Mobile communication system and method for the requesting of positive delivery reports from individual group members

A method for providing a disposition notification from a group member for an Instant Messaging (IM) message by an IM server in a mobile communication system including a transmission client, the IM server and a plurality of target clients, the method comprising:

• receiving an IM message from the transmission client for delivery to the plurality of target clients;
• determining whether the received IM message includes information on at least two target clients designated by the transmission client among the plurality of target clients, which are requested to report reception of the IM message, information designating a first of a plurality of report types for each of the at least two target clients, and information designating a second of the plurality of report types for at least one of the at least two target clients, the second report type being different than the first report type, wherein the at least two target clients is fewer than the plurality of target clients, the plurality of target clients is at least three target clients, and the plurality of report types comprises a read report indicating whether the IM message has been checked, a delivery report indicating whether the IM message has been transmitted to each of the at least two target clients, and a processing report indicating whether the IM message has been processed by the IM server;
• re-generating an IM message from the received IM message for each of the plurality of target clients, and transmitting the re-generated IM message to the plurality of target clients;
• receiving at least one report, corresponding to the at least one report type, from each of the at least two target clients;
• and
• transmitting the received reports to the transmission client.

A transmission client for requesting a disposition notification from a group member for an Instant Messaging (IM) message in a mobile communication system including the transmission client, an IM server and a plurality of target clients, the transmission client comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory, the processor
• for generating an IM message, for delivery to the plurality of target clients, that includes information on at least two target clients designated by the transmission client among the plurality of target clients, which are requested to report reception of the IM message, information designating a first of a plurality of report types for each of the at least two target clients and information designating a second of the plurality of report types for at least one of the at least two target clients, the second report type being different than the first report type, wherein the at least two target clients is fewer than the plurality of target clients, the plurality of target clients is at least three target clients, and the plurality of report types comprises a read report indicating whether the IM message has been checked, a delivery report indicating whether the IM message has been transmitted to each of the at least two target clients, and a processing report indicating whether the IM message has been processed by the IM server;
• and
• a transmitter/receiver device for transmitting the generated IM message to the IM server for delivery to the plurality of target clients, and receiving at least one report, corresponding to the at least one report type, from each of the at least two target clients through the IM server.

An Instant Messaging (IM) server for providing a disposition notification from a group member for an IM message in a mobile communication system including a transmission client, the IM server and a plurality of target clients, the IM server comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory, the processor
• for determining whether an IM message received from the transmission client includes information on at least two target clients designated by the transmission client among the plurality of target clients, which are requested to report reception of the IM message, information designating a first of a plurality of report types for each of the at least two target clients, and information designating a second of the plurality of report types for at least one of the at least two target clients, the second report type being different than the first report type, wherein the at least two target clients is fewer than the plurality of target clients, the plurality of target clients is at least three target clients, and the plurality of report types comprises a read report indicating whether the IM message has been checked, a delivery report indicating whether the IM message has been transmitted to each of the at least two target clients, and a processing report indicating whether the IM message has been processed by the IM server;
• and
• a transmitter/receiver device for receiving the IM message from the transmission client, transmitting the re-generated IM message to each of the plurality of target clients, receiving at least one report, corresponding to the at least one report type, from each of the at least two target clients in response to the transmission of the re-generated IM message, and transmitting the received reports to the transmission client.