AU7843498A

AU7843498A - A messaging system

Info

Publication number: AU7843498A
Application number: AU78434/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jack Michiela; William Robertson
Original assignee: PAGERGATE COMMUNICATIONS Ltd
Current assignee: PAGERGATE COMMUNICATIONS Ltd
Priority date: 1997-07-30
Filing date: 1998-07-28
Publication date: 1999-02-11

Description

VIIU

49449 DP/REP P//11 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

FOR A STANDARD

PATENT

ORIGINAL

-*o Name of Applicant: PAGERGATE COMMUNICATIONS LTD Actual Inventors: JACK MICHIELA WILUAM ROBERTSON Address for Service: COLLISON CO., 117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: A MESSAGING SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 This invention relates to a messaging system.

A limitation of many known computer E-mail systems is that they only provide for communications between conventional computers. It is accordingly an object of at least one form of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing this limitation.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a messaging process for facilitating communication between a sender and a receiver, comprising the steps of: a) causing processor means to receive an electronic message from a sender, the sender comprising a computer belonging to a network, Sb) ca.sing the processor means to process the electronic message to identify the sender, and to identify the receiver as specified by the sender, and c) causing the processor means to address a communication to the receiver and to send the communication, the communication corresponding to the electronic message, the receiver comprising a mobile communications device capable of receiving the communication or a modified form of the communication and manifesting the communication or the modified form of the communication in a way which can be understood by a person using the receiver.

Preferably the electronic message is a computer E-mail message.

Preferably the communication or the modified form of the communication is cordless.

Optionally the processor means incorporates transmitter means for sending the communication or the modified form of the communication to the receiver.

However, it should be appreciated that in some forms of the invention the |i processor means may not incorporate the transmitter means, and may simply send the communication to the receiver by way of distinct transmitter means.

:in-L-

-I~LI

Expediently the receiver is a mobile pager, a mobile telephone, a mobile facsimile machine, or the like.

Advantageously the processor means comprises one or more computer processors.

Desirably the processor means can receive a communication directly or indirectly from the receiver, and in response to information contained in that communication can forward a corresponding electronic message to the lo sender.

Preferably the processor sends an E-mail confirmation of the communication :I or the modified communication to an E-mail address of the person using the receiver, and/or sends an E-mail confirmation of the communication or the 15 modified form of the communication to an E-mail address corresponding to the sender.

Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example.

The invention may comprise software designed to control a computer processor in receiving and dealing with E-mail messages from subscribers of a computer network. The processor, when directed by the software, provides a gateway to various messaging devices, such as mobile pagers, mobile telephones, mobile facsimile machines, and cordless communications devices generally.

When the invention is in use one of the subscribers of the computer network can contact a holder of one of the mobile messaging devices. For example, the subscriber may send an E-mail message which is received by the processor. The processor processes the E-mail message to identify the subscriber and the particular mobile messaging device that the subscriber wishes to contact. Based on information contained in the E-mail message the processor then sends a corresponding communication to the mobile messaging device. The processor may send the communication directly or 3 indirectly. If the corresponding communication is sent indirectly then it may be sent via-a telecommunications transmitter. The communication may be oi 1received by the mobile messaging device and manifested as, in the case of a cellular telephone or a pager, a series of words appearing in the visual display of the telephone or pager. If the pager does not have a visual display then the communication may be manifested as an audible tone. In cases where the technology is available, the telephone or pager may manifest the communication as an audible word or words. When the mobile messaging device is a facsimile machine the communication from the processor may be manifested as a series of readable words.

In at least some forms of the invention at least some of the mobile messaging lo devices can send a communication to the processor. The processor processes that communication to identify the messaging device from where it came, and also to identify a subscriber as specified by the communication.

The processor then sends a corresponding E-mail message to the specified subscriber dependant on information contained in the communication from the 15 messaging device.

Desirably the software which controls the processor comprises interconnecting software connecting six separate software modules. The software enables an efficient automatic E-mail messaging, identification, and distribution system, using the Internet for the sending and receiving of E-mail messages to or from the mobile messaging devices. The software involves the application of clustering and distribution, and enables the processor to send to multiple types of messaging devices using a number of messaging protocols, for example SMS, TAP, TDP, FAX, and manual.

The first of the six modules is for logging and accounting functions. In particular, the first module creates message logs that relate to E-mail messages, and relates these to a user/Es billing and registration details.

Preferably it is the holders of the mobile messaging devices that are billed.

The second module serves a filtering function, allowing extensive control of Smessages received by the mobile messaging devices. The third module is for interactive cn-line user settings, allowing users to change their registration and billing details by way of modem. The fourth module comprises notification software, wisch can customise messages to a users requirements. The fifth module provides a relational database which is built by relating messages |i and their respective billing details, and then moved to a main SQL database to allow for scalability. The sixth module provides for the redistribution of 1 messages within an internal scaleable distribution network of computers ~iP~ nirr~3lnra-r

I

independent of the corresponding operating system. This allows the modules to coexist on one machine, or to exist as independent communicating parts on multiple machines. The messages which are redistributed are standard Email, as well as internally generated administration and operating system messages.

While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

os so aor

I

r a I os o r rr r a r ioor r so

Claims

1. A messaging process for facilitating communication between a sender and a receiver, comprising the steps of: a) causing processor means to receive an electronic message from a sender, the sender comprising a computer belonging to a network, b) causing the processor means to process the electronic message 1 o to identify the sender, and to identify the receiver as specified by the sender, and c) causing the processor means to address a communication to the receiver and to send the communication, the communication corresponding to 15 the electronic message, the receiver comprising a mobile communications device capable of receiving the communication or a modified form of the communication and manifesting the communication or the modified form of the communication in a way which can be understood by a person using the receiver.

2. A messaging process according to claim 1, wherein the electronic message is a computer E-mail message.

3. A messaging process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication or the modified form of the communication is cordless.

4. A messaging process according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the processor means incorporates transmitter means which sends the communication or the modified form of the communication to the receiver.

A messaging process according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the processor means sends the communication to a transmitter so that the transmitter sends the modified form of the communication to the receiver.

6. A messaging process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiver is a mobile pager, a mobile telephone, or a mobile I facsimile machine. P1I 1 )d 6 Ir

7. A messaging process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processor means comprises one or more computer processors.

8. A messaging process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processor means receives a communication from the receiver, and in response to information contained in that communication forwards a corresponding electronic message to the sender.

9. A messaging process according to any one of the preceding claims, So wherein the processor sends an E-mail confirmation of the communication or the modified communication to an E-mail address of the person using the receiver, and/or sends an E-mail confirmation of the communication or the modified form of the communication to an E-mail address corresponding to the sender.

10. A messaging process according to any one of the preceding claims, substantially as herein described. 20 PAGERGATE COMMUNICATIONS LTD By their Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO