Method and apparatus for sending messages on behalf of dead persons to live recipients

An automated computer-implemented apparatus for sending messages on behalf of dead persons to live recipients, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) an administration computer that receives and stores message information from a plurality of live customers, the message information for each customer including:
• (i) identity data of the customer,
• (ii) identity data of one or more recipients who are to receive one or more messages from the customer after the customer dies,
• (iii) message data to be sent to the one or more recipients, the message data being the one or more messages, and
• (iv) message sending instructions including timing information regarding when to send the one or more messages after the customer dies;
• (b) a life/death customer status file maintained in the administration computer regarding the plurality of customers who previously stored message information in the administration computer;
• (c) means for periodically updating the life/death customer status file by comparing its entries to a current decedent file;
• and
• (d) means for sending the one or more messages previously stored by a customer to the one or more recipients in accordance with the stored message sending instructions when a customer is determined as having died as a result of the comparison.

An article of manufacture for sending messages on behalf of dead persons to live recipients, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

• (a) receiving and storing message information in an administration computer from a plurality of live customers, the message information for each customer including:
• (i) identity data of the customer,
• (ii) identity data of one or more recipients who are to receive one or more messages from the customer after the customer dies,
• (iii) message data to be sent to the one or more recipients, the message data being the one or more messages, and
• (iv) message sending instructions including timing information regarding when to send the one or more messages after the customer dies;
• (b) maintaining a life/death customer status file in the administration computer regarding the plurality of customers who previously stored message information in the administration computer;
• (c) periodically updating the life/death customer status file by comparing its entries to a current decedent file;
• and
• (d) sending the one or more messages previously stored by a customer to the one or more recipients in accordance with the stored message sending instructions when a customer is determined as having died in step (c).

An automated computer-implemented method of sending gifts on behalf of dead persons to live recipients, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving and storing gift information in an administration computer from a plurality of live customers, the gift information for each customer including:
• (i) identity data of the customer,
• (ii) identity data of one or more recipients who are to receive one or more gifts from the customer after the customer dies,
• (iii) gift data regarding gifts to be sent to the one or more recipients, and
• (iv) gift sending instructions including timing information regarding when to send the one or more gifts after the customer dies;
• (b) maintaining a life/death customer status file in the administration computer regarding the plurality of customers who previously stored gift information in the administration computer;
• (c) periodically updating the life/death customer status file by comparing its entries to a current decedent file;
• and
• (d) sending the one or more gifts previously stored by a customer to the one or more recipients in accordance with the stored gift sending instructions when a customer is determined as having died in step (c).