Method of formulating response to expired timer for data link message

A method of formulating a response to an expired message timer for a data link message, the method comprising:

• (a) storing a trasmitted data link message;
• (b) determining whether a message timer is needed;
• (c) starting the message timer when the message timer is needed;
• (d) determining whether a response to the data link message has been received;
• (e) if the response has been received, determining whether the response is a standby message;
• (i) if the response is a standby message, repeating the method starting at step (c);
• and
• (ii) if the response is not a standby message, stopping the message timer;
• (f) if the response has not been received, determining whether the message timer has expired;
• (g) if the message timer has not expired, repeating the method starting at step (d);
• (h) updating a data link message status when the message timer has expired to indicate expiration of the message timer;
• (i) creating a first display page that shows the data link message and queries whether to resend the data link message due to the message timer expiration;
• and
• (j) determining whether there is a response to the query on the first display page;
• (i) if no response to the query is received, repeating step (j);
• (ii) if there is a negative response to the query, terminating the method;
• (iii) if there is a positive response to the query, creating a second display page that shows the data link message for review and edit prior to resending the data link message.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for a method of communicating a data link message, the method comprising:
• transmitting a data link message from a sender to a receiver;
• storing the trasmitted data link message;
• starting a message timer when the data link message is transmitted;
• determining whether a response to the data link message has been received;
• determining whether the message timer has expired if the response has not been received;
• notifying the sender when the message timer has expired and the response has not been received;
• requesting input from the sender whether or not to retransmit the data link message;
• if input is received from the sender to retransmit the data link message, displaying the data link message to the sender for review and edit;
• and
• retransmitting the data link message from the sender to the receiver.