Intelligent messaging

• US 7,171,190 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2003
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Ali, Ye, Zhou, Kothari, Kalpak Dilip, Wilsher, Thomas, Shi, Jimmy, Zang, Xiaolin, Xiang, Jibin
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/684,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20050009541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.4, 455/415, 455/466, 4554561-457, 379/88.13, 379/88.4, 709/206, 709/238, 709/246, 370/428
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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

Abstract

Techniques for sending messages with automatic device selection and content conversion are provided. A recipient and devices associated with the recipient are determined for a message. A device is selected and the format of the message may be converted based on the selected device, if necessary. The message is then sent to the selected device.

Claims

1. A method for sending a message, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a sender to a recipient, the message being sent by a first device that communicates in a first protocol;

determining a recipient identifier for the recipient for the message, the recipient identifier usable to determine a plurality of device types that are associated with the recipient;

determining the plurality of device types associated with the recipient using the recipient identifier, wherein device identifiers are associated with the plurality of device types;

dynamically determining a device type in the plurality of device types in which to send the message in response to receiving the message from the sender; and

sending the message to the device identifier associated with the determined device type, the message being received in a second protocol by a second device that communicates in the second protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically determining the device type comprises determining the device type based on content of the message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining communication capabilities for device types in the plurality of device types, wherein determining the device type comprises determining the device type based on the communication capabilities for the plurality of device types.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining one or more preferences associated with the recipient wherein dynamically determining the device type comprises determining the device type based on the one or more preferences.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining presence information for the recipient, wherein dynamically determining the device type comprises determining the device type based on the presence information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically determining the device type comprises:

determining a communication type in which to send the message; and

determining the device identifier associated with the communication type.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received message does not specify the device identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the received message is addressed to a different device identifier than the device identifier of the sent message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the recipient identifier is different from the device identifier.

10. A method for sending a message, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a sender to a recipient;

determining a recipient identifier for the recipient for the message, the recipient identifier usable to determine a plurality of device types that are associated with the recipient;

determining the plurality of device types associated with the recipient using the recipient identifier, wherein device identifiers are associated with the plurality of device types;

determining presence information for the recipient;

dynamically determining a device type in the plurality of device types in which to send the message in response to receiving the message from the sender; and

sending the message using the device identifier associated with the determined device type,

wherein the device type is determined based on presence information that indicates a device for the device type is active.

11. A method for sending a message, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a first user for a second user, the message being sent by a first device that communicates using a first protocol;

determining a user identifier for the recipient for the message, the user identifier usable to determine a plurality of device types that are associated with the recipient;

determining a device type in the plurality of device types associated with the second user using the identifier;

determining a format associated with the determined device type;

determining if the message needs to be adapted to the determined format;

if the message does need to be adapted, performing the steps of

adapting the message to the determined format; and

sending the adapted message to the determined device;

if the message does not need to be adapted, sending the message to a device identifier for the determined device type,

whereby the message is received by a second device, and where the second device uses a second protocol then the message is received by the second device in the second protocol.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the format comprises at least one of a short message system (SMS), email, instant message (IM), and voice message format.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein adapting the message comprises adapting content of the received message to content compatible with the determined format.

14. The method of claim. 11, wherein the received message does not specify the determined device identifier.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the received message is addressed to a different device identifier than the device identifier of the sent message.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the device type comprises using at least one of content of the message, communication capabilities for the plurality of device types, one or more preferences associated with the second user, and presence information for devices in the plurality of device types associated with the second user.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the user identifier is different from the device identifier.

18. A device configured to route messages for a plurality of users, the device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a message from a first user in the plurality of users, the first user using a first device communicating using a first protocol;

an identifier module configured determine a user identifier for the second user for the message, the user identifier usable to determine device types that are associated with the second user;

a device type determiner configured to determine a device type in a plurality of device types associated with the second user in the plurality of users, the device type determined using the identifier; and

a sender configured to send the message to a device identifier associated with the determined device for the second user, the message being received in a second protocol by the determined device, the determined device communicating using the second protocol,

wherein the device type is determined based on at least one of communication capabilities of the plurality of device types, one or more preferences associated with the second user, and presence information for device types in the plurality of device types associated with the second user.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising a formatter configured to format the received message to a format compatible with the determined device type.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising a database configured to store information for the plurality of device types associated with the plurality of users.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the user identifier is different from the device identifier.

22. A method for sending a message to a recipient, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a sender to a recipient, the message being addressed to a username for the recipient;

determining a plurality of addresses associated with the recipient using the username, wherein the username for the recipient is different from the plurality of addresses associated with the recipient and the plurality of addresses being addresses in which the recipient can receive messages;

dynamically determining an address in the plurality of addresses in which to send the message in response to receiving the message from the sender,

converting the message from a first protocol to a second protocol, where a first device sending the message communicates using the first protocol and a second device to receive the message communicates using the second protocol; and

sending the message to the determined address for the recipient.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of addresses are associated with a plurality of device types.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of addresses are sent through different communication channels to the plurality of device types.

25. A system for sending messages, the system comprising:

a plurality of users, each user associated with a plurality of device types;

a message router configured to route messages from a first user to a second user, the message router comprising;

a receiver configured to receive a message from the first user;

an identifier module configured determine a user identifier for the second user for the message, the user identifier usable to determine device types that are associated with the second user;

a device determiner configured to determine a device type in the plurality of device types associated with the second user, the device type determined using the identifier; and

a sender configured to send the message to a device identifier associated with the determined device type for the second user,

wherein in message is generated by a first device that communicates in a first protocol and received in a second protocol by a second device that communicates in the second protocol, and

wherein the user identifier is different from the device identifier.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first user comprises a device type that communicates in a communication type of at least one of email, SMS, MMS, IM, and voice.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the communication types associated with the plurality of device types comprises at least one of email, SMS, MIMS, IM, and voice.