System, methods, software, and devices employing messaging

• US 20070083600A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurminen, Jukka, Deeds, Douglas, Bakos, Balazs, Ivanfi, Zoltan, Kiss, Attila, Kun-Szabo, Gyula
• Granted Patent: US 9,794,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A mobile device is shown in the role of a centralized message transfer agent wherein it manages all messaging for a user for most if not all the time so as to provide a unified messaging approach across all messaging platforms. Other platforms are shown using the mobile device in this unified way. Related systems, methods, integrated circuits, and software are also shown.

Claims

1. Mobile communication device, comprising:

mobile messaging client for originating and terminating messages from and to a user of said mobile communication device; and

message transfer agent for processing messages from an external messaging client installed on a communication device of said user external to said mobile communication device.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a simple mail transfer protocol server.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 2, further comprising a send-as server responsive to a message from said mobile messaging client for providing said message to a server message type module for transfer to said simple mail transfer protocol server for further transfer to an external simple mail transfer protocol server.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3, further comprising a message storage device wherein said simple mail transfer protocol server is responsive to said messages from said external messaging client for transferring said messages to said message storage device for access by both an external message client and said mobile messaging client.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 4, wherein said message transfer agent further comprises a post office protocol server or an internet message access protocol server having access to said message storage device for retrieving said messages transferred to said storage device from said external messaging client.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein said post office protocol server or said internet message access protocol server has access to said message storage device for retrieving said message transferred to said storage device by said simple mail transfer protocol server from said mobile messaging client via said send-as server and said server message type module.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6, wherein said post office protocol server or said internet message access protocol server has access to said message storage device for retrieving messages transferred to said storage device by said simple mail transfer protocol server from said external simple mail transfer protocol server.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 7, wherein said external messaging client has access to said message storage device via said post office protocol server or internet message access protocol server.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, further comprising a client message type module having access to said message storage device via said post office protocol server or internet message access protocol server for forwarding messages from said external email client or said external simple mail transfer protocol server to said mobile messaging client.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 9, further comprising a mobile operating system message server for forwarding said messages from said client message type modules to said mobile messaging client.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, further comprising a lightweight directory access protocol server for exchanging contact information with said external email client and with a contact list within said mobile communication device.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 2, wherein said simple mail transfer protocol server is a server proxy.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 12, further comprising a send-as server responsive to a message form said simple mail transfer protocol server proxy obtained from said external messaging client for providing said message to a server message type module of said device for transfer to an external simple mail transfer protocol relay.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein said send-as server is also responsive to a message form said mobile messaging client for transfer to said external simple mail transfer protocol relay via said server message type module.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14, further comprising a post office protocol server proxy or an internet message access protocol server proxy for providing a message form an external post office protocol server or an external internet message access protocol server to said external messaging client.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, further comprising a client message type module and a mobile operating system message server wherein said post office protocol server proxy or said internet message access protocol proxy receives said message from said external post office protocol server or said external internet message access protocol server via said client message type module and said operating system message server.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein said message from said external post office protocol server or said external internet message access protocol server is provided via said client message type module and said mobile operating system message server either to said mobile messaging client or to said post office protocol server proxy or said internet message access protocol server proxy.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17, further comprising a lightweight directory access protocol server for exchanging contact information with said external email client and with a contact list within said mobile communication device.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a post office protocol server or an internet message access protocol server.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 19, wherein said post office protocol server or internet message access protocol server is a server proxy.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 2, wherein said message transfer agent further comprises a post office protocol server or an internet message access protocol server.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 12, wherein said message transfer agent further comprises a post office protocol server proxy or an internet message access protocol server proxy.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a state machine for providing a graphical user interface for starting, stopping, and using said message transfer agent.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 23, wherein said state machine has connected, disconnected, and stopped states.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein a transition is made to said stopped state from an initial state if a running instance of a searched for message transfer agent is not found and a transition to said disconnected state is made from said initial state if found.

26. The mobile device of claim 25, wherein start and stop transactions are provided between said stopped state and said disconnected state.

27. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein a transition is made from a stopped state to a disconnected state in response to a start command and wherein a transition is made from said disconnected state to said stopped state in response to a stop command.

28. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein a transition is made from a disconnected state to a connected state in response to a connect command and wherein a transition is made from said connected state to said disconnected state in response to a disconnect command.

29. The mobile device of claim 28, wherein a transition is made from said connected state to a stopped state in response to a stop command.

30. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein a transition is made from said disconnected state to a connected state in response to a connect command and wherein a transition is made from said connected state to said disconnected state in response to a disconnect command.

31. The mobile device of claim 30, wherein a transition is made from said connected state to said stopped state in response to a stop command.

32. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein a transition is made from said disconnected state, from said connected state, or from said stopped state to said initial state in response to an exit command.

33. Communication terminal for a user, comprising:

an email client; and

a device connected to said email client and connectable to a mobile communication device of said user external to said terminal wherein said mobile communication device comprises a mobile messaging client for originating and terminating messages from and to said user of said mobile communication device and a message transfer agent for processing messages including messages communicated between said terminal and said mobile communication device.

34. The communication terminal of claim 33, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a simple mail transfer protocol server.

35. The communication terminal of claim 34, where said message transfer agent further comprises a post office protocol server, or an internet message access protocol server, or both.

36. The communication terminal of claim 35, wherein said messages communicated between said terminal and said mobile communication device are communicated to or from a central messaging storage device in said mobile communication device.

37. The communication terminal of claim 33, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a post office protocol server.

38. The communication terminal of claim 37, wherein said messages communicated between said terminal and said mobile communication device are communicated to or from a central messaging storage device in said mobile communication device.

39. The communication terminal of claim 34, wherein said messages communicated between said terminal and said mobile communication device are communicated to or from a central messaging storage device in said mobile communication device.

40. Method, comprising:

acting as an email client n a mobile communication device of a user, and acting as a central message transfer agent in said mobile communication device of said user for processing of said user to and from said email client and to and from one or more external communication terminal devices used by said user.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

acting as a simple mail transfer protocol server in said mobile communication devices of said user.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

acting as a post office protocol server or an internet message access server, or both, in said mobile communication device of said user.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising

acting as a post office protocol server or an internet message access server, or both, in said mobile communication device of said user.

44. Apparatus, comprising:

a client for acting as a messaging client in a mobile communication device of a user; and

a message transfer agent for acting as a central message transfer agent in said mobile communication device of said user for processing and transferring messages of said user to and from said client and to and from one or more messaging clients in corresponding external communication terminal devices used by said user.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a simple mail transfer protocol server or a server proxy.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a post office protocol server or server proxy.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a post office protocol server or server proxy.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a lightweight directory access protocol server.

49. Apparatus comprising:

means for acting as a messaging client in a mobile communication device of a user; and

means for acting as a central a message transfer agent for acting as a central message transfer agent in said mobile communication device of said user for processing and transferring messages of said user to and from said client and to and from one or more messaging clients in corresponding external communication terminal devices used by said user.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said means for acting as a central message transfer agent comprises means for acting as a simple mail transfer protocol server or a server proxy;

and means for acting as a post office protocol server or server proxy.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein said means for acting as a central message transfer agent further comprises means for acting as a lightweight directory access protocol server.

52. Computer program stored on a computer readable medium comprising executable code for causing a mobile communication device of a user within which the medium is installed or is installable to act as an email client and as a central message transfer agent for processing messages of said user to and from said email client and to and from one or more messaging clients installed in corresponding terminal devices used by said user.

53. Integrated circuit for causing a mobile communication device of a user within which the integrated circuit is installed or is installable to act as an email client and as a central message transfer agent for processing messages of said user to and from said email client and to and from one or more messaging clients installed in corresponding terminal devices used by said user.

54. System, comprising:

a mobile communication device comprising;

a mobile messaging client for originating and terminating messages to and from a user of asid mobile communication device; and

a message transfer agent for processing messages from an external messaging client;

said system further comprising;

a communication terminal of said user external to said mobile communication device comprising;

said external messaging client; and

a device connected to said external messaging client connectable to said mobile communication device of said user external to said terminal.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein said message transfer agent comprises a simple mail transfer protocol server.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said message transfer agent further comprises a post office protocol server, or an internet message access protocol server, or both.

57. The system of claim 54, acting as a post office protocol server or an internet message access server, or both, in said mobile communication device of said user.