Granted Patent B2

US 8,472,989 · App. 13/461,084 · Granted Jun 25, 2013

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method of switching a mode of communication from a first messaging protocol to a second messaging protocol for communications between first and second communication devices, the method comprising:

receiving a first message, by the first communication device from the second communication device, using the first messaging protocol, the first message containing messaging information to enable messaging using the second messaging protocol that is different than the first protocol, the first message being addressed to the first communication device using a first recipient identifier that is associated with the first protocol, and the message information including a second recipient identifier that is for addressing messages to the second communication device that is associated with the second protocol;

extracting, by the first communication device, the messaging information from the first message; and

sending a second message, by the first communication device to the second communication device in response to the first message, using the second recipient identifier and the second messaging protocol.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after the sending step:

the first and second communication devices thereafter communicating back and forth with each other using the second messaging protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, before the extracting step:

determining, by the first communication device, from predetermined messaging rules, stored on the first communication device, whether the changing from the first messaging protocol to the second messaging protocol is permitted.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the switching from the first messaging protocol to the second messaging protocol is configured to be transparent to a user of the first communication device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the changing from the first messaging protocol to the second messaging protocol is configured to be transparent to a user of the first communication device due to similarity between first and second user interfaces used by the first communication device for communicating, respectively, using the first and second messaging protocol.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second messaging protocols respectively comprise a short message service messaging protocol and a peer to peer messaging protocol.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second recipient identifier includes a personal identification number for use in peer to peer messaging.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the messaging information is contained in a header of the first message.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the messaging information is embedded by the second communication device into the first message in a manner transparent to a user of the second communication device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second messaging protocol is automatically selected by the first communication device from among possible messaging protocols based on at least one of expense and reliability.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication device is a mobile communication device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second message is sent by changing from a first messaging service to a second messaging service.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the switching from the first messaging service to the second messaging service is accompanied by changing from a first messaging protocol to a second messaging protocol.

14. A communication device configured to switch from a first messaging protocol to a second messaging protocol for communicating with another communication device by:

receiving a first message, from the other communication device, using the first messaging protocol, the first message containing messaging information to enable messaging using the second messaging protocol that is different than the first protocol, the first message being addressed to the first communication device using a first recipient identifier that is associated with the first protocol, and the message information including a second recipient identifier that is for addressing messages to the second communication device that is associated with the second protocol;

extracting the messaging information from the first message; and

sending a second message, to the other communication device, in response to the first message, using the second recipient identifier and the second messaging protocol.

15. The communication device of claim 14 wherein the first and second messaging protocols respectively comprise a short message service messaging protocol and a peer to peer messaging protocol, and the second recipient identifier includes a personal identification number, for use in the peer to peer messaging service, embedded in a header of the first message.

16. The communication device of claim 14 wherein the switch from the first messaging protocol to the second messaging protocol is configured to be transparent to a user of the first communication device.

17. A method of switching a mode of communication from a first messaging service to a second messaging service for communications between first and second communication devices, the method comprising:

receiving a first message, by the first communication device from the second communication device, via the first messaging service, the first message containing messaging information to enable messaging using the second messaging service that is different than the first messaging service, the first message being addressed to the first communication device using a first recipient identifier that is associated with the first messaging service, and the message information including a second recipient identifier that is for addressing messages to the second communication device and that is associated with the second messaging service;

extracting, by the first communication device, the messaging information from the first message; and

sending a second message, by the first communication device to the second communication device in response to the first message, using the second recipient identifier and the second messaging service.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the switching from the first messaging service to the second messaging service is configured to be transparent to a user of the first communication device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the messaging information is embedded by the second communication device into the first message in a manner transparent to a user of the second communication device.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the second messaging service is automatically selected by the first communication device from among possible messaging services based on at least one of expense and reliability.

Assignments (8)