Method, device, software and graphical user interface for forwarding messages between message handling services

• US 8,819,144 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hardy, Michael Thomas, Glennie, Robin Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELCHER, HERMAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/554,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,856 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 455/466, 455/566
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

In one aspect, a computing device such as a wireless mobile communication device may receive a first type of message (e.g. an e-mail message) over a first message handling service. The device may further receive an indication, e.g. from a user interacting with the device, that the message should be forwarded to a specified recipient as a second type of message (e.g. an SMS message) over a second, different message handling service. The device may display multiple selectable destination addresses (e.g. telephone numbers) for the second type of message, each being associated with the specified recipient. If one of the destination addresses is associated with a device (e.g. a mobile telephone) that is more suitable for receiving the second type of message than any device associated with the other destination addresses, a default destination address for the second type of message may be automatically set to be that destination address.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a received electronic mail (e-mail) message should be forwarded as a Short Message Service (SMS) message;

further receiving an indication of a specified recipient for the SMS message, the indication comprising a user selection, from a displayed list of names of contacts in an electronic address book, of a name of a contact of the electronic address book;

presenting a user interface including a plurality of selectable destination addresses for the SMS message, each of the destination addresses being associated with the contact of the electronic address book;

based upon determining that a destination address of the plurality is associated with a mobile communication device, automatically selecting within the user interface, as a default destination address for the SMS message, the destination address associated with the mobile communication device;

ascertaining whether the e-mail message, when converted to an SMS message, would exceed a predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, the predetermined maximum total length L being based on a predetermined maximum number of characters per segment multiplied by a predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message;

when the ascertaining is in the positive, creating a multi-segment SMS message comprising the predetermined maximum number of segments, each of the SMS message segments containing a portion of the content of the e-mail message and having a length that is equal to the maximum number of characters per segment;

displaying in the user interface a number of segments in the created multi-segment SMS message that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of segments; and

further displaying in the user interface an indicator of a number of characters by which the e-mail message has been shortened.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

upon user selection of a desired destination address from the plurality of selectable destination addresses, displaying on a single user interface screen;

a name of the specified recipient;

a type of the desired destination address; and

at least part of a body of the e-mail message.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the type of the desired destination address is a label indicating that the destination address represents a mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

further displaying in the user interface an indicator of a difference between an actual length of the multi-segment SMS message and the predetermined maximum total length L, wherein the indicator of the difference indicates zero.

13. The method claim 1 wherein the name of the contact comprises a first name and a surname.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, adapt the device to:

receive an indication that an electronic mail (e-mail) message should be forwarded as a Short Message Service (SMS) message;

further receive an indication of a specified recipient for the SMS message, the indication comprising a user selection, from a displayed list of names of contacts in an electronic address book, of a name of a contact of the electronic address book;

present a user interface including a plurality of selectable destination addresses for the SMS message, each of the destination addresses being associated with the contact of the electronic address book;

based upon determining that a destination address of the plurality is associated with a mobile communication device, automatically select within the user interface, as a default destination address for the SMS message, the destination address associated with the mobile communication device;

ascertain whether the e-mail message, when converted to an SMS message, would exceed a predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, the predetermined maximum total length L being based on a predetermined maximum number of characters per segment multiplied by a predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message;

when the ascertaining is in the positive, create a multi-segment SMS message comprising the predetermined maximum number of segments, each of the SMS message segments containing a portion of the content of the e-mail message and having a length that is equal to the maximum number of characters per segment;

display in the user interface a number of segments in the created multi-segment SMS message that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of segments; and

further display in the user interface an indicator of a number of characters by which the e-mail message has been shortened.

6. A computing device having at least one processor and memory in communication with the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, adapt the device to:

receive an indication that an electronic mail (e-mail) message should be forwarded as a Short Message Service (SMS) message;

further receive an indication of a specified recipient for the SMS message, the indication comprising a user selection, from a displayed list of names of contacts in an electronic address book, of a name of a contact of the electronic address book;

present a user interface including a plurality of selectable destination addresses for the SMS message, each of the destination addresses being associated with the contact of the electronic address book;

based upon determining that a destination address of the plurality is associated with a mobile communication device, automatically set a default destination address for the SMS message to be the destination address;

ascertain whether the e-mail message, when converted to an SMS message, would exceed a predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, the predetermined maximum total length L being based on a predetermined maximum number of characters per segment multiplied by a predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message;

when the ascertaining is in the positive, create a multi-segment SMS message comprising the predetermined maximum number of segments, each of the SMS message segments containing a portion of the content of the e-mail message and having a length that is equal to the maximum number of characters per segment;

display in the user interface a number of segments in the created multi-segment SMS message that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of segments; and

further display in the user interface an indicator of a number of characters by which the e-mail message has been shortened.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a first message, of a first type, over a first message handling service;

receiving an indication that the message should be forwarded as a second message, of a second type, over a second message handling service different from the first message handling service;

further receiving an indication of a specified recipient for the second message, the indication comprising a user selection, from a displayed list of names of contacts in an electronic address book, of a name of a contact of the electronic address book;

displaying a user interface including a plurality of selectable destination addresses for the second message, each of the destination addresses being associated with the contact of the electronic address book;

based upon determining that a destination address of the plurality is associated with a device that is more suitable for receiving the second type of message than any device associated with any remaining destination addresses of the plurality, automatically selecting within the displayed user interface, as a default destination address for the second message, the destination address associated with the mobile communication device;

ascertain whether the first message, if converted to a message of the second type, would exceed a predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment message of the second type, the predetermined maximum total length L being based on a predetermined maximum number of characters per segment multiplied by a predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment message;

when the ascertaining is in the positive, create a multi-segment message of the second type comprising the predetermined maximum number of segments, each of the message segments containing a portion of the content of the first message and having a length that is equal to the maximum number of characters per segment;

display in the user interface a number of segments in the created multi-segment message that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of segments; and

further display in the user interface an indicator of a number of characters by which the first message has been shortened.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second message handling service is a Short Message Service (SMS) message handling service.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the second message handling service is a Multimedia Message Service (MMS) message handling service.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second message handling service is a peer-to-peer message handling service.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

upon user selection of a desired destination address from the plurality of selectable destination addresses, displaying on a single user interface screen;

a name of the specified recipient;

a type of the desired destination address; and

at least part of a body of the first message.

12. A method comprising:

receiving an e-mail message over an electronic mail (e-mail) message handling service;

receiving an indication that the e-mail message should be forwarded as a Short Message Service (SMS) message over an SMS message handling service;

ascertaining whether the e-mail message, when converted to an SMS message, would exceed a predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, the predetermined maximum total length L being based on a predetermined maximum number of characters per segment multiplied by a predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message;

if the ascertaining is in the positive, displaying in a user interface an indicator of a number of segments in the multi-segment SMS message that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message; and

further display in the user interface an indicator of a number of characters, in excess of the predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, by which the e-mail message has been shortened.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, adapt the device to:

receive an e-mail message over an electronic mail (e-mail) message handling service;

receive an indication that the e-mail message should be forwarded as a Short Message Service (SMS) message over an SMS message handling service;

ascertain whether the e-mail message, when converted to an SMS message, would exceed a predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, the predetermined maximum total length L being based on a predetermined maximum number of characters per segment multiplied by a predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message;

if the ascertaining is in the positive, display in a user interface an indicator of a number of segments in the multi-segment SMS message that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message; and

further display in the user interface an indicator of a number of characters, in excess of the predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, by which the e-mail message has been shortened.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the name of the contact comprises a first name and a surname.

16. A computing device comprising at least one processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, adapt the computing device to:

receive an e-mail message over an electronic mail (e-mail) message handling service;

receive an indication that the e-mail message should be forwarded as a Short Message Service (SMS) message over an SMS message handling service;

ascertain whether the e-mail message, when converted to an SMS message, would exceed a predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, the predetermined maximum total length L being based on a predetermined maximum number of characters per segment multiplied by a predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message;

if the ascertaining is in the positive, display in a user interface an indicator of a number of segments in the multi-segment SMS message that is equal to the predetermined maximum number of segments per multi-segment SMS message; and

further display in the user interface an indicator of a number of characters, in excess of the predetermined maximum total length L for a multi-segment SMS message, by which the e-mail message has been shortened.

17. The computing device of claim 16 wherein the name of the contact comprises a first name and a surname.