Instant message proxy for circuit switched mobile environment

• US 20020173308A1
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorenbosch, Jheroen P., Mowry, Kevin C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,190,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• 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 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

An instant message (IM) proxy according to the present invention is capable of maintaining the availability status of a mobile subscriber even when the mobile subscriber is roaming or temporarily out of a mobile network coverage area, and even after the IM proxy unsuccessfully attempts to send an instant message to the mobile subscriber. Messages will continue to be re-sent to the mobile subscriber in the near-real time manner characteristic of a typical instant message system until IM parameters programmed into a retry counter and/or the timer located at the proxy are exceeded and the IM proxy drops the message. In addition, the IM proxy of the present invention is capable of bundling instant messages intended for the mobile subscriber to minimize mobile system overhead connection costs while at the same time minimizing IM system latency

Claims

1. A method of compensating for temporary subscriber unavailability in a mobile instant message session environment, comprising:

causing a mobile subscriber to register with an instant message system prior to participating in an instant message session;

indicating availability of the mobile subscriber to buddies of the mobile subscriber;

receiving an instant message intended for the mobile subscriber from one of the buddies; and

dropping the instant message intended for the mobile subscriber from the one of the buddies if the mobile subscriber does not receive the instant message after the instant message is resent a predetermined number of times.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically unregistering the mobile subscriber after the resending of an instant message intended for the mobile subscriber from one of the buddies for one of a predetermined number of times and a predetermined time period.

3. A mobile subscriber instant message system, comprising:

an instant message proxy for receiving registration information from a mobile subscriber and for subsequently indicating to registered system subscribers participating in an instant message session that the mobile subscriber is available for receiving instant messages;

the instant message proxy further for resending an instant message intended for the mobile subscriber and not received by the mobile subscriber to compensate for mobile network latencies; and

the instant message proxy further for dropping the instant message if the mobile subscriber does not receive the instant message after the instant message is resent a predetermined number of times.

4. The mobile subscriber instant message system of claim 3, wherein the instant message proxy is located in one of a mobile services switching center, a mobile system gateway, and an instant message server.

5. The mobile subscriber instant message system of claim 3, wherein the instant message proxy is located in proximity to one of a mobile services switching center, a mobile system gateway, and an instant message server.

6. The mobile subscriber instant message system of claim 3, wherein the instant message proxy includes at least one of a timer and a counter programmed to limit the instant message from being sent to the mobile subscriber for at least one of only the predetermined number of times and within a predetermined time period.

7. The mobile subscriber instant message system of claim 3, further comprising a login server with which the mobile subscriber must register prior to participating in an instant message session, the login server for indicating to the registered system subscribers participating in the instant message session that the mobile subscriber is available for receiving instant messages.

8. A method of bundling messages for a mobile subscriber in an instant message system to minimize mobile system connection overhead, comprising:

queuing instant messages intended for the mobile subscriber while the mobile subscriber is not registered with the instant message system;

notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit; and

facilitating connection of the mobile subscriber to the instant message system to enable the mobile subscriber to retrieve the queued instant messages.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit comprises notifying the mobile subscriber when the number of queued instant messages intended for the mobile subscriber reaches a predetermined number.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit comprises notifying the mobile subscriber when at least one queued instant message intended for the mobile subscriber has been queued for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit comprises notifying the mobile subscriber when a predetermined number of buddies send messages intended for the mobile subscriber within a predetermined amount of time.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit comprises notifying the mobile subscriber when a predetermined number of buddies send a predetermined number of messages intended for the mobile subscriber within a predetermined amount of time.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit comprises notifying the mobile subscriber when a buddy sends a second message intended for the mobile subscriber subsequent to sending a first unanswered message.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit is based at least in part on a number of instant message session participants.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit is based at least in part on one of mobile network traffic parameters and mobile subscriber subscription parameters.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined limit in the notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit is based at least in part on mobile subscriber-based instructions.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

causing the mobile subscriber to register with the instant message system when the mobile subscriber wants to participate in an instant message session; and

indicating to buddies of the mobile subscriber that the mobile subscriber is available for receiving instant messages.

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising downloading the queued instant messages intended for the mobile subscriber when one of a high priority instant message is received and the mobile subscriber sends an outgoing message.

19. The method of claim 8, further comprising notifying buddies of the mobile subscriber that the mobile subscriber is connected through a wireless system upon initiation of the queuing of instant messages intended for the mobile subscriber while the mobile subscriber is not registered with the instant message system.

20. A mobile subscriber instant message system, comprising:

an instant message proxy located between a mobile subscriber and at least one instant message buddy of the mobile subscriber for queuing instant messages intended for the mobile subscriber while the mobile subscriber is not registered;

the instant message proxy further for notifying the mobile subscriber when queued instant message parameters reach a predetermined limit; and

the instant message proxy further for enabling the mobile subscriber to retrieve the queued instant messages when the queued instant message parameters reach the predetermined limit.