Method and system for messaging across cellular networks and a public data network

• US 8,660,614 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carey, Charles A., Robinson, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US13/226,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20120231822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/466, 455/465
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A computer program product for instant message communication in a wireless and non-wireless environment. A message is sent from a mobile unit device over a wireless communication network. The message includes a destination address, information associated with the mobile unit device'"'"'s user, message content and message address. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device'"'"'s user at the instant message system, the destination address is associated with an instant message function, the associated instant message function is executed at the instant message system using the information contained in the message content, if required as determined by the associated instant message function. If, according to information previously stored for the mobile unit device'"'"'s user, the destination address is associated with an instant message name, an instant message is created according to the message content and is sent to the user with the associated instant message name.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by one or more processors of a mobile device, cause the one or more processors of the mobile device to perform steps comprising:

sending a sign on function from the mobile device based on a manual selection by a user of the mobile device, the manual selection not being associated with a power-on sequence;

displaying a list of users of a communications system, the users on the list being associated with the user of the mobile device;

receiving, in response to the sent sign on function, availability information of one or more users on the list of users to communicate using instant messages;

displaying the availability information on a display of the mobile device;

displaying, on the display of the mobile device, a selectable option for modifying users on the list of users;

receiving a selection of the selectable option; and

modifying the users on the list of users in response to the selection of the selectable option.

2. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the selectable option is an option to delete a first user from the list of users; and

modifying the users on the list of users comprises deleting the first user from the list of users.

3. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 2, wherein deleting the first user from the list of users comprises sending a delete command to a server associated with the list of users.

4. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors of the mobile device to display the availability information of the one or more users to communicate using instant messages in connection with the list of users.

5. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors of the mobile device to receive the selection of the selectable option via a touch screen of the mobile device.

6. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the availability information of the one or more users on the list to communicate using instant messages comprises receiving a first indication that the first user is logged into the communication systems via an on-line account.

7. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

8. A method comprising:

sending a sign on function from a mobile device based on a manual selection by a user of the mobile device, the manual selection not being associated with a power-on sequence;

displaying, on a display of the mobile device, a list of users of a communications system, the users on the list of users being associated with the user of the mobile device;

receiving, in response to the sent sign on function, availability information of one or more users on the list to communicate using instant messages;

displaying the availability information on the display of the mobile device;

displaying, on the display of the mobile device, a selectable option for modifying users on the list of users;

receiving a selection of the selectable option; and

modifying, using one or more processors, the users of the list of users in response to the selection of the selectable option.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the selectable option is an option to delete a first user from the list of users; and

modifying the users of the list of users comprises deleting the first user from the list of users.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein deleting the first user from the list of users comprises sending a delete command to a server which maintains the list of users.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising displaying the availability information of the one or more users to communicate using instant messages in connection with the list of users.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving the selection of the selectable option via a touch screen of the mobile device.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving a first indication that a first user is logged into the communication systems via an on-line account.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a sign on function from a mobile device that a user of a communications system has logged into the communications system using the mobile device, the sign on function being based on a manual selection by the user of the mobile device, the manual selection not being associated with a power-on sequence;

accessing a list of users, the list of users including users of the communications system associated with the user of the mobile device;

determining, using at least one processor, an availability of one or more users on the list of users to communicate using instant messages;

sending, to the mobile device, an indication of the availability of the one or more users on the list of users to communicate using instant messages;

receiving a request from the mobile device to modify the list of users; and

modifying the list of users in accordance with the request.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the request to modify the list of users comprises a request to delete a first user from the list of users.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising deleting the first user from the list of users.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising sending a modified list of users to the mobile device for display to the user, wherein the first user is not on the modified list of users.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining that at least one user from the list of users is logged into the communications system via an on-line account; and

sending the mobile device at least one indication that the at least one user is available to communicate with the mobile device via the communications system.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining that at least one user from the list of users is logged into the communications system via a second mobile device; and

sending the mobile device at least one indication that the at least one user is available to communicate with the mobile device via the communications system.