Method for creating a peer-to-peer immediate messaging solution without using an instant messaging server
A messaging method in a system including a wireless network, a routing server, and a plurality of mobile stations. A first mobile station has first communications applications and a first PIN and a second mobile station has second communications applications and a second PIN. The method includes sending an invitation including the first PIN from the first mobile station to the second mobile station using one of the first communications applications, and sending an acceptance including the second PIN from the second mobile station to the first mobile station using one of the second communications applications. The method further includes creating first messages including the second PIN and sending them to the second mobile station through the wireless network, and creating second messages including the first PIN and sending them to the first mobile station through the wireless network. The routing server routes the messages based on the PINs.
1. A method of exchanging messages between a first mobile station and a second mobile station in a system including a wireless network and a routing server coupled to said wireless network, said first mobile station having one or more first communications applications and said second mobile station having one or more second communications applications, said first mobile station having a first personal identification number and said second mobile station having a second personal identification number, the method comprising:
(a) sending an invitation message from said first mobile station to said second mobile station using one of said one or more first communications applications, said invitation message including said first personal identification number, and sending a second invitation message from said first mobile station to said second mobile station using another one of said one or more first communications applications, said second invitation message including said first personal identification number;
(b) sending an acceptance message from said second mobile station to said first mobile station using one of said one or more second communications applications, said acceptance message including said second personal identification number;
(c) creating one or more first messages, said first messages including said second personal identification number;
(d) sending said one or more first messages to said routing server through said wireless network;
(e) sending said one or more first messages from said routing server to said second mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more first messages being routed by said routing server based on said second personal identification number;
(f) creating one or more second messages, said second messages including said first personal identification number;
(g) sending said one or more second messages to said routing server through said wireless network; and
(h) sending said one or more second messages from said routing server to said first mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more second messages being routed by said routing server based on said first personal identification number.
2. The method according to claim 1 , steps (b) through (h) being performed only if both said invitation message and said second invitation message are received by said second mobile station.
3. The method according to claim 1 , said one of said first communications applications and said one of said second communications applications being of the same type.
4. The method according to claim 1 , said one or more first communications application and said one or more second communications applications being selected from the group consisting of a wireless telephone application, an email application, a short message service (SMS) application, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) application, and an enhanced message service (EMS) application.
5. A method of exchanging messages between a first mobile station and a second mobile station in a system including a wireless network and a routing server coupled to said wireless network, said first mobile station having one or more first communications applications and said second mobile station having one or more second communications applications, said first mobile station having a first personal identification number and said second mobile station having a second personal identification number, the method comprising:
(a) sending an invitation message from said first mobile station to said second mobile station using one of said one or more first communications applications, said invitation message including said first personal identification number;
(b) sending an acceptance message from said second mobile station to said first mobile station using one of said one or more second communications applications, said acceptance message including said second personal identification number;
(c) creating one or more first messages, said first messages including said second personal identification number;
(d) sending said one or more first messages to said routing server through said wireless network;
(e) sending said one or more first messages from said routing server to said second mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more first messages being routed by said routing server based on said second personal identification number;
(f) creating one or more second messages, said second messages including said first personal identification number;
(g) sending said one or more second messages to said routing server through said wireless network;
(h) sending said one or more second messages from said routing server to said first mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more second messages being routed by said routing server based on said first personal identification number; and
(i) said first mobile station periodically sending a first availability information message to said second mobile station and said second mobile station periodically sending a second availability information message to said first mobile station.
6. The method according to claim 5 , said first availability information message including said second personal identification number and said second availability information message including said first personal identification number.
7. The method according to claim 6 , said step of sending said first availability information message to said second mobile station comprising sending said first availability information message to said routing server through said wireless network and sending said first availability information message from said routing server to said second mobile station through said wireless network, said routing server routing said first availability information message based on said second personal identification number, and said step of sending said second availability information message to said first mobile station comprising sending said second availability information message to said routing server through said wireless network and sending said second availability information message from said routing server to said first mobile station through said wireless network, said routing server routing said second availability information message based on said first personal identification number.
8. The method according to claim 5 , said first availability information message being derived from a current operational state of said first mobile station, and said second availability information message being derived from a current operational state of said second mobile station.
9. The method according to claim 8 , said first availability information message relating to a specific state of or an event occurring on said first mobile station, and said second availability information message relating to a specific state of or an event occurring on said second mobile station.
10. A method of exchanging messages between a first mobile station and a second mobile station in a system including a wireless network and a routing server coupled to said wireless network, said first mobile station having one or more first communications applications and said second mobile station having one or more second communications applications, said first mobile station having a first personal identification number and said second mobile station having a second personal identification number, said first mobile station having a contact database having a plurality of contacts having a plurality of corresponding contact mobile stations, the method comprising:
(a) sending an invitation message from said first mobile station to said second mobile station using one of said one or more first communications applications, said invitation message including said first personal identification number;
(b) sending an acceptance message from said second mobile station to said first mobile station using one of said one or more second communications applications, said acceptance message including said second personal identification number;
(c) creating one or more first messages, said first messages including said second personal identification number;
(d) sending said one or more first messages to said routing server through said wireless network;
(e) sending said one or more first messages from said routing server to said second mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more first messages being routed by said routing server based on said second personal identification number;
(f) creating one or more second messages, said second messages including said first personal identification number;
(g) sending said one or more second messages to said routing server through said wireless network;
(h) sending said one or more second messages from said routing server to said first mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more second messages being routed by said routing server based on said first personal identification number; and
(i) said first mobile station periodically sending availability information messages to said contact mobile stations.
11. The method according to claim 10 , said second mobile station being one of said contact mobile stations.
12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising said first mobile station receiving second availability information messages from one or more of said contact mobile stations, and displaying availability information on said first mobile station based on said second availability information messages.
13. The method according to claim 12 , said availability information being displayed as part of a contact database screen.
14. The method according to claim 12 , said second availability information messages being derived from a current operational state of said one or more of said contact mobile stations.
15. The method according to claim 14 , said second availability information messages relating to a specific state of or an event occurring on said one or more of said contact mobile stations.
16. The method according to claim 10 , said plurality of corresponding contact mobile stations having a plurality of corresponding contact personal identification numbers, each of said availability information messages including one of said contact personal identification numbers, said step of sending said availability information messages to said contact mobile stations comprising sending said availability information messages to said routing server through said wireless network and sending said availability information messages from said routing server to said contact mobile stations through said wireless network, said routing server routing said availability information messages based on said contact personal identification numbers.
17. The method according to claim 10 , said availability information messages being derived from a current operational state of said first mobile station.
18. The method according to claim 17 , said availability information messages relating to a specific state of or an event occurring on said first mobile station.
19. The method according to claim 10 , said first mobile station displaying first contact messages from a plurality of said contact mobile stations, said first contact messages being routed to said first mobile station by said routing server, and said first mobile station not displaying second contact messages from selected ones of said contact mobile stations, said second contact messages being routed to said first mobile station by said routing server.
20. The method according to claim 10 , said first mobile station only displaying messages routed to said first mobile station by said routing server if said messages originated from one of said contact mobile stations.
21. A method of exchanging messages between a first mobile station and a second mobile station in a system including a wireless network and a routing server coupled to said wireless network, said first mobile station having one or more first communications applications and said second mobile station having one or more second communications applications, said first mobile station having a first personal identification number and said second mobile station having a second personal identification number, the method comprising:
(a) sending an invitation message from said first mobile station to said second mobile station using one of said one or more first communications applications, said invitation message including said first personal identification number;
(b) sending an acceptance message from said second mobile station to said first mobile station using one of said one or more second communications applications, said acceptance message including said second personal identification number;
(c) creating one or more first messages, said first messages including said second personal identification number;
(d) sending said one or more first messages to said routing server through said wireless network;
(e) sending said one or more first messages from said routing server to said second mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more first messages being routed by said routing server based on said second personal identification number;
(f) creating one or more second messages, said second messages including said first personal identification number;
(g) sending said one or more second messages to said routing server through said wireless network;
(h) sending said one or more second messages from said routing server to said first mobile station through said wireless network, said one or more second messages being routed by said routing server based on said first personal identification number; and
(i) placing a phone call from said first mobile station to said second mobile station over a voice circuit, wherein said invitation message comprises a plurality of first DTMF tones sent from said first mobile station to said second mobile station over said voice circuit, and wherein said acceptance message comprises a plurality of second DTMF tones sent from said second mobile station to said first mobile station over said voice circuit.
22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said first communications application and said second communications application are each a wireless telephone application.