Unified messaging system configured for management of short message service-type messages

• US 7,024,209 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lockwood, Robert James, Sealey, Robert Raymond, Gress, David Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/739,687
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 4554141-4144, 455/418, 4554322-4323, 455/466, 455/422.1, 455/433, 455/439, 455/554.1, 455/554.2, 455/550.1, 455/560, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 370/349, 370/395.5, 709/203, 709/216, 709218-219, 709/229
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/08 Upper layer protocols network arrangements or communication protocols for networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A unified communications system is configured for receiving, storing, and/or sending SMS messages based on management of the SMS messages according to a prescribed open standards-based protocol. The unified communications system includes an SMS module configured for receiving SMS messages according to SMPP protocol. The SMS module obtains source and destination information from the received SMS message, and accesses a subscriber profile directory for subscriber profile information based on at least one of the source and destination information. The SMS module generates a common format message that includes the SMS message, and selectively supplies the common format message to selected destinations based on the accessed subscriber profile information. The common format message may be stored in a prescribed message store, for example an IMAP directory, or output as an e-mail message to a prescribed destination. The SMS module also is configured for selectively supplying stored messages to a unified messaging subscriber as an SMS message based on the profile information on the unified messaging subscriber. Hence, the unified communications system enables SMS messaging users to send SMS messages to non SMS-type devices (e.g., telephones, e-mail clients, etc.) and retrieve stored common format messages (e.g., fax, e-mail, voice messages) using the SMS message system.

Claims

1. A method in a unified messaging server, the method comprising:

receiving a short message service (SMS) message by the unified messaging server according to short message peer-to-peer (SMPP) protocol;

accessing by the unified messaging server a subscriber directory, according to an open network protocol, for subscriber attribute information based on the received SMS message;

generating, based on the subscriber attribute information, at least one common format message based on enclosing the SMS message into the common format message by the unified messaging server;

supplying the common format message by the unified messaging server to a selected destination according to a selected access protocol based on the subscriber attribute information;

second generating a new SMS message including subscriber messaging information for a selected subscriber; and

outputting the new SMS message for the selected subscriber according to SMPP protocol;

wherein the second generating step includes;

retrieving the common format message as the subscriber messaging information from a subscriber message store having a directory for the selected subscriber; and

inserting the received SMS message, extracted from the retrieved common format message, into the new SMS message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplying step includes storing the common format message in the subscriber message store, the selected destination corresponding to a messaging folder for a selected subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the supplying step further includes storing the common format message as an e-mail message according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating step includes generating within the at least one common format message a destination address based on the subscriber attribute information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subscriber attribute information specifies at least one of a distribution list specified by an identified source of the SMS message, and a destination preference specified by an identified destination of the SMS message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the accessing step includes accessing the subscriber directory according to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) as the open network protocol for the subscriber attribute information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplying step includes outputting the common format message to the selected destination according to SMTP protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step includes enclosing the SMS message within a body of a MIME data structure, and specifying within the MIME data structure that the body has an SMS type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second generating step includes obtaining subscriber messaging information, specifying stored unified messages within an assigned directory for the selected subscriber, from the subscriber message store according to a prescribed open network protocol.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the subscriber messaging information specifies at least one of a stored SMS message, a voice message, a fax message, and an e-mail message, as a corresponding at least one of the stored unified messages.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the subscriber messaging information from the subscriber message store according to IMAP protocol.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second generating step generates the new SMS message for the selected subscriber based on the corresponding subscriber attribute information for the selected subscriber.

13. A method in a communications system, the method comprising:

receiving by a short message service center (SMSC) an SMS message from a SMS device;

forwarding a copy of the SMS message to a unified messaging server via short message peer-to-peer (SMPP) protocol based on SMS subscriber information determined by the SMSC based on the SMS message;

accessing subscriber attribute information by the unified messaging server based on the SMS message;

enclosing the SMS message by the unified messaging server into a common format message; and

supplying the common format message to at least one selected destination based on the subscriber attribute information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the forwarding step includes:

accessing the SMS subscriber information based on at least one of the SMS source address and the SMS destination address; and

generating the copy for forwarding to the unified messaging server based on accessing the SMS subscriber information for at least one of the SMS source address and the SMS destination address.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending the SMS message to a second SMS device, having a prescribed address matching a destination address within the SMS message, according to a prescribed wireless protocol.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the supplying step includes storing the common format message in a subscriber message store, the at least one selected destination corresponding to a messaging folder for a selected subscriber.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the supplying step further includes storing the common format message as an e-mail message according to IMAP protocol.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the enclosing step includes generating for the common format message a destination address based on the subscriber attribute information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating a plurality of the common format messages having respective selected destinations based on retrieval of a distribution list from the subscriber attribute information.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the accessing step includes accessing the subscriber attribute information according to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the supplying step includes outputting the common format message to the selected destination according to at least one of SMTP protocol and IMAP protocol.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the enclosing step includes enclosing the SMS message within a body of a MIME data structure, and specifying within the MIME data structure that the body has an SMS type.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

generating by the unified messaging server a new SMS message including subscriber messaging information for a selected subscriber; and

outputting the new SMS message to the SMS the via SMPP protocol.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating step includes obtaining subscriber messaging information, specifying stored unified messages within an assigned directory for the selected subscriber, from a subscriber message store according to a prescribed open network protocol.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the subscriber messaging information specifies at least one of a stored SMS message, a voice message, a fax message, and an e-mail message, as a corresponding at least one of the stored unified messages.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the subscriber messaging information from the subscriber message store according to IMAP protocol.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating step includes:

retrieving the common format message as the subscriber messaging information from a message store having a directory for the selected subscriber; and

inserting the received SMS message, extracted from the retrieved common format message, into the new SMS message.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating step generates the new SMS message for the selected subscriber based on the corresponding subscriber attribute information for the selected subscriber.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the inserting step includes converting the voice message into a text-based message, and inserting the text-based message into the new SMS message.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the generating step includes:

retrieving from a subscriber message store at least one of the stored SMS message, a voice message, a fax message, and an e-mail message from a directory assigned for the selected subscriber; and

inserting the at least one message into the new SMS message.

31. The method of claim 13, wherein the accessing step includes accessing a subscriber directory according to an open network protocol for the subscriber attribute information.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of accessing the subscriber directory includes generating a query according to LDAP protocol.

33. A unified messaging server comprising:

a short message service (SMS) module configured for receiving SMS messages according to short message peer to peer (SMPP) protocol, the SMS module configured for generating a query for subscriber attribute information based on the received SMS message, and generating at least one common format message based on the subscriber attribute information and based on enclosing the SMS message into the at least one common format message;

a first interface resource configured for accessing the subscriber attribute information based on the query from a subscriber directory according to a prescribed open network protocol, the first interface resource configured for accessing the subscriber attribute information from the subscriber directory according to LDAP protocol; and

a second interface resource configured for outputting the at least one common format message according to at least one of SMTP protocol and IMAP protocol;

wherein the SMS module is configured for generating a first common format message for storage according to IMAP protocol of the SMS message in a sent directory for a first subscriber having sent the SMS message, and a second common format message for storage of the SMS message according to IMAP protocol in a new message directory for a second subscriber identified as a recipient for the SMS message.

34. The server of claim 33, wherein the SMS module is configured for generating a plurality of common format messages for respective destinations based on retrieval from the subscriber attribute information of a distribution list specified by the SMS message.

35. The server of claim 33, wherein the SMS module is configured for enclosing the SMS message within a body of a MIME data structure, and specifying within the MIME data structure that the body has an SMS type.

36. The server of claim 33, wherein the SMS module is configured for generating a new SMS message including subscriber messaging information for a selected subscriber, the SMS module outputting the new SMS message for the selected subscriber according to SMPP protocol.

37. The server of claim 36, wherein the SMS module obtains the subscriber messaging information from a subscriber message store according to IMAP protocol based on the subscriber attribute information for the corresponding selected subscriber accessed by the first interface from the subscriber directory.

38. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for receiving a short message service (SMS) message by a unified messaging server, the sequences of instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving a short message service (SMS) message by the unified messaging server according to short message peer-to-peer (SMPP) protocol;

accessing by the unified messaging server a subscriber directory, according to an open network protocol, for subscriber attribute information based on the received SMS message;

generating, based on the subscriber attribute information, at least one common format message based on enclosing the SMS message into the common format message by the unified messaging server;

supplying the common format message by the unified messaging server to a selected destination according to a selected access protocol based on the subscriber attribute information;

second generating a new SMS message including subscriber messaging information for a selected subscriber; and

outputting the new SMS message for the selected subscriber according to SMPP protocol;

wherein the second generating step includes;

retrieving the common format message as the subscriber messaging information from a subscriber message store having a directory for the selected subscriber; and

inserting the received SMS message, extracted from the retrieved common format message, into the new SMS message.

39. The medium of claim 38, wherein the supplying step includes storing the common format message in the subscriber message store, the selected destination corresponding to a messaging folder for a selected subscriber.

40. The medium of claim 39, wherein the supplying step further includes storing the common format message as an e-mail message according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).

41. The medium of claim 39, wherein the generating step includes generating within the at least one common format message a destination address based on the subscriber attribute information.

42. The medium of claim 41, wherein the subscriber attribute information specifies at least one of a distribution list specified by an identified source of the SMS message, and a destination preference specified by an identified destination of the SMS message.

43. The medium of claim 42, wherein the accessing step includes accessing the subscriber directory according to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) as the open network protocol for the subscriber attribute, information.

44. The medium of claim 38, wherein the supplying step includes outputting the common format message to the selected destination according to SMTP protocol.

45. The medium of claim 38, wherein the generating step includes enclosing the SMS message within a body of a MIME data structure, and specifying within the MIME data structure that the body has an SMS type.

46. The medium of claim 38, wherein the second generating step includes obtaining subscriber messaging information, specifying stored unified messages within an assigned directory for the selected subscriber, from a subscriber message store according to a prescribed open network protocol.

47. The medium of claim 46, wherein the subscriber messaging information specifies at least one of a stored SMS message, a voice message, a fax message, and an e-mail message, as a corresponding at least one of the stored unified messages.

48. The medium of claim 46, wherein the obtaining step includes obtaining the subscriber messaging information from the subscriber message store according to IMAP protocol.

49. The medium of claim 38, wherein the second generating step generates the new SMS message for the selected subscriber based on the corresponding subscriber attribute information for the selected subscriber.

50. A unified messaging server comprising:

means for receiving a short message service (SMS) message according to short message peer-to-peer (SMPP) protocol;

means for accessing a subscriber directory, according to an open network protocol, for subscriber attribute information based on the received SMS message;

means for generating, based on the subscriber attribute information, at least one common format message based on enclosing the SMS message into the common format message;

means for supplying the common format message to a selected destination according to a selected access protocol based on the subscriber attribute information;

means for generating a new SMS message including subscriber messaging information for a selected subscriber; and

means for outputting the new SMS message for the selected subscriber according to SMPP protocol;

wherein the means for generating the new SMS message is configured for retrieving the common format message as the subscriber messaging information from a message store having a directory for the selected subscriber, and inserting the received SMS message, extracted from the retrieved common format message, into the new SMS message.

51. The server of claim 50, wherein the supplying means is configured for storing the common format message in the subscriber message store, the selected destination corresponding to a messaging folder for a selected subscriber.

52. The server of claim 51, wherein the supplying means is configured for storing the common format message as an e-mail message according to Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).

53. The server of claim 51, wherein the generating means is configured for generating within the at least one common format message a destination address based on the subscriber attribute information.

54. The server of claim 53, wherein the subscriber attribute information specifies at least one of a distribution list specified by an identified source of the SMS message, and a destination preference specified by an identified destination of the SMS message.

55. The server of claim 54, wherein the accessing means is configured for accessing the subscriber directory according to Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) as the open network protocol for the subscriber attribute information.

56. The server of claim 50, wherein the supplying means is configured for outputting the common format message to the selected destination according to SMTP protocol.

57. The server of claim 50, wherein the generating means includes means for enclosing the SMS message within a body of a MIME data structure, and specifying within the MIME data structure that the body has an SMS type.

58. The server of claim 50, wherein the means for generating a new SMS message is configured for obtaining subscriber messaging information, specifying stored unified messages within an assigned directory for the selected subscriber, from a subscriber message store according to a prescribed open network protocol.

59. The server of claim 58, wherein the subscriber messaging information specifies at least one of a stored SMS message, a voice message, a fax message, and an e-mail message, as a corresponding at least one of the stored unified messages.

60. The server of claim 58, wherein the means for generating a new SMS message is configured for obtaining the subscriber messaging information from the subscriber message store according to IMAP protocol.

61. The server of claim 50, wherein the means for generating the new SMS message is configured for generating the new SMS message for the selected subscriber based on the corresponding subscriber attribute information for the selected subscriber.