Wireless network system for efficiently delivering multimedia messages

A wireless network system for enabling direct wireless delivery of a multimedia message from a first multimedia messaging service (MMS) user agent located in a first multimedia messaging service environment (MMSE) to a second MMS user agent located in a second MMSE, the system comprising:

• a first MMS relay/server located in the first MMSE;
• and
• a second MMS relay/server located in the second MMSE;
• wherein the first MMS relay/server includes:
• a relay and a server of the first MMS relay/server configured to receive, from the first MMS user agent, a request to send a multimedia message to the second MMS user agent, the request including an identification (ID) number of the second MMS user agent, and the relay of the first MMS relay/server configured to forward the request directly to the second MMS server;
• wherein the second MMS relay/server includes:
• a server of the second MMS relay/server configured to obtain an Internet address of the second MMS user agent based on the ID number of the second MMS user agent, if the ID number is not an Internet address of the second MMS user agent;
• and a relay of the second MMS relay/server configured to forward the obtained Internet address of the second MMS user agent directly to the first MMS relay/server;
• wherein the relay of the first MMS relay/server is further configured to forward the obtained Internet address received from the second MMS relay/server directly to the first MMS user agent, further wherein responsive to receipt of the obtained Internet address, the first MMS user agent is configured to use peer-to-peer delivery of multimedia messages enabled via Internet Protocol based packet switched wireless network system to directly wirelessly deliver message content of the multimedia message to the second MMS user agent using the obtained Internet address, while (i) involving the first and the second MMS relay/servers only in (i)(a) the second MMS user agent Internet address resolution, (i)(b) collecting billing information for sending the multimedia message at a time of contacting a home location register (HLR) or other network nodes for Internet address information of the second MMS user agent, and (i)(c) authentication and (ii) wirelessly delivering the message content of the multimedia message to the second MMS user agent without involving the first and the second MMS relay/servers in the delivering of the message content of the multimedia message;
• wherein the server of the second MMS relay/server is further configured to (i) send the ID number of the second MMS user agent directly to the HLR of the core network, (ii) obtain an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) address corresponding to the ID number of the second MMS user agent directly from the HLR of the core network, (iii) send the obtained IMSI address directly to a user database internal table in the core network, and (iv) obtain the Internet address corresponding to the IMSI directly from the user database internal table in the core network.

A method for enabling direct wireless delivery of a multimedia message from a first multimedia messaging service (MMS) user agent to a second MMS user agent, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving from the first MMS user agent a request to send a multimedia message to the second MMS user agent, the request including a mobile station international ISDN number (MSISDN) of the second MMS user agent;
• (b) obtaining an Internet address of the second MMS user agent directly from a core network based on the MSISDN of the second MMS user agent, if the MSISDN is not an Internet address of the second MMS user agent;
• and
• (c) forwarding the obtained Internet address to the first MMS user agent, wherein responsive to receipt of the obtained Internet address, the first MMS user agent uses peer-to-peer delivery of multimedia messages enabled via an Internet Protocol based packet switched wireless network system to directly wirelessly deliver message content of the multimedia message to the second MMS user agent using the obtained Internet address, while (i) involving an originator MMS relay/server only in (i)(a) the second MMS user agent Internet address resolution, (i)(b) collecting billing information for sending the multimedia messages at a time of contacting a home location register (HLR) or other network nodes for internet address information of the second MMS user agent, and (i)(c) authentication and (ii) wirelessly delivering the message content of the multimedia message to the second MMS user agent without involving the originator MMS relay/server in the delivering of the message content of the multimedia message;
• wherein step (b) includes:
• (i) sending the MSISDN of the second MMS user agent directly to the HLR in the core network of a wireless network system, (ii) obtaining an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) address corresponding to the MSISDN of the second MMS user agent directly from the HLR in the core network, (iii) sending the obtained IMSI address directly to a user database internal table in the core network, and (iv) obtaining the Internet address corresponding to the IMSI directly from the user database internal table in the core network.

A method for enabling direct wireless delivery of message content of a multimedia message from a first multimedia messaging service (MMS) user agent located in a first multimedia messaging service environment (MMSE) to a second MMS user agent located in a second MMSE, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving, by a first MMS relay/server located in the first MMSE, from the first MMS user agent a request to send a multimedia message to the second MMS user agent, the request including an identification (ID) number of the second MMS user agent;
• (b) forwarding the request from the first MMS relay/server directly to a second MMS relay/server located in the second MMSE;
• (c) obtaining, by the second MMS relay/server, an Internet address of the second MMS user agent based on the ID number of the second MMS user agent, if the ID number is not an Internet address of the second MMS user agent;
• (d) forwarding, by the second MMS relay/server, the obtained Internet address of the second MMS user agent directly to the first MMS relay/server;
• and
• (e) forwarding, by the first MMS relay/server, the obtained Internet address directly to the first MMS user agent, wherein responsive to receipt of the obtained Internet address, the first MMS user agent uses peer-to-peer delivery of multimedia messages enabled via an Internet Protocol based packet switched wireless network system to directly wirelessly deliver the message content of the multimedia message to the second MMS user agent using the obtained Internet address, while (i) involving the first and the second MMS relay/servers only in (i)(a) the second MMS user agent Internet address resolution, (i)(b) collecting billing information for sending the multimedia messages at a time of contacting a home location register (HLR) or other network nodes for Internet address information of the second MMS user agent, and (i)(c) authentication and (ii) wirelessly delivering the message content of the multimedia message to the second MMS user agent without involving the first and the second MMS relay/servers in the delivering of the message content of the multimedia message;
• wherein the obtaining by the second MMS relay/server (i) sends the ID number of the second MMS user agent directly to the HLR of the core network, (ii) obtains an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) address corresponding to the ID number of the second MMS user agent directly from the HLR of the core network, (iii) sends the obtained IMSI address directly to a user database internal table in the core network, and (iv) obtains the Internet address corresponding to the IMSI directly from the user database internal table in the core network.