Apparatus and Method for Quickly Sending Messages

• US 20160112351A1
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: McNiece, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 10,084,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A communication apparatus is configured to provide for quickly sending a message to a recipient. For instance, embodiments can be configured so that text, an image, or other content can be copied from a received message and sent via use of a copy and send command to actuate the formation of a message for sending. After selecting such a command, a message may be formed in a format of a preselecting messaging protocol (e.g. instant messaging, text messaging, etc.) that includes the copied content. In some embodiments, the sending of the message having the copied content may occur automatically in a predefined messaging format to a predefined addressee or group of predefined addressees after selecting a copy and send command so that no further input from a user is needed to effect the generation and sending of a message to the addressee(s).

Claims

1. A method of quickly sending at least one message comprising:

selecting content data displayed on a display unit;

actuating a copy and send command after selecting the content data;

generating, by a first communication terminal, a message in a pre-selected messaging format having the content data copied within the message in response to actuation of the copy and send command;

sending, by the first communication terminal, the message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is sent to a messaging support node for delivery to at least one addressee of the message.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising:

delivering the message, by the messaging support node, to a second communication terminal associated with an addressee of the message.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

sending authentication data from the second communication terminal to the messaging support node; and

wherein the messaging support node sends the message to the second communication terminal after receiving the authentication data and verifying that the authentication data associates the second communication terminal with the addressee of the message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is generated such that the message is automatically addressed to a pre-selected addressee by the first communication terminal in response to actuation of the copy and send command.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pre-selected messaging format of the message is defined by a graphical user interface from which the content data is selected;

and

the message is automatically sent by the first communication terminal in response to the actuation of the copy and send command.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pre-selected addressee for the message is an address of at least one user associated with an open conversation display within the graphical user interface of the first communication terminal displaying the selected content data via the display unit.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content data comprises at least one of text and graphical data.

9. A communication system comprising:

a first communication terminal having hardware, the hardware comprising at least one processor communicatively connected to non-transitory memory;

a messaging support node having hardware, the hardware comprising at least one processor communicatively connected to non-transitory memory, the messaging support node being communicatively connectable to the first communication terminal;

the first communication terminal configured to select content data displayed on a display unit;

the first communication terminal configured to generate a message in a pre-selected messaging format having the selected content data copied within the message in response to actuation of a copy and send command;

the first communication terminal configured to send the message in a pre-selected messaging format to the messaging support node for delivery of the message to at least one second communication terminal associated with at least one addressee of the message.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the content data comprises at least one of text and graphical data.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the messaging support node is configured to deliver the message to each second communication terminal associated with a respective addressee of the message in response to receiving authentication data from the second communication terminal that authenticates the second communication terminal.

12. The system of claim 11, comprising:

the at least one second communication terminal, each second communication terminal configured to send the authentication data to the messaging support node, the authentication data comprising a password of an addressee of the message for authentication of the second communication terminal for receiving the message from the messaging support node.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the message is generated such that the message is automatically addressed to a pre-selected addressee by the first communication terminal in response to actuation of the copy and send command.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the pre-selected messaging format of the message is defined by a graphical user interface or an open conversation from which the content data is selected;

and

the first communication terminal is configured to automatically send the message in response to the actuation of the copy and send command such that no further input is provided to the first communication terminal from the user after actuation of the copy and send command for sending of the message.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the pre-selected addressee for the message is an address of a user associated with the open conversation having an exchange of messages displayed within the graphical user interface displaying the selected content data via a display unit of the first communication terminal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the display unit is a display device of the first communication terminal or is a display device communicatively connected to the first communication terminal.

17. A communication terminal, comprising:

hardware, the hardware comprising a processor communicatively connected to non-transitory memory and at least one transceiver unit, the memory having an application stored thereon that defines a copy and send command such that the communication terminal is configured to send a message having copied content within the message in response to actuation of the copy and send command.

18. The communication terminal of claim 17, wherein the communication terminal is configured such that the communication terminal generates a message in a pre-selected messaging format having the content data selected for copying being copied within the message in response to actuation of the copy and send command;

and

the communication terminal sends the message in the pre-selected messaging format to a messaging support node for delivery of the message to at least one other communication terminal associated with at least one addressee of the message.

19. The communication terminal of claim 18, wherein the pre-selected messaging format of the message is defined by a graphical user interface from which the content data is selected;

and

the communication terminal is configured to automatically send the message in response to the actuation of the copy and send command.

20. The communication terminal of claim 19, wherein the addressee of the message is a pre-selected addressee associated with an open conversation within the graphical user interface displaying the selected content data via a display unit of the communication terminal.