Forwarding IM messages to E--mail

• US 20060248157A1
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daniell, W. Todd, Davis, Joel A., Daigle, Brian K., Friedman, Lee G., Kent, Larry G. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• 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 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 (IM) from the sender are unsuccessful, comprising:

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

logic configured to attempt to forward the IM from a sender to an intended recipient with a secondary IM processing device;

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

logic configured to query the sender of the IM as to whether the sender wishes to send the intended recipient of the IM an E-mail message.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising logic configured to detect a selection by the sender requesting to send the intended recipient an E-mail message.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising logic configured to access information on E-mail accounts for the intended recipient.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising logic configured to receive an event notification at the primary IM processing device from an E-mail server coupled to an E-mail processing device of the sender.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising logic configured to determine that the secondary IM processing device is unavailable when a reply message is not received at the primary IM processing device within a designated time period.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, further comprising logic configured to send an E-mail message to a processing device of the intended recipient.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising logic configured to access an address book database to select an address for sending the E-mail message to a processing device of the intended recipient.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the E-mail message includes the text of the instant message.

9. A method for forwarding an E-mail message from a sender to a recipient when attempts to forward an instant message (IM) from the sender are unsuccessful, comprising:

receiving an IM on a primary IM processing device;

attempting to forward the IM from a sender to an intended recipient, the intended recipient having a secondary IM processing device;

receiving notification at the primary IM processing device that the attempt to forward the IM was unsuccessful; and

querying the sender of the IM as to whether the sender wishes to send the intended recipient of the IM an E-mail message.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising detecting a selection by the sender requesting to send the intended recipient an E-mail message.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising accessing information on E-mail accounts for the intended recipient.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving an event notification at the primary IM processing device from an E-mail server coupled to an E-mail processing device of the sender.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining that the secondary IM processing device is unavailable when a reply message is not received at the primary IM processing device within a designated time period.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending an E-mail message to a processing device of the intended recipient.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising accessing an address book database to select an address for sending the E-mail message to a processing device of the intended recipient.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the E-mail message includes the text of the instant message.