Messaging system having multiple number, dual mode phone support
View Patent ↗A social messaging hub provides communication services for a data enabled device having Internet network access capabilities. The social messaging hub communicates with the data enabled device over the Internet or cellular data networks, and interfaces with a message infrastructure including mobile carriers, message aggregators, message exchanges and various specialized social messaging services to enable bi-directional messaging communication. The user is given a registered phone number and unique IP addressable identification which serve as a source and destination identifier of the associated data enabled device. Messages may originate in or be delivered to other users' mobile telephones or in similarly equipped and provisioned IP data enabled devices. An application operating on the IP enabled device determines in conjunction with the social messaging hub a mode of transmission as a function of parameters including device location and destination of a message.
1. A method for selecting a wireless device mode of transmission comprising:
communicating with a messaging hub;
determining an identity of the wireless device;
determining a network status of the wireless device;
determining a destination of an SMS/MMS/EMS message; and
using the destination determination and network status determination to determine a mode of transmission of the SMS/MMS/EMS message to reduce transmission charges;
receiving a plurality of incoming SMS/MMS/EMS messages directed to a plurality of user accounts;
receiving the plurality of incoming SMS/MMS/EMS messages in a single Inbox; and
sending each of the plurality of incoming SMS/MMS/EMS messages to the wireless device using the determined mode of transmission; and
wherein at least one of the plurality of the user accounts corresponds to a virtual telephone number registered on the messaging hub and associated with an IP address and corresponding MAC address.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a mode of transmission to reduce transmission charges includes notifying the messaging hub to delay sending advertising content.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a mode of transmission to reduce transmission charges includes processing information from a user's contacts.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode of transmission is
transmission using a foreign carrier.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode of transmission is a Wi-Fi mode and wherein the Wi-Fi mode of transmission uses one of a plurality of IP based address accounts registered in the messaging hub and associated with a corresponding one of plurality of telephone numbers.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the mode of transmission to reduce transmission charges includes determining the mode of transmission to minimize roaming charges.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a specific telephone number as a message origination telephone number from a list of collective addresses as a function of user criteria.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the user criteria includes at least one of:
a billing account; and
a billing code.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network status includes one of:
a roaming status; and
previous band width usage.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sending outgoing SMS/MMS/EMS messages based on user selectable criteria including at least one of:
a destination address;
a recipient; and
a user telephone number account preference.