Methods and systems for selectively providing default values to database requests

A method for processing messages in a communications system comprising:

• receiving a message;
• determining whether to obtain subscriber preference information associated with said message from at least one database or from a default values file;
• selectively either obtaining said subscriber preference information from said default values file;
• otherwise, obtaining said subscriber preference information from said at least one database;
• and
• processing said message using said subscriber preference information.

A method for using a database comprising:

• storing a new record in said database by:
• determining, for each field in said record, whether a value associated with said field is the same as a default value associated with said field;
• if so, then not storing said value in said new record;
• and
• otherwise, storing said value in said new record;
• and
• retrieving said new record from said database by:
• retrieving stored fields from said record;
• and
• populating missing fields in said record with default values.

A multimedia messaging center comprising:

• at least one database for storing subscriber preference attribute data associated with handling of multimedia messages;
• a multimedia relay and/or server for receiving a multimedia message and for sending a request for subscriber preference data associated with said multimedia message toward said at least one database;
• and
• a software entity for receiving said request from said multimedia server and selectively providing subscriber preference data in response thereto from at least one of said database and a default values file.

A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed on a computer, perform the steps of:

• querying at least one database to obtain data associated with preference attributes for handling said message;
• receiving an incomplete set of preference attribute data from said at least one database;
• and
• completing said set of preference attribute data using default values.

A node for processing messages comprising:

• a memory device for storing a default values file;
• and
• a processor for receiving a message and for sending a database query to obtain data for handling said message and for receiving an incomplete set of data in response to said database query,
• wherein said processor completes said data for handling said message by retrieving data from said default values file to fill in data which is missing in said incomplete set of data and processes said message using said completed set of data.