Method and apparatus for group messaging

An apparatus comprising:

• a receiver adapted to receive from an originating user a broadcast message having an address designating at least in part a group of recipients;
• a processor adapted to identify an intended recipient for the broadcast message from the group based on at least a part of the address;
• a memory for storing a priority of devices associated with the intended recipient;
• a processor adapted to determine a status of at least one of the devices associated with the intended recipient prior to sending the broadcast message, the status comprising one of online, offline, busy, and out-of-range;
• a processor adapted to determine a destination device associated with the intended recipient based on the priority, the status, and at least one characteristic associated with such intended recipient;
• a processor adapted to determine a device type of the determined destination device;
• and
• a transmitter adapted to send the broadcast message to the destination device of the intended recipient in accordance with a sending method that is associated with the determined destination device type, the broadcast message including information usable to reroute to an alternate device in accordance with a sending method that is associated with a device type of the alternate device.

A system comprising:

• a service comprising:
• a receiver adapted to receive from an originating user a broadcast message having an address designating at least in part a group of recipients,
• a processor adapted to identify an intended recipient for the broadcast message from the group based on at least a part of the address,
• a processor adapted to determine a priority of devices associated with the intended recipient,
• a processor adapted to determine a status of at least one of the devices associated with the intended recipient prior to sending the broadcast message, the status comprising one of online, offline, busy, and out-of-range,
• a processor adapted to determine a destination device from the devices associated with the intended recipient based on the priority, the status, and at least one characteristic associated with such intended recipient,
• a processor adapted to determine a device type of the determined destination device,
• a processor adapted to convert the broadcast message into an appropriate format for the destination device of the intended recipient, and
• a transmitter adapted to send the broadcast message to the destination device of the intended recipient in accordance with sending associated with the determined destination device type, the broadcast message including information usable to reroute to an alternate device in accordance with a sending method that is associated with a device type of the alternate device;
• and
• a user device comprising:
• a display adapted to display to the originating user an interface for composing the broadcast message,
• an input device adapted to receive a first input from the originating user, the first input including the broadcast message in video, voice, or text format,
• an input device adapted to receive a second input from the originating user, the second input identifying the group of recipients,
• a processor adapted to format the broadcast message for transmitting based on the first and second input, and
• a transmitter adapted to send the broadcast message to the server.

A method comprising:

• receiving from an originating user a voice message and at least one indication associated with one or more intended recipients;
• storing the voice message;
• determining a priority of devices associated with an intended recipient;
• determining a status of at least one of the devices associated with the intended recipient prior to sending a text message, the status comprising one of online, offline, busy, and out-of-range;
• determining a destination device for the intended recipient based on the priority, the status, and the indication, wherein the destination device is capable of receiving a short text messaging (SMS);
• sending a text message to the intended recipient at the determined destination device, the text message in the form of an SMS message and including an indication of how to retrieve the voice message, the text message including information usable to reroute to an alternate device in accordance with a sending method that is associated with a device type of the alternate device;
• receiving a request to obtain the voice message from the destination device;
• and
• providing the voice message to the destination device.