Messaging Service

• US 20080294735A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Milic-Frayling, Natasa, Muntermann, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A messaging service is described which provides application agnostic and cross-platform messaging. Senders compile message content components and specify message preferences. The messaging service calculates a utility and cost of sending the message over different types of communication channel. A communication channel is selected using the cost and utility information and the message service formats the message content components for the particular communication channel. The message is then sent for example, as email, SMS, MMS or other suitable type depending on the selected channel. The utility is calculated using the sender message preferences, communication channel attributes, sending and recipient device attributes and preferably also, but not essentially, preferences of the recipient.

Claims

1. A message server arranged to send a message from a sending entity to a recipient entity over one of a plurality of communication channels, said message server comprising:

(i) an input arranged to receive message attribute values associated with the message and one or more message content parts for the message;

(ii) an input arranged to access communication channel attribute values associated with one or more of the communication channels;

sending entity attribute values associated with the sending entity and recipient entity attribute values associated with the recipient entity;

(iii) a processor arranged to calculate a utility of sending the message over at least one of the communication channels on the basis of at least some of the message attribute values, communication channel attribute values, sending entity attribute values and recipient entity attribute values;

(iv) an output arranged to format one or more of the message content parts for sending over one of the communication channels, said communication channel having been selected on the basis of the calculated utility.

2. A message server as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sending entity and the recipient entity each comprise messaging application software, the sending entity application software being incompatible with the recipient entity application software and wherein the output is arranged to format the message content parts for compatibility with the recipient entity application software.

3. A message server as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processor is also arranged to calculate the utility on the basis of a cost of sending the message.

4. A message server as claimed in claim 1 wherein said input is arranged to receive recipient message preference attribute values and wherein the utility is calculated also on the basis of at least some of those recipient message preference attribute values.

5. A message server as claimed in claim 1 wherein said input is arranged to receive external context information and wherein the utility is calculated also on the basis of at least some of that external context information.

6. A message server as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processor is arranged to form a utility relation vector covering the relation of utilities when sending the message via one communication channel compared to another.

7. A message server as claimed in claim 6 wherein said processor is also arranged to form a cost relation vector.

8. A message server as claimed in claim 7 wherein the processor is arranged to concatenate the utility relation vector and cost relation vector and to apply a metric to the concatenated vector to enable the communication channels to be ranked.

9. A message server as claimed in claim 8 wherein the output is also arranged to send information about message status to the sending entity and or the recipient entity.

10. A message server as claimed in claim 1 wherein the output is also arranged to send information to the sending entity and or the recipient entity about any message content parts omitted from the format for sending.

11. A method of sending a message from a sending entity to a recipient entity over one of a plurality of communication channels, said method comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving message attribute values associated with the message and one or more message content parts for the message;

(ii) accessing communication channel attribute values associated with one or more of the communication channels, sending entity attribute values associated with the sending entity and recipient entity attribute values associated with the recipient entity;

(iii) calculating a utility of sending the message over at least one of the communication channels on the basis of at least some of the message attribute values, communication channel attribute values, sending entity attribute values and recipient entity attribute values;

(iv) formatting one or more of the message content parts for sending over one of the communication channels, said communication channel having been selected on the basis of the calculated utility.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the sending entity and the recipient entity each comprise messaging application software, the sending entity application software being incompatible with the recipient entity application software and wherein the step of formatting one or more of the message content parts comprises doing so for compatibility with the recipient entity application software.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 which comprises calculating the utility on the basis of a cost of sending the message.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 which further comprises receiving recipient message preference attribute values and wherein the utility is calculated also on the basis of at least some of those recipient message preference attribute values.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 which comprises receiving external context information and calculating the utility on the basis of at least some of that external context information.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11 which comprises forming a utility relation vector covering the relation of utilities when sending the message via one communication channel compared to another.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 which comprises forming a cost relation vector.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 which comprises concatenating the utility relation vector and cost relation vector and applying a metric to the concatenated vector to enable the communication channels to be ranked in terms of utility and cost.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 which is carried out by a computer program.

20. A message sending entity comprising:

(i) an input arranged to receive information about message content to be used for a message to be sent;

(ii) an input arranged to receive message characteristics associated with the message;

(iii) an output arranged to send the message characteristics to a message server;

(iii) an input arranged to receive information about available communication channels for sending the message and utility values associated with sending the message over those communication channels;

(iv) an output arranged to send information about a selected communication channel to the message server and to send the message content to the message server.