Scheduled Message Storage for Offline Recipient Delivery

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing messaging systems fail to deliver scheduled messages to offline recipients due to network issues, time zone differences, and device settings, especially for critical or time-sensitive communications.

Innovation Solution

Implement a capability in messaging systems to store scheduled messages locally on the recipient's device, ensuring delivery at the designated time, regardless of network connectivity or device settings, while respecting user notification preferences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If messages are scheduled for later delivery, then network connectivity requirements are reduced, but message delivery reliability deteriorates when recipient is offline

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage schedulingVSAvoidmessage delivery

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by storing the scheduled message on the recipient's device in advance before the scheduled delivery time. This ensures the message is ready for immediate delivery when the recipient comes online, eliminating the need for real-time network connectivity at the scheduled time and ensuring reliable delivery even when the recipient is offline.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If messages are stored locally on recipient's device, then delivery reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage deliveryVSAvoidmessaging system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the recipient's local device storage as an intermediary between the messaging server and the recipient. The server stores the message temporarily on the device, which then serves as the delivery mechanism when the recipient comes online. This intermediary approach improves reliability without requiring complex server-side infrastructure, as the device itself becomes part of the delivery system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If system considers network problems and time zones, then delivery accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery timing accuracyVSAvoidmessaging system

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by respecting the recipient's local device settings, time zone, and network conditions. Instead of imposing a centralized delivery schedule, the system adapts to the recipient's local environment by storing the message and delivering it according to their local time and connectivity status. This improves delivery accuracy without requiring complex centralized coordination, as each device manages its own delivery timing based on local conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250323890A1Delivery of messages to an offline recipient

Publication Date: 2025.10.16 SALESFORCE INC

AI summary

A method and system have been developed for delivery of a message to a recipient who is currently offline. First, a message is generated by a sender that is scheduled for a delivery to the recipient at a time later than generation of the message. The message is transmitted to a messaging device of the recipient immediately upon generating the message and it is stored in local memory storage of the messaging device. The message is then delivered to the recipient from the local memory storage of the messaging device of the recipient at the scheduled delivery time.