System for forwarding SMS messages to other devices
View Patent ↗Improved techniques for communicating short messages forward an electronic message to an alternate communications device if the system is unable to deliver the short message to a destination communications device. The electronic message is formatted to be compliant with the alternate communications system. Alternatively, the short message may be formatted in compliance with a destination communications device that is not short message compliant and sent to the destination communications device. In some embodiments of the present invention, a method for communicating short messages includes forwarding an electronic message to a first communications device, the forwarding in response to at least an indicator of unsuccessful delivery of a short message to a destination communications device. The first communications device may be incompatible with short message service. The forwarding may be enabled from the destination communications device, the first communications device, or a web browser.
1. A method for communicating short messages comprising:
forwarding an electronic message to a first communications device, the forwarding being in response to at least an indication of unsuccessful delivery of a short message service (SMS) message to a destination communications device,
wherein the first communications device is incompatible with SMS.
2. The method, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forwarding is enabled from the destination communications device.
3. The method, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forwarding is enabled from the first communications device.
4. The method, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forwarding is enabled from a web browser.
5. The method, as recited in claim 4 , further comprising:
removing the SMS message from a short message queue.
6. The method, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic message is based at least in part on the SMS message.
7. The method, as recited in claim 6 , further comprising:
formatting the electronic message as a message having a format compatible with the first communications device.
8. The method, as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first communications device is the destination communications device.
9. The method, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
removing the SMS message from a short message queue.
10. The method, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
associating the first communications device with the destination communications device.
11. The method, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the SMS message; and
attempting to send the SMS message to the destination communications device.
12. The method, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
formatting the electronic message compatible with the first communications device.
13. A system for communicating short messages comprising:
a short message service (SMS) management facility that communicates an electronic message to a first communications device in response to an indicator of an unsuccessful delivery of the short message to a destination communications device,
wherein the first communications device is incompatible with SMS.
14. The system, as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:
a destination communications device for receiving at least one short message from the SMS management facility.
15. The system, as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:
a first communications device for receiving at least one electronic message from the SMS management facility.
16. The system, as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:
a first store including at least one entry corresponding to the destination communications device.
17. The system, as recited in claim 16 , wherein the entry includes an association to the first communications device.
18. The system, as recited in claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the first store resides on a first server.
19. The system, as recited in claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the SMS management facility resides on a short message service center (SMSC).
20. The system, as recited in claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the SMS management facility resides on a first server.
21. The system, as recited in claim 13 , wherein the electronic message is based at least in part on a short message and a destination address associated with the short message.
22. The system, as recited in claim 21 , wherein the entry includes information for formatting the electronic message.
23. An apparatus for communicating short messages comprising:
means for forwarding an electronic message to a first communications device, the forwarding being in response to at least an indicator of unsuccessful delivery of a short message service (SMS) message to a destination communications device;
means for formatting the electronic message as a message having a format compatible with the first communications device; and
means for enabling the means for forwarding.
24. The apparatus, as recited in claim 23 , wherein the first communications device is incompatible with SMS.