Electronic device with message handling functions
AssigneeSony Mobile Communications Inc.
InventorHenrik Bengtsson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic device (12) is capable of sending chat-style messages by instant message (IM) messaging and short message service (SMS) messaging. IM messaging is preferred, but a message will be sent by SMS messaging upon user authorization when IM messaging for the electronic device is not available. When IM messaging is not available for a message destination electronic device (14), the user of the electronic device will be notified that the transmission mechanism is SMS messaging and an attempt to wake-up IM messaging in the message destination electronic device will be made.
Claims20
An electronic device, comprising:
- a radio circuit that establishes wireless communications over a connection that supports short message service (SMS) messaging and a connection that supports instant message (IM) messaging;
- and
- a control circuit that executes a messaging client such that the electronic device is configured to:
- (a) receive user entry of a message and a command to send the message;
- (b) determine that IM messaging is not available at the time that the command to send the message is received;
- (c) query the user to determine whether the message should be sent immediately by SMS messaging or wait for IM messaging to become available;
- and
- (d) transmit the message by SMS messaging when the user selects sending the message by SMS messaging in (c).
A method of handling messages in an electronic device that has a radio circuit that establishes wireless communications over a connection that supports short message service (SMS) messaging and a connection that supports instant message (IM) messaging, comprising:
- (a) receiving user entry of a message and a command to send the message;
- (b) determining that IM messaging is not available at the time that the command to send the message is received;
- (c) querying the user to determine whether the message should be sent immediately by SMS messaging or wait for IM messaging to become available;
- and
- (d) transmitting the message by SMS messaging when the user selects sending the message by SMS messaging in (c).
An electronic device, comprising:
- a radio circuit over which messages for a message destination electronic device are transmitted by one of short message service (SMS) messaging or instant message (IM) messaging;
- and
- a control circuit that executes a messaging client such that the electronic device is configured to:
- (a) determine that a chat associated with the message destination electronic device has been opened;
- (b) determine whether the message destination electronic device currently has message receipt capability over IM messaging;
- (c) when the message destination electronic device currently has message receipt capability over IM messaging, indicate to a user of the electronic device that messages will be sent to the message destination electronic device by IM messaging;
- and
- (d) when the message destination electronic device does not currently have message receipt capability over IM messaging, indicate to the user of the electronic device that messages will be sent to the message destination electronic device by SMS messaging.
A method of handling messages in an electronic device that has a radio circuit over which messages for a message destination electronic device are transmitted by one of short message service (SMS) messaging or instant message (IM) messaging, comprising:
- (a) determining that a chat associated with the message destination electronic device has been opened;
- (b) determining whether the message destination electronic device currently has message receipt capability over IM messaging;
- (c) when the message destination electronic device currently has message receipt capability over IM messaging, indicating to a user of the electronic device that messages will be sent to the message destination electronic device by IM messaging;
- and
- (d) when the message destination electronic device does not currently have message receipt capability over IM messaging, indicating to the user of the electronic device that messages will be sent to the message destination electronic device by SMS messaging.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.