Seamless integration of cellular and internet text messaging services
First Claim
1. A user communication device comprising:
- a user interface device;
an interface for communication over a cellular telephone network or over the Internet with an Internet messaging system;
a processor for executing a user request to send a text message as a short message service (SMS) message or a multimedia message service (MMS) message; and
a memory storing a text messaging routing application, wherein the text messaging routing application is configured to;
cause a query to be sent from the user communication device to the Internet messaging system asking whether or not the designated recipient of the SMS or MMS text message is registered with the Internet messaging system or an affiliate thereof;
receive a response to the query in the user communication device via the Internet from the Internet messaging system, the response indicating whether or not the designated recipient of the SMS or MMS text message is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof;
based on the received response, determine whether the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, that is capable of routing the SMS or MMS text message via the Internet;
based on the determination, if the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent from the user communication device to the designated recipient over the Internet, including contact information of the user communication device; and
alternatively, if it is determined that the designated recipient is not registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent over the cellular telephone network.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communication device may include a text messaging routing application. In response to a user-request to send a text message to a designated recipient over an Internet messaging system, the text messaging routing application may cause a query to be sent to the Internet messaging system asking whether the designated recipient of the text message is registered with the Internet messaging system or with an affiliate thereof. If the response to the query is in the negative, the text messaging routing application may cause the text message to be sent to the designated recipient over a cellular telephone network. If the response to the query is in the affirmative, the text messaging routing application may cause the text message to be sent to the designated recipient over the Internet using the Internet messaging system.
8 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A user communication device comprising:
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a user interface device; an interface for communication over a cellular telephone network or over the Internet with an Internet messaging system; a processor for executing a user request to send a text message as a short message service (SMS) message or a multimedia message service (MMS) message; and a memory storing a text messaging routing application, wherein the text messaging routing application is configured to; cause a query to be sent from the user communication device to the Internet messaging system asking whether or not the designated recipient of the SMS or MMS text message is registered with the Internet messaging system or an affiliate thereof; receive a response to the query in the user communication device via the Internet from the Internet messaging system, the response indicating whether or not the designated recipient of the SMS or MMS text message is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof; based on the received response, determine whether the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, that is capable of routing the SMS or MMS text message via the Internet; based on the determination, if the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent from the user communication device to the designated recipient over the Internet, including contact information of the user communication device; and alternatively, if it is determined that the designated recipient is not registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent over the cellular telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An Internet messaging system comprising:
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an interface for communication over a cellular telephone network or over the Internet with a user communication device; and a memory storing a text messaging control application, wherein execution of the text messaging control application on a processor configures the Internet messaging system to; receive a query from a sender'"'"'s user communication device asking whether or not a designated recipient of a text message as a short message service (SMS) message or a multimedia message service (MMS) message is registered with the Internet messaging system or an affiliate thereof; and in response to the query; determine whether the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or with the affiliate thereof, wherein the designated recipient that is registered with the Internet messaging system is eligible to receive the SMS or MMS text message, including contact information of the sender'"'"'s user communication device, from the sender'"'"'s user communication device over the Internet; and send a response back to the sender'"'"'s user communication device indicating whether or not the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, wherein, based on the response, the text messaging control application is configured to; determine whether the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, that is capable of routing the SMS or MMS text message via the Internet; based on the determination, if the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent from the sender'"'"'s user communication device to the designated recipient over the Internet, including the contact information of the sender'"'"'s user communication device; and alternatively, if it is determined that the designated recipient is not registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent over the cellular telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer-readable media containing a program of instructions configured to:
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execute a user request to send a text message as a short message service (SMS) message or a multimedia message service (MMS) message; cause a query to be sent from a user communication device to an Internet messaging system asking whether or not a designated recipient of the SSM or MMS text message is registered with the Internet messaging system or an affiliate thereof; and based on a response to the query in the user communication device from the Internet messaging system, the response indicating whether or not the designated recipient of the SMS or MMS text message is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, determine whether the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, that is capable of routing the SMS or MMS text message via the Internet; based on the determination, if the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent from the user communication device to the designated recipient over the Internet, including contact information of the user communication device; and alternatively, if it is determined that the designated recipient is not registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent over a cellular telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable media containing a program of instructions configured to:
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receive a query from a sender'"'"'s user communication device asking whether or not a designated recipient of a text message the user initially requested to be sent as a short message service (SMS) or multimedia messaging service (MMS) is registered with an Internet messaging system or an affiliate thereof; and in response to the query; cause a determination to be made whether or not the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, wherein the designated recipient that is registered with the Internet messaging system is eligible to receive, from the sender'"'"'s user communication device, the SMS or MMS text message over the Internet messaging system, including contact information of the sender'"'"'s user communication device; and cause a response to be sent back to the sender'"'"'s user communication device indicating whether or not the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof˜ wherein, based on the response, the instructions are configured to; determine whether the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, that is capable of routing the SMS or MMS text message via the Internet; based on the determination, if the designated recipient is registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent from the sender'"'"'s user communication device to the designated recipient over the Internet, including the contact information of the sender'"'"'s user communication device; and alternatively, if it is determined that the designated recipient is not registered with the Internet messaging system or the affiliate thereof, cause the SMS or MMS text message to be sent over a cellular telephone network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification