Instant messaging to a mobile device

• US 8,315,651 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2001
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Fok, Kenny K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniel, Jr., Willie J
• Application Number:
  US09/848,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,219 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/414.4, 455/414.1, 455/412.2, 455/411, 455/516, 455/519, 455/412.1, 455/432.2, 370/259, 370/270, 370/271, 370/328, 370/399, 370/496, 370/522, 379/157, 379/158, 379/161, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 709/227, 709/206, 709/207, 709/224, 709/202
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A wireless communications device logs on to an instant messaging service through a proxy server. Notification of an incoming instant message is provided to the wireless communications device by converting at least part of the instant message to Short Message Service (SMS) format or by transmitting a notice in SMS format that a message has been received.

Claims

1. A system for providing a wireless communications device access to an instant messaging service on a data network, the instant messaging service communicating instant messages in an instant message format, the system comprising:

a wireless communication network;

a short message service (SMS) center connected to the wireless communication network;

a plurality of information handling systems connected to the data network and logged into the instant messaging service for sending and receiving instant messages;

a wireless communications device, comprising;

a battery;

a processor, operatively coupled to the battery, configured to control and monitor a discharge state of the battery;

the wireless communications device configured to;

operate in an active state where the wireless communications device is powered on but is not connected to the wireless communication network;

receive at least a portion of an intercepted instant message as a converted message while in the active state and without having a connection to the data network; and

a proxy server having a first connection to the SMS center and a second connection to the data network, the proxy server configured to;

establish a substitute proxy presence on the data network for the wireless communications device;

transmit presence information to the instant messaging service, in response to receiving instant messaging service login information from the wireless communications device;

maintain the presence information even when a data connection does not exist between the wireless communications device and the wireless network;

intercept and store an instant message addressed to the wireless communications device as the intercepted instant message, when the wireless communications device is in the active state;

convert at least a portion of the intercepted instant message into the converted message having a short message format, and send the converted message to the wireless communications device through the wireless network via the SMS center;

convert an identifier of a sender of the intercepted instant message into a converted identifier having a short message format and send the converted identifier to the wireless communications device;

save the entire intercepted instant message for a period of time, wherein a data connection to the proxy server by the wireless communications device enables viewing the entire intercepted instant message via the wireless communications device;

receive a response short message from the wireless communications device that is addressed to an information handling system of the plurality of information handling systems, convert the response short message into a converted response message having an instant message format, and send the converted response message to the information handling system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy server is further configured to notify the SMS center that the instant message addressed to the wireless communications device has been received.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the SMS center is configured to store the converted message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy server is further configured to receives an indication that the wireless communications device is in an inactive state, and, in response, remove the substitute proxy server presence.

5. A method for providing a wireless communications device access to an instant messaging service:

transmitting, by a proxy server, presence information to the instant messaging service, in response to receiving instant messaging service login information from the wireless communications device;

maintaining, by the proxy server, the presence information, after the wireless communications device has disconnected a data connection to a wireless network while the wireless communications device remains in an active state;

determining, by the proxy server, that the wireless communications device is in the active state by sending a periodic short message service (SMS) message to the wireless communications device and checking the SMS message delivery status;

intercepting, by the proxy server, and storing, at least one instant message sent to the wireless communications device via the instant messaging service;

converting, by the proxy server, at least a portion of the at least one instant message to SMS format to create a converted message;

sending, by the proxy server, the converted message to the wireless communications device through the wireless network via an SMS center;

converting, by the proxy server, an identifier of the sender of the at least one instant message from the instant message format to SMS format to create a converted identifier, and sending the converted identifier to the wireless communications device through the wireless network via the SMS center;

saving, by the proxy server, the entire at least one instant message for a period of time, and enabling viewing of the at least one instant message by the wireless communications device via a data connection to the proxy server;

receiving, by the proxy server, a response message, in short message service format, from the wireless communications; and

converting, by the proxy server, the response message to instant message format and transmitting the converted response message over a data network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

notifying, by the proxy server, the wireless communications device through the SMS center and the wireless network that the at least one instant message has been received.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of notifying comprises:

converting, by the proxy server, at least a header portion of the at least one instant message from instant message format to SMS format to create a notification message; and

sending, by the proxy server, the notification message to the wireless communications device through the wireless network via the SMS center.