Method and apparatus for distributing messages to mobile recipients

• US 7,697,944 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Buijze, Bart-Jan, van As, Nicolaas Theunis Rudie, Koning, Rentje Theodoor
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choo, Munsoon
• Application Number:
  US10/557,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20070121568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

For processing digital communication traffic in a network comprising a central communication processing structure (402, 403; 502, 503) and a number of separate devices (401, 405; 501, 505) of users designed for communication with the central communication processing structure, each time, a communication coming from one of the separate devices (401; 501) is received which communication is addressed to another of the separate devices (405; 505). It is then checked whether the received communication meets at least one condition applicable to the communication or the sender (401; 501). In reaction to meeting the condition, a message is added to the communication and the communication including the added message is sent to the addressed device (405; 505).

Claims

1. A method for processing digital communication traffic in a network comprising a central communication processing structure including a communication server and a system server and a number of distributed devices of users designed for communication with the central communication processing structure, comprising:

the communication server receiving a communication coming from one of the distributed devices which communication is addressed to another one of the distributed devices, the communication comprising a header including sender address information and receiver address information, and message content which includes a user inserted code, in reaction to detecting the user inserted code in the message content of the received communication, sending the communication to the system server;

wherein when the user inserted code is not detected, bypassing the system server and sending the communication directly to a recipient device;

the system server checking whether the received communication meets at least one condition applicable to the communication or the sender;

adding a message to the communication based upon the user inserted code included in the communication in reaction to meeting the condition;

sending the communication including the added message to the communication server; and

the communication server receiving back the communication from the system server and sending the communication which has been received back to the addressed device.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the check comprises:

checking whether a coding of the device from which the received communication has been received meets a criterion.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the check comprises:

selecting a message from a number of messages depending on the result of the check.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein selecting a message from a number of messages takes place depending on the user inserted code in the received communication.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein selecting takes place depending on variable data determined upon sending the communication which relate to the sender or the recipient, such as date and/or time and/or location of the sender or the recipient.

6. A method according to claims 3, wherein selecting takes place depending on data stored in advance related to the sender or the recipient.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising registering, for at least a number of the devices or users, data related to sent communications and the messages added to them for each device or each user separately, and recording data in at least one payment file depending on mutations of data related to sent communications and the messages added to them.

8. A communication processing structure for processing digital communication traffic in a network, which communication processing structure comprises a communication server and a system server, and is designed for:

communication with a number of distributed devices of users;

wherein the communication server is designed for each time receiving a communication coming from one of the distributed devices, which communication is addressed to another one of the distributed devices, the communication comprising a header including sender address information and receiver address information, and message content which includes a user inserted code, and, each time, in reaction to detecting the user inserted code in the message content of the communication, sending the communication to the system server;

wherein when the user inserted code is not detected, bypassing the system server and sending the communication directly to a recipient'"'"'s device;

wherein the system server is designed for, each time checking whether the received communication meets at least one condition applicable to the communication or the sender,

each time adding a message to the communication based upon the user inserted code included in the communication in reaction to meeting the conditions, and

each time sending the communication including the added message to the communication server;

wherein the communication server is designed for, each time receiving back a communication from the system server and for, each time, sending the communications which has been received back from the system server to the addressed device.