Automatic incubation and revival of messages in message systems

Abstract

A computerized message transaction system has an incubation function and a storage repository. In this system a transaction or a version of the transaction may be stored for a pre-specified period of time, and may be revived at the end of the specified time.

1 . A computerized message transaction system comprising: 
 an incubation function; and    a storage repository;    wherein a transaction or a version of the transaction may be stored for a pre-specified period of time, and may be revived at the end of the specified time.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the act of revival comprises an alert provided to a user of the system.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the transaction or version of the transaction is retrieved from the repository and displayed at the time of revival.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein, in storage, transactions are represented in boxes, including an Inbox for incoming transactions, and upon revival an incubated transaction or version of the transaction is moved to the Inbox.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the transaction system manages one or more of emails, instant messages (IM), short message system (SMS) messages, facsimile transactions (faxes), Voice Over IP (VoIP) messages, or Plain Old Telephone (POTS) messages.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the alert is one or both of an audio or a visual alert.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein an input mechanism is provided at the time of incubation for a user to enter a reformulated version of the transaction, and if such a reformulated version is entered, the reformulated version may be stored with or instead of the original transaction.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7  comprising functionality for integration with a scheduling application, wherein upon revival the reformulated version may be exported to the scheduling application as a scheduled entity.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein transactions are stored in categories including one or more of type of transaction, conversation, To or From addresses, or subject matter.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein interactive windows are provided to a user with selections to initiate incubation for a transaction, and to set the incubation time period.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the time period may be set as a specific period of time, or by entering a point in time when the transaction is to be revived.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the transaction or version of the transaction has a message body, and the message body is displayed as or along with the alert.  
   
   
       13 . A method for alerting a user of a message transaction system to a future need, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) accessing an incubation function in the transaction system for a specific transaction or a version of the transaction;    (b) setting an incubation time period through the incubation function;    (c) storing the transaction or version of the transaction, or both; and    (d) reviving the transaction of version of the transaction at the end of the incubation time period.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in the act of revival in step (d), an alert is provided to a user.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the transaction or version of the transaction is retrieved from the repository and displayed at the time of revival.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein, in storage, transactions are represented in boxes, including an Inbox for incoming transactions, and upon revival an incubated transaction or version of the transaction is moved to the Inbox.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the transaction system manages one or more of emails, instant messages (IM), short message system (SMS) messages, facsimile transactions (faxes), Voice Over IP (VoIP) messages, or Plain Old Telephone (POTS) messages.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the alert is one or both of an audio or a visual alert.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising a step for a user to enter a reformulated version of the transaction, and if such a reformulated version is entered, storing the reformulated version in step (c) with or instead of the original transaction.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising a step for exporting the reformulated version at the time of revival to a scheduling application as a scheduled entity.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13  wherein transactions are stored in categories including one or more of type of transaction, conversation, To or From addresses, or subject matter.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 13  wherein interactive windows are provided to a user with selections to initiate incubation for a transaction, and to set the incubation time period.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the time period may be set as a specific period of time, or by entering a point in time when the transaction is to be revived.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the transaction has a message body, and the message body is displayed as or along with the alert.  
   
   
       25 . A computerized system for placing and managing a telephone call, comprising: 
 an interactive preparation window wherein a user may enter call identifying information prior to making the call; and    a storage repository for storing a version of the call;    wherein the interactive preparation window allows entering third party recipients for a call in addition to the call destination, and the recorded call or a version of the call is sent as a message transaction to the third party recipients after the call is initiated.    
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the system includes incubation functionality selectable through the preparation window, wherein a version of a call identified through the preparation window may be stored for a pre-specified time period, and revived at the end of the time period.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the version of the call stored is one of an audio recording of the call or a text version of the call prepared from the audio.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 26  wherein upon revival an alert is provided to a user of the system.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28  wherein the alert is one or both of an audio or a visual alert.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 28  wherein, at the time of the alert, the recorded version of the call is retrieved and presented to the user.