US 7,548,757 B2Granted

Methods and apparatus for facilitating the delivery of e-mail using different data communication services

AssigneeResearch In Motion Limited

InventorHarry Richmond Major

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Methods and apparatus for facilitating the delivery of e-mail messages from a mobile communication device are disclosed. In one disclosed example, an end user of the mobile device enters e-mail message information corresponding to a new e-mail message through a user interface. Preferably, the user interface is an e-mail graphical user interface (GUI) provided by the mobile device. The mobile device identifies whether a packet data service (e.g. GPRS) for communicating e-mail messages is available to it. If the packet data service is available, the mobile device causes the e-mail message information to be sent via the packet data service. If the packet data service is unavailable, however, the mobile device causes the e-mail message information to be sent in a short message service (SMS) message via an SMS-to-Email service. Advantageously, a common GUI interface which does not change depending on the availability of the packet data service is utilized and service-specific formatting for SMS-to-Email by the end user is not required.

Claims19

Dependent claims

In a mobile communication device, a method of delivering e-mail message information via a wireless communication network comprising the acts of:

causing an e-mail interface of an e-mail application for e-mail message delivery to be displayed in a display of the mobile communication device, the e-mail interface for the e-mail message delivery including an e-mail recipient address field, an e-mail subject field, and an e-mail message body field;
receiving, through the e-mail interface, e-mail message information corresponding to a new e-mail message to be delivered, the e-mail message information including an e-mail recipient address from the e-mail recipient address field, an e-mail subject from the e-mail subject field, and an e-mail message body from the e-mail message body field;
identifying, by the mobile communication device, whether a first data communication service is made available to the mobile communication device via the wireless communication network;
in response to receiving the e-mail message information:
if the first data communication service is made available via the wireless communication network:
causing, by the mobile communication device, the e-mail message information to be sent through the wireless communication network via the first data communication service and
otherwise, if the first data communication service is identified as being made unavailable via the wireless communication network:
formatting, by the mobile communication device without user intervention, the e-mail message information in accordance with a second data communication service, and sending the formatted e-mail message information through the wireless communication network via the second data communication service.

5 more elements

A mobile communication device, comprising:

a receiver;
a transmitter;
a user interface which includes a display;
one or more processors coupled to the receiver, the transmitter, and the user interface;
and
the one or more processors being operative to:
cause an electronic mail (e-mail) interface of an e-mail application for e-mail message delivery to be displayed in the display, the e-mail interface for the e-mail message delivery including an e-mail recipient address field, an e-mail subject field, and an e-mail message body field;
receive, through the e-mail interface, e-mail message information corresponding to a new e-mail message to be delivered, the e-mail message information including an e-mail recipient address from the e-mail recipient address field, an e-mail subject from the e-mail subject field, and an e-mail message body from the e-mail message body field;
identify whether a first data communication service is made available to the mobile communication device via a wireless communication network;
in response to the receipt of the e-mail message information:
if the first data communication service is made available via the wireless communication network:
cause the e-mail message information to be transmitted through the wireless communication network via the first data communication service;
and
otherwise, if the first data communication service is identified as being made unavailable via the wireless communication network:
format, without user intervention, the e-mail message information in accordance with a second data communication service, and transmit the formatted e-mail message information through the wireless communication network via the second data communication service.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/556,319Filed 3 Nov 2006 · continuation
Priority: 27 Feb 2004
Published: US 2007/0060177 A115 Mar 2007
Granted: 16 Jun 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04M 1/72436
With interactive means for internal management of messages: for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
H04L 51/066
Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements: format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
H04L 51/58
User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail: message…
H04W 4/12
Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor: messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Family

Application10/788,533Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Feb 2004
US 2007/0060177 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Mar 2007
US 7,151,932 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2005/0197142 A1Published application
US 7,548,757 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.