Text messaging system and method

• US 20010005859A1
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Published: 06/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Okuyama, Satoshi, Manabe, Ai
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

The text messaging system consists of mobile terminal (5) connected to mobile communication network (4), information terminal (3) connected to computer network (2), and server (1) connected to the mobile communication network and the computer network. The information terminal (3) has status detection means (22), (23), and (24), and detects an operational status including at least the connection status of the computer network and notifies the server (1) of it. The server (1) has status administration means (8) and (9) and decision means (10). The status administration means (8) and (9) retain the operational status of the information terminal (3) notified from status detection means (24) for each user. The decision means (10) determines a send mode according to the operational status of the information terminal such as whether to send a text message to an information terminal or to send a text message with a network application.

Claims

1. A text messaging system made up of a plurality of information terminals provided with communications means, and servers connected to the information terminals via communications lines responsive to the communications means, the text messaging system comprising:

transmission means provided in the information terminals for transmitting to the servers text messages addressed to other of the information terminals;

reception means provided in the information terminals for receiving from the servers text messages from other of the information terminals;

status detection means provided in the information terminals for detecting and reporting to the servers operational status including at least status of connection with the communications lines;

reception means provided in the servers for receiving text messages from the information terminals;

transmission means provided in the servers for transmitting text messages received from ones of the information terminals to others of the information terminals;

status administration means provided in the servers for holding per user information-terminal operational status reported from said status detection means; and

decision means provided in the servers for deciding transmission modes for the text messages according to the information terminal operational status.

2. A text messaging system made up of at least one mobile terminal and at least one information terminal respectively provided with communication means, and at least one server connected to the at least one mobile terminal and to the at least one information terminal via at least one communications line responsive to the communications means, the text messaging system comprising:

transmission means provided in the at least one information terminal for transmitting to the at least one server text messages addressed to the at least one mobile terminal, or to at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality thereof;

reception means provided in the at least one information terminal for receiving from the at least one server text messages from the at least one mobile terminal, or from at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality thereof;

status detection means provided in the at least one information terminal for detecting and reporting to the at least one server operational status including at least status of connection with the at least one communications line;

reception means provided in the at least one server for receiving text messages from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal;

transmission means provided in the at least one server for transmitting to the at least one information terminal text messages received from the at least one mobile terminal, and transmitting to the at least one mobile terminal text messages received from the at least one information terminal, or transmitting text messages received from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal to at least one other mobile terminal or to at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality of either;

status administration means provided in the at least one server for holding per user information-terminal operational status reported from said status detection means; and

decision means provided in the at least one server for deciding transmission modes for the text messages according to the information terminal operational status.

3. A text messaging system according to

claim 2

, wherein:

said status detection means further detects and reports to the at least one server whether the at least one information terminal is being used; and

said decision means if the at least one information terminal is being used decides the at least one information terminal to be a transmission destination for text messages.

4. A text messaging system according to

claim 2

, the at least one information terminal further being provided with service detection means for detecting and for reporting to the at least one server network-application operational status in the at least one information terminal;

wherein;

said status administration means holds the reported network-application operational status; and

said decision means, wherein the network application is operable on the at least one server, decides to transmit text messages using the network application if the network application is running on the at least one information terminal.

5. A text messaging system according to

claim 2

, wherein said transmission means is enabled to notify the at least one server that a text message has been read, further comprising:

reporting administration means provided in the at least one server for saving text messages transmitted to the at least one information terminal, and, wherein not notified to the effect that a text message has been read, for forwarding the text message to the at least one mobile terminal.

6. A text messaging system according to

claim 5

, wherein said reporting administration means forwards to the at least one mobile terminal text messages transmitted to the at least one information terminal in response to change in operational status of the at least one information terminal.

7. A text messaging system according to

claim 5

, wherein if a text message transmitted to the at least one information terminal is not read within a predetermined time period, said reporting administration means forwards the text message to the at least one mobile terminal.

8. A text messaging system according to

claim 5

, wherein said reporting administration means in predetermined instances reports to text message send sources that their text messages have been sent to the at least one mobile terminal.

9. A text messaging system according to

claim 5

, wherein if said reporting administration means cannot send a text message to the at least one mobile terminal, said reporting administration means stores the text message and reports to the text message send source that its text message has been stored.

10. A text messaging system according to

claim 2

, wherein:

said status detection means reports to the at least one server text message senders'"'"' contact phone numbers;

said status administration means holds the reported phone numbers; and

wherein a text message is sent from the at least one information terminal to the at least one mobile terminal, if the senders'"'"' contact phone number has been set, said decision means adds the phone number to and transmits the text message.

11. A text messaging system according to

claim 2

, further comprising a proxy information terminal connected to the at least one communications line, wherein said proxy information terminal is provided with:

reception means for receiving from the at least one server text messages from the at least one mobile terminal;

information acquisition means for obtaining in accordance with the received text messages operational status of at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality thereof;

transmission means for transmitting the obtained operational status as a text message to the at least one mobile terminal; and

information setting means for setting and reporting to the at least one server operational status of the at least one other information terminal in accordance with the received text messages.

12. A text messaging system made up of at least one mobile terminal and at least one information terminal respectively provided with communication means, a first server connected to the at least one information terminal via at least one communications line responsive to the communications means, and a second server connected to the at least one mobile terminal and to the at least one information terminal via the at least one communications line, the text messaging system comprising:

transmission means provided in the at least one information terminal for transmitting to the second server text messages addressed to the at least one mobile terminal, or to at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality thereof;

reception means provided in the at least one information terminal for receiving from the second server text messages from the at least one mobile terminal, or from at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality thereof;

status detection means provided in the at least one information terminal for detecting and reporting to the first server operational status including at least status of connection with the at least one communications line;

status administration means provided in the first server for gathering and holding per user information-terminal operational status from the at least one information terminal;

reception means provided in the second server for receiving text messages from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal;

transmission means provided in the second server for transmitting text messages received from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal to at least one other mobile terminal or to at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality of either; and

decision means provided in the second server for obtaining from the first server operational status of the at least one information terminal for deciding text message transmission mode according to the obtained operational status.

13. A text messaging system according to

claim 12

, the at least one information terminal is enabled to notify the second server that a text message has been read, further comprising:

reporting administration means provided in the second server for saving text messages transmitted to the at least one information terminal, and, wherein not notified to the effect that a text message has been read, for forwarding the text message to the at least one information terminal.

14. In an information terminal provided with communication means for transmitting and receiving text messages among mobile terminals or other information terminals via communication lines and servers responsive to said communication means, a text messaging device comprising:

transmission means for transmitting to the servers text messages addressed to the mobile terminals or to the other information terminals;

reception means for receiving from the servers text messages from the mobile terminals or from the other information terminals; and

status detection means for detecting and reporting to the servers operational status including at least status of connection with the communications lines.

15. A text-messaging server connected to at least one mobile terminal and at least one information terminal respectively provided with communication means, via at least one communications line responsive to the communications means, the server comprising:

reception means for receiving text messages from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal;

transmission means for transmitting text messages received from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal to at least one other mobile terminal or to at least one other information terminal wherein the server is connected to a plurality of either;

status administration means for receiving and holding per user operational status from the at least one information terminal; and

decision means for deciding transmission modes for the text messages according to the information terminal operational status.

16. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a text messaging program utilized in an information terminal provided with communication means for transmitting and receiving text messages among mobile terminals or other information terminals via communication lines and servers responsive to said communication means, the computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded the text messaging program for executing:

A;

a transmission step for transmitting to the servers text messages addressed to the mobile terminals or to the other information terminals;

B;

a reception step for receiving from the servers text messages from the mobile terminals or from the other information terminals; and

C;

a status detection step for detecting and reporting to the servers operational status including at least status of connection with the communications lines.

17. A computer-readable recording medium on which is stored a text messaging administration program utilized in a server connected to at least one mobile terminal and at least one information terminal respectively provided with communication means, via at least one communications line responsive to the communications means, the computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded the text messaging administration program for executing:

A;

reception step for receiving text messages from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal;

B;

a transmission step for transmitting received text messages to at least one other mobile terminal or to at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality of either;

C;

a status administration step for obtaining and holding per user operational status of the at least one information terminal; and

D;

a decision step for deciding text message transmission mode according to the operational status of the at least one information terminal.

18. A text messaging method utilized in a server connected to at least one mobile terminal and at least one information terminal respectively provided with communication means, via at least one communications line responsive to the communications means, the text messaging method:

transmitting and receiving text messages by way of the server between the at least one mobile terminal and the at least one information terminal, or between the at least one mobile terminal and the at least one other mobile terminal wherein the system includes a plurality thereof, or between the at least one information terminal and at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality thereof;

detecting and reporting to the server operational status of the at least one information terminal including at least status of connection with the at least one communications line;

holding per user in the server the operational status of the at least one information terminal; and

by means of the server deciding transmission mode for the text messages according to the operational status of the at least one information terminal.

19. A text message transmission and reception method utilized in an information terminal provided with communication means for transmitting and receiving text messages among mobile terminals or other information terminals via communication lines and servers responsive to said communication means, the text message transmission and reception method:

transmitting to the servers text messages addressed to the mobile terminals or to the other information terminals;

receiving from the servers text messages from the mobile terminals or from the other information terminals; and

detecting and reporting to the servers operational status including at least status of connection with the communications lines.

20. A text-messaging administration method for a server connected to at least one mobile terminal and at least one information terminal respectively provided with communication means, via at least one communications line responsive to the communications means, the text-messaging administration method:

receiving from the at least one mobile terminal or the at least one information terminal text messages addressed to the other at least one mobile terminal or at least one information terminal, or addressed to at least one other mobile terminal or to at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality of either;

transmitting the received text messages to the other at least one mobile terminal or at least one information terminal, or addressed to at least one other mobile terminal or to at least one other information terminal wherein the system includes a plurality of either;

gathering and holding per user operational status of the at least one information terminal including at least status of connection with the at least one communications line; and

deciding transmission mode for the text messages according to the operational status of the at least one information terminal.