, by the server, a communication from the MMS server indicating receipt of the MMS response message by the MMS server;

communicating, by the server, with an SMS server when no MMS response message is received from the mobile device within a predetermined time period, the SMS server configured to send an SMS message to the mobile device and receive an SMS response message from the mobile device;

updating the database, by the server, to indicate whether confirmation data was received by the MMS or SMS server from the mobile device;

storing in the database, data indicating whether an MMS message or SMS message was received by the mobile device;

sending a message to the mobile device at a predetermined time prior to the time at which the appointment is scheduled, the message being sent using MMS after having received a prior MMS response message from the mobile device, the sent message having additional information relating to the appointment comprising the appointment time, provider contact information, provider address, and an embedded map of a location of the appointment; and

polling at least one MMS server or at least one SMS server at a predetermined time interval for verification of online status of the at least one MMS server or for verification of online status of the at least one SMS server.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the MMS message comprises identifying information that is retained in an SMS response message sent by the mobile device and received by the SMS server.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising updating the database in response to receipt of the SMS response message by the SMS server to indicate that an MMS message was received by the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the server, an email message to the mobile device if an MMS or SMS response message is not received by the MMS or SMS servers within a predetermined time period; and

storing in the database, by the server, data indicating receipt of an email response message when an email response message is received from the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

communicating, by the server, with the MMS server wherein the MMS server sends a second MMS message to the mobile device when an SMS response is not received by the SMS server within a predetermined time period.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication method is SMS and the additional information comprises the appointment time, provider contact information, and provider address.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, by the server, an error message from the SMS server and generating an exception report.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

sending, by the server, a reminder message to the mobile device at a predetermined time prior to the time at which the appointment is scheduled, the reminder message being sent using the same communication method as that which resulted in a prior response message from the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication method is email and the additional information comprises the appointment time, provider contact information, provider address, and web link to an online map of the provider'"'"'s location.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium for computerized appointment confirmation utilizing communication with a mobile device, the computer readable medium having program code stored therein that when executed is configured to:

store in a database, using a server, data regarding one or more appointments;

communicate, by the server, with an MMS server upon creation of an appointment, the MMS server configured to send an MMS message to the mobile device and receive an MMS response message from the mobile device;

receive, by the server, a communication from the MMS server indicating receipt of the MMS response message by the MMS server;

communicate, by the server, with an SMS server when no MMS response message is received from the mobile device within a predetermined time period, the SMS server configured to send an SMS message to the mobile device and receive an SMS response message from the mobile device;

update the database, by the server, to indicate whether confirmation data was received by the MMS or SMS server from the mobile device;

store in the database, data indicating whether an MMS message or SMS message was received by the mobile device;

send a message to the mobile device at a predetermined time prior to the time at which the appointment is scheduled, the message being sent using MMS after having received a prior MMS response message from the mobile device, the sent message having additional information relating to the appointment comprising the appointment time, provider contact information, provider address, and an embedded map of a location of the appointment; and

poll at least one MMS server or at least one SMS server at a predetermined time interval for verification of online status of the at least one MMS server or for verification of online status of the at least one SMS server.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the MMS message comprises identifying information that is retained in an SMS response message sent by the mobile device and received by the SMS server.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20, further configured to update the database in response to receipt of the SMS response message by the SMS server to indicate that an MMS message was received by the mobile device.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further configured to:

send, by the server, an email message to the mobile device if an MMS or SMS response message is not received by the MMS or SMS servers within a predetermined time period; and

store in the database, by the server, data indicating receipt of an email response message when an email response message is received from the mobile device.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further configured to:

communicate, by the server, with the MMS server wherein the MMS server sends a second MMS message to the mobile device when an SMS response is not received by the SMS server within a predetermined time period.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further configured to:

receive, by the server, an error message from the SMS server and generating an exception report.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, further configured to:

send, by the server, a reminder message to the mobile device at a predetermined time prior to the time at which the appointment is scheduled, the reminder message being sent using the same communication method as that which resulted in a prior response message from the mobile device.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the communication method is SMS and the additional information comprises the appointment time, provider contact information, and provider address.

27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the communication method is email and the additional information comprises the appointment time, provider contact information, provider address, and web link to an online map of the provider'"'"'s location.