Method and apparatus for providing enhanced sms/ems/mms

A method for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• examining the received message to determine if the enhanced short messaging service has been selected by the sender;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service.

A method for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device via a short message service center;
• appending an expiration event to the received message;
• storing the appended received message in local memory;
• determining on a periodic basis whether the expiration event appended to received messages has occurred;
• selecting a message stored in local memory;
• parsing the selected message to determine the expiration event appended to the selected message;
• and
• deleting the selected message if the expiration event has occurred.

A method for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table including at least a list of selected communication device identifiers;
• retrieving an identifier of the sender's communication device from received message header;
• comparing the identifier of the sender's communication device with selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service if the retrieved identifier of the sender's communication device matches any of the selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table.

A method for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table containing locations and times at which a short message is not to be received;
• retrieving one or both of a current location and a current time;
• comparing the retrieved current location or current time to entries in the retrieved restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service only if the retrieved current location or current time does not match any of the entries in the retrieved restrictions table.

A communication device capable of providing enhanced short message service, comprising:

• means for receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device via a short message service center;
• means for storing the received message in local memory;
• means for examining the received message to determine if the enhanced short messaging service has been selected by the sender;
• and
• means for performing the enhanced short messaging service.

A short message service center server capable of providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• means for receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device;
• means for storing the received message in local memory;
• means for examining the received message to determine if the enhanced short messaging service has been selected by the sender;
• and
• means for performing the enhanced short messaging service.

A communication device capable of providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• means for receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device via a short message service center;
• means for appending an expiration event to the received message;
• means for storing the appended received message in local memory;
• means for determining on a periodic basis whether the expiration event appended to received messages has occurred;
• means for selecting a message stored in local memory;
• means for parsing the selected message to determine the expiration event appended to the selected message;
• and
• means for deleting the selected message if the expiration event has occurred.

A communication device for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• means for receiving a short message service message;
• means for storing the received message in local memory;
• means for retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table including at least a list of selected communication device identifiers;
• means for retrieving an identifier of the sender's communication device from received message header;
• means for comparing the identifier of the sender's communication device with selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table;
• and
• means for performing the enhanced short messaging service if the retrieved identifier of the sender's communication device matches any of the selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table.

A short message service center server for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• means for receiving a short message service message;
• means for storing the received message in local memory;
• means for retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table including at least a list of selected communication device identifiers;
• means for retrieving an identifier of the sender's communication device from received message header;
• means for comparing the identifier of the sender's communication device with selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table;
• and
• means for performing the enhanced short messaging service if the retrieved identifier of the sender's communication device matches any of the selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table.

A communication device capable of providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• means for receiving a short message service message;
• means for storing the received message in local memory;
• means for retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table containing locations and times at which a short message is not to be received;
• means for retrieving one or both of a current location and a current time;
• means for comparing the retrieved current location or current time to entries in the retrieved restrictions table;
• and
• means for performing the enhanced short messaging service only if the retrieved current location or current time does not match any of the entries in the retrieved restrictions table.

A short message service center server capable of providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• means for receiving a short message service message;
• means for storing the received message in local memory;
• means for retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table containing locations and times at which a short message is not to be received;
• means for retrieving one or both of a current location and a current time;
• means for comparing the retrieved current location or current time to entries in the retrieved restrictions table;
• and
• means for performing the enhanced short messaging service only if the retrieved current location or current time does not match any of the entries in the retrieved restrictions table.

A communication device capable of providing enhanced short message service, comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device via a short message service center;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• examining the received message to determine if the enhanced short messaging service has been selected by the sender;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service.

A short message service center server capable of providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• examining the received message to determine if the enhanced short messaging service has been selected by the sender;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service.

A communication device capable of providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device via a short message service center;
• appending an expiration event to the received message;
• storing the appended received message in local memory;
• determining on a periodic basis whether the expiration event appended to received messages has occurred;
• selecting a message stored in local memory;
• parsing the selected message to determine the expiration event appended to the selected message;
• and
• deleting the selected message if the expiration event has occurred.

A communication device for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table including at least a list of selected communication device identifiers;
• retrieving an identifier of the sender's communication device from received message header;
• comparing the identifier of the sender's communication device with selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service if the retrieved identifier of the sender's communication device matches any of the selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table.

A short message service center server for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table including at least a list of selected communication device identifiers;
• retrieving an identifier of the sender's communication device from received message header;
• comparing the identifier of the sender's communication device with selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service if the retrieved identifier of the sender's communication device matches any of the selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table.

A communication device for providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table containing locations and times at which a short message is not to be received;
• retrieving one or both of a current location and a current time;
• comparing the retrieved current location or current time to entries in the retrieved restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service only if the retrieved current location or current time does not match any of the entries in the retrieved restrictions table.

A short message service center server capable of providing enhanced short messaging service, comprising:

• a memory unit;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising:
• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table containing locations and times at which a short message is not to be received;
• retrieving one or both of a current location and a current time;
• comparing the retrieved current location or current time to entries in the retrieved restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service only if the retrieved current location or current time does not match any of the entries in the retrieved restrictions table.

A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device via a short message service center;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• examining the received message to determine if the enhanced short messaging service has been selected by the sender;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service.

A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• examining the received message to determine if the enhanced short messaging service has been selected by the sender;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service.

A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a short message service message from a sender's communication device via a short message service center;
• appending an expiration event to the received message;
• storing the appended received message in local memory;
• determining on a periodic basis whether the expiration event appended to received messages has occurred;
• selecting a message stored in local memory;
• parsing the selected message to determine the expiration event appended to the selected message;
• and
• deleting the selected message if the expiration event has occurred.

A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table including at least a list of selected communication device identifiers;
• retrieving an identifier of the sender's communication device from received message header;
• comparing the identifier of the sender's communication device with selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service if the retrieved identifier of the sender's communication device matches any of the selected communication device identifiers contained in the restrictions table.

A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform steps comprising:

• receiving a short message service message;
• storing the received message in local memory;
• retrieving a restrictions table from local memory, the restrictions table containing locations and times at which a short message is not to be received;
• retrieving one or both of a current location and a current time;
• comparing the retrieved current location or current time to entries in the retrieved restrictions table;
• and
• performing the enhanced short messaging service only if the retrieved current location or current time does not match any of the entries in the retrieved restrictions table.