Text message delivery features for an interactive wireless network

• US 7,117,248 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jordan, Royce D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAWAZ, ASAD M
• Application Number:
  US09/965,782
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-208, 709/239, 709217-226, 709/238, 709/248, 370/328, 455412-413
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

An apparatus and method for sending a message to a wireless device over a wireless network includes receiving the message transmitted over an external network in communication with the wireless network or a gateway in the network. The message includes a deletion instruction to delete the message if the message is not delivered to the wireless device. The wireless network or gateway attempts to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network or determines whether the wireless device is capable of receiving the message, and carries out the expiration instruction by deleting the message.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sending a message to a wireless device over a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a gateway for receiving the message transmitted over an external network in communication with the gateway, the message including a deletion instruction to delete the message if the message is not delivered to the wireless device, for attempting to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network, and for carrying out the deletion instruction by deleting the message, wherein the deletion instruction comprises at least one text command placed within or appended to a body of the message to designate that the message is to be immediately deleted and not maintained in storage for the wireless device by the gateway if the message is determined to not be able to be immediately delivered to the wireless device due to the wireless device not being within service range of the gateway, the gateway recognizing the at least one text command as instructions to implement a particular delivery protocol from a plurality of delivery protocols, where a different delivery protocol is implemented if a different set of text commands are included with the message.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway transmits the message over the external network when the deletion instruction is carried out and returns the message to a sender as being undelivered.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway comprises a database for storing the message.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the database has a directory structure for associating the wireless device with the message.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message is a text message.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the deletion instruction is included in the text message.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deletion instruction is in a header of the message.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external network is the Internet.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a pager.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway attempts to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network at a predetermined time.

11. An apparatus for sending a message to a wireless device over a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a gateway for receiving the message transmitted over an external network in communication with the gateway, the message including a deletion instruction to delete the message if the message is not delivered to the wireless device, for determining whether the wireless device is capable of receiving the message, and for carrying out the deletion instruction by deleting the message if the wireless device is not capable of receiving the message, wherein the deletion instruction comprises at least one text command placed within or appended to a body of the message to designate that the message is to be immediately deleted and not maintained in storage for the wireless device by the gateway if the gateway determines that the message is not able to be immediately delivered to the wireless device due to the wireless device not being within service range of the gateway, the gateway recognizing the at least one text command as instructions to implement a particular delivery protocol from a plurality of delivery protocols, where a different delivery protocol is implemented if a different set of text commands are included with the message.

12. An apparatus for sending a message to a wireless device over a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a gateway for receiving the message transmitted over an external network in communication with the gateway, the message including a deletion instruction to delete the message if the message is not delivered to the wireless device, for attempting to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network, and for carrying out the deletion instruction by deleting the message and returning the message over the external network, wherein the deletion instruction comprises at least one text command placed within or appended to a body of the message to designate that the message is to be immediately deleted and not maintained in storage for the wireless device by the gateway if the gateway determines that the message is not able to be immediately delivered to the wireless device due to the wireless device not being within service range of the gateway,

the gateway recognizing the at least one text command as instructions to implement a particular delivery protocol from a plurality of delivery protocols, where a different delivery protocol is implemented if a different set of text commands are included with the message.

13. A method of sending a message to a user of a wireless device over a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving the message including a deletion instruction to delete the message if the message is not delivered to the wireless device;

attempting to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network; and

deleting the message, wherein the deletion instruction comprises at least one text command placed within or appended to a body of the message to designate that the message is to be immediately deleted and not maintained in a mailbox for the wireless device if the message is determined to not be able to be immediately delivered to the wireless device due to the wireless device not being within service range of a gateway, the gateway recognizing the at least one text command as instructions to implement a particular delivery protocol from a plurality of delivery protocols, where a different delivery protocol is implemented if a different set of text commands are included with the message.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

returning the message to a source external to the wireless network, the source being a sender of the message.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the message is sent over the Internet through a connection to the wireless network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the message is a text message, and the deletion instruction is included in the message.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the deletion instruction is in a header of the message.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the message is attempted to be delivered to the wireless device over the wireless network at a predetermined time.

19. A method of sending a message to a user of a wireless device over a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving the message including a deletion instruction to delete the message if the message is not delivered to the wireless device, wherein the deletion instruction is provided by a sender of the message;

determining whether the wireless device is capable of receiving the message immediately; and

deleting the message if the wireless device is not capable of receiving the message immediately, wherein the deletion instruction comprises at least one text command placed within or appended to a body of the message to designate that the message is to be immediately deleted and not maintained in storage for the wireless device if the message is determined to not be able to be immediately delivered to the wireless device due to the wireless device not being within service range of a gateway, the gateway recognizing the at least one text command as instructions to implement a particular delivery protocol from a plurality of delivery protocols, where a different delivery protocol is implemented if a different set of text commands are included with the message.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the message is deleted if the wireless device is not presently capable of receiving the message.