Methods And Apparatus For Delivering A Message To Two Or More Associated Wireless Communication Devices

• US 20090325552A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Carpenter, Paul M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• 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 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

Techniques in a message-originating wireless communication device for use in communicating short messages via a wireless communication network are described. The message-originating device has a memory which stores an address of a wireless communication device in association with an additional address of an additional wireless communication device. In the technique, a request to deliver a short message to the address of the wireless communication device is received via a user interface of the message-originating device. The request may be made, for example, in response to a depression of a button, only once, to send the short message. In response to the request, the short message is transmitted, via the wireless network, to the address for delivery to the wireless communication device. The short message is additionally transmitted, via the wireless network, to the additional address for delivery to the additional wireless communication device. The additional address of the additional wireless communication device is selected for the additional transmission of the short message based on the stored association.

Claims

1. A method in a short message-originating wireless communication device, the short message-originating device having a memory which stores an address and an additional address associated with the address, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving, via a user interface of the short message-originating device, a request to deliver a short message to the address;

performing the following acts in response to receiving the request;

transmitting the short message for delivery to the address; and

additionally transmitting the short message for delivery to the additional address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the short message is transmitted via a wireless communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the address is an address of a wireless communication device and the additional address is an address of an additional wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the act of:

selecting the additional address of the additional wireless communication device based on a stored association between the address of the wireless communication device and the additional address of the additional wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the address comprises a first number in a first removable memory card and the additional address comprises a second number in a second removable memory card.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the address comprises a first Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN) and the additional address comprises a second MSISDN.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the short message comprises one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to deliver the short message via the user interface is made in response a depression of a button to send the short message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to deliver the short message via the user interface is made in response to a depression of a button, only once, to send the short message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the short message-originating wireless communication device comprises a mobile station which is operative with a wireless communication network which is a cellular telecommunications network.

11. A communication device, comprising:

a controller;

a radio frequency (RF) receiver;

a RF transmitter;

a user interface;

memory;

the controller being coupled to the RF receiver, the RF transmitter, the user interface, and the memory;

the memory for storing an address in association with an additional address;

the controller being adapted to;

receive, via the user interface, a request to deliver a short message to the address;

performing the following acts in response to receiving the request;

causing the short message to be transmitted, via the RF transmitter, to the address; and

causing the short message to be additionally transmitted, via the RF transmitter, to the additional address.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to cause the short message to be transmitted via a wireless communication network.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the address is an address of a wireless communication device and the additional address is an address of an additional wireless communication device.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the controller is further adapted to:

select the additional address of the additional wireless communication device based on the stored association between the address of the wireless communication device and the additional address of the additional wireless communication device.

15. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the address comprises a first number in a first removable memory card and the additional address comprises a second number in a second removable memory card.

16. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the first address comprises a first Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN) and the second address comprises a second MSISDN.

17. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the short message comprises one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.

18. A method in a message-originating wireless communication device comprising the acts of:

receiving, at a user interface of the message-originating device, a request to deliver a short message to a message-recipient address;

performing the following acts in response to the request;

providing, as a message-originating address of the short message, an alternate address different from an address of the message-originating device; and

transmitting the short message having the message-originating address for delivery to the message-recipient address.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the address identifies the message-originating device in a wireless communication network for receiving short messages in the wireless communication network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the alternate address identifies an alternate wireless communication device in a wireless communication network for receiving short messages in the wireless communication network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the address comprises a first Mobile Station Integrated Services Digital Network (MSISDN) which identifies the message-originating device and the alternate address comprises a second MSISDN which identifies the alternate wireless device.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the address comprises a first number in a first removable memory card and the alternate address comprises a second number in a second removable memory card.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prior to allowing use of the alternate address as the message-originating address, providing a security mechanism at the message-originating device in order to prevent spoofing.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prior to allowing use of the alternate address as the message-originating address, providing a security mechanism at the message-originating device; and

wherein the security mechanism includes receiving, at the message-originating device, a removable memory card having the alternate address stored therein.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the short message comprises one of a Short Message Service (SMS) message and a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.