Intelligent Messaging

• US 20070130271A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• 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, Wilsher, Thomas, Shi, Jimmy, Zang, Xiaolin, Xiang, Jibin, Kothari, Kalpak
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a sender to be delivered to a recipient, the message being sent by a first device that communicates in a first protocol;

determining a recipient identifier associated with the message;

determining a plurality of devices associated with the recipient using the recipient identifier, the plurality of devices being of at least two device types;

determining a user preference for delivery of the message to the recipient, the user preference indicating at least one of a selected device and a selected device type to which to deliver the message; and

delivering the message to a second device of the plurality of devices as indicated by the user preference, the message being delivered in a second protocol used for communication by the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the user preference for delivery includes determining a content of the message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining communication capabilities for devices in the plurality of devices, wherein delivering the message to a second device includes determining the device type based on the user preference and the communication capabilities for the plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preference includes a priority scheme for determining devices to receive the message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining presence information for the recipient, wherein delivering the message to a second device includes determining the device type based on the presence information and the user preference.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preference is changeable by the user in order to update preference information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user preference indicates multiple devices to receive the message based on a time of delivery of the message.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising program code for determining presence information for the recipient, wherein delivering the message to a second device includes determining the device type based on the presence information and the user preference.

8. A method for sending a message, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a sender to be delivered to a recipient;

determining a recipient identifier associated with the message;

determining a plurality of devices associated with the recipient using the recipient identifier, the plurality of devices being of at least two device types;

determining presence information for the recipient;

determining a user preference for delivery of the message to the recipient, the user preference indicating a priority scheme for determining at least one of a selected device and a selected device type to which to deliver the message; and

delivering the message to a second device of the plurality of devices that is a highest priority device indicated in the priority scheme of the user preference that is indicated to be active by the presence information, the message being delivered in a second protocol used for communication by the second device

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

determining a format associated with the second device;

determining whether the message needs to be adapted to the determined format; and

if the message does need to be adapted, adapting the message to the determined format before delivering the message to the second device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the determined format comprises at least one of a short message system (SMS), email, instant message (IM), and voice message format.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein adapting the message comprises adapting content of the received message to content compatible with the determined format.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the user preference includes using communication capabilities for the plurality of device types.

13. 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, the first user using a first device communicating using a first protocol;

an identifier module configured determine a user identifier for a second user to receive the message, the user identifier usable to determine a plurality of devices that are associated with the second user;

a user preference determiner configured to determine a user preference for delivery of the message, the user preference indicating at least one of a selected device and a selected device type to which to deliver the message for the second user; and

a sender configured to deliver the message to a second device of the plurality of devices as indicated by the user preference, the message being delivered in a second protocol used for communication by the second device.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a formatter configured to format the received message to a format compatible with the second device.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising a database configured to store information for the plurality of devices associated with the plurality of users.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first device communicates in a communication type of at least one of email, SMS, MMS, IM, and voice.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication types associated with the plurality of device types include at least one of email, SMS, MMS, IM, and voice.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the sender is operable to deliver the message through any of a plurality of different communication channels to the plurality of devices.

19. A computer program product embedded in a computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising:

program code for receiving a message from a sender to be delivered to a recipient, the message being sent by a first device that communicates in a first protocol;

program code for determining a recipient identifier associated with the message;

program code for determining a plurality of devices associated with the recipient using the recipient identifier, the plurality of devices being of at least two device types;

program code for determining a user preference for delivery of the message to the recipient, the user preference indicating at least one of a selected device and a selected device type to which to deliver the message; and

program code for delivering the message to a second device of the plurality of devices as indicated by the user preference, the message being delivered in a second protocol used for communication by the second device.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising program code for determining communication capabilities for devices in the plurality of devices, wherein delivering the message to a second device includes determining the device type based on the user preference and the communication capabilities for the plurality of devices.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the user preference includes a priority scheme for determining devices to receive the message.