Messaging system and method with dead man switching

摘要

A messaging system and method with dead man switching providing for hierarchical delivery of messages based on selected message hierarchy levels with controlled delivery/response timing is disclosed. The system and method incorporates a messaging host that communicates with a messaging source client that creates and prioritizes a message and targets address(es) for the message. This message is then transmitted to the target address(es) using a hierarchical transmission thread having set limits on response times for each address within the thread. Reception of the message by each target(s) produces visual and/or auditory notification at the target(s). Messages are automatically forwarded to remaining target(s) within the thread upon expiration of a timer should the target(s) fail to respond to the message within a predetermined time. Failure of the target(s) to respond to the message(s) is reported bi-directionally along the thread and forwarded to remaining target(s) in the thread.

主权项

1. A non-transitory computer usable medium having computer-readable program code comprising a messaging method wherein said method controls a messaging system comprising:
(a) a communications server having—
1) message database;2) message file server;3) message host process operating on said file server; and4) a non-transitory computer readable medium in communication with a processor executing computer instructions to perform said message host process; (b) a remote source message system interface stored in memory for data entry and generation of messages on the communication server; (c) source messaging client process residing on the communication server and monitoring status of acceptance/reading by target; (d) a non-transitory computer readable medium in communication with a processor executing computer instructions to perform said source messaging client process; (e) a remote target messaging system interface stored in memory for receiving, displaying and replying to said message data; (f) target messaging client process residing on the communication server; and (g) a non-transitory computer readable medium in communication with a processor executing computer instructions to perform said target messaging client process; wherein,
said source messaging client process receives the messages and message severity/urgency classifications from a source user via said source messaging system;said source messaging system transmits said messages and said message severity/urgency classifications to said message host process for storage on said message database via said message file server;said message host process transmits said message and said message severity/urgency classification to said target system interface via a communications medium for display by said target system interface under control of said target message process;said target message process responds to said message host process if said message is examined on said target system interface by a user;said message host process initiates a dead man messaging process that waits a predetermined amount of time for said response to said message by said user and if said predetermined time is exceeded, said message is updated and forwarded to another target system interface for inspection by another user; andsaid message host process reports to said source message process the status of said message to each of said target systems; with said method comprising the steps of: (1) logging onto the communication server by a message originator through the message entry interface (2) Entering data into a message entry interface by a message originator and creating a message within the communication server; (3) entering a message severity/urgency classification data from said messaging source interface for message residing on communications server; (4) transmitting said message said message severity/urgency classification to said message host and storing the message on said message database via said communications server; (5) traversing a hierarchical target message thread to determine the targets for said message; (6) selecting the next message target within said hierarchical message thread; (7) determining if said hierarchical message thread is exhausted, and if so, proceeding to step (11); (8) transmitting said message within the communications server to the currently selected remote target system interface within said hierarchical message thread; (9) determining if said message has been read by said currently selected remote target system interface within said hierarchical message thread, and if so, proceeding to step (12); (10) determining if a target response timer has expired, and if not, proceeding to said step (9); (11) transmitting said message to said currently selected remote target system interface within said hierarchical message thread; (12) reporting to said source messaging interface that message reception has failed and proceeding to said step (6); (13) reporting to said source messaging interface that said message has been received and returning any optional user comment; and (14) optionally entering comments on said message and/or passing through said message to said current or another hierarchical message thread.