System and method for selection of messaging settings

1 . A method of selecting messaging settings on a messaging client, comprising the steps of:

composing an outgoing message ( 92 );

addressing the outgoing message to a message recipient ( 94 );

determining whether specific messaging settings have been established for the message recipient ( 96 ); and

selecting the specific messaging settings to control message characteristics of the outgoing message where specific messaging settings for the message recipient have been established ( 98 ), characterised by:

the steps of addressing, determining, and selecting being repeated for each of a plurality of message recipients;

detecting conflicting messaging settings between the messaging settings selected for the plurality of message recipients ( 102 ); and

resolving any detected conflicting messaging settings ( 104 ).

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of addressing comprises the step of selecting an address book entry in an address book.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of determining comprises the step of determining whether the specific messaging settings are stored in the address book entry.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the step of determining comprises the step of determining whether the address book entry identifies the specific messaging settings in a data store accessible by the messaging client; and

the step of selecting comprises selecting the specific messaging settings identified in the address book entry from the data store.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the step of addressing comprises the step of manually entering an address of the message recipient using a user interface associated with the messaging client; and

the step of determining comprises the steps of:

determining whether the address is stored in an address book entry in an address book; and

determining whether specific messaging settings are stored in the address book entry where the address is stored in an address book entry in the address book.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the step of addressing comprises the step of manually entering an address of the message recipient using a user interface associated with the messaging client, the address comprising a user name and a domain name; and

the step of determining comprises the step of determining whether specific messaging settings for the domain name are stored in a data store accessible by the messaging client.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the outgoing message is a reply message to a message received at the messaging client from a message sender; and

the step of addressing comprises the step of inserting an address from the received message as the message recipient.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of determining comprises the steps of:

determining whether the inserted address is stored in an address book entry in an address book; and

determining whether specific messaging settings are stored in the address book entry where the inserted address is stored in an address book entry in the address book.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the inserted address is an address of the message sender.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of resolving detected conflicting messaging settings comprises the steps of:

alerting a user to the detected conflicting messaging settings;

prompting the user to choose which of the conflicting messaging settings should be selected; and

controlling the message characteristics of the outgoing message based on the choice by the user.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of resolving the detected conflicting messaging settings comprises the step of preparing a plurality of outgoing messages, each of the outgoing messages having message characteristics controlled by each of the conflicting messaging settings.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of message recipients comprise a distribution list.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the message recipient is a distribution list including a plurality of message recipients; and

the step of determining comprises the step of determining whether specific messaging settings have been established for the distribution list.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the message characteristics comprise one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of: message format, message font, common message text, message signing, and message encryption.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the message signing and the message encryption are signing and encryption according to Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/M/ME).

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the message signing and the message encryption are signing and encryption according to Pretty Good Privacy (PGP).

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the messaging client operates on a wireless mobile communication device.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the messaging client operates on a personal computer system.

19 . A system for selecting messaging settings, comprising:

a data store ( 52 ) configured to store a plurality of specific messaging settings ( 59 ); and

a messaging client ( 60 ) configured to send messages, each of the messages having message characteristics and being addressed to a message recipient, to access the data store to determine whether specific messaging settings have been stored for the message recipient to which a message is addressed ( 100 ), and to select the specific messaging settings for the message recipient to control the message characteristics of the message where specific messaging settings have been stored for the message recipient ( 98 ), characterised by:

the steps of addressing, determining, and selecting being repeated for each of a plurality of message recipients;

the messaging client configured to detect conflicting messaging settings between the messaging settings selected for the plurality of message recipients ( 102 ) and to resolve any detected conflicting massaging settings ( 104 ).

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the data store is further configured to store default messaging setting; and

the messaging client is further configured to select the default messaging settings to control the message characteristics of the message where specific messaging settings have not been stored in the data store for the message recipient.

21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the system is implemented in a device selected from the group consisting of: a personal computer system, a handheld electronic device, a wireless mobile communication device, a mobile telephone having data communication functionality, a two-way pager, a voice communication device, a data communication device, and a dual-mode communication device.

22 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the messaging client is a secure messaging client configured to send secure and unsecure messages.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein the message characteristics comprise secure messaging characteristics selected from the group consisting of: message signing and message encryption.

24 . The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the data store comprises an address book ( 56 ) configured to store address book entries for a plurality of contacts;

each of the plurality of address book entries comprises an address field and a messaging settings field for an associated contact; and

the messaging settings field in each address book entry is configured to store specific messaging settings for the associated contact.

25 . The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the system further comprises an address book data store configured to store address book entries for a plurality of contacts;

each of the plurality of address book entries comprises an address field and a messaging settings field for an associated contact; and

the messaging settings field in each address book entry is configured to store specific messaging settings for the associated contact.

26 . The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the system further comprises an address book data store configured to store address book entries for a plurality of contacts;

each of the plurality of address book entries comprises an address field and a messaging settings field for an associated contact; and

the messaging settings field in each address book entry is configured to store an identifier of specific messaging settings for the contact stored in the data store.

27 . The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the specific messaging settings comprise specific messaging settings for message recipients and specific messaging settings for distribution lists, each distribution list comprising a plurality of message recipients; and

the messaging client is further configured to access the data store to determine whether specific messaging settings have been stored for a distribution list to which a message is addressed, and to select the specific messaging settings for the distribution list to control the message characteristics of the message where specific messaging settings have been stored for the distribution list.

28 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising:

a user interface configured to receive input from a user, wherein a message is addressed to a message recipient responsive to an input from the user.