Device for communicating in multiple modes using multi-mode applications

A method of multi-mode communication for a multi-mode communication device configured for communicating in at least two modes of wireless or wired network communication comprising a first mode of network communication and a second mode of network communication, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing communication capabilities in at least two modes of communication comprising a first mode of communication and a second mode of communication;
• providing a runtime environment for executing applications to communicate using at least one of said first and second modes of network communication, said runtime environment comprising:
• a mode selector providing mode information responsive to communication characteristics for each mode of network communication at runtime, the mode information comprising information as to whether each mode of communication is available;
• and a queue manger for sending messages in accordance with respective delivery mode properties of each message and the mode information;
• executing an application to communicate using at least one of said first and second modes of network communication with a backend server for backend services, wherein the operation of the application is responsive to the mode information at runtime, and wherein the application communicates using messages, wherein a message comprises delivery mode properties to indicate which of the first mode or the second mode or both to use to communicate the message;
• and
• wherein the runtime environment comprises a queue manager to manage communication of messages, by:
• a) determining the delivery mode of the messages from the delivery mode properties of the message;
• b) queuing the messages for later delivery when the determined delivery mode to communicate the messages becomes available;
• and
• c) removing the messages from the queue when the determined delivery mode to communicate the messages is not or is no longer available.

A communication network system for communicating with a backend server for backend services comprising:

• a multi-mode communication device comprising:
• at least one device communications subsystem to communicate in at least two modes of communication comprising a first mode of network communication and a second mode of network communication;
• a processor to provide:
• a runtime environment for executing applications to communicate using at least one of said first and second modes of network communication, said runtime environment comprising a mode selector providing mode information responsive to communication characteristics for each mode of network communication at runtime, the mode information comprising information as to whether each mode of communication is available;
• an application programmed to communicate using at least one of said first and second modes of communication with a backend server for backend services, wherein the operation of the application is responsive to the mode information at runtime, and wherein the application communicates using messages, wherein a message comprises delivery mode properties programmed to indicate which of the first mode or second mode or both to use to communicate the message;
• wherein the runtime environment comprises a queue manager to manage communication of messages, by:
• a) determining the delivery mode of the messages from the delivery mode properties of the message;
• b) queuing the messages for later delivery when the determined delivery mode to communicate the messages becomes available;
• and
• c) removing the messages from the queue when the determined delivery mode to communicate the messages is not or is no longer available;
• and
• a communication network gateway server comprising:
• at least one server communication subsystem coupled for communicating with the multi-mode communication device in accordance with tat least one of said modes of communication;
• a message processor for processing messages communicated with the multi-mode communication device;
• and
• a mode selector for selecting the mode for sending a particular message in response to delivery mode properties received from the multi-mode communication device.