Messaging services in a wireless communications network

• US 8,918,128 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rembrandt Messaging Technologies II, LP (Rembrandt IP Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Rembrandt Messaging Technologies, LP (Rembrandt IP Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Merrett, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Agosta, Steve D
• Application Number:
  US14/307,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20140295899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/466, 370/310.2, 370/312, 370/352, 370/353, 370/355, 370/356
• 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 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• 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 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and server for providing a message service. The server receives, via a packet switched WLAN, a request message including a destination address associated with a recipient device. The device of the sender is capable of sending messages via the packet switched WLAN or alternatively via an SMS bearer. The server determines whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer. The server sends a response message to the device of the sender. If the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the device of the sender to send the outgoing message via the packet switched WLAN. Alternatively, the response message provides an indication to send the outgoing message via the SMS bearer.

Claims

1. A method for use in a message server, the method comprising:

receiving, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message to the wireless device of the recipient, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending, in a first delivery mode, messages via the packet switched WLAN base station or, alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

determining whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer; and

sending a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station,

wherein, if the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address via the SMS bearer base station, and

wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the request message received from the wireless device of the sender and the response message sent to the wireless device of the sender do not traverse the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to select at least one type of permissible attachment based on whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to deny any type of attachment when the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination address is a mobile phone number.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the wireless device of the sender, the outgoing message via the packet switched WLAN base station; and

queuing the outgoing message for later delivery if the outgoing message cannot be delivered to the wireless device of the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message if the outgoing message is successfully delivered to the wireless device of the recipient when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.

9. A method for use in a message server, the method comprising:

storing at least one destination address;

receiving, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message to the wireless device of the recipient, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending, in a first delivery mode, messages via the packet switched WLAN base station or, alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

determining whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer by comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the at least one stored destination address; and

sending a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station, and

wherein, if the received destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address associated with a wireless device of the recipient via the SMS bearer base station.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing a list of a plurality of destination addresses, each of the plurality of destination addresses corresponding to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, wherein the service is independent of a cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station,

wherein determining whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer includes comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the list.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the request message received from the wireless device of the sender and the response message sent to the wireless device of the sender do not traverse the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message if the outgoing message is successfully delivered to the wireless device of the recipient when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.

15. A message server comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message from the wireless device of the sender, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending messages, in a first delivery mode, via the packet switched WLAN base station, or alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

a processor configured to determine whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer; and

a transmitter configured to send a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing messages via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station,

wherein, if the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address via the SMS bearer base station, and

wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the receiver is further configured to receive the request message from the wireless device of the sender without the request message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station, and the transmitter is further configured to send the response message to wireless device of the sender without the response message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

16. The message server of claim 15, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

17. The message server of claim 15, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to select at least one type of permissible attachment based on whether the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

18. The message server of claim 15, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to deny any type of attachment when the destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

19. The message server of claim 15, wherein the destination address is a mobile phone number.

20. The message server of claim 15, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, from the wireless device of the sender, the outgoing message via the packet switched WLAN base station, and the processor is further configured to queue the outgoing message for later delivery if the outgoing message cannot be delivered to the wireless device of the recipient.

21. The message server of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

22. The message server of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, when the destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.

23. A message server comprising:

a storage configured to store at least one destination address;

a receiver configured to receive, from a wireless device of a sender via a packet switched wireless local area network (WLAN) base station, a request message including a destination address associated with a wireless device of a recipient, from a message client running on the wireless device of the sender, the message client capable of determining a delivery mode for sending an outgoing message from the wireless device of the sender, wherein the wireless device of the sender is capable of sending messages, in a first delivery mode, via the packet switched WLAN base station, or alternatively, in a second delivery mode, via a short message service (SMS) bearer base station that is independent of the packet switched WLAN base station;

a processor configured to determine whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of a service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer by comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the at least one stored destination address; and

a transmitter configured to send a response message, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, indicating whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer,

wherein, if the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing messages via a packet switched bearer, the response message provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the first delivery mode, the outgoing message as one or more Internet protocol (IP) packets to the wireless device of the recipient via the packet switched WLAN base station, and

wherein, if the received destination address does not correspond to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, the response message alternatively provides an indication to the wireless device of the sender to send, in the second delivery mode, the outgoing message as an SMS message to the wireless device of the recipient using the destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient via the SMS bearer base station.

24. The message server of claim 23,

wherein the storage is configured to store the at least one destination address in a list of a plurality of destination addresses, each of the plurality of destination addresses corresponding to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, wherein the service is independent of a cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station,

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer by comparing the received destination address associated with the wireless device of the recipient against the list.

25. The message server of claim 23, wherein the SMS bearer base station is associated with a cellular core network, and the receiver is further configured to receive the request message from the wireless device of the sender without the request message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station, and the transmitter is further configured to send the response message to wireless device of the sender without the response message traversing the cellular core network associated with the SMS bearer base station.

26. The message server of claim 23, wherein the response message enables the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of whether the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer.

27. The message server of claim 23, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, a delivery confirmation message when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication that the outgoing message was delivered.

28. The message server of claim 23, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send presence information associated with the wireless device of the recipient, to the wireless device of the sender via the packet switched WLAN base station, when the received destination address corresponds to a subscriber of the service for receiving the outgoing message via a packet switched bearer, to enable the wireless device of the sender to display an indication of the presence of the wireless device of the recipient.