Method and system for messaging across cellular networks and a public data network
First Claim
1. A method of enabling a user of a cellular communications device to communicate with other users using instant messages, the method comprising:
- enabling a user of a cellular communications device to receive, at the cellular communications device, availability information for a user-defined group of other users, wherein the other users within the user-defined group are included in an instant message name list maintained for the user and the availability information includes an indication of an availability of the other users to communicate using instant messages;
receiving the availability information at the cellular communications device; and
displaying the availability information in a user interface on the cellular communications device.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system and computer program product for instant message communication in a wireless and non-wireless environment. A message is sent from a mobile unit device over a wireless communication network. The message includes a destination address, information associated with the mobile unit device'"'"'s user, message content and message address. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device'"'"'s user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message function, the associated instant message function is executed at the instant message system using the information contained in the message content, if required as determined by the associated instant message function. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device'"'"'s user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message name, an instant message is created according to the message content and is sent to the user with the associated instant message name. For instant messages sent or received by a mobile unit device with known buddies, the instant message is optimized by tagging the instant message with a routing phone number that is unique to the mobile unit device and buddy combination, whose identity is stored both in the mobile unit device address book and in the instant message routing server.
-
Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method of enabling a user of a cellular communications device to communicate with other users using instant messages, the method comprising:
-
enabling a user of a cellular communications device to receive, at the cellular communications device, availability information for a user-defined group of other users, wherein the other users within the user-defined group are included in an instant message name list maintained for the user and the availability information includes an indication of an availability of the other users to communicate using instant messages;
receiving the availability information at the cellular communications device; and
displaying the availability information in a user interface on the cellular communications device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A cellular communications device that is configured and arranged to enable a user to communicate with other users using instant messages, comprising:
-
an availability module that is configured and arranged to enable a user of the cellular communications device to receive, at the cellular communications device, availability information for a user-defined group of other users, wherein the other users within the user-defined group are included in an instant message name list maintained for the user and the availability information includes an indication of an availability of the other users to communicate using instant messages;
a receive module that is configured and arranged to receive the availability information at the cellular communications device; and
a display module that is configured and arranged to display the availability information in a user interface on the cellular communications device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A system for enabling a user of a cellular communications device to communicate with other users using instant messages, comprising:
-
means for enabling a user of a cellular communications device to receive, at the cellular communications device, availability information for a user-defined group of other users, wherein the other users within the user-defined group are included in an instant message name list maintained for the user and the availability information includes an indication of an availability of the other users to communicate using instant messages;
means for receiving the availability information at the cellular communications device; and
means for displaying the availability information in a user interface on the cellular communications device.
-
-
16. A method of enabling a user of a cellular communications device to communicate with online identities using instant messages, the method comprising:
-
accessing a group of several online identities that have been identified by the user for presence monitoring;
in a visual display provided at the cellular communications device, visually distinguishing online identities within the group that are presently available to communicate using instant messaging from online identities that are not presently available to communicate using instant messaging;
receiving user selection of an identity from among the visually distinguished identities;
enabling the user to compose a text message to be sent to the selected identity as an instant message; and
communicating the text message to the selected identity as the instant message. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A cellular communications device that is configured and arranged to enable a user of a cellular communications device to communicate with online identities using instant messages, comprising:
-
an access module that is configured and arranged to access a group of several online identities that have been identified by the user for presence monitoring;
a display module that is configured and arranged in a visual display provided at the cellular communications device, to visually distinguish online identities within the group that are presently available to communicate using instant messaging from online identities that are not presently available to communicate using instant messaging;
a receive module that is configured and arranged to receive user selection of an identity from among the visually distinguished identities;
a compose module that is configured and arranged to enable the user to compose a text message to be sent to the selected identity as an instant message; and
a communication module that is configured and arranged to communicate the text message to the selected identity as the instant message. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. A system for enabling a user of a cellular communications device to communicate with online identities using instant messages, comprising:
-
means for accessing a group of several online identities that have been identified by the user for presence monitoring;
in a visual display provided at the cellular communications device, means for visually distinguishing online identities within the group that are presently available to communicate using instant messaging from online identities that are not presently available to communicate using instant messaging;
means for receiving user selection of an identity from among the visually distinguished identities;
means for enabling the user to compose a text message to be sent to the selected identity as an instant message; and
means for communicating the text message to the selected identity as an instant message.
-
-
29. A computer program product implemented on a computer-based server, said computer program product comprising:
-
a first component for storing one or more functions or instant message names, each of the one or more functions or instant message names being assigned to an address in a list of addresses assigned to a subscribing user;
a second component for receiving an instant message request with an address, wherein instant message request being received from a cellular device;
a third component for identifying one of the stored instant message names or functions associated with the address of the received instant message request; and
a fourth component for generating an instant message if the address is identified to be associated with an instant message name. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification