Clearinghouse for messages between disparate networks

• US 8,230,029 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dollar, Graeme R., Musil, Alexander Q., Ramakrishnan, Thyagarajapuram S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUQ, FARZANA B
• Application Number:
  US12/545,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20090313345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/224, 709/246, 455/414, 455/445, 370/465, 370/466
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

A system and method are directed towards managing interoperability between disparate IM networks. A clearinghouse server is provided that receives IM messages from disparate IM networks. The clearinghouse server examines the IM message to determine it is in a compatible protocol for a destination IM network. If the IM message is incompatible a translation service is used to translate the message into a compatible protocol. The translation service further determines if the destination IM network supports a feature employed by the received IM message. If the feature is supported or can be translated to a supported feature, the translation service will also perform the feature translation. Otherwise, the translation service may return an error message indicating that the received IM message includes an unsupported feature for the destination IM network. Upon satisfactory translation, the clearinghouse server forwards the translated IM message towards the destination IM network.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first messaging network having at least a first client device Within the first messaging network;

a second messaging network having at least a second client device within the second messaging network; and

a clearing house server device that is configured to manage at least one communication between the first client device and the second client device by performing actions, including;

receiving a message from the first client device, the message being determined to be destined to the second client device;

when it is determined that the message employs at least one of a message protocol or message format that is incompatible with another message protocol or message format in use by the second messaging network;

attempting to translate the message into a message protocol or message format that is compatible with the other message protocol or message format in use by the second messaging network; and

if the attempt is successful, forwarding the translated message towards the second client device;

otherwise, sending an error message to the first client device indicating which message feature or message protocol is at error; and

when the message protocol and format are determined to compatible, establishing a trust relationship between the first message network and the second message network such that a subsequent message between the first client device and the second client device is communicated between the first messaging network and the second messaging network rather than through the clearing house server device;

wherein the first messaging network and the second messaging network each include a gateway server device establishing the trust relationship between each of the gateway server devices, such that the subsequent message is transmitted between the gateway server devices absent a protocol or format translation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the message is an instant messaging (IM) message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein attempting to translate the message further comprises converting an audio portion of the message to a text portion in the translated message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first messaging network is configured to employ at least one gateway server device to send messages to the clearing house server device when the messages has either a message protocol or message format that is disparate to the second messaging network'"'"'s message protocol or message format.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first client device or the second client device is a mobile client device.

6. A server device, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving and sending messages; and

a processor in communication with the transceiver and configured to perform actions, including;

receiving an instant messaging (IM) message from a first client device in a first IM network, the message being determined to be destined to a second client device in a second IM network;

when it is determined that the IM message employs at least one of a message protocol or message format that is incompatible with another message protocol or message format in use by the second messaging network;

attempting to translate the IM message into a message protocol or message format that is compatible with the other message protocol or message format in use by the second messaging network; and

if the attempt is successful, forwarding the translated IM message towards the second client device;

otherwise, sending an error message to the first client device indicating which message feature or message protocol is at error; and

when the message protocol and format are determined to be compatible, establishing a trust relationship between the first IM network and the second IM network such that a subsequent message between the first client device and the second client device is communicated between the first IM network and the second IM network rather than through the server device;

wherein the first messaging network and the second messaging network each include a gateway server device establishing the trust relationship between each of the gateway server devices, such that the subsequent message is transmitted between the gateway server devices absent a protocol or format translation.

7. The server device of claim 6, wherein attempting to translate the received IM message further comprises employing a translation service.

8. The server device of claim 6, wherein attempting to translate the message further comprises converting an audio portion of the message to a text portion of the translated message.

9. The server device of claim 6, wherein the first IM network is configured to employ at least one gateway server device to send messages to the server device when the messages has either a message protocol or message format that is disparate to the second IM network'"'"'s message protocol or message format.

10. The server device of claim 6, wherein the server device is further configured to operate as a router for at least one IM network.

11. The server device of claim 6, wherein the processor performs actions, further comprising:

examining the received IM message to determine a destination IM network by examining a packet header associated with the received IM message.

12. The server device of claim 6, wherein server device resides within the first IM network or the second IM network.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that when installed within a computer device enable the computer device to perform actions, including:

receiving an instant messaging (IM) message from a first client device in a first IM network, the message being determined to be destined to a second client device in a second IM network;

when it is determined that the IM message employs at least one of a message protocol or message format that is incompatible with another message protocol or message format in use by the second IM network;

attempting to translate the IM message into a message protocol or message format that is compatible with the other message protocol or message format in use by the second IM network; and

if the attempt is successful, forwarding the translated IM message towards the second client device;

otherwise, sending an error message to the first client device indicating which message feature or message protocol is at error; and

when the message protocol and format are determined to be compatible, establishing a trust relationship between the first message in network and the second message in network such that a subsequent message between the first client device and the second client device is communicated between the first messaging network and the second messaging network rather than through the clearing house server device;

wherein the first messaging network and the second messaging network each include a gateway server device establishing the trust relationship between each of the gateway server devices, such that the subsequent message is transmitted between the gateway server devices absent a protocol or format translation.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein enabling a translation further comprises employing a translation server to perform the translation that is separate from the computer device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first IM network and second IM network employ disparate IM architectures.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein attempting to translate the message further comprises converting an audio portion of the message to a text portion of the translated message.