Forwarding IM messages to E-mail

• US 20040158611A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daniell, W. Todd, Davis, Joel A., Daigle, Brian K., Friedman, Lee G., Kent, Larry G. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Systems for forwarding an E-mail message to a user when instant messages from a sender cannot be forwarded to a secondary IM processing device comprise a primary IM processing device configured to send and receive E-mail messages and a router configured to route E-mail messages between the primary IM processing device and a sender'"'"'s processing device. An E-mail user agent is coupled to the router and configured to provide access to E-mail information including an address of the sender such that an E-mail message can be sent to the sender'"'"'s processing device. The router is further configured to receive notification at the primary IM processing device of a reply from the sender'"'"'s processing device. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for handling E-mail messages, comprising:

generating an E-mail message from a primary IM processing device configured to process E-mail and IM messages;

sending the E-mail message to a recipient'"'"'s processing device; and

awaiting a response to the E-mail message from the recipient'"'"'s processing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the recipient'"'"'s processing device is available and adapted to handle E-mail messages when a reply is received at the primary IM processing device within a designated time period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the recipient'"'"'s processing device is unavailable when a reply message is not received at the primary IM processing device within a designated time period.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising transacting an E-mail session between the recipient'"'"'s processing device and the sender'"'"'s primary IM processing device.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending the recipient'"'"'s processing device an E-mail message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing an address book database to select an address for sending the E-mail message to the recipient'"'"'s processing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the reply received at the primary IM processing device is from a correct recipient by reviewing at least one of a message identification, transactional identification or stamp from a POP3 server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising polling by a POP3 server by a client of the primary IM processing device for the E-mail message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an event notification at the primary IM processing device from an E-mail server coupled to the recipient'"'"'s processing device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying the recipient'"'"'s processing device as to whether the recipient wishes to send an E-mail message to the primary IM processing device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising attempting to forward an instant message from a user'"'"'s primary IM processing device to an available secondary IM processing device and the attempt to forward the IM message being unsuccessful.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing information on E-mail accounts for the recipient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the accessing information on E-mail accounts for the recipient further comprises accessing an E-mail user agent of the primary IM processing device configured to provide access to obtain address information for the recipient.

14. A computer-readable medium having a computer program for forwarding an E-mail message from a sender to a recipient when attempts to forward an instant message from the sender are unsuccessful, comprising:

logic configured to receive an instant message on a primary IM processing device;

logic configured to attempt to forward the instant message to a secondary IM processing device;

logic configured to receive notification at the primary IM processing device that the attempt to forward the instant message was unsuccessful; and

logic configured to query a sender of the instant message as to whether the sender wishes to send the user an E-mail message.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising logic configured to detect a selection by the sender requesting to send the user an E-mail message.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 further comprising logic configured to access information on E-mail accounts for the user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising logic configured to receive an event notification at the primary IM processing device from an E-mail server coupled to a sender'"'"'s processing device.

18. A system for handling E-mail messages, comprising to a user having a processing device configured for IM and E-mail, comprising:

a primary IM processing device configured to send and receive E-mail messages;

a router configured to route E-mail messages between the primary IM processing device and a sender'"'"'s processing device; and

an E-mail user agent coupled to the router, the Email user agent configured to provide access to E-mail information.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising an E-mail server coupled to the E-mail user agent, the E-mail server configured to include E-mail address information.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising an address book coupled to the E-mail user agent, the address book is configured to include address information utilized to send an E-mail message to the sender'"'"'s processing device.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the router is further configured to receive an event notification from an E-mail server coupled to the sender'"'"'s processing device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the primary IM processing device is further configured to wait a designated time period for a reply from the sender'"'"'s processing device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the designated time period comprises two minutes.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the primary IM processing device is further configured to send an E-mail message to the sender'"'"'s processing device when a reply is received from the sender'"'"'s processing device within the designated time period.