Message exchange handling concept

• US 7,328,031 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kraft, Christian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/018,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20050101338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141-4144, 4554121-4122, 455418-420, 455/445, 455/454, 455517-521, 455560-561, 455/466, 455/59, 455/403, 455/70, 455/72, 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455/416, 455/422.1, 455424-425, 455557-558, 455259-267, 709203-206, 709/219, 709201-207, 370312-313, 370349-350, 370389-392, 370432-434, 370473-474, 715758-760
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• 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 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A message exchange session between wireless communication terminals via a wireless network is initiated from one of the terminals. The user of the initiating terminal invites at least one other communication terminal to participate in the message exchange session. This is done by forwarding a message text to said at least one other communication terminal. The user of the other terminal responds to received message by inputting a message text for replying to the received message. Then the responding terminal automatically adds the inputted reply message text to the received message text, whereby the aggregate message text includes the message exchange session history, and the aggregate message text is then transmitted to the other communication terminals being party to the message exchange session.

Claims

1. A method for handling a message exchange session between wireless communication terminals via a wireless network comprising:

initiating a message exchange session by;

identifying in a first communication terminal at least one other communication terminal to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

inputting a message text;

transmitting said message text to said at least one other communication terminal; and

responding to a received message by;

inputting a message text for replying to the received message;

adding said inputted reply message text to the received message text, the inputted reply message text being automatically and successively added above a previous message text prior to transmission of a response to the received message, whereby the response comprises an aggregate message text that includes the message exchange session history, where the previous message text is removed linewise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters; and

transmitting said aggregate message text to the other communication terminal being party to the message exchange session.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a point-to point short message service in the wireless network is used as message exchange session.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising when responding to a received message, inputting the message text for replying to the received message as an arbitrary string of message text, inputted by a replying user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the message exchange session comprises an arbitrary exchange of messages between at least the first communication terminal and the at least one other communication terminal invited to participate in the message exchange session.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the message text for replying to the received message is a random message text and is not dependent on the received message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least other communication terminal to be invited to participate can view the message exchange history prior to inputting a message that is independent of the message exchange session history.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the message exchange session is a free-flowing exchange of messages, wherein one message is not necessarily dependent on another message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein any one of the wireless communication terminals can initiate a message exchange session and generate a message requesting a response.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising inputting a second message text and transmitting said second message text prior to receiving a reply to a first message text.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one other communication terminal receives and displays the second message text while a message text is being inputted for replying to the first message.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising in the first communication terminal, receiving the message text for replying to the received message and adding the received message text as a new line to a beginning of a last received message.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein inputting a message text for replying to the received message comprises input a variable length message string as the reply message.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising successively adding received message text from each of the at least one other communication terminal to the message text for replying to the received message in order to update the message text wherein the aggregate message text is transmitted to each of the at least one other communication terminal.

14. A wireless communication terminal having a message exchange session handling application for handling messages in a message exchange session in a wireless communication system, wherein said terminal comprises:

a software application having means for initiating a message exchange session, wherein said initiating means includes;

means for identifying at least one other communication terminal to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

means for entering a text input as a message text;

a transmitter for transmitting said message text to said at least one other communication terminal;

a receiver for receiving a reply from said at least one other communication terminal;

said software application furthermore having means for replying to a message during a message exchange session, wherein said replying means includes;

means for entering a text input string as a reply to a received message text; and

means for automatically and successively adding said text input string to the received message text prior to a transmission of the reply, for generating an aggregate message text for replying by means of the transmitter to the other communication terminal, where the aggregate message text is removed linewise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters.

15. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 14, wherein the transmitter transmits the message text by means of a point-to point short message service in the wireless network.

16. The wireless communication terminal of claim 14 wherein each communication terminal is a mobile telephone.

17. A wireless communication terminal having a message exchange session handling application for handling messages in a message exchange session in a wireless communication system, said terminal comprises:

a software application having means for replying to a received message during a message exchange session, wherein said replying means includes;

means for entering a text input string as a reply to the received message; and

means for automatically adding said text input string successively to the received message text for generating an aggregate message text for replying to the message, prior to a transmission of the reply, where the aggregate message text is removed linewise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters.

18. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium, comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to reply to a message during a message exchange session in a wireless communication system, said computer readable program code means causing a computer to provide a message exchange session handling application in a wireless communication terminal;

computer readable program code means causing a computer to handle a text input string entered by a user as a reply to a received message; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to automatically and successively add said text input string above the received message text for generating an aggregate message text for replying prior to transmission of the reply, where the aggregate message text is removed linewise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters.

19. A method for handling a message exchange session between wireless communication terminals via a wireless network comprising:

sending from a wireless communication terminal by means of a point-to point short message service in the wireless network a message containing a request for participating in a message exchange session;

routing the request message from the wireless communication terminal to a message exchange session handling server via the wireless network;

connecting in the message exchange session handling server the requesting wireless communication terminal to a group of communication terminals;

handling a message text in said message exchange session handling server by successively adding received message text from each of the group of communication terminals to the message text in order to update the message text;

adding further message text to the received message text from each of the group of communication terminals; and

transmitting the updated message text to each of the group of communication terminals participating in the message exchange session.

20. A method for handling a message exchange session between wireless communication terminals comprising:

generating a list of communication terminals to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

inputting a message text;

transmitting said message text to the communication terminals listed on said list;

receiving a reply from one of the communication terminals listed on said list;

automatically and successively adding the received reply above a previous message text prior to retransmission of the reply from one of the communication terminals to the communication terminals listed on the list, where the previous message text is removed linewise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters; and

transmitting the reply from said one of the communication terminals to the communication terminals listed on said list.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein said message text is successively transmitted to each of said communication terminals listed on said list.

22. A method according to claim 20 wherein said reply is successively retransmitted to each of said communication terminals listed on said list apart from the replying one.

23. A wireless communication terminal having a message exchange session handling application for handling messages in a message exchange session in a wireless communication system, wherein said terminal comprises:

means for generating a list of communication terminals to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

means for inputting a message text;

means for transmitting said message text to each of the communication terminals listed on said list;

means for receiving a reply from one of the communication terminals listed on said list;

means for automatically adding the received reply above a previous message text prior to retransmission of the reply from one of the communication terminals to the communication terminals listed on the list, where the previous message text is removed linewise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters; and

means for transmitting the reply from one of the communication terminals to each of the communication terminals listed on said list.

24. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 23 wherein the transmission means successively transmits said message text to each of said communication terminals listed on said list.

25. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 23 wherein the transmission means successively re-transmits said reply to each of said communication terminals listed on said list apart from the replying one.

26. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 23 wherein the terminal includes means for adding the reply message text above the previous message text prior to the re-transmission of the reply from said one of the communication terminals to the communication terminals listed on said list.

27. A method, comprising:

initiating a message exchange session by;

identifying in a first communication device at least one other communication device to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

inputting a message text;

transmitting said message text to said at least one other communication device; and

responding to a received message by;

inputting a message text for replying to the received message;

adding said inputted reply message text to the received message text, the inputted reply message text being automatically and successively added above a previous message text prior to transmission of a response to the received message, where the response comprises an aggregate message text that includes a message exchange session history, where previous message text is removed line wise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters; and

transmitting said aggregate message text for reception by the at least one other communication device.

28. The method of claim 27, where a wireless network point-to-point short message service is used during the message exchange session.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising, when responding to a received message, inputting message text for replying to the received message as an arbitrary string of message text, inputted by a replying user.

30. The method of claim 27, where the message exchange session comprises an arbitrary exchange of messages between at least the first communication device and the at least one other communication device invited to participate in the message exchange session.

31. The method of claim 27, where the message text for replying to the received message comprises random message text not dependent on the received message.

32. The method of claim 27, where the at least other communication device is configured to view the message exchange history prior to inputting a message that is independent of the message exchange session history.

33. The method of claim 27, where the message exchange session is a free-flowing exchange of messages where one message is not necessarily dependent on another message.

34. The method of claim 27, where any one of a plurality of communication devices can initiate a message exchange session and generate a message requesting a response.

35. The method of claim 27, further comprising inputting a second message text and transmitting said second message text prior to receiving a reply to a first message text.

36. The method of claim 35, where the at least one other communication device is configured to receive and display the second message text while a message text is being inputted for replying to the first message.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising in the first communication device, receiving the message text for replying to the received message and adding the received message text as a new line to a beginning of a last received message.

38. The method of claim 27, where inputting a message text for replying to the received message comprises inputting a variable length message string as the reply message.

39. The method of claim 27, further comprising successively adding received message text from the at least one other communication device to the message text for replying to the received message in order to update the message text, where the aggregate message text is transmitted to the at least one other communication device.

40. An apparatus, comprising:

a user interface comprising an input device and a display device;

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a data processor configured to respond to the user interface to initiate a message exchange session by identifying at least one other communication device to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

the data processor further configured to respond to text entered through said input device to transmit the entered text with the transmitter for reception by the at least one other communication device;

said data processor further configured to respond to reception of message text from the at least one other communication device during the message exchange session to automatically and successively add text entered through said input device to received message text to form an aggregate message text to be transmitted to the at least one other communication device, said data processor being further configured to respond to a condition where an amount of the text of said aggregate message text exceeds a maximum number of characters to remove text line wise from an end of the aggregate message text.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, where the transmitter and receiver are configured for use in a wireless communication system.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, where the transmitter and receiver are configured for use in a cellular communication system.

43. The apparatus of claim 40, where the transmitter and receiver are configured for use in a GSM cellular communication system, and where the message exchange session is conducted using a short message service feature of the GSM cellular communication system.

44. An apparatus, comprising:

a user interface comprising an input device and a display device;

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a data processor configured to respond to reception of message text from at least one other communication device during a message exchange session to automatically and successively add text entered through said input device to received message text to form an aggregate message text to be transmitted to the at least one other communication device, said data processor being further configured to respond to a condition where an amount of text of said aggregate message text exceeds a maximum number of characters to remove text line wise from the end of the aggregate message text.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, where said data processor is further configured to respond to the user interface to initiate the message exchange session by identifying at least one other communication device to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

the data processor further configured to respond to text entered through said input device to transmit the entered text with the transmitter for reception by the at least one other communication device.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, where said data processor is further configured to respond to the user interface to initiate the message exchange session by identifying a plurality of other communication devices to be invited to participate in the message exchange session, and where the message text is successively transmitted to each of the plurality of other communication devices.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, where the transmitter and receiver are configured for use in a wireless communication system.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, where the transmitter and receiver are configured for use in a cellular communication system.

49. The apparatus of claim 44, where the transmitter and receiver are configured for use in a GSM cellular communication system, and where the message exchange session is conducted using a short message service feature of the GSM cellular communication system.

50. A data storage medium readable by a data processor of a communication device, said storage medium containing program instructions the execution of which by the data processor result in operations that comprise:

initiating a message exchange session by;

identifying at least one other communication device to be invited to participate in the message exchange session;

inputting a message text;

transmitting said message text to said at least one other communication device; and

responding to a received message by;

inputting a message text for replying to the received message;

adding said inputted reply message text to the received message text, the inputted reply message text being automatically and successively added above a previous message text prior to transmission of a response to the received message, where the response comprises an aggregate message text where previous message text is removed line wise from an end of the message when the message exceeds a maximum number of allowable characters; and

transmitting said aggregate message text for reception by the at least one other communication device.

51. The data storage medium of claim 50, where the program instructions are configured to use a wireless network point-to-point short message service during the message exchange session.

52. The data storage medium of claim 50, embodied in a wireless communication device configured for use in a cellular communication system.

53. The data storage medium of claim 50, embodied in a wireless communication device configured for use in a GSM cellular communication system, where the program instructions are configured to use a short message service feature of the GSM cellular communication system during the message exchange session.