Method of controlling the number of messages received by a personal messaging unit
First Claim
1. A method for a subscriber'"'"'s portable messaging unit to control the number, and associated cost, of messages transmitted to it by a wireless messaging service, comprising in the subscriber'"'"'s portable messaging unit the steps of:
- a) storing a threshold number that indicates a number of messages to be received within a given period of time;
b) receiving incoming messages;
c) determining whether the number of incoming messages is likely to exceed the threshold number; and
d) if the threshold number is likely to be exceeded, instructing the messaging service to send messages to the subscriber via an alternate route.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A subscriber'"'"'s PMU (Personal Messaging Unit) (14) determines when the number of incoming messages is likely to be excessive by counting the incoming messages and comparing their number and rate of receipt to stored thresholds. The subscriber is alerted when an excess is detected, and he is given options such as: routing future messages to himself via alternate and less expensive communication links (34,38), or terminating messages sent to one of his PMU'"'"'s addresses that has been receiving messages at a high rate. Similar control can be effected at the PMU'"'"'s base station (12).
78 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for a subscriber'"'"'s portable messaging unit to control the number, and associated cost, of messages transmitted to it by a wireless messaging service, comprising in the subscriber'"'"'s portable messaging unit the steps of:
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a) storing a threshold number that indicates a number of messages to be received within a given period of time; b) receiving incoming messages; c) determining whether the number of incoming messages is likely to exceed the threshold number; and d) if the threshold number is likely to be exceeded, instructing the messaging service to send messages to the subscriber via an alternate route. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of controlling the number, and associated cost, of messages transmitted by a wireless messaging service to a subscriber'"'"'s personal messaging unit, comprising:
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a) storing a threshold number that indicates a number of messages to be received within a given period of time; b) determining whether the number of messages sent to the personal messaging unit exceeds the threshold number; c) if the threshold number is exceeded, giving the subscriber the option of changing the threshold number; and d) if the subscriber does not exercise the option, instructing the messaging service to send messages to the subscriber via an alternate route. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A method for controlling the number, and associated cost, of messages transmitted by a wireless messaging service to a subscriber'"'"'s personal messaging unit that can receive messages sent to any one of multiple addresses, comprising:
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a) storing a threshold number that indicates a number of messages to be received within a given period of time; b) determining whether the number of messages sent to the personal messaging unit exceeds the threshold number; and c) if the threshold number is not exceeded, and messages were sent to any one address of the personal messaging unit at an excessive rate, instructing the messaging service to send messages for that one address via an alternate route. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for a subscriber'"'"'s personal messaging unit to control the number, and associated cost, of messages transmitted to it by a wireless messaging service, comprising in the subscriber'"'"'s portable messaging unit the steps of:
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a) storing a threshold number that indicates a number of messages to be received within a given period of time; b) receiving and counting incoming messages; c) determining whether the number of incoming messages exceeds the threshold number; and d) if the threshold number is exceeded, instructing the messaging service to send messages to the subscriber via an alternate route; and e) if the threshold number is not exceeded, determining whether messages were sent to any one address of the personal messaging unit at an excessive rate.
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12. A method for a wireless messaging service to control the number, and associated cost, of messages transmitted to a subscriber'"'"'s personal messaging unit that has multiple addresses, comprising in a base station of the wireless messaging service the steps of:
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a) storing a threshold number that indicates a number of messages to be transmitted to the personal messaging unit within a given period of time; b) counting messages transmitted to the personal messaging unit; c) determining whether the number of messages transmitted to the personal messaging unit exceeds the threshold number; d) if the threshold number is not exceeded, transmitting a message to the personal messaging unit; and e) if the threshold number is exceeded, forwarding the message to the personal messaging unit via an alternate route. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification