Intelligent messaging

• US 20050009541A1
• Filed: 10/13/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Ali, Ye, Zhou, Kothari, Kalpak Dilip, Wilsher, Thomas, Shi, Jimmy, Zang, Xiaolin, Xiang, Jibin
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

Techniques for sending messages with automatic device selection and content conversion are provided. A recipient and devices associated with the recipient are determined for a message. A device is selected and the format of the message may be converted based on the selected device, if necessary. The message is then sent to the selected device.

Claims

1. A method for sending a message to a recipient, the recipient associated with a plurality of devices, the method comprising:

receiving a message;

determining a recipient for the message;

determining a plurality of devices associated with the recipient, wherein each device in the plurality of devices are associated with a device identifier and a communication type;

determining a device in the plurality of devices in which to send the message based on the communication type associated with the device; and

sending the message to the determined device at its device identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the device comprises determining the device based on content of the message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining communication capabilities for devices in the plurality of devices, wherein determining the device comprises determining the device based on the communication capabilities for the plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining one or more preferences associated with the recipient, wherein determining the device comprises determining the device based on the one or more preferences.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining presence information for devices in the plurality of devices associated with the user, wherein determining the device comprises determining the device based on the presence information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the device is determined based on presence information that indicates the device is active.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received message is sent by a second device that communicates in a first protocol and the sent message is received by the device that communicates in a second protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second device receives the message in the second protocol.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of devices comprises:

determining a recipient identifier that is associated with the plurality of devices from the recipient; and

using the recipient identifier to determine the plurality of devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the device comprises:

determining a communication type in which to send the message; and

determining the device identifier associated with the communication type.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the received message does not specify the device identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the received message is addressed to a different device identifier than the device identifier of the sent message.

13. A method for determining a device in a plurality of devices in which to send a message, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a first user for a second user;

determining a device in a plurality of devices associated with the second user;

determining a format associated with the determined device;

determining if the message needs to be adapted to the determined format;

if the message does need to be adapted, performing the steps of

adapting the message to the determined format; and

sending the adapted message to the determined device;

if the message does not need to be adapted, sending the message to the determined device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the received message comprises a first protocol, wherein the sent message is sent in a second protocol.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the format comprises at least one of a short message system (SMS), email, instant message (IM), and voice message format.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein adapting the message comprises adapting content of the received message to content compatible with the determined format.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a device identifier for the determined device, wherein sending the adapted message or message to the determined device comprises sending the adapted message or message to the determined device identifier.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the received message does not specify the determined device identifier.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the received message is addressed to a different device identifier than the device identifier of the sent message.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the device comprises using at least one of content of the message, communication capabilities for the plurality of devices, one or more preferences associated with the second user, and presence information for devices in the plurality of devices associated with the second user.

21. A device configured to route messages for a plurality of users, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message from a first user in the plurality of users;

a device determiner configured to determine a device in one or more devices associated with a second user in the plurality of users, the device determined based on one or more communication types associated with the one or more devices; and

a sender configured to send the message to a device identifier associated with the determined device for the second user.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the device is determined based on at least one of communication capabilities of the one or more devices, one or more preferences associated with the second user, and presence information for devices in the plurality of devices associated with the second user.

23. The device of claim 21, further comprising a formatter configured to format the received message to a format compatible with the determined device.

24. The device of claim 21, further comprising a database configured to store information for one or more devices associated with the plurality of users.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the one or more devices are associated with a user identifier for the second user, wherein the device determiner is configured to determine the user identifier from the message.

26. A system for sending messages, the system comprising:

a plurality of users, each user associated with one or more devices;

a message router configured to route messages from a first user to a second user, the message router comprising;

a receiver configured to receive a message from the first user;

a device determiner configured to determine a device in one or more devices associated with the second user, the device determined based on one or more communication types associated with the one or more devices; and

a sender configured to send the message to a device identifier associated with the determined device for the second user.

27. The system of claim 26, w herein the first user and second user comprise a first device that communicates in a first protocol and wherein the determined device communicates in a second protocol, wherein the message is adapted to the second protocol.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the first user comprises a device that communicates in a communication type of at least one of email, SMS, MMS, IM, and voice.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the communication types associated with the one or more devices comprises at least one of email, SMS, MMS, IM, and voice.