Environment aware message delivery

• US 7,136,649 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Wei, Ying, Chun, Song, Song, Fu, Rong Yao
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US10/633,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 455/420, 455/41.2, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/445, 455/417, 709/206, 709/238, 709/209
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005

Abstract

The invention provides environment aware messages delivery systems, apparatus and methods. In example embodiments the system and method automatically deliver messages to the user based on the environment around the user. In the system and method, a portable message redirection agent cooperates with a message delivery service manager in the environment to discover available message delivery service, and sets message forwarding options without the user'"'"'s operation. The system and method of the invention can make full use of the existing message redirection mechanisms in more flexible manner.

Claims

1. An environment aware message delivery system, comprising:

a portable message redirection agent carried by a user; and

a message delivery service manager for managing candidate message terminals to provide message delivery services for the user, wherein when the user moving over to a place, said message redirection agent cooperates with said message delivery service manager located in the environment around the user to select a message terminal from a candidate message terminals in the environment as a target message terminal, and request a message redirection entity to redirect the message addressed to the user to the target message terminal, wherein said message redirection agent comprises;

a message redirection service discoverer for sending service requests to said message delivery service manager, and receiving service information from said message delivery service manager;

a message redirection manager for maintaining a message redirection service list, configuring message redirection policy and selecting the target message terminal; and

a message redirection requester for requesting message redirection service from the message redirection entity; and

wherein said message delivery service manager comprises;

a service request handler for authenticating the message redirection agent and sending service information on-demand to the message redirection agent;

a service availability detector for checking the status of the candidate message terminals in the environment and updating the message delivery service list according to the checking result; and

a message delivery service configurator for configuring the available message delivery services, such as authorizing who can access these services.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said message delivery service manager further comprises a service advertiser for periodically sending service information to nearby message redirection agents.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said message redirection agent comprises a message redirection service discoverer for sending service requests to said message delivery service manager, and wherein said message delivery service manager comprises:

a service request handler for authenticating the message redirection agent;

a service availability detector for checking the status of the candidate message terminals in the environment and updating the message delivery service list according to the checking result;

a message delivery service configurator for configuring the available message delivery services, such as authorizing who can access these services, and selecting the target message terminal on behalf of the message redirection agent making the service requests; and

a message redirection requester for requesting message redirection service from the message redirection entity.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises a plurality of message delivery service managers, running in various message terminals respectively, and wherein a message delivery service manager comprises:

a service request handler for authenticating the message redirection agent and sending service information on-demand to the message redirection agent; and

a message redirection requester for requesting message redirection service from the message redirection entity according to the request of the message redirection agent.

4. An environment aware message delivery system comprising:

a portable message redirection agent carried by a user; and

a message delivery service manager for managing candidate message terminals to provide message delivery services for the user, wherein when the user moving over to a place, said message redirection agent cooperates with said message delivery service manager located in the environment around the user to select a message terminal from candidate message terminals in the environment as a target message terminal, and request a message redirection entity to redirect the message addressed to the user to the target message terminal, wherein said message redirection agent comprises;

a message redirection service discoverer for sending service requests to said message delivery service manager, and receiving service information from said message delivery service manager; and

a message redirection manager for maintaining message redirection service list, configuring the message redirection policy and selecting the target message terminal.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said message delivery service manager comprises:

a service request handler for authenticating the message redirection agent and sending service information on-demand to the message redirection agent;

a service availability detector for checking the status of the candidate message terminals in the environment and updating the message delivery service list according to the checking result;

a message delivery service configurator for configuring the available message delivery services, such as authorizing who can access these services; and

a message redirection requester for requesting message redirection service from the message redirection entity according to the request of the message redirection agent.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein said system comprises a plurality of message delivery service managers, running in various message terminals respectively.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said message redirection agent comprises:

a message redirection service discoverer for sending service requests to said message delivery service manager, and receiving service information from said message delivery service manager;

a message redirection manager for maintaining message redirection service list, configuring the message redirection policy and selecting the target message terminal; and

a message redirection requester for requesting message redirection service from the message redirection entity.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said message delivery service manager comprises a service request handler for authenticating the message redirection agent and sending service information on-demand to the message redirection agent.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said message delivery service manager further comprises a service advertiser for periodically sending message redirection service information to nearby message redirection agents.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein said message redirection agent comprises:

a message redirection service discoverer for sending service requests to said message delivery service manager, and receiving service information from said message delivery service manager; and

a message redirection manager for maintaining message redirection service list, configuring the message redirection policy and selecting the target message terminal.