Messaging system and method

• US 9,100,807 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2014
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T Play Holdings LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: TriPlay Incorporated
• Inventors: Rosen, Gil, Ziv, Yaacov
• Primary Examiner(s): MIRZA, ADNAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/483,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20140378175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/06 Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• 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: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 : with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• 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 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method of cross-platform messaging including receiving, by a messaging system, at least one initial message having a message format, an initial message layout and data indicative of at least one user associated with the at least one initial message, and before delivery to a destination communication device associated with the at least one user, converting, by the messaging system, an initial message into an adapted message, and facilitating, by the messaging system, delivery of the adapted message to the destination communication device. The adapted message is characterized by, at least, an adapted message layout, and the adapted message layout differs from the initial message layout in a characteristic associated with respective message layout such as number of media objects, a graphical image of a media object, a size of a placeholder related to a media object, and a location of a media object within a respective message layout.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

communicating, by a messaging system, with a first mobile client installed onto a first mobile communication device of a first user, the first mobile client being configured to at least;

a) enable the first mobile communication device with a first set of capabilities to communicate messages with at least one second mobile communication device with a second set of capabilities, wherein the first set of capabilities differ from the second set of capabilities;

b) manage data informative of contacts and groups associated with the first mobile communication device;

c) manage data informative of contact privileges of the contacts associated with the first mobile communication device;

d) synchronize messages between the first mobile client and the messaging system;

e) enable the first user to set at least one first user preference related to displaying messages by the first mobile communication device;

f) automatically provide, to the messaging system, at least one first indication of availability of the first mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system; and

g) enable the first user of the first mobile communication device to manually provide at least one second indication of availability of the first user for communicating with other users of the messaging system;

communicating, by the messaging system, with a second mobile client installed onto a second mobile communication device of a second user, the second mobile client being configured to;

h) enable the at least one second mobile communication device to communicate messages with at least the first mobile communication device;

i) manage data informative of contacts and groups associated with the second mobile communication device;

j) manage data informative of contact privileges of the contacts associated with of the second mobile communication device;

k) synchronize messages between the second mobile client and the messaging system;

l) enable the second user to set at least one second user preference related to displaying messages by the second mobile communication device;

m) automatically provide at least one third indication of availability of the second mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system; and

n) enable the second user of the second mobile communication device to manually provide at least one fourth indication of availability of the second user for communicating with other users of the messaging system;

receiving, by the messaging system and from the first mobile client of the first mobile communication device, an initial message characterized, at least, by message format, an initial message layout, and data indicative of the first user and the second user who are associated with the initial message;

before delivery to the second mobile client of the second mobile communication device of the second user, enabling, by the messaging system, conversion, in accordance with a criterion related to displaying capabilities of the at least one second mobile communication device, of the initial message into an adapted message,

wherein the adapted message is characterized by an adapted message layout,

wherein the adapted message layout differs from the initial message layout in at least one characteristic, the at least one characteristic being at least one of;

i) a number of media objects,

ii) at least one graphical image of at least one media object,

iii) a size of at least one placeholder related to at least one media object, and

iv) a location of at least one media object within respective message layout; and

facilitating, by the messaging system, delivery of the adapted message to the second mobile client of the second mobile communication device of the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, by the messaging system, the first mobile client to perform the (a) to (g) activities in coordination with the messaging system; and

causing, by the messaging system, the second mobile client to perform the (h) to (n) activities in coordination with the messaging system.

3. The method of claim 1:

wherein the first mobile client is further configured to automatically provide, to the first user, at least one fifth indication of availability of the first mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system; and

wherein the second mobile client is further configured to automatically provide, to the second user, at least one sixth indication of availability of the at least one second mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial message is characterized by the initial message layout based on a template, and wherein the adapted message layout is provided in accordance with information related to the template.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling, by the messaging system, conversion of the initial message into the adapted message comprises converting, by the messaging system, the initial message into the adapted message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic is a number of media objects.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic is at least one graphical image of at least one media object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic is a size of at least one placeholder related to at least one media object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic is a location of at least one media object within respective message layout.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein the initial message includes a video; and

wherein enabling conversion, in accordance with a criterion related to displaying capabilities of the second mobile communication device, of the initial message into an adapted message comprises;

parsing, by the messaging system, the video from the initial message;

based on parsing the video from the initial message, storing, in one or more electronic storage devices accessible by the messaging system, the video and metadata related to the video;

replacing, in the initial message by the messaging system, the video with a clickable icon into a version of the video reduced for the second mobile communication device.

11. A messaging system, comprising:

an access block operatively coupled to a media block

wherein the access block is configured to communicate with a first mobile client installed onto a first mobile communication device of a first user, the first mobile client being configured to at least;

a) enable the first mobile communication device with a first set of capabilities to communicate messages with at least one second mobile communication device with a second set of capabilities, wherein the first set of capabilities differ from the second set of capabilities;

b) manage data informative of contacts and groups associated with the first mobile communication device;

c) manage data informative of contact privileges of the contacts associated with the first mobile communication device;

d) synchronize messages between the first mobile client and the messaging system;

e) enable the first user to set at least one first user preference related to displaying messages by the first mobile communication device;

f) automatically provide, to the messaging system, at least one first indication of availability of the first mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system; and

g) enable the first user of the first mobile communication device to manually provide at least one second indication of availability of the first user for communicating with other users of the messaging system;

the access block is further configured to communicate with a second mobile client installed onto a second mobile communication device of a second user, the second mobile client being configured to;

h) enable the at least one second mobile communication device to communicate messages with at least the first mobile communication device;

i) manage data informative of contacts and groups associated with the second mobile communication device;

j) manage data informative of contact privileges of the contacts associated with of the second mobile communication device;

k) synchronize messages between the second mobile client and the messaging system;

l) enable the second user to set at least one second user preference related to displaying messages by the second mobile communication device;

m) automatically provide at least one third indication of availability of the second mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system; and

n) enable the second user of the second mobile communication device to manually provide at least one fourth indication of availability of the second user for communicating with other users of the messaging system;

the access block is further configured to receive from the first mobile client of the first mobile communication device, an initial message characterized, at least, by message format, an initial message layout, and data indicative of the first user and the second user who are associated with the initial message;

the media block is configured, before delivery to the second mobile client of the second mobile communication device of the second user, to enable conversion, in accordance with a criterion related to displaying capabilities of the at least one second mobile communication device, of the initial message into an adapted message,

wherein the adapted message is characterized by an adapted message layout,

wherein the adapted message layout differs from the initial message layout in at least one characteristic, the at least one characteristic being at least one of;

i) a number of media objects,

ii) at least one graphical image of at least one media object,

iii) a size of at least one placeholder related to at least one media object, and

iv) a location of at least one media object within respective message layout; and

the access block is further configured to facilitate delivery of the adapted message to the second mobile client of the second mobile communication device of the second user.

12. The system of claim 11:

wherein the first mobile client is further configured to automatically provide, to the first user, at least one fifth indication of availability of the first mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system; and

wherein the second mobile client is further configured to automatically provide, to the second user, at least one sixth indication of availability of the at least one second mobile communication device to communicate using the messaging system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the initial message is characterized by the initial message layout based on a template, and wherein the adapted message layout is provided in accordance with information related to the template.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the media block is configured to convert the initial message into the adapted message, thereby enabling conversion of the initial message into the adapted message.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic is a number of media objects.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic is at least one graphical image of at least one media object.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic is a size of at least one placeholder related to at least one media object.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic is a location of at least one media object within respective message layout.

19. The system of claim 11:

wherein the initial message includes a video; and

wherein enabling conversion by the media block, in accordance with a criterion related to displaying capabilities of the second mobile communication device, of the initial message into an adapted message comprises;

based on parsing the video from the initial message, enabling storing, in one or more electronic storage devices accessible by the messaging system, the video and metadata related to the video;

enabling replacing in the initial message the video with a clickable icon into a version of the video reduced for the second mobile communication device.