US007428580B2
`
`a2) United States Patent
`US 7,428,580 B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`*Sep. 23, 2008
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Hullfish et al.
`
`(54) ELECTRONIC MESSAGE FORWARDING
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Keith C. Hullfish, Snohomish, WA
`(US); Charles A. Carey, Kirkland, WA
`(US); Michael R. Longé, Seattle, WA
`(US); Joe Parr, Redmond, WA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: AOL LLC, Dulles, VA (US)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`US.C. 154(b) by 369 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 10/723,040
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Nov. 26, 2003
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2005/0114533 Al
`
`May 26, 2005
`
`EP
`
`1104964
`
`6/2001
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Ellen Isaacs, Alan Walendowski, Dipti Ranganathan Communica-
`tions of the ACM vol. 45, No. 9 (Sep. 2002), pp. 68-72.*
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner—Jason Cardone
`Assistant Examiner—Ajay Bhatia
`(74) Aitorney, Agent, or Firm—Michael A. Glenn; Glenn
`Patent Group
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`GO6F 15/16
`(52) US. Ch. ic ccteeeeeecneeereeeeeeees 709/207; 455/466
`(58) Field of Classification Search......... 709/205-2006,
`709/207; 455/466
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`The invention provides a method of transmitting electronic
`messages in a computer environment. The preferred embodi-
`mentreceives an electronic message addressedto a telephone
`numberand determines an instant messageidentifier associ-
`ated with the telephone number. In response to the determi-
`nation that an instant message identifier associates with the
`telephone number,it is further determined whetheran instant
`messagereceiver is available to receive messages addressed
`to the instant message identifier. In response to a determina-
`tion that an instant message receiver is available to receive
`instant messages addressed to the instant message identifier,
`4/2001 DeSimone etal.
`6,212,548 BI1*
`.......... 709/204
`6,334,111 Bl=12/2001 Carrott oe 705/14
`the electronic message is forwarded as an instant message
`
`6/2002 Singh 0... eee 455/414
`6,405,035 Bl
`addressed to the instant message identifier. In response to a
`6,430,602 Bl
`8/2002 Kayetal. 0. 709/206
`determination that an instant messagereceiveris available to
`11/2002 Smith «0... 379/368
`6,483,913 Bl
`receive instant message addressed to the instant message
`
`1/2003 Sandegren ................. 455/518
`6,512,930 B2*
`identifier, electronic message is sent to a mobile deviceat the
`3/2003 Appelman etal.
`.......... 709/206
`6,539,421 Bl
`telephone number in response to a determination that no
`6,714,793 B1*
`3/2004 Carey etal. 0... 455/466
`instant message receiveris available to receive instant mes-
`6,757,365 B1*
`6/2004 Bogard. .......... ee 379/88.17
`sages addressed to the instant message identifier.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(Continued)
`
`59 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 1
`Page 1
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`

`

`US 7,428,580 B2
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`NRNYNNYNYNHYNNNYNNNYNNYNYNNHYNYNNNNYNHYNKHNHYNHNNHYNYHKHKHY
`
` 04/0078445 AL*
`
`iSMS: An Integration Platform forShort Message Service and IP
`Networks Herman Chung-Hwa Rao, ATT Laboratories-Research,
`7/2004 Robinsonetal. ......... 455/412.2
`6,760,580 B2*
`Di-Fa Chang, University of Southern California, Yi-Bing Lin,
`10/2004 O’Dell
`6,801,659 Bl
`National Chiao Tung University, IEEE Network * Mar./Apr. 2001.*
`5/2005 Ohashi ........0.. ee 709/206
`6,898,626 B2*
`Instant messaging in teen life, Grinter, R.E. and Palen, L., Proceed-
`6,957,077 B2* 10/2005 Dehlin «0... 455/466
`ings of the 2002 ACM conference on Computer supported. coopera-
`7,016,978 B2*
`3/2006 Maliketal. ........ 709/246
`tive work, pp. 21-30, 2002,ACM Press New York, NY, USA.*
`7,020,849 Bl
`3/2006 Chen
`Mitsuoka, M.; Watanabe, S.; Kakuta, J.; Okuyama,S., “Instant mes-
`7,113,803 B2*
`9/2006 Dehlin «0.0... 709/217
`saging with mobile phones to support awareness,” Applications and
`3/2007 Dorenbosch etal.
`.
`. 709/206
`7,190,956 B2*
`
`the Internet, 2001. Proceedings. 2001 Symposium on,vol., no.pp.
`. 709/206
`7,231,428 B2*
`6/2007 Teague oo...
`
`223-230, 2001.*
`0 1/0003202 AL*
`6/2001 Macheetal.
`wee 713/153
`ConNexusto awarenex: extending awareness to mobile users, Tang,
`
`01/0003203 Al*
`6/2001 Mache ............
`3
`. 713/201
`J.C. andYankelovich, N. and Begole, J. and Van Kleek, M. and Li, F.
`wee 455/412
`01/0034224 Al
`10/2001 McDowell etal.
`and Bhalodia, J., Proceedings of the SIGCHI conference on Human
`01/0048735 AL* 12/2001 O'Neal oe 379/88.13
`factors in computing systems, pp. 221-228, 2001, ACM Press New
`02/0007398 Al*
`1/2002 Mendiola etal. ............ 709/206
`York, NY, USA.*
`3/2002 McDowell etal.
`02/0035605 Al
`. 709/206
`
`Way-bac machine, handspring tero 270, Jun. 1, 2002.*
`5/2002 Goodspeed....
`w+. 707/100
`02/0065828 Al*
`
`M. Day, S. Aggarwal, G. Mohr, J. Vincent, RFC 2279 Instant Mes-
`. 379/202.01
`02/0071539 Al*
`6/2002 Diamentetal.
`
`saging/ Presence Protoocl Requirements, Feb. 2000.*
`w+ 709/228
`02/0087704 Al
`7/2002 Chesnais et al.
`
`Information
`International
`Standard,
`..
`02/0130904 Al
`9/2002 Becker et al.
`. 345/753
`exchange
`information
`technology—Telecommunications
`and
`. 379/222
`
`02/0136390 Al
`9/2002 Lang etal.
`..
`Services
`Integrated.
`between
`systems-
`Private
`02/0155826 A1l* 10/2002 Robinsonetal.
`. 455/412
`
`Network—Specifications,
`functional model
`and information
`. 709/313
`11/2002 Huang........
`02/0174260 Al
`
`flows—SHort message service, ISO/IEC 21989, Jul. 1, 2002.*
`soerreneeas 455/414
`...
`03/0087632 Al*
`5/2003 Sagietal.
`Bonnie A. Nardi, Steve Whittaker, Erin Bradner, Interaction and
`9/2003 O’Dell etal.
`03/0179930 Al
`outeraction: instant messaging in action, CSCW’00, Dec. 2-6, 2000,
`04/0064586 Al
`4/2004 Weigand
`Philadelphia, PA.*
`w+. 709/206
`4/2004 Malik .........
`Chung-HwaRao,H.; Di-Fa Chang; Yi-Bing Lin, “iSMS: an integra-
`
`5/2004 Valloppillil
`.
`w+ 455/466
`04/0092273 AL*
`tion platform for short message service and IP networks,” Network,
`..
`. 379/93.24
`7/2004 Tang etal.
`04/0141599 Al*
`
`IEEE, vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 48-55, Mar./Apr. 2001.*
`....
`we. 455/466
`8/2004 Wuetal.
`04/0152477 A1*
`
`Schulzrinne, H.; Rosenberg, J., “The Session Initiation Protocol:
`8/2004 Robinsonetal.
`- 455/412.1
`04/0157586 Al*
`Internet-centric signaling,” Communications Magazine, IEEE, vol.
`9/2004 Carey etal.
`....
`we 455/466
`04/0171396 AL*
`38, No. 10, pp. 134-141, Oct. 2000.*
`wee 455/432.1
`04/0198351 AL* 10/2004 Knotts.....
`
`Milewski, A. E. and Smith, T. M. 2000. Providing presence cues to
`04/0204068 AL* 10/2004 Komaki
`...
`- 455/556.1
`telephone users. In Proceedings of the 2000 ACM Conference on
`we 455/466
`05/0009541 Al*
`1/2005 Yeetal.
`..
`
`Computer Supported Cooperative Work (Philadelphia, Pennsylva-
`05/0125559 AL*
`6/2005 Mutha.....
`wee 709/245
`nia, United States). CSCW ’00. ACM, New York, NY, 89-96.*
`9/2005 Knotts ...........
`we. 455/466
`05/0208957 A1*
`Tang, J.C., Yankelovich, N., Begole, J., Van Kleek, M., Li, F., and
`05/0223075 Al* 10/2005 Swearingen etal.
`. 709/207
`
`Bhalodia, J. 2001. ConNexus to awarenex: extending awareness to
`. 709/206
`06/0026237 Al*
`2/2006 Wang etal.
`.
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`mobile users. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human
`. 455/466
`06/0116139 Al*
`6/2006 Appelman ..
`Factors in Computing Systems (Seattle, Washington, United States).
`..
`.. 705/34
`06/0149644 AL*
`7/2006 Sulmar et al.
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`CHI’01. ACM, New York, NY, 221-228.*
`
`7/2006 Appelman etal.
`. 709/224
`06/0168204 Al*
`06/0271687 AL* 11/2006 Alston etal. ........0.. 709/227
`imForwards.com—FAQ’s; Oct. 21, 2003.
`imlorwards.com; Oct. 21, 2003.
`N. Liew Kwek Sing; AOL ICQ vs. MSN Messenger; Department of
`Electronic and Computer Science, University of Southampton, 2003.
`Yiva Hard af Segerstad et al.; Instant Messaging and Awareness of
`Presence in WebWho; Department of Linguistics, Gdteborg Univer-
`sity; Sweden, 2001.
`Chung-Hwa Herman Raoetal.; ‘Mobile. A Proxy-BasedPlatformfor
`Mobile Services; Network Services Research Center, AT&T
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`tive Nomadic Working; Technical University of Vienna, Distributed.
`Systems Group, Jun. 20, 200.
`M. Smith et al.; Conversation Trees and Threaded Chats; Collabora-
`tion & Multimedia Group, Microsoft Research, Redmond, WA,
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`Explain Teenager’s Adoption ofText Messaging Services; Agder Uni-
`versity College, 2002.
`Per E. Pedersen; The Adoption of Text Messaging Services Among
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`As Bergen, Jun. 2002p.
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`EP
`EP
`EP
`EP
`EP
`EP
`EP
`KR
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`
`1104965
`1207655
`1213874
`1237384
`1248484
`1248486
`1255414
`1274222
`10200 10012984
`WO 02/077840
`02/073886
`03/021929
`WO 2004/111812
`WO 2004/111871
`WO 2006/026908
`
`6/2001
`5/2002
`6/2002
`9/2002
`10/2002
`10/2002
`11/2002
`1/2003
`3/2001
`3/2002
`9/2002
`3/2003
`12/2004
`12/2004
`3/2006
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Mobile Electronic Commerce: Reintermediation in the Payment Sys-
`
`
`
`
`
`tem J. Felix Hampeet al.(JJElectronic Commerce: The End of the
`Beginning 13th International Bled Electronic Commerce Conference
`Bled, Slovenia, Jun. 19-21, 2000.*
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 2
`Page 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`Sheet 1 of 8
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`ORIGINATOR
`
`RECIPIENT
`
`102
`
`104
`
`DEVICE
`
`106 MOBILE
`
`SMS
`SERVER
`
`MOBILE
`DEVICE
`
`FIG. TA
`(Prior Art)
`
`AN SMS MESSAGE ORIGINATOR SPECIFIES
`THE TELEPHONE NUMBER TO WHICH THE SMS MESSAGE
`IS ADDRESSED
`
`TELEPHONE NUMBER
`
`THE ORIGINATING MOBILE PHONE
`READS THE SMS MESSAGEIN
`A SMS SERVER
`
`THE SMS SERVER RECEIVES THE
`SMS MESSAGE
`
`THE SMS SERVER TRANSMITS THE
`SMS MESSAGE ACCORDING TO THE DESTINATION
`
`FIG. 1B
`(Prior Art)
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 3
`Page 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`Sheet 2 of 8
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`TT
`
`
`
`SMS
`SERVER
`
`
`
`LJ
`
`
`SS
`
`
`
`
`IM
`DYNAMIC MESSAGE
`SERVER
`CONTROL SERVER
`
`
`
`ROUTING
`
`208
`
`FIG. 2
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 4
`Page 4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`Sheet 3 of 8
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`AN SMS MESSAGE ORIGINATOR SENDS A SMS
`MESSAGE TO A MOBILE DEVICE NUMBER
`
`THE SMS SERVER RECEIVES THE SMS TEXT
`MESSAGE AND FORWARDSIT TO THE DYNAMIC
`MESSAGE CONTROL SERVER
`
`302
`
`304
`
`
`306
`
`
`DETERMINE
`WHETHER THE
`
`
`RECIPIENT MOBILE DEVICE
`
`NUMBER ENABLES
`
`SMS FORWARDING
`PEATURE
`
`
`
`FORWARDAS AN
`SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`
`
`TO THE MOBILE
`NUMBER
`
`
`DETERMINE WHETHER THE
`
`
`RECIPIENT TELEPHONE NUMBER
`
`DESIRES TO FORWARD SMS TEXT
`MESSAGE AS AN INSTANT MESSAGE ?
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DETERMINE
`
`WHETHER AN.
`IM RECEIVER IS AVAILABLE
`
`
`TO RECEIVE IM
`WiESSnbe
`
`
`YES
`
`FORWARD THE SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`AS AN INSTANT MESSAGE
`
`314
`
`FIG. 3
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 5
`Page 5
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`Sheet 4 of 8
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`402
`
`RECEIVING AN SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`
`
`FORWARD AS
`
`AN SMS TEXT
`
`
`FORWARD AS
`MESSAGE REGARDLESS OF THE
`
`
`AN SMS MESSAGE
`AVAILABILITY AT
`
`
`
`THE IM AEGAIVER
`
`
`
`
`
`DETERMINE
`WHETHER
`
`AN IM RECEIVER ASSOCIATED
`WITH THE SCREENNAMEIS
`
`AVAILABLE TO RECEIVE
`IM MESSAGES
`
`410
`
`ACTING UPON THE SMS MESSAGE
`BASED ON USER PREFERENCE
`
`
`
`
`412
`
`
`
`
`
`GENERATING AN INSTANT MESSAGE
`BASED ON USER PREFERENCE
`AND FORWARD THE INSTANT MESSAGE
`TO INSTANT MESSAGE RECEIVER ASSOCIATED
`WITH THE SCREEN NAME
`
`FIG. 4
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 6
`Page 6
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`Sheet 5 of 8
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`502
`
`
`
`AN SMS SERVER RECEIVES AN SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`FROM USER A ADDRESSED TO A PRE-DETERMINED
`TELEPHONE NUMBER.
`
`
`DETERMINING
`
`
`WHETHER
`FORWARD FUTURE
`
`
`2ND TEXT
`SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`
`
`MESSAGE CONTAINS
`ACCORDING TO
`
`
`
`USER PREFERENCE
`A TELEPHONE
`
`
`NUMBER
`
`
`
`
`
`506
`
` DO NOT FORWARD ANY
`
`FUTURE SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`
`
`
`
`FROM THE TELEPHONE NUMBER TO THE
`USER A'S TELEPHONE NUMBER OR TO
`INSTANT MESSAGE IDENTIFIER ASSOCIATED
`WITH USER A'S PHONE NUMBER.
`
`
`FIG. 5
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 7
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`

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`(cid:35)(cid:10)(cid:23)(cid:10)(cid:29)(cid:17)(cid:27)(cid:25)(cid:10)(cid:46)(cid:25)(cid:41)(cid:24)(cid:7)(cid:10)(cid:31)(cid:46)(cid:41)(cid:32)(cid:10)(cid:31)(cid:46)
`
`(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:35)(cid:10)(cid:31)(cid:24)(cid:19)(cid:25)(cid:19)(cid:25)(cid:16)(cid:46)(cid:43)(cid:17)(cid:10)(cid:35)(cid:18)(cid:10)(cid:31)(cid:46)
`(cid:35)(cid:17)(cid:10)(cid:46)(cid:32)(cid:24)(cid:32)(cid:46)(cid:37)(cid:12)(cid:44)(cid:39)(cid:46)(cid:24)(cid:10)(cid:32)(cid:32)(cid:5)(cid:16)(cid:10)(cid:46)(cid:32)(cid:17)(cid:27)(cid:41)(cid:23)(cid:9)(cid:46)
`(cid:7)(cid:10)(cid:46)(cid:15)(cid:27)(cid:31)(cid:43)(cid:5)(cid:31)(cid:9)(cid:46) (cid:35)(cid:27)(cid:46)(cid:35)(cid:17)(cid:10)(cid:46)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:32)(cid:35)(cid:20)(cid:25)(cid:5)(cid:35)(cid:20)(cid:27)(cid:25)(cid:46)
`(cid:35)(cid:10)(cid:23)(cid:10)(cid:29)(cid:17)(cid:27)(cid:25)(cid:10)(cid:46)(cid:25)(cid:41)(cid:24)(cid:7)(cid:10)(cid:31)(cid:46)
`(cid:1)(cid:2)
`
`(cid:6)(cid:2)(cid:5)(cid:8)
`(cid:25)(cid:27)(cid:46)(cid:5)(cid:35)(cid:36)(cid:14)(cid:24)(cid:29)(cid:35)(cid:32)(cid:46)
`(cid:4)(cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:28)(cid:1)(cid:3)(cid:46)(cid:27)(cid:15)(cid:46)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:23)(cid:19)(cid:42)(cid:10)(cid:31)(cid:19)(cid:25)(cid:16)
`(cid:19)(cid:32)(cid:46)(cid:24)(cid:5)(cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:46)
`
`(cid:6)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:8)
`
`(cid:3)(cid:1)(cid:2)(cid:4)
`
`(cid:15)(cid:27)(cid:31)(cid:43)(cid:5)(cid:31)(cid:9)(cid:46)(cid:35)(cid:17)(cid:10)(cid:46)(cid:32)(cid:24)(cid:32)(cid:46)(cid:38)(cid:11)(cid:44)(cid:35)(cid:46)
`(cid:24)(cid:10)(cid:32)(cid:32)(cid:5)(cid:16)(cid:10)(cid:46)
`
`(cid:3)(cid:5)(cid:4)(cid:1)(cid:6)(cid:2)(cid:6)
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Page 8
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`Sheet 7 of 8
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`702
`
` MAKING RULES AT SELECTION OF SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`
`OR APPLYING DIFFERENTFILTERS
`
`(04
`
`RECEIVING AN SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`
`706
`
`DETERMINING
`
`
`CERTAIN
`FORWARD THE SMS
`
`
`SELECTION RULES
`TEXT MESSAGE
`
`
`ARE APPLICABLE
`ACCORDING TO
`
`
`
`TO THE ??? SMS
`USER PREFERENCE
`
`
`TEXTMESSAGE
`
`
`
`
`GENERATING AN INSTANT MESSAGE
`ACCORDING TO THE PRE DETERMINED RULES.
`
`FIG. 7
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`Sheet 8 of 8
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`802
`
`804
`
`806
`
`808
`
`IM SMS SERVER RECEIVES AN SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`ADDRESSED TO A PRE-DETERMINED TELEPHONE NUMBER
`
`DETERMINING THE SOURCE TELEPHONE NUMBER OF
`THE SMS TEXT MESSAGE
`
`MODIFYING THE USER PREFERENCE OF THE USER AT THE
`SOURCE TELEPHONE NUMBER.
`
`GENERALLY AN AUTOMATIC RESPONSE FOR THE SOURCE
`
`TELEPHONE NUMBER WHEN GEING A NEW SMSTEXT
`
`MESSAGE
`
`FIG. 8
`
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
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`

`

`1
`ELECTRONIC MESSAGE FORWARDING
`
`2
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Technical Field
`
`The invention relates to electronic messaging systems in a
`computer environment. More particularly,
`the invention
`relates to the delivery of an electronic message addressedto a
`telephone number.
`2. Description of Prior Art
`The information age has brought various communication
`tools into every daylife. In addition to the traditional tele-
`phone and facsimile services, wireless communication sys-
`tems and electronic messaging systems are popular methods
`that offer convenience and advantages that the traditional
`communication devices do not provide. For example, wire-
`less communication systems allow a mobile phoneuserto be
`reached on his mobile phone in any places within the geo-
`graphical area where the wireless telephone services are
`offered. Electronic messaging systemsallow a user to access
`electronic messages received from the Internet via a computer
`terminal where he has access to the Internet.
`
`Mucheffort has been made to enable electronic message
`delivery and communication across different communication
`systems, for example, between wireless communication sys-
`tems and electronic messaging systems via the Internet or
`between the electronic messaging systems and facsimile ser-
`vices. A unified messaging system attempts to provide a uni-
`versal message sending and delivery system that allows
`interoperability among the three typical message types, that
`is, voice mail, facsimile message, and electronic messaging.
`Using the unified messaging system, a user canretrieveall
`three types of messages via a single point of access. For
`example, a user can access all three types of messages via an
`electronic message system at a computer terminal or via a
`telephone system with a telephone number.
`The Short Message Services (SMS) is a type ofelectronic
`messaging system that allows a mobile phone user to send
`from one mobile phone a small text message addressed to a
`telephone number for reception at another mobile phone.
`Further, a user may send an SMS messageto a mobile phone
`at a telephone numberthrough the Website of the wireless
`service provider using a Web browser. Also, a user may send
`an SMS messageto a mobile phone at a telephone number
`using an Instant Messaging software, like AOL Instant Mes-
`senger. The recipient may also be enable to reply from the
`mobile device using various mechanisms, like using special
`short codes that route messages to a Screen Name on the
`Instant Messaging service, like AOL Instant Messenger. An
`SMSmessage addressed to a telephone numberis typically
`stored in a central short message center which forwardsit to
`the mobile phoneat the telephone numberwhenit is available
`for communication with the central short message center.
`The Instant Message Services (IMS)are a real-time com-
`munication process that allows users to exchange instant mes-
`sages via a user interface over a communication network.
`Instant messages are typically exchanged when the commu-
`nication channel between the source and destination devices
`are established for real-time communication.
`
`However, interoperability between the SMS and the IMS
`hasyet to be achieved. It would be advantageousto provide an
`electronic message delivery system that bridges both worlds
`of the SMSandthe IMS.
`
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`35
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`40
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`60
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`
`The invention provides processes and systems for forward-
`ing electronic messages addressed to telephone numbers ina
`computer environment.
`In one embodiment of the invention, a method of transmit-
`ting electronic messages in a computer environmentincludes:
`receiving an electronic message addressed to a telephone
`number; determining an instant messageidentifier associated
`with the telephone number; determining an instant message
`receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the
`instant messageidentifier; forwarding the electronic message
`as an instant message addressed to the instant message iden-
`tifier in response to a determination that an instant message
`receiveris available to receive instant messages addressed to
`the instant message identifier; maintain the identity of the
`telephone number in the message and for any subsequent
`responses; and sending the electronic message to a mobile
`deviceat the telephone numberin response to a determination
`that no instant messagereceiveris available to receive instant
`messages addressed to the instant messageidentifier.
`In one example, the electronic message includes one of a
`text message, an SMStext message, an Multimedia Messag-
`ing Services (MMS) message, a video message and an audio
`message; and the instant messageis received at an electronic
`device configured to receive instant messages addressed to
`the instant message identifier. For example, the electronic
`device may be one of: a computer, a personal data assistant
`(PDA) anda telephonereceiver. In one example, the instant
`message identifier associated with the telephone numberis
`determined through searching in a database. In one example,
`whetheror not to forward the electronic message as an email
`message addressed to an email address is determined accord-
`ing to a user preference stored in a database. In another
`example, whetheror not to forwardthe electronic message as
`an instant message addressedto the instant message identifier
`is determined according to a user preference stored in a data-
`base. In one example, the determination of whether or not to
`forward is further based on source information ofthe elec-
`tronic message, such as: a source address of the electronic
`message, a user name ofa senderofthe electronic message, a
`telephone numberof a senderofthe electronic message, or an
`instant message identifier of a sender of the electronic mes-
`sage. In one example, the instant message is generated from
`the electronic message based on one or more predetermined
`rules. For example, the one or more predetermined rules may
`select one or more portions ofthe electronic message as the
`instant message and mayselectively delete one or more por-
`tions of the electronic message to generate the instant mes-
`sage.
`
`In one embodimentofthe invention, an apparatus for trans-
`mitting electronic messages in a computer environment
`includes: a module for receiving an electronic message
`addressed to a telephone number; a module for determining
`an instant message identifier associated with the telephone
`number; a module for determining whether an instant mes-
`sage receiver is available to receive messages addressed to the
`instant messageidentifier; a module for forwardingthe elec-
`tronic messageas aninstant message addressedto the equiva-
`lent instant message identifier in response to a determination
`that an instant messagereceiveris available to receive instant
`messages addressed to the instant message identifier; and a
`module for sending the electronic message to a mobile device
`at the telephone numberin responseto a determination that no
`instant messagereceiver is available to receive instant mes-
`sages addressed to the instant message identifier.
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
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`

`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`3
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1A is a block schematic diagram showing a system
`that forwards an SMS message to the intended recipient’s
`communication devices according topriorart;
`FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing a method of forward-
`ing an SMS messageto the intended recipient according to
`prior art;
`FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram showing a system for
`forwarding an SMS message to the destination devices
`according to one embodimentofthe invention;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a method of forwarding
`the SMStext message according to one embodimentof the
`invention;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a methodofselectively
`forwarding electronic messages based on user preferences
`according to one embodimentofthe invention;
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a method ofreceiving
`the SMStext messagewith a privacy feature according to one
`embodimentofthe invention;
`FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a method ofselective
`forwarding SMStext messages according to one embodiment
`of the invention;
`FIG.7 is a block diagram showing a method of forwarding
`SMStext messages according to one embodiment of the
`invention; and
`FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a method of forwarding
`SMSmessages according to one embodiment of the inven-
`tion.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention is embodied in an electronic message for-
`warding system in a computer environment. The invention
`provides methods and apparati for forwarding electronic
`messages addressed to telephone numbers as instant mes-
`sages for the instant message identifiers associated with the
`corresponding telephone numbers.
`In one embodiment of the invention, after an electronic
`message addressed to a telephone numberis received for
`forwarding, an instant message identifier associated with the
`telephone number is determined. Then,
`it
`is determined
`whether an instant message receiver is available to receive
`messages addressed to the instant message identifier. The
`electronic message is forwarded as an instant message
`addressed to the instant message identifier in response to a
`determination that an instant message receiver is available to
`receive instant messages addressed to the instant message
`identifier. The identity of the telephone number in the mes-
`sage and for any subsequent responses is maintained. In
`response to a determination that no instant message receiver
`is available to receive instant messages addressed to the
`instant message identifier,
`the electronic message is for-
`warded to a mobile device at the telephone number.
`In one embodiment, the electronic message is not for-
`warded to a mobile device at the telephone numberwhen the
`electronic message is forwarded as an instant message
`addressedto the instant message identifier, e.g. according to a
`user preference stored in the database associated with the
`telephone number.
`Alternatively, the electronic message may be forwarded to
`a mobile device at
`the telephone number regardless of
`whether there is an instant message receiver available to
`receive instant messages addressed to the instant message
`identifier, e.g. according to a user preference stored in the
`database associated with the telephone number.
`
`4
`In one embodiment,the electronic message is forwarded as
`the instant message regardless whether there is an instant
`message receiver available to receive instant messages
`addressed to the instant message identifier, e.g. according to a
`user preference stored in the database associated with the
`instance message identifier or the telephone number.
`FIG. 1A is a block schematic diagram showing a system
`that forwards an SMS message to the intended recipient’s
`communication devices accordingto priorart. Refering now
`to FIG. 1A, an SMS messageoriginator instructs a mobile
`phone 102 to send the SMStext messageto the recipient’s
`mobile phone 106 by using the destination SMS message
`address associated with the recipient’s mobile phone number
`106. The SMS messageis received by an SMSserver 104. The
`SMSserver 104 further transmits the SMS message to the
`recipient’s mobile phone 106 according to the telephone
`number designated as the destination address of the SMS
`message. The recipient receives the SMS message on the
`mobile phone 106.
`FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing a method of forward-
`ing an SMS messageto the intended recipient according to
`prior art. Referring now to FIG. 1B, an SMS messageorigi-
`nator specifies the telephone number to which the SMS mes-
`sage is addressed 112. The SMS messageoriginating mobile
`phone sends the SMS message to aSMSserver 114. The SMS
`server stores the SMS message 116 andfurther forwards the
`SMSmessageaccordingto the destination mobile telephone
`number ofthe SMS message 118 when the mobile phoneis in
`communication with the SMSserver.
`
`FIG. 2 is a block schematic diagram showing a system for
`forwarding an SMS messageto the destination device accord-
`ing to one embodimentof the invention. Referring now to
`FIG. 2, one embodimentof the invention provides a system
`for forwarding an SMS message to destination devices
`dependingonthe real-time presence ofthe intendedrecipient.
`The system according to one embodimentof the invention
`includes an SMStext messageoriginator 202, an SMSserver
`204 that includes a routing logic 206, a dynamic message
`control server 208, an IM server 210, and one or more desti-
`nation devices 212, 214, 216. One embodimentincludes addi-
`tional media storage 218.
`The SMStext messageoriginator (“originator’’) 202 gen-
`erates an SMStext message addressedto a telephone number
`of the recipient mobile devices 212, 214 or an email address
`ofa desktop computer 216. The SMStext messageoriginator
`202 can be any SMSgenerating devices, e.g. an SMS-enabled
`mobile device, a web-browser or an IM client, that allow to
`generate and send the SMS text message addressed to the
`telephone numberor the email address.
`In one embodiment, after the SMS message sender
`instructs the originator 202 to send an SMS message to a
`destination device 212, 214 or 216, the SMS server 204
`receives the SMS text message. The SMSserver 204 then
`forwards it to the dynamic message control server 208.
`The dynamic message control server 208 makes decisions
`with regard to various actionsthat can be taken with the SMS
`text message, such as whether to forward the SMS message as
`an instant message, or whether or not to forward the SMS
`message in its original content. The details ofthese actionsare
`described below in FIG. 3.
`
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`
`If the dynamic message control server 208 decides that the
`SMSmessageshould be forwardedas an instant message, the
`dynamic message control server 208 forwards the SMS mes-
`sage to the IM server 210 to be transmitted further as an
`instant message. The IM server 210 then forwards the SMS
`messageas an instant message to one or more instant message
`receivers 214, 216 for the instant message identifier. In one
`Epic Games Ex. 1011
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`Page 12
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`

`US 7,428,580 B2
`
`5
`embodiment, the destination device is an IM-enabled mobile
`device 214 displaying the IM interface. Alternatively, the
`destination device 216 is a computer terminal displaying an
`IM interface.
`
`Ifthe dynamic message control server 208 decides that the
`SMS message should be forwarded as an SMS message
`through the SMSserver 204, the routing logic 206 then for-
`wards the SMSmessageto the mobile phone numberwith the
`addressed telephone number. Alternatively, the dynamic mes-
`sage control server 208 may be implemented inside or with
`the routing logic 206 in the SMSserver 204, or inside the IM
`server 210, or partially in the SMSserver 204 andpartially in
`the IM server 210.
`In one embodiment, the destination device is an SMS-
`enabled mobile device 214. It is understood that different
`devices may be used to receive different types of electronic
`messages. For example, the mobile device