Technique for enabling wireless messaging systems to use alternative message delivery mechanisms

• US 20020087634A1
• Filed: 02/28/2002
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Mark Ogle, Diane Phylis Pozefsky, Robert Joseph Sundstrom
• Original Assignee: David Mark Ogle, Diane Phylis Pozefsky, Robert Joseph Sundstrom
• Inventors: Ogle, David Mark, Pozefsky, Diane Phylis, Sundstrom, Robert Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 6,654,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for enabling messaging systems to use alternative message delivery mechanisms. In existing instant messaging systems, messages cannot be delivered to an intended recipient unless the recipient is currently logged on to an instant messaging system. According to the present invention, users may register one or more alternative message delivery mechanisms (such as pagers, cell phones, etc.) through which they are available as an alternative to an instant messaging system. Constraints may optionally be added to these registered alternatives, such as specifying a limitation on days of the week and/or hours of the day when a particular alternative may be used. Providing that an alternative messaging mechanism is registered, and any constraints for this alternative are satisfied, in the first preferred embodiment the extended IMS will select a suitable alternative and deliver the message. In a second and third preferred embodiment, the sender of the “instant” message will be informed of the available alternative(s). The sender may then choose to have his message delivered even though the intended receiver is not currently logged on to an instant messaging system. Fourth and fifth embodiments enable a message to be delivered to a recipient using a registered mechanism (that may include an IMS), and provide for determining availability of a selected user. Using these techniques, the real-time awareness of potential message receivers in instant messaging systems is extended.

Claims

36. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium in a computing environment for extending a wireless messaging system to enable use of registered message delivery mechanisms, comprising:

a registry comprising an entry for one or more message recipients, wherein each of said entries comprises;

(i) a registered message delivery mechanism, and (ii) addressing information for said mechanism;

computer-readable program code means for receiving, from a message sender using said wireless messaging system, a message to be delivered to a selected one of said message recipients;

computer-readable program code means for determining, by said extended messaging system, whether said selected one is currently available on said registered mechanism;

computer-readable program code means for delivering said message to said selected one on said available mechanism when said computer-readable program code means for determining has a positive result; and

computer-readable program code means for notifying said sender that said message cannot be delivered when said computer-readable program code means for determining has a negative result.

37. A system in a computing environment for extending a wireless messaging system to enable use of registered message delivery mechanisms, comprising:

a message sender;

one or more message recipients;

a registry comprising an entry for one or more of said message recipients, wherein each of said entries comprises;

(i) one or more registered message delivery mechanisms, and (ii) addressing information for each of said mechanisms;

means for receiving, from said message sender, a message to be delivered to a selected one of said message recipients;

means for determining, by said extended messaging system, whether said selected one is currently logged on to an instant messaging system (“

IMS”

);

means for delivering said message to said selected one using said IMS when said means for determining has a positive result; and

means for forwarding said message on a particular registered delivery mechanism associated with said recipient when said means for determining has a negative result and when said particular mechanism is available.

38. A method for extending a wireless messaging system to enable use of registered message delivery mechanisms in a computing environment, comprising the steps of:

providing a registry comprising an entry for at least one of one or more message recipients, wherein each of said entries comprises;

(i) one or more message delivery mechanisms, and (ii) addressing information for each of said alternatives;

receiving, from a message sender, a message to be delivered to a selected one of said message recipients;

determining, by said extended wireless messaging system, whether said selected one is currently logged on to an instant messaging system (“

IMS”

);

delivering said message to said selected one using said IMS when said determining step has a positive result; and

forwarding said message on a particular registered delivery mechanism associated with said recipient when said determining step has a negative result and when said particular mechanism is available.

39. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium in a computing environment for extending real-time awareness of users in a wireless messaging system, comprising:

a first user;

one or more other users;

a registry comprising an entry for one or more of said other users, wherein each of said entries comprises;

(i) a registered message delivery mechanism, and (ii) addressing information for said mechanism;

computer-readable program code means for receiving, from said first user using said wireless messaging system, a request for availability status information for a selected one of said other users;

computer-readable program code means for determining, by said extended messaging system, whether said selected one is currently available on said registered mechanism; and

computer-readable program code means for notifying said first user that said selected one is available when said computer-readable program code means for determining has a positive result.

40. A system in a computing environment for extending real-time awareness of users in a wireless messaging system, comprising:

a first user;

one or more other users;

a registry comprising an entry for one or more of said other users, wherein each of said entries comprises;

(i) one or more registered message delivery mechanisms, wherein one of said registered delivery mechanisms is an instant messaging system, and (ii) addressing information for each of said mechanisms;

means for receiving, from said first user using said wireless messaging system, a request for availability status information for a selected one of said other users;

means for determining, by said extended messaging system, whether said selected one is currently available on any of said registered mechanisms; and

means for notifying said first user that said selected one is available when said means for determining has a positive result.

41. A method for extending real-time awareness of users in a wireless messaging system in a computing environment, comprising the steps of:

providing a registry comprising an entry for at least one of one or more users of said wireless messaging system, wherein each of said entries comprises;

(i) one or more message delivery mechanisms, and (ii) addressing information for each of said alternatives;

receiving from a first user using said wireless messaging system, a request for availability status information for a selected one of said registered users;

determining, by said extended wireless messaging system, whether said selected one is currently available on any of said registered mechanisms; and

notifying said first user that said selected one is available when said determining step has a positive result.