System and method for managing messages in conversational-type messaging applications

• US 8,380,231 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Riddle, Francis Thomas, Parrett, John Bennett
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Melody
• Application Number:
  US12/713,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20110086647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/415, 455/418, 455/419, 455/413, 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/565, 455/412.2, 345/173, 345/156, 345/169, 345/473, 715/863, 715/700
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method are provided for managing messages in conversational-type messaging applications. To provide continuity across all conversations with a particular recipient, an existing or not-yet-created 1:1 conversation can be populated with 1:Many messages that include the same recipient in the list of addressees. In this way, any 1:1 chat or conversation with a particular recipient will contain all correspondences with that recipient, regardless of whether the message was sent or received in a 1:1 or 1:Many context. As such, the user has access to all information that has been exchanged with that recipient in one messaging screen to avoid the need to traverse multiple messaging screens to obtain the context or information related to the recipient that the user requires.

Claims

1. A method for messaging comprising:

obtaining a message for a plurality of recipient addresses;

if there is an existing one-to-one conversation with a respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses, incorporating said message into said existing one-to-one conversation; and

if one-to-one conversation with a respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not exist, incorporating said message into a new one-to-one conversation with said respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses after detecting an input creating said new one-to-one conversation.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining if said existing one-to-one conversation exists by examining each recipient address in said message, wherein if more than one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not have a corresponding one-to-one conversation, said method is repeated for each of said more than one of said plurality of recipient addresses.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to detecting said input:

obtaining at least one additional message for a plurality of recipient addresses;

determining that a one-to-one conversation with one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not exist; and

storing said at least one additional message.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining comprises either detecting the message as it is being sent, or detecting the message as it is received.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said message is an outgoing short message service message being sent to a plurality of short message service recipient addresses.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said message is an Instant Message being sent to a plurality of Instant Messaging recipient addresses.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising saving said message to a record for said one of said recipient addresses.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein only up to a predetermined number of messages can be saved and, if said predetermined number is exceeded, said method comprising deleting at least one older message already having been saved.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising incorporating said message into a conversation with said plurality of recipient addresses.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for messaging comprising instructions for:

obtaining a message for a plurality of recipient addresses;

if there is an existing one-to-one conversation with a respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses, incorporating said message into said existing one-to-one conversation; and

if a one-to-one conversation with a respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not exist, incorporating said message into a new one-to-one conversation with said respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses after detecting an input creating said new one-to-one conversation.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for determining if said existing one-to-one conversation exists by examining each recipient address in said message, wherein if more than one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not have a corresponding one-to-one conversation, said method is repeated for each of said more than one of said plurality of recipient addresses.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for, prior to detecting said input:

obtaining at least one additional message for a plurality of recipient addresses;

determining that a one-to-one conversation with one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not exist; and

storing said at least one additional message.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said obtaining comprises either detecting the message as it is being sent, or detecting the message as it is received.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said message is an outgoing short message service message being sent to a plurality of short message service recipient addresses.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein said message is an Instant Message being sent to a plurality of Instant Messaging recipient addresses.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for saving said message to a record for said one of said recipient addresses.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein only up to a predetermined number of messages can be saved and, if said predetermined number is exceeded, said method comprising deleting at least one older message already having been saved.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for incorporating said message into a conversation with said plurality of recipient addresses.

17. A mobile device configured for messaging by:

obtaining a message for a plurality of recipient addresses;

if there is an existing one-to-one conversation with a respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses, incorporating said message into said existing one-to-one conversation; and

if a one-to-one conversation with a respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not exist, incorporating said message into a new one-to-one conversation with said respective one of said plurality of recipient addresses after detecting an input creating said new one-to-one conversation.

18. The mobile device according to claim 17 further configured for determining if said existing one-to-one conversation exists by compriscG examining each recipient address in said message, wherein if more than one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not have a corresponding one-to-one conversation, said method is repeated for each of said more than one of said plurality of recipient addresses.

19. The mobile device according to claim 18, further configured for, prior to detecting said input:

obtaining at least one additional message for a plurality of recipient addresses;

determining that a said one-to-one conversation with one of said plurality of recipient addresses does not exist; and

storing said at least one additional message.

20. The mobile device according to claim 17, wherein said message is an outgoing short message service message being sent to a plurality of short message service recipient addresses.

21. The mobile device according to claim 17, further configured for saving said message to a record for said one of said recipient addresses.

22. The mobile device according to claim 21, wherein only up to a predetermined number of messages can be saved and, if said predetermined number is exceeded, said method comprising deleting at least one older message already having been saved.

23. The mobile device according to claim 17, wherein said message is an Instant Message being sent to a plurality of Instant Messaging recipient addresses.

24. The mobile device according to claim 19, wherein said obtaining comprises either detecting the message as it is being sent, or detecting the message as it is received.

27. The mobile device according to claim 17, further configured for incorporating said message into a conversation with said plurality of recipient addresses.