METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DISTRIBUTING ATTACHMENTS TO MESSAGES

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a selection of an attachment for adding to an outgoing communication message that is to be transmitted over a network using a communication technique;

determining whether the selected attachment is supported by the communication technique;

when the selected attachment is unsupported by the communication technique, separating the selected attachment into individual data pieces that are supported by the communication technique;

attaching the individual data pieces to the outgoing communication message; and

transmitting the outgoing communication message using the communication technique.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the outgoing communication message comprises transmitting the outgoing message using a communication technique based on a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) specification.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein separating the selected attachment into individual data pieces further comprises:

assigning, to the individual data pieces, a common file name format for identifying the individual data pieces as representing a single attachment unsupported by the communication technique.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein assigning the common file name format comprises assigning the common file name format to reflect a type of the selected attachment, an identifier common to the selected attachment, and a part reflecting data contained in at least one of the individual data pieces.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a selection of an attachment comprises receiving a selection of a custom location attachment.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein separating the selected attachment comprises separating the selected attachment into individual data pieces comprising at least one of a map, a description, and a URL as media types supported by the communication technique.

7 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, causes the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a selection of an attachment for adding to an outgoing communication message that is to be transmitted over a network using a communication technique;

determining whether the selected attachment is supported by the communication technique;

when the selected attachment is unsupported by the communication technique, separating the selected attachment into individual data pieces that are supported by the communication technique;

attaching the individual data pieces to the outgoing communication message; and

transmitting the outgoing communication message using the communication technique.

8 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to transmit the outgoing communication message using a communication technique based on a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) specification.

9 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to separate the selected attachment into individual data pieces by assigning, to the individual data pieces, a common file name format for identifying the individual data pieces as representing a single attachment unsupported by the communication technique.

10 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to assign the common file name format to reflect a type of the selected attachment, an identifier common to the selected attachment, and a part reflecting data contained in at least one of the individual data pieces.

11 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to receive a selection of an attachment by receiving a selection of a custom location attachment.

12 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , further storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the electronic device to separate the selected attachment by separating the selected attachment into individual data pieces comprising at least one of a map, a description, and a URL as media types supported by the communication technique.

13 . An apparatus comprising:

a memory device storing instructions for processing of communication messages; and

a processor executing the instructions to:

receive a selection of an attachment for adding to an outgoing communication message that is to be transmitted over a network using a communication technique;

determine whether the selected attachment is supported by the communication technique;

when the selected attachment is unsupported by the communication technique, separate the selected attachment into individual data pieces that are supported by the communication technique;

attach the individual data pieces to the outgoing communication message; and

transmit the outgoing communication message using the communication technique.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the communication technique is based on a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) specification.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the individual data pieces are assigned a common file name format for identifying the individual data pieces as representing a single attachment unsupported by the communication technique.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the common file name format reflects a type of the selected attachment, an identifier common to the selected attachment, and a part reflecting data contained in at least one of the individual data pieces.

17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the selected attachment is a custom location attachment.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the custom location attachment is separated into individual data pieces of at least one of a map, a description, and a URL, and the individual data pieces are attached to the outgoing communication message as supported media types according to the communication technique.

19 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a plurality of attachments to a communication message using a communication technique, the plurality of attachments being supported by the communication technique and collectively comprise a custom attachment, the custom attachment being unsupported by the communication technique;

extracting the plurality of attachments from the communication message;

reconstructing the custom attachment from the plurality of attachments; and

displaying the reconstructed custom attachment.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , wherein receiving the plurality of attachments comprises receiving a plurality of attachments that collectively comprise the custom attachment and share common file name prefixes reflecting the custom attachment.

21 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a selection of an attachment for adding to an outgoing communication message that is to be transmitted over a network using a first communication technique;

determining whether the selected attachment is supported by a second communication technique;

when the selected attachment is supported by the second communication technique, separating the selected attachment into individual data pieces that are supported by the second communication technique;

attaching the individual data pieces to the outgoing communication message; and

transmitting the outgoing communication message using the second communication technique.

22 . The computer-implemented method of claim 21 , wherein the second communication technique is different from the first communication technique.