Posthumous message delivery system

• US 9,015,262 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Garza
• Original Assignee: Del E. Luber
• Inventors: Luber, Del E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kitsikis, Kostas
• Application Number:
  US13/887,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A posthumous message delivery system provides an online means to leave messages after death. The system utilizes inspirations to help the user prepare messages for each of the individuals on their recipient list, and the user can select from a variety of messaging platforms in which the message will be sent, including e-mail systems and social media systems, and the system automatically incorporates the inspirations into a message or selects a completed message. At the time of the user'"'"'s death, the messages are authorized for release by an appointed trustee using a pin or password. The messages may be immediately released at the time of authorization or the messages may be configured for release at various milestones. The user has the capability of adding, deleting, and editing messages. Messages can be sent to groups of recipients, including social media contacts, or the messages may be limited to selected recipients.

Claims

1. A posthumous messaging method for preparing and saving messages in a host computer system as time capsule computer files for delayed action, comprising the steps of:

maintaining in the host computer system an electronic database of user accounts, inspiration options, text segments, intended recipients, and unsent messages, wherein said electronic database is accessible through a computer network, wherein said user accounts comprise user profiles and said unsent messages are respectively associated in said electronic database to said intended recipients according to said user profiles, and wherein said inspiration options are respectively associated in said electronic database to said text segments;

providing in the host computer system a computer processor for executing a word processing application and a plurality of scripts, wherein said scripts are comprised of predefined code with at least one variable entry, and wherein said electronic database stores a plurality of variable entry options respectively corresponding with said inspiration options;

receiving a message initiation instruction at said computer processor through said computer network from an authorized user associated with one of said user accounts;

providing said inspiration options to said authorized user through said computer network in response to said received instruction, wherein said inspiration options are comprised of unique inspiration descriptions and respectively corresponding inspiration identifiers;

receiving at said computer processor from said authorized user a selection of at least one of said inspiration identifiers for a corresponding one of said inspiration options;

dynamically populating said variable entry in said scripts with a unique variable entry from said variable entry options, wherein said unique variable entry respectively corresponds to said one of said inspiration options according to said selected inspiration identifier;

executing said dynamically populated scripts in said computer processor, wherein said executed scripts automatically select one of said text segments corresponding with said selected inspiration identifier and wherein said executed scripts automatically populate a message in said word processing application with said selected text segment;

receiving at said computer processor from said authorized user a recipient set-up instruction, wherein said recipient set-up instruction includes a recipient notification option of an anonymous system notification, a user-identified notification and an opt-out notification; and

executing in said computer processor a notification message application in which each recipient identified in a new unsent message is evaluated for a notification message, wherein said notification message reports that some other message has been created for said recipient within the host computer system without identification of said authorized user when said anonymous system notification is selected for said recipient and with identification of said authorized user when said user-identified notification is selected for said recipient, and wherein no notification message is sent when said opt-out notification is selected for said recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing in said electronic database a plurality of application options, wherein said application options are comprised of an internal application option and a networked application option,

providing said application options to said authorized user in combination with said inspiration options;

receiving an application selection from said authorized user in combination with said selected inspiration identifier;

executing said dynamically populated scripts in said computer processor according to said application selection and said selected inspiration identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said internal application option corresponds with said word processing application and wherein said networked application option is comprised of an external system application option and a user local computer application option.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said internal application option further comprises a group photo album application option, an audio recording application option and an audio/video recording application option, wherein said external system application option is further comprised of a social media platform option, an electronic greeting card option and an e- commerce option, and wherein said user local computer application option is further comprised of an e-mail application option, a local photo album application option and a local audio/visual editing application.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

providing a web browser interface for a user local computer to access the host computer system through a web browser connected to said computer network;

linking said inspiration options to corresponding electronic greeting cards using a greeting card set of variable option entries stored in said electronic database, wherein said electronic greeting cards are available through a networked greeting card application and wherein said greeting set of variable option entries are a plurality of greeting card identifiers;

receiving an electronic greeting card application selection as said application selection from said authorized user in combination with said selected inspiration identifier; and

executing said dynamically populated scripts in said computer processor according to said electronic greeting card application selection and said selected inspiration identifier, wherein said execution step further comprises the steps of;

sending an instruction to said user local computer to automatically launch said electronic greeting card application through a web browser window in said web browser; and

sending a greeting card identifier corresponding to said inspiration identifier to said user local computer to have said electronic greeting card application automatically select and display at least one electronic greeting card through said web browser window.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

providing a web browser interface for a user local computer to access the host computer system through a web browser connected to said computer network;

receiving a social media application selection as said application selection from said authorized user in combination with said selected inspiration identifier; and

executing said dynamically populated scripts in said computer processor according to said social media application selection and said selected inspiration identifier, wherein said execution step further comprises the steps of;

sending an instruction to said user local computer to automatically launch said social media application through a web browser window in said web browser; and

sending said selected text segment to automatically populate a messaging section of said social media application in said web browser window.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a user local messaging application selection as said application selection from said authorized user in combination with said selected inspiration identifier; and

executing said dynamically populated scripts in said computer processor according to said user local messaging application selection and said selected inspiration identifier, wherein said execution step further comprises the steps of;

sending an instruction to said user local computer to automatically launch said user local messaging application; and

sending said selected text segment to automatically populate a message in said user local messaging application with said selected text segment.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

providing a web browser interface for a user local computer to access the host computer system through a web browser connected to said computer network;

storing in said electronic database a plurality of inspiration commentaries respectively corresponding with said inspiration options;

receiving at said computer processor from said web browser a cursor location on a web browser page, wherein said cursor location identifies one of said inspiration options according to a display location on said web page;

sending an instruction said web browser to display one of said inspiration commentaries corresponding to said cursor-location identified inspiration options.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at said computer processor from said authorized user a recipient instruction identifying at least one recipient for one of said unsent messages; and

receiving a plurality of sending instructions, wherein said sending instructions are comprised of a timing selected from an immediate delivery, a predetermined delivery date in the future, and a posthumous delivery.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing in said electronic database a plurality of trustees; and

associating each one of said user accounts with at least one of said trustees.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

storing in said electronic database at least one membership group; and

associating a plurality of user accounts to said membership group.

12. A posthumous messaging method for preparing and saving messages in a host computer system as time capsule computer files for delayed action, comprising the steps of:

maintaining in the host computer system an electronic database of user accounts, inspiration options, alpha-numeric text blocks, application options, intended recipients, and unsent messages, wherein said electronic database is accessible through a computer network, wherein said user accounts comprise user profiles and said unsent messages are respectively associated in said electronic database to said intended recipients according to said user profiles, and wherein said inspiration options are respectively associated in said electronic database to said text segments;

providing in the host computer system a computer processor for executing a centralized application and a plurality of scripts, wherein said scripts are comprised of predefined code with a plurality of variable entries, wherein said electronic database stores a first set of variable entry options respectively corresponding with said inspiration options, and wherein said electronic database stores a second set of variable entry options respectively corresponding with said application options;

receiving a message initiation instruction at said computer processor through said computer network from an authorized user associated with one of said user accounts;

providing said inspiration options and said application options to said authorized user through said computer network in response to said received instruction, wherein said inspiration options are comprised of unique inspiration descriptions and respectively corresponding inspiration identifiers, and wherein said application options are comprised of an internal application option and a networked application option;

receiving at said computer processor from said authorized user an inspiration selection and an application selection, wherein said inspiration selection is comprised of at least one of said inspiration identifiers for a corresponding one of said inspiration options, wherein said application selection is comprised of at least one of said internal application option and said networked application option;

dynamically populating a first one of said variable entries in said scripts with an inspiration variable entry from said first set of variable entry options, wherein said inspiration variable entry respectively corresponds to said one of said inspiration options according to said selected inspiration identifier;

dynamically populating a second one of said variable entries in said scripts with an application variable entry from said second set of variable entry options, wherein said application variable entry respectively corresponds to one of said internal application option and said networked application option;

executing said dynamically populated scripts in said computer processor, wherein said executed scripts select one of said applications and select one of said alpha-numeric text blocks, wherein said selected alpha-numeric text block corresponds with said selected inspiration identifier and wherein said executed scripts automatically populate said selected alpha-numeric text block into an application instruction which uniquely identifies a message in said selected application;

receiving at said computer processor from said authorized user a recipient set-up instruction, wherein said recipient set-up instruction includes a recipient notification option of an anonymous system notification, a user-identified notification and an opt-out notification; and

executing in said computer processor a notification message application in which each recipient identified in a new unsent message is evaluated for a notification message, wherein said notification message reports that some other message has been created for said recipient within the host computer system without identification of said authorized user when said anonymous system notification is selected for said recipient and with identification of said authorized user when said user-identified notification is selected for said recipient, and wherein no notification message is sent when said opt-out notification is selected for said recipient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said centralized application is comprised of operation calls to a networked application, wherein said networked application is a social media application and wherein said alpha-numeric text blocks are populated into a message within said social media application.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said centralized application is comprised of a word processing application, wherein said alpha-numeric text blocks are text segments, and wherein said executed scripts automatically select one of said text segments corresponding with said selected inspiration identifier and wherein said executed scripts automatically populate a message in said word processing application with said selected text segment.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said centralized application is comprised of operation calls to a networked application, wherein said networked application is an electronic greeting card application, wherein said alpha-numeric text blocks are hypertext link segments, and wherein said executed scripts automatically select one of said hypertext link segments corresponding with said selected inspiration identifier and wherein said executed scripts automatically select an electronic greeting card through said hypertext link segments populated in said electronic greeting card application.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said internal application option corresponds with a word processing application and wherein said networked application option is comprised of an external system application option and a user local computer application option.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said internal application option further comprises a group photo album application option, an audio recording application option and an audio/video recording application option, wherein said external system application option is further comprised of a social media platform option, an electronic greeting card option and an e- commerce option, and wherein said user local computer application option is further comprised of an e-mail application option, a local photo album application option and a local audio/visual editing application.

18. An improved posthumous messaging method wherein a host computer system has a processor in operative communication with a database and in networked communication with a plurality of remote computer systems and has an internal messaging system application, wherein the database stores a plurality of inspiration options, a plurality of application options, a plurality of user profiles, a plurality of intended recipients, and a plurality of unsent messages, wherein the unsent messages are respectively associated to said intended recipients according to a said user profiles, wherein the improvement comprises the steps:

selecting an inspiration defined by said inspiration options;

selecting an application defined by said application options, wherein said application options are comprised of an internal word processing application and at least one of a networked social media application, a networked electronic greeting card application, and a networked e-mail application;

executing scripts in the processor of the host computer system according to said selected inspiration and said selected application, wherein said scripts automatically launch said selected application and wherein said scripts automatically enter a unique alpha-numeric text block into said selected application according to said selected inspiration, wherein a message segment uniquely corresponding with said selected inspiration is automatically entered into a text editing window in said internal word processing application as said selected application, wherein a text segment uniquely corresponding with said selected inspiration is automatically populated into a messaging section of said networked social media application as said selected application, wherein a greeting card identifier uniquely corresponding with said selected inspiration is automatically populated into a greeting card selection function in said networked electronic greeting card application as said selected application, wherein said networked electronic greeting card application provides an electronic greeting card corresponding with said greeting card identifier, and wherein a message segment uniquely corresponding with said selected inspiration is automatically entered into an e-mail message in said networked e-mail application as said selected application;

receiving at said processor from an authorized user a recipient set-up instruction, wherein said recipient set-up instruction includes a recipient notification option of an anonymous system notification, a user-identified notification and an opt-out notification; and

executing in said processor a notification message application in which each recipient identified in a new unsent message is evaluated for a notification message, wherein said notification message reports that some other message has been created for said recipient within the host computer system without identification of said authorized user when said anonymous system notification is selected for said recipient and with identification of said authorized user when said user-identified notification is selected for said recipient, and wherein no notification message is sent when said opt-out notification is selected for said recipient.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

sending one of the unsent messages to a corresponding one of the intended recipients through the internal messaging system, wherein the message being sent is at least one of a message created in said internal word processing application and said electronic greeting card provided by said networked electronic greeting card application; and

sending another one of the unsent messages to a group of intended recipients through at least one of said networked social media application and said networked e-mail application.