Electronic message forwarding
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting electronic messages in a computer environment, comprising the steps of:
- receiving an electronic message addressed to a telephone number;
determining an instant message identifier associated with the telephone number;
determining whether an instant message receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the instant message identifier;
forwarding the electronic message as an instant message addressed to the instant message identifier in response to a determination that an instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier; and
sending the electronic message to a mobile device at the telephone number in response to a determination that no instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a method of transmitting electronic messages in a computer environment. The preferred embodiment receives an electronic message addressed to a telephone number and determines an instant message identifier associated with the telephone number. In response to the determination that an instant message identifier associates with the telephone number, it is further determined whether an instant message receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the instant message identifier. In response to a determination that an instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier, the electronic message is forwarded as an instant message addressed to the instant message identifier. In response to a determinaton that an instant message receiver is available to receive instant message addressed to the instant message identifier, electronic message is sent to a mobile device at the telephone number in response to a determination that no instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting electronic messages in a computer environment, comprising the steps of:
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receiving an electronic message addressed to a telephone number;
determining an instant message identifier associated with the telephone number;
determining whether an instant message receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the instant message identifier;
forwarding the electronic message as an instant message addressed to the instant message identifier in response to a determination that an instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier; and
sending the electronic message to a mobile device at the telephone number in response to a determination that no instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for transmitting electronic messages in a computer environment, comprising:
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a module for receiving an electronic message addressed to a telephone number;
a module for determining an instant message identifier associated with the telephone number;
a module for determining whether an instant message receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the instant message identifier;
a module for forwarding the electronic message as an instant message addressed to the instant message identifier in response to a determination that an instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier; and
a module for sending the electronic message to a mobile device at the telephone number in response to a determination that no instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method of transmitting electronic messages in a computer environment, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving an electronic message addressed to a telephone number;
determining an instant message identifier associated with the telephone number;
determining whether an instant message receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the instant message identifier;
forwarding the electronic message as an instant message addressed to the instant message identifier in response to a determination that an instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier; and
sending the electronic message to a mobile device at the telephone number in response to a determination that no instant message receiver is available to receive instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification