WO2002096046A1

WO2002096046A1 - A communication system and method of use thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2002096046A1
Application number: PCT/IB2002/001752
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adrian Varkel; Adam Joshua Wynne; Matthew Shaer; Allie Khan; Charles Richard Scott
Original assignee: Dunedin Limited
Priority date: 2001-05-24
Filing date: 2002-05-21
Publication date: 2002-11-28
Also published as: GB0112666D0; CA2448154A1

Abstract

A communication system comprises a computer workstation operable under stored program control, a mobile telecommunication network having a number of active subscribers capable of receiving a text message along the network, a messaging application software program executable on the computer workstation, and an information database that has, for each active subscriber of the telecommunication network, a corresponding mobile telecommunication access number.. The computer workstation is communicable with the mobile telecommunication network. The application software program is usable by a user of the system to compose either one of an e-mail message and a text message, the text message being deliverable along the mobile telecommunication network to an intended recipient who is an active subscriber of the network, the intended recipient being uniquely identifiable by means of a mobile telecommunication access number. The mobile communication network disseminates the composed text message to the intended recipient along the mobile telecommunication network as a function of the recipient's mobile telecommunication access number.

Description

A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a communication system and more particularly to a communication system that uses email applications to access and to utilise telecommunication networks. The invention extends to a method of use of the communication system.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Text messaging on mobile telecommunication networks is well known and widely used. One text messaging system conforms to the Short Message System (SMS) standard. According to this system a sender of a message types a text message, which is transmitted along a communication network and received and displayed on a display screen of a mobile handset of a recipient. Such an SMS message can also originate from mobile handset. In such circumstances the message is tedious and time-consuming to compose type as character input on mobile handsets is generally by means of multi-tap text input, in which each key on a keypad of a mobile handset is assigned to three or more text characters, and a desired assigned character is selected by a corresponding number of taps of the associated key.

Recently, database and server systems have emerged that allow a sender to compose and to send an SMS message via an email application program installed on his or her computer workstation. The sender is required to compose a new text message as a new email message in his existing email application. The recipient of the message is identified in the address field of the email message by means of a phone number of the recipient concatenated with a name of a name of a messaging server that will be utilised to send the message. A typical example of such an address is number@server.com or, more specifically, 0446783542(5).sms.com

A problem with such server and database systems is that the messaging servers are separate from the sender's computer workstation, and this limits the application of the SMS-email application program considerably. It is not possible for the sender to store a recipient telephone number in his or her email address book that the email application program could then automatically insert whenever that person's name was entered in the address field of the email message. Additionally, once a message has been transmitted to the messaging server and database system, there is no method of which the applicant is aware that allows verification that the SMS message has been sent from the server and database to the recipient.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a communication system and a method of use thereof that will, at least partially, alleviate some of the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided a communication system comprising: a computer workstation operable under stored program control; a mobile telecommunication network having a number of active subscribers capable of receiving a text message along the network, the computer workstation being communicable with the mobile telecommunication network; a messaging application software program executable on the computer workstation, the application software program being usable by a user of the system to compose either one of an e-mail message and a text message, the text message being deliverable along the mobile telecommunication network to an intended recipient who is an active subscriber of the network, the intended recipient being uniquely identifiable by means of a mobile telecommunication access number; an information database having, for each active subscriber of the telecommunication network, a corresponding mobile telecommunication access number; and dissemination means activatable to disseminate the text message to the intended recipient along the mobile telecommunication network as a function of the recipient's mobile telecommunication access number.

Further features of the invention provide for the text message to be any one of an SMS message, an MMS message or a picture message, for composition of a text message to be initiated by activating a predefined icon displayed by the messaging application software program, alternatively by activating a predefined icon displayed in a desktop display associated with the computer workstation, for the predefined icon to include promotional material, and for a composed text message to include a body of text and a telecommunication access number identifying the intended recipient.

Still further features of the invention provide for the messaging application software program to be co-operable with a stored directory, preferably an address book, for the address book to contain data relating to the intended recipient of the text message, for the data to include a mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient, for the data to include a name, address, fixed line telephone number and other personal details of the intended recipient, for the address book to automatically insert the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient into the composed text message, for the address book to determine the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient, and for the messaging application software program to prompt the user to manually enter the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient when the address book is unable to determine the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient.

The invention extends to a method of use of a communication system, comprising the steps of: providing a computer workstation operable under stored program control; providing a mobile telecommunication network having a number of active subscribers capable of receiving a text message along the network, the computer workstation being communicable with the mobile telecommunication network; executing a messaging application software program on the computer workstation to compose a text message deliverable along the mobile telecommunication network to an intended recipient who is an active subscriber of the network, the application software program being capable of composing either one of the text message or an e-mail message; uniquely identifying the intended recipient by means of a mobile telecommunication access number; providing an information database having, for each active subscriber of the telecommunication network, a corresponding mobile telecommunication access number; and disseminating the text message to the intended recipient along the mobile telecommunication network as a function of the recipient's mobile telecommunication access number.

There is further provided for initiating the composition of a text message by activating a predefined icon displayed by the messaging application software program, alternatively by activating a predefined icon displayed in a desktop display associated with the computer workstation, for including promotional material in the predefined icon, and for composing a text message to include a body of text and a telecommunication access number identifying the intended recipient.

There is still further provided for linking the messaging application software program with a stored directory, preferably an address book, for including in the address book data relating to the intended recipient of the text message, for including in the data a mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient, for also including in the data a name, address, fixed line telephone number and other personal details of the intended recipient, for automatically inserting the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient into the composed text message, for determining the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient, and for prompting the user to manually enter the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient when the address book is unable to determine the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a communication system, according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a display screen of an SMS-email application program of the system of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a display of a computer workstation desktop indicating a shortcut to launch the SMS-email application of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a display of a message template of the SMS-email application of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a display of the fields of an address book of the SMS-email application of Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, in which like features of the invention are indicated by like numerals, a communication system is indicated by reference numeral (1 ).

The system (1) comprises a computer workstation (2), a mobile telecommunication system (7) and an information database (5). The computer workstation (2) is connected to the mobile telecommunication system (7) by means of a modem gateway (3) and a communication channel (4). The information database (5) is accessible by the computer workstation (2) along the communication channel (4).

An SMS-email application software program (not shown) is executable on the computer workstation (2), the operation of which will be described in detail in the description that follows. The mobile telecommunication system

(4) is of a type that is well known in the art and which has an SMS text messaging subsystem that is able to route and deliver text SMS messages to mobile handsets of subscribers of the mobile telecommunication system.

The communication channel (4) connects the SMS-email application to an information database (5) which has dissemination means, in this embodiment a radio communication system of the type used for cellular telephones to communicate messages typed in the message field of the SMS-email application to the registered owner of the telephone number typed into the recipient field of the SMS-email application.

The SMS-email application software program (not shown) can be launched in a number of different ways, two of which are illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 2, a graphical user interface ("GUI") of a well-known email application program is indicated. The GUI has an additional, non-standard icon (10) with the indicia "SMS" represented thereon. Optionally, a trademark of an operator of the mobile telecommunication system (7) may be represented alongside the indicia SMS. When a user of the computer workstation (2) activates the SMS icon (10), operating system software of the computer workstation launches the SMS-email application software program (not shown).

Referring now to Figure 3, a display of a desktop of well-known operating system software is indicated. The desktop has a shortcut icon (15) with the indicia "SMS" represented thereon. As is the case with the above non- standard icon (10), a trademark of an operator of the mobile telecommunication system (7) may be represented alongside the indicia SMS. When a user of the computer workstation (2) activates the shortcut icon (15), the operating system software of the computer workstation launches the SMS-email application software program (not shown).

Once the SMS-email application program has been launched by either one of the methods described above, a user of the computer workstation (2) is presented with a screen layout shown in Figure 4. The user of the application is then required to enter in the message field (20) of the screen display a text message to be sent to a recipient and the recipient's mobile network number in the accompanying recipient field (21). Should the intended recipient's details, such as name, address or other attribute have previously been stored in an address book associated with the SMS e-mail application program, the user may enter any such attribute in the recipient field instead of the recipient's mobile network number. This attribute is used by the application to search the contents of the address book and, once a match has been found, to retrieve the recipient's mobile network number and to substitute the mobile network number into the recipient field of the screen layout. If the recipient's mobile network number is not contained in the address book and is not entered into the recipient field by the user, the application program prompts the user to complete the recipient field in the screen layout.

The address book has a display interface similar to that shown in Figure 5 which enables a number of different attributes of fields can, optionally, be completed for each contact person. The attributes include a person's name, email address, home fixed line telephone number, pager number, mobile network number, personal web page URL, business fixed line telephone and fax numbers, job title, department, office, company name and business web page URL. Once these attributes of a contact person have been entered into the display interface of the address book, the attributes can then be saved away on a storage medium.

In use, therefore, the user launches the SMS-email application and types a message into the message field (20) of the screen layout of Figure 4. The user then types a recipient's mobile network number or other attribute that enables the recipient's mobile network number to be retrieved from the address book, into the recipient field (21) of the screen layout. Once composition of the message and the recipient has been completed, delivery of the message is initiated by activating a send icon (22) of the screen layout of Figure 4. The message is converted from a digital format digital to an analogue format by the modem (3) and transmitted along the communication channel (4) to the information database (5). The information database (5) decodes the mobile network number of the recipient in the recipient field and routes the message along the mobile telecommunication system (7) to a mobile telecommunication handset of the recipient. The recipient is then able to retrieve and read the message in a conventional manner.

It will be appreciated that the SMS-email application program offers significant advantages to a user thereof. In particular, a user of the application program is able to use well-known functionality commonly associated with e-mail applications, such as address books, calendars, notes, tasks, forwarding of messages and the like, to text messaging on mobile telecommunication networks.

While this embodiment of the invention has been described with particular reference to text messaging on an SMS compliant mobile telecommunication network, it will be readily by those skilled in the art that the invention extends to cover any type of point-to-point data transmission on a telecommunication network. Thus, picture messaging and MMS applications used via this application also fall within the scope of the invention.

Numerous other modifications are possible to this embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a number of additional SMS icons could be added to the home page of the known email application, each icon having the trademark of a different mobile telecommunication network operator. Alternatively, a user of the SMS-email application may, by pressing a general "SMS" button, access a menu of different mobile telecommunication network operators each having its own trademark represented on the menu. The user can then choose a network through which he wishes to send an SMS by selecting that company from the menu of networks or by pressing an appropriate icon on the display page.

Similarly, a user may have a plurality of different SMS icons displayed on the desktop of a computer workstation, each icon representing a different mobile telecommunication network, from which to select an appropriate one. Alternatively, the user may, by activating a single SMS icon on the desktop of the computer workstation, access a menu of mobile telecommunication networks, each having its own associated trademark, from which the user can then choose an appropriate network.

The invention therefore provides a communication system that provides integrates text messaging with functionality commonly associated with e- mail application programs.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising: a computer workstation operable under stored program control; a mobile telecommunication network having a number of active subscribers capable of receiving a text message along the network, the computer workstation being communicable with the mobile telecommunication network; a messaging application software program executable on the computer workstation, the application software program being usable by a user of the system to compose either one of an e-mail message and a text message, the text message being deliverable along the mobile telecommunication network to an intended recipient who is an active subscriber of the network, the intended recipient being uniquely identifiable by means of a mobile telecommunication access number; an information database having, for each active subscriber of the telecommunication network, a corresponding mobile telecommunication access number; and dissemination means activatable to disseminate the text message to the intended recipient along the mobile telecommunication network as a function of the recipient's mobile telecommunication access number.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 in which the text message is any one of an SMS message, an MMS message or a picture message.

3. A communication system as claimed in either one of claims 1 or 2 in which activation of a predefined icon displayed by the messaging application software program initiates composition of a text message to be initiated.

4. A communication system as claimed in either one of claims 1 or 2 in which activation of a predefined icon displayed in a desktop display associated with the computer workstation initiates composition of a text message.

5. A communication system as claimed in either one of claims 3 or 4 in which the predefined icon includes promotional material.

6. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a composed text message includes a body of text and a telecommunication access number identifying the intended recipient.

7. A communication system as claimed in claim 6 in which the messaging application software program is co-operable with a stored directory.

8. A communication system as claimed in claim 7 in which the stored directory is an address book.

9. A communication system as claimed in claim 8 in which the address book contains data relating to the intended recipient of the text message.

10. A communication system as claimed in claim 9 in which the data includes a mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient.

11. A communication system as claimed in claim 10 in which the data also includes a name, address, fixed line telephone number and other personal details of the intended recipient.

12. A communication system as claimed in claim 11 in which the address book automatically inserts the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient into the composed text message.

13. A communication system as claimed in claim 12 in which the address book determines the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient.

14. A communication system as claimed in claim 13 in which the messaging application software program prompts the user to manually enter the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient when the address book is unable to determine the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient.

15. A method of use of a communication system, comprising the steps of: providing a computer workstation operable under stored program control; providing a mobile telecommunication network having a number of active subscribers capable of receiving a text message along the network, the computer workstation being communicable with the mobile telecommunication network; executing a messaging application software program on the computer workstation to compose a text message deliverable along the mobile telecommunication network to an intended recipient who is an active subscriber of the network, the application software program being capable of composing either one of the text message or an e-mail message; uniquely identifying the intended recipient by means of a mobile telecommunication access number; providing an information database having, for each active subscriber of the telecommunication network, a corresponding mobile telecommunication access number; and disseminating the text message to the intended recipient along the mobile telecommunication network as a function of the recipient's mobile telecommunication access number.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 in which composition of a text message is initiated by activating a predefined icon displayed by the messaging application software program.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 in which composition of a text message is initiated by activating a predefined icon displayed in a desktop display associated with the computer workstation.

18. A method as claimed in either one of claims 16 or 17 that includes the further step of associating promotional material in the predefined icon.

19. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 18 in which a text message is composed to include a body of text and a telecommunication access number identifying the intended recipient.

20.A method as claimed in claim 19 in which the messaging application software program is linked with a stored directory.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 in which data relating to the intended recipient of the text message is included in the stored directory.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 in which the data includes a mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 in which the data also includes a name, address, fixed line telephone number and other personal details of the intended recipient.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 in which the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient is automatically inserted into the composed text message.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24 in which the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient is determined as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 in which the user is prompted to manually enter the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient when the address book is unable to determine the mobile telecommunication access number of the intended recipient as a function of all the data relating to the intended recipient.

27. A communication system substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

28. A method of use of a communication system substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.