Method and apparatus for processing messages in a mobile device

• US 9,026,086 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Sungho, Han, Kyunghoon, Shin, Youngsun, Lee, Chaekyung
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US13/682,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20130130657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing a message in a mobile device are provided. In the method, when a message is received from a designated subscriber, a control unit of the apparatus stores the received message in a corresponding application buffer and also links the received message to a combined message buffer corresponding to the designated subscriber. When there is a request for viewing messages received from the designated subscriber, the control unit lists received messages of all types linked to the combined message buffer corresponding to the designated subscriber.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

allocating, in a memory of an electronic device, a plurality of application buffers and a combined message buffer, each of the plurality of application buffers being designated for storage of a different type of message, and the combined message buffer being designated for storage of links to messages stored in any one of the plurality of application buffers that are received at the electronic device from a registered entity;

for each message received at the electronic device from the entity, storing the message in one of the plurality of application buffers that corresponds to a type of the message and linking the message to the combined message buffer;

in response to a request for viewing messages received from the entity, generating a list of messages based on the combined message buffer and displaying the list on a display unit of the electronic device; and

in response to a selection of a first message from the list, retrieving the first message from one of the plurality of application buffers where the first message is stored and displaying the first message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined message buffer is exclusive to the entity, and the entity includes one or more contacts identified in a contacts book of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each message received at the electronic device from the entity is linked to the combined message buffer when the message is received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a Social Network Service feed message, and the plurality of buffers includes a Social Network Service feed buffer that stores only Social Network Service feed messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of application buffers includes at least one of a Short Message Service buffer, a Multimedia Messaging Service buffer, an Instant Message buffer, an e-mail buffer, and a schedule buffer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message includes one of an e-mail message and a Short Message Service message.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising retrieving from a contact book of the electronic device a plurality of network identifier for a given contact and registering the entity based on the plurality of network identifiers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity consists of single contact that is registered in a contacts book of the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity includes a group of contacts, wherein each of the contacts in the group is identified in a contacts book of the electronic device.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a memory storing a plurality of application buffers and a combined message buffer, each of the plurality of application buffers being designated for storage of a different type of message, and the combined message buffer being designated for storage of links to messages stored in any one of the plurality of application buffers that are received at the electronic device from a registered entity; and

a control unit configured to;

for each message received at the electronic device from the entity, store the message in one of the plurality of application buffers that corresponds to a type of the message and link the message to the combined message buffer;

in response to a request for viewing messages received from the entity, generate a list of messages based on the combined message buffer and display the list on a display unit of the electronic device; and

in response to a selection of a first message from the list, retrieve the first message from one of the plurality of application buffers where the first message is stored and display the first message.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the combined message buffer is exclusive to the entity, and the entity includes one or more contacts identified in a contacts book of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein each message received at the electronic device from the entity is linked to the combined message buffer when the message is received.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first message is a Social Network Service feed message, and the plurality of buffers includes a Social Network Service feed buffer that stores only Social Network Service feed messages.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of application buffers includes at least one of a Short Message Service buffer, a Multimedia Messaging Service buffer, an Instant Message buffer, an e-mail buffer, and a schedule buffer.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first message includes one of an e-mail message and a Short Message Service message.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to retrieve from a contact book of the electronic device a plurality of network identifier for a given contact and register the entity based on the plurality of network identifiers.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the entity consists of single contact that is registered in a contacts book of the electronic device.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the entity includes a group of contacts, wherein each of the contacts in the group is identified in a contacts book of the electronic device.