METHOD AND APPARATUS CAPABLE OF UNIFIED MULTI-TRANSPORT MESSAGE HANDLING

• US 20090088189A1
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Glennie, Robin, Tysowski, Peter, Hardy, Michael Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,881,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

Upon obtaining a message object that specifies a plurality of destination addresses, a multi-transport client selects a candidate destination address from among the plurality of destination addresses, determines the transport associated with the candidate destination address and arranges for transmission of a portion of the message over the determined transport toward the candidate destination address.

Claims

1. A method of handling a message for transmission, said method comprising:

obtaining a first message, said first message specifying a plurality of destination addresses;

selecting a candidate destination address from among said plurality of destination addresses;

determining that said candidate destination address is not associated with a first transport;

determining that said candidate destination address is associated with a second transport; and

arranging for transmission of a portion of said first message over said second transport to said candidate destination address.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said arranging for transmission comprises populating a second message based on said first message, where said second message has a format specific to said second transport.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said arranging for transmission comprises populating a third message based on said first message, where said third message has a format specific to said second transport.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said arranging for transmission comprises selecting a candidate message from among said second message and said third message.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said arranging for transmission comprises amending said candidate message to include specification of a given destination address among said plurality of destination addresses, where said given destination address is not associated with said second transport.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said arranging for transmission comprises amending said candidate message to include specification of a given destination address among said plurality of destination addresses, where said given destination address is not otherwise specified in said candidate message.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a further candidate destination address from among said plurality of destination addresses;

determining that said candidate destination address is associated with said first transport;

arranging for transmission of a portion of said first message over said second transport to said candidate destination address.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said arranging for transmission comprises populating a second message based on said first message, where said second message has a format specific to said first transport.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said arranging for transmission comprises amending said second message to include specification of said candidate destination address.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said first transport is an electronic mail transport.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said second transport is an electronic mail transport.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said first transport is a Short Messaging Service transport.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said second transport is a Short Messaging Service transport.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said first transport is a Multimedia Messaging Service transport.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said second transport is a Multimedia Messaging Service transport.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said first transport is an Instant messaging transport.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said second transport is an Instant messaging transport.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter;

a processor adapted to;

obtain a first message, said first message specifying a plurality of destination addresses;

select a candidate destination address from among said plurality of destination addresses;

determine that said candidate destination address is not associated with a first transport;

determine that said candidate destination address is associated with a second transport; and

arrange for transmission, via said transmitter, of a portion of said first message over said second transport to said candidate destination address.

19. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when performed by a processor, cause said processor to:

obtain a first message, said first message specifying a plurality of destination addresses;

select a candidate destination address from among said plurality of destination addresses;

determine that said candidate destination address is not associated with a first transport;

determine that said candidate destination address is associated with a second transport; and

arrange for transmission of a portion of said first message over said second transport to said candidate destination address.