Apparatus and method for future transmission of device-independent messages

1. An apparatus for sending a message having a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein each receiving device has a different format than the other receiving devices, each said receiving device coupled to at least one of a data-centric network and a telephony-centric network, the apparatus comprising:

a message server configured to translate the message into a plurality of formats, each format compatible with one of the receiving devices specified in the recipient field;

a data-centric network link, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message over the data-centric network;

a telephony-centric network link, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message over the telephony-centric network;

wherein, if the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol address over the data-centric network, then said message server delivers the translated message to the receiving device over the data-centric network via the data-centric network link; and

wherein, if the receiving device is addressed by a telephone number via the telephony-centric network, then said message server delivers the translated message to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network via the telephony-centric network link.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol (IP) address over the data-centric network and said message server delivers the translated message to the addressed receiving device over the data-centric network via the data-centric network link.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the message is supplied to the message server by an originator.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originator for configuration of the message.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a thin web client to receive said message entry web page.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein said thin web client comprises a browser.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 , wherein said originator prescribes the receiving device and the message completing fields within said message entry web page.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein if the receiving device is addressable over the telephony-centric network, said message server includes a telephone number within the message that corresponds to the receiving device.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13 , wherein said telephony-centric network server extracts said telephone number from within a field of the message for initiating a call over the telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15 , wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.

17. A mechanism for sending to a receiving device a message having a field prescribing the receiving device being coupled to either a data-centric network or a telephony-centric network, the mechanism comprising:

a message server, for translating the message into a format compatible with the receiving device, and for initiating delivery of the message, said message server comprising:

a message scheduler, for causing said message server to initiate delivery of the message; and

a data-centric network server, coupled to sad message server, for transmitting the message over a data-centric network for delivery to the receiving device wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol address over the data-centric network.

18. The mechanism as recited in claim 17 , wherein the receiving device is addressed by dialing a telephone number over the telephony-centric network.

19. The mechanism as recited in claim 18 , wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, or a cellular telephone.

20. The mechanism as recited in claim 17 , wherein the receiving device comprises a computer.

21. The mechanism as recited in claim 17 , wherein the message is supplied to the message server by an originator.

22. The mechanism as recited in claim 21 , wherein said originator supplies the message an text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

23. The mechanism as recited in claim 21 , wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

24. The mechanism as recited in claim 23 , wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originator for configuration of the message.

25. The mechanism as recited in claim 24 , wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a thin web client to receive said message entry web page.

26. The mechanism as recited in claim 25 , wherein said thin web client comprises a browser.

27. The mechanism as recited in claim 26 , wherein said originator prescribes the recipient, the receiving device and the message by completing fields within said message entry web page.

28. The mechanism as recited in claim 17 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

29. The mechanism as recited in claim 17 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

30. The mechanism as recited in claim 17 , wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

31. The mechanism as recited in claim 30 , wherein, if the receiving device is addressable over the telephony-centric network, said message server includes a telephone number within the message that corresponds to the receiving device.

32. The mechanism as recited in claim 30 , further comprising:

a telephony-centric network server, coupled to said data-centric network server, for extracting said telephone number from within the message and for initiating a call over the telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

33. The mechanism of claim 17 wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

34. The mechanism as recited in claim 33 , wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.

35. A system for sending a message to a receiving device, the system comprising:

a message scheduler, configured to initiate delivery of the message;

a message server, coupled to said message scheduler, configured to translate the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device;

a data-centric network server, coupled to said message server, configured to transmit the message;

a data-centric network, coupled to said data-centric network server, configured to route the message from said data-centric network server to either the receiving device or a telephony-centric network server, wherein, if the receiving device is addressed by a telephone number over a telephony-centric network, then said data-centric network routes the message to said telephony-centric network server.

36. The system as recited in claim 35 , wherein, if said receiving device is addressable over said data-centric network, then the message is routed directly to said receiving device.

37. The system as recited in claim 36 , wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a computer, or a cellular telephone.

38. The system as recited in claim 37 , wherein the receiving device is addressed by accessing an internet protocol (IP) address over said data-centric network or by dialing a telephone number over said telephony-centric network.

39. The system as recited in claim 38 , wherein an originator supplies the message in voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the telephony-centric network.

40. The system as recited in claim 38 , wherein said originator supplies the message in text or voice form from an originating device that is addressable over the data-centric network.

41. The system as recited in claim 40 , wherein said originating device comprises a computer that is executing a web browser.

42. The system as recited in claim 41 , wherein said data-centric network server transmits a message entry web page to said originating device for configuration of the message.

43. The system as recited in claim 42 , wherein said originator prescribes the receiving device and the message by completing fields within said message entry web page.

44. The system as recited in claim 43 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

45. The system as recited in claim 43 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

46. The system as recited in claim 45 , wherein said message server selects said format for delivery according to receiving capabilities of the receiving device.

47. The system as recited in claim 46 , wherein said telephony-centric network server extracts said telephone number from within a field of the message and initiates a call over said telephony-centric network to the receiving device for delivery of the message.

48. The system of claim 35 wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

49. The system as recited in claim 48 , wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.

50. A method for sending a message having a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices, wherein each receiving device has a different format than the other receiving devices, each said receiving device coupled to at least one of a data-centric network and a telephony-centric network, the method comprising:

a) generating the message from an originating device;

b) for each receiving device specified in the recipient field, translating the message into a format that is compatible with the receiving device;

c) transmitting the message over the coupled network to each receiving device prescribed in the recipient field in a format compatible with the receiving device wherein the originating device is addressable via the coupled network.

51. The method as recited in claim 50 , wherein the originating device is addressable via a telephony-centric network.

52. The method as recited in claim 51 , wherein the originating device is addressable via the data-centric network.

53. The method as recited in claim 52 , wherein the originating device is a computer that is executing a thin web client.

54. The method as recited in claim 53 , wherein the message is generated by completing fields within a message entry web pane that has been received over the data-centric network.

55. The method as recited in claim 54 , wherein the receiving device comprises a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a computer, or a cellular telephone and the translated message is delivered to the receiving device over the telephony-centric network.

56. The method as recited in claim 55 , further comprising:

i) embedding a telephone number in the message;

ii) causing the telephony-centric network server to call the telephone number to access the receiving device.

57. The method as recited in claim 56 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in text format as an email, or as a fax, or as a text file.

58. The method as recited in claim 56 , wherein the message is delivered to the receiving device in voice format as an electronic voice file.

59. The method of claim 50 , wherein the message has a data structure, comprising:

a recipient field identifying one of a plurality of receiving devices having one of a plurality of different recipient formats; and

a message field having one of a plurality of different message formats.

60. The method as recited in claim 59 , wherein the plurality of receiving devices comprise a telephone, a facsimile machine, a pager, a smart pager, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a desktop computer and wherein the plurality of different message formats comprises a text format and a voice format.