SHARING CONTENT ACROSS MODALITIES
When a communication is sent, it is automatically directed to a utility or application (herein called a “modality”) that the intended recipient prefers to use for communications of this type. The recipient's preference may be explicit or implicit. That is, the recipient may state, in a profile, his preference that photographs be received into, say, a particular social-networking account. Implicitly, it may be noticed that the intended recipient frequently reviews voice mails received on his mobile phone but only rarely checks his home voice-mail box. Then, a voice mail for this recipient may be preferentially sent to his mobile phone's voice-mail box. Different content types may be sent to different modalities, as the recipient's preferences dictate.
1 . A method for sending a content item from a sending communications device to an intended recipient, the method comprising:
selecting, by the sending communications device from a plurality of receiving modalities used by the intended recipient, one of the modalities as a modality preferred by the intended recipient for receiving an item of a type of the content item; and
sending, from the sending communications device to the selected modality of the intended recipient, the content item.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the content item comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: an SMS, an MMS, a social-networking post, a text message, a file, a link to a file, an address, and a directory.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the selected modality comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: an e-mail application, a social-networking site, a media-rendering application, a web browser, and a file-transfer application.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a modality is based, at least in part, on a recent frequency of use by the intended recipient of the selected modality.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a modality is based, at least in part, on a stated preference of the intended recipient.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a modality comprises selecting a receiving communications device.
7 . A sending communications device configured for sending a content item to an intended recipient, the sending communications device comprising:
a communications interface; and
a processor operatively connected to the communications interface and configured for:
selecting, from a plurality of receiving modalities used by the intended recipient, one of the modalities as a modality preferred by the intended recipient for receiving an item of a type of the content item; and
sending, via the communications interface to the selected modality of the intended recipient, the content item.
8 . The sending communications device of claim 7 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of: a personal communications device, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer, a gaming controller, a computer, a set-top box, a compute server, and a coordinated group of compute servers.
9 . A method for a content server to send a content item to an intended recipient, the method comprising:
receiving, by the content server from a sending communications device distinct from the content server, the content item;
selecting, by the content server from a plurality of receiving modalities used by the intended recipient, one of the modalities as a modality preferred by the intended recipient for receiving an item of a type of the content item; and
sending, from the content server to the selected modality of the intended recipient, the content item.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the content item comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: an SMS, an MMS, a social-networking post, a text message, a file, a link to a file, an address, and a directory.
11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the selected modality comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: an e-mail application, a social-networking site, a media-rendering application, a web browser, and a file-transfer application.
12 . The method of claim 9 wherein selecting a modality is based, at least in part, on a recent frequency of use by the intended recipient of the selected modality.
13 . The method of claim 9 wherein selecting a modality is based, at least in part, on a stated preference of the intended recipient.
14 . The method of claim 9 wherein selecting a modality comprises selecting a receiving communications device.
15 . A content server configured for sending a content item to an intended recipient, the content server comprising:
a communications interface configured for receiving, from a sending communications device distinct from the content server, the content item; and
a processor operatively connected to the communications interface and configured for:
selecting, from a plurality of receiving modalities used by the intended recipient, one of the modalities as a modality preferred by the intended recipient for receiving an item of a type of the content item; and
sending, via the communications interface to the selected modality of the intended recipient, the content item.
16 . The content server of claim 15 wherein the server is selected from the group consisting of: a personal communications device, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer, a gaming controller, a computer, a set-top box, a compute server, and a coordinated group of compute servers.
17 . A method for a receiving communications device to receive a content item for an intended recipient, the method comprising:
receiving, by the receiving communications device from a device distinct from the receiving communications device, the content item;
selecting, by the receiving communications device from a plurality of receiving modalities used by the intended recipient, one of the modalities as a modality preferred by the intended recipient for receiving an item of a type of the content item; and
delivering, by the receiving communications device to the selected modality of the intended recipient, the content item.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the content item comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: an SMS, an MMS, a social-networking post, a text message, a file, a link to a file, an address, and a directory.
19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the selected modality comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: an e-mail application, a social-networking site, a media-rendering application, a web browser, and a file-transfer application.
20 . The method of claim 17 wherein selecting a modality is based, at least in part, on a recent frequency of use by the intended recipient of the selected modality.
21 . The method of claim 17 wherein selecting a modality is based, at least in part, on a stated preference of the intended recipient.
22 . A receiving communications device configured for receiving a content item for an intended recipient, the receiving communications device comprising:
a communications interface configured for receiving, from a device distinct from the receiving communications device, the content item; and
a processor operatively connected to the communications interface and configured for:
selecting, from a plurality of receiving modalities used by the intended recipient, one of the modalities as a modality preferred by the intended recipient for receiving an item of a type of the content item; and
delivering, to the selected modality of the intended recipient, the content item.
23 . The receiving communications device of claim 22 wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of: a personal communications device, a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer, a gaming controller, a computer, a set-top box, a compute server, and a coordinated group of compute servers.