Unified and best messaging systems for communication devices

• US 7,756,256 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovation Company Limited Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Rukman, Jason, Hoover, Thomas Jay, Franklin, Patrick Greer, Heitzeberg, Joseph Edward, Lowry, Ethan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Mohammad K
• Application Number:
  US10/981,970
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379 8813- 8818, 379/355, 379/88.11, 704/270, 455/466
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A unified messaging system which can provide messaging services for a plurality of different “message types” is disclosed. The unified messaging system can serve as a single interface to a number of messaging services provided by various messaging components which use different message types (e.g., mail server). A unified message type is implemented and presented to a user as an abstract message. In addition, the unified messaging system can automatically determine, based on a first selected feature, if one or more message types should be used. A particular message type can also be automatically selected as a “best message type” based on one or more selected options.

Claims

1. A method of providing unified messaging services in a computing environment that includes a plurality of message types, said method comprising:

providing a unified message that can represent a plurality of message types;

providing one or more features associated with said unified message;

receiving a selection that identifies a first selected feature of said one or more features;

determining, based on said first selected feature, if each one of said plurality of message types should be used for said unified message; and

transforming said unified message into a first message type of said plurality of message types when said determining determines that said first message type can be used.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

eliminating from said plurality of message types a second message type when said determining determines that said second message type should not be used for said unified message.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said method further comprises:

providing one or more states for each one of said one or more features associated with said unified message.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said determining of whether each one of said plurality of message types should be used for said unified message comprises:

determining whether said one or more states are compatible with said unified message.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method further comprises:

generating an abstract unified message which can include one or more states.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said method further comprises:

updating said abstract unified message with one or more other states when said first selected feature is received.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each one of said message types adhere to one or more of the following:

a message delivery protocol, and

a message format.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said method further comprises:

determining a first subset of said one or more features that should be displayed for selection; and

displaying said first subset of said one or more features.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said method further comprises:

determining, based on said first selected feature, a second subset of said one or more features that should be displayed for selection.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving a selection that identifies a second selected feature of said one or more features; and

determining based on said first selected feature if said plurality of message types can be used.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the actions of receiving, determining, and transforming is performed by one or more of the following:

a communications device, a server.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the actions of receiving, determining, and transforming is performed by a handheld communications device.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more features associated with said unified message comprises providing the following features to a user:

adding text selected by the use to the unified message, appending a data file selected by the user to the unified message, sending the unified message to an e-mail address selected by the user.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more features associated with said unified message comprises displaying the features to a user on a device, and wherein receiving a selection that identifies the first selected feature comprises receiving a selection from the user by way of the device after displaying the features to the user on the device.

11. A messaging system for providing unified messaging services in a computing environment that includes a plurality of message types, wherein said messaging system is capable of:

providing a unified message that can represent a plurality of message types;

providing one or more features associated with said unified message;

receiving a selection that identifies a first selected feature of said one or more features;

determining, based on said first selected feature, if each one of said plurality of message types should be used for said unified message; and

transforming said unified message into a first message type of said plurality of message types when said determining determines that said first message type can be used.

12. A Messaging system as recited in claim 11, wherein said messaging system is further capable of:

eliminating from said plurality of message types a second message type when said determining determines that said second message type should not be used for said unified message.

13. A Messaging system as recited in claim 11, wherein said messaging system is further capable of:

providing one or more states for each one of said one or more features associated with said unified message.

14. A Messaging system as recited in claim 13, wherein said determining of whether each one of said plurality of message types should be used for said unified message comprises:

determining whether said one or more states are compatible with said unified message.

15. A Messaging system as recited in claim 11, wherein each one of said message types adhere to one or more of the following:

a message delivery protocol, and

a message format.

16. A Messaging system as recited in claim 11,

determining a first subset of said one or more features that should be displayed for selection;

and

displaying said first subset of said one or more features.

25. The messaging system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the actions of receiving, determining, and transforming is performed by a handheld communications device.

26. The messaging system of claim 11, wherein providing one or more features associated with said unified message comprises providing the following features to a user:

adding text selected by the use to the unified message, appending a data file selected by the user to the unified message, sending the unified message to an e-mail address selected by the user.

27. The messaging system of claim 11, wherein providing one or more features associated with said unified message comprises displaying the features to a user on a device, and wherein receiving a selection that identifies the first selected feature comprises receiving a selection from the user by way of the device after displaying the features to the user on the device.

17. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for providing unified messaging services in a computing environment that includes a plurality of message types, said method comprising:

computer program code for providing a unified message that can represent a plurality of message types;

computer program code for providing one or more features associated with said unified message;

computer program code for receiving a selection that identifies a first selected feature of said one or more features;

computer program code for determining, based on said first selected feature, if each one of said plurality of message types should be used for said unified message; and

computer program code for transforming said unified message into a first message type of said plurality of message types when said determining determines that said first message type can be used.

18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

eliminating from said plurality of message types a second message type when said determining determines that said second message type should not be used for said unified message.

19. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

providing one or more states for each one of said one or more features associated with said unified message.

20. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

determining whether said one or more states are compatible with said unified message.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program code for providing one or more features associated with said unified message comprises computer program code for providing the following features to a user:

adding text selected by the use to the unified message, appending a data file selected by the user to the unified message, sending the unified message to an e-mail address selected by the user.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program code for providing one or more features associated with said unified message comprises computer program code for displaying the features to a user on a device, and

wherein the computer program code for receiving a selection that identifies the first selected feature comprises receiving a selection from the user by way of the device after displaying the features to the user on the device.