Patent ID: 12250186

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary Electronic Message Processing and Display System

FIG.1is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary electronic message display system10for sending and receiving electronic messages. The exemplary electronic system10includes, but is not limited to, one or more target network devices12,14,16, etc. each with one or more processors and each with a non-transitory computer readable medium.

The one or more target network devices12,14,16(illustrated inFIG.1only as a tablet and two smart phones for simplicity) include, but are not limited to, desktop and laptop computers, tablet computers, mobile phones, non-mobile phones with displays, three-dimensional (3D) printers, robots, smart phones, Internet phones, Internet appliances, personal digital/data assistants (PDA), portable, handheld and desktop video game devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, cable television (CATV), satellite television (SATV) and Internet television set-top boxes, digital televisions including high definition television (HDTV), three-dimensional (3DTV) televisions, wearable network devices106-112(FIG.6), smart speakers31and/or other types of network devices.

A “smart phone” is a mobile phone14that offers more advanced computing ability and connectivity than a contemporary basic feature phone. Smart phones and feature phones may be thought of as handheld computers integrated with a mobile telephone, but while most feature phones are able to run applications based on platforms such as JAVA ME, a smart phone usually allows the user to install and run more advanced applications. Smart phones and/or tablet computers run complete operating system software providing a platform for application developers.

The tablet computers12include, but are not limited to, tablet computers such as the IPAD, by APPLE, Inc., the HP Tablet, by HEWLETT PACKARD, Inc., the PLAYBOOK, by RIM, Inc., the TABLET, by SONY, Inc., etc.

A “smart speaker”31is a type of wireless speaker and voice command device with an integrated virtual assistant that offers interactive actions and hands-free activation with the help of one “hot word” (or several “hot words”). Some smart speakers can also act as a smart device that utilizes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other wireless protocol standards to extend usage beyond audio playback, such as to control home automation devices. This can include, but is not be limited to, features such as compatibility across a number of services and platforms, peer-to-peer connection through mesh networking, virtual assistants, and others. Each can have its own designated interface and features in-house, usually launched or controlled via application or home automation software. Some smart speakers also include a screen to show the user a visual response.

The IoT network devices, include but are not limited to, security cameras, doorbells with real-time video cameras, baby monitors, televisions, set-top boxes, lighting, heating (e.g., smart thermostats, etc.), ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and appliances such as washers, dryers, robotic vacuums, air purifiers, ovens, refrigerators, freezers, toys, game platform controllers, game platform attachments (e.g., guns, googles, sports equipment, etc.), and/or other IoT network devices.

The target network devices12,14,16are in communications with a cloud communications network18or a non-cloud computing network18′ via one or more wired and/or wireless communications interfaces. The cloud communications network18, is also called a “cloud computing network” herein and the terms may be used interchangeably.

The plural target network devices12,14,16make requests13,15for electronic messages (e.g., SMS, MMS, RCS, etc.) via the cloud communications network18or non-cloud communications network18′

The cloud communications network18and non-cloud communications network18′ includes, but is not limited to, communications over a wire connected to the target network devices, wireless communications, and other types of communications using one or more communications and/or networking protocols.

Plural server network devices20,22,24,26(only four of which are illustrated) each with one or more processors and a non-transitory computer readable medium include one or more associated databases20′,22′,24′,26′. The plural network devices20,22,24,26are in communications with the one or more target devices12,14,16,31,98-104via the cloud communications network18and non-cloud communications network18′.

Plural server network devices20,22,24,26(only four of which are illustrated) are physically located on one more public networks76(SeeFIG.4), private networks72, community networks74and/or hybrid networks78comprising the cloud network18.

One or more server network devices (e.g.,20,22,24,26, etc.) store portions13′,15′ of the electronic content13,15(e.g., SMS, MMS, RCS messages, etc.) as cloud storage objects82(FIG.5) as is described herein.

The plural server network devices20,22,2426, may be connected to, but are not limited to, World Wide Web servers, Internet servers, search engine servers, vertical search engine servers, social networking site servers, file servers, other types of electronic information servers, and other types of server network devices (e.g., edge servers, firewalls, routers, gateways, etc.).

The plural server network devices20,22,24,26also include, but are not limited to, network servers used for cloud computing providers, etc.

The cloud communications network18and non-cloud communications network18′ includes, but is not limited to, a wired and/or wireless communications network comprising one or more portions of: the Internet, an intranet, a Local Area Network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WiLAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) and other types of wired and/or wireless communications networks18.

The cloud communications network18and non-cloud communications network18′ includes one or more gateways, routers, bridges and/or switches. A gateway connects computer networks using different network protocols and/or operating at different transmission capacities. A router receives transmitted messages and forwards them to their correct destinations over the most efficient available route. A bridge is a device that connects networks using the same communications protocols so that information can be passed from one network device to another. A switch is a device that filters and forwards packets between network segments based on some pre-determined sequence (e.g., timing, sequence number, etc.).

An operating environment for the network devices of the exemplary electronic information display system10include a processing system with one or more high speed Central Processing Unit(s) (CPU), processors, one or more memories and/or other types of non-transitory computer readable mediums. In accordance with the practices of persons skilled in the art of computer programming, the present invention is described below with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operations or instructions that are performed by the processing system, unless indicated otherwise. Such acts and operations or instructions are referred to as being “computer-executed,” “CPU-executed,” or “processor-executed.”

It will be appreciated that acts and symbolically represented operations or instructions include the manipulation of electrical information by the CPU or processor. An electrical system represents data bits which cause a resulting transformation or reduction of the electrical information or biological information, and the maintenance of data bits at memory locations in a memory system to thereby reconfigure or otherwise alter the CPU's or processor's operation, as well as other processing of information. The memory locations where data bits are maintained are physical locations that have particular electrical, magnetic, optical, or organic properties corresponding to the data bits.

The data bits may also be maintained on a non-transitory computer readable medium including magnetic disks, optical disks, organic memory, and any other volatile (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM)) or non-volatile (e.g., Read-Only Memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.) mass storage system readable by the CPU. The non-transitory computer readable medium includes cooperating or interconnected computer readable medium, which exist exclusively on the processing system or can be distributed among multiple interconnected processing systems that may be local or remote to the processing system.

Exemplary Electronic Content Display System

FIG.2is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary electronic message information display system28. The exemplary electronic message information display system12′ includes, but is not limited to a target network device (e.g.,12, etc.) with an application30and a display component32. The application30presents a graphical user interface (GUI)34on the display32component. The GUI32presents a multi-window36,38, etc. (only two of which are illustrated) interface to a user.

In one embodiment of the invention, the application30is a software application. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and the application30can be hardware, firmware, hardware and/or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the application30includes a mobile application for a smart phone, electronic tablet and/or other network device. In one embodiment, the application30includes web-browser based application. In one embodiment, the application30includes a web-chat client application. In another embodiment, the application30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fincludes a cloud application used on a cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited these embodiments and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention

In another embodiment, a portion of the application30is executing on the target network devices12,14,16,31,98-104and another portion of the application30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fis executing on the server network devices20,22,24,26. The applications also include one or more library applications. However, the present invention is not limited these embodiments and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

Exemplary Networking Protocol Stack

FIG.3a block diagram illustrating a layered protocol stack38for network devices in the electronic message information display system10. The layered protocol stack38is described with respect to Internet Protocol (IP) suites comprising in general from lowest-to-highest, a link42, network44, transport48and application56layers. However, more or fewer layers could also be used, and different layer designations could also be used for the layers in the protocol stack38(e.g., layering based on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model including from lowest-to-highest, a physical, data-link, network, transport, session, presentation and application layer).

The network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104are connected to the communication network18with Network Interface Card (NIC) cards including device drivers40in a link layer42for the actual hardware connecting the network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104to the cloud communications network18. For example, the NIC device drivers40may include a serial port device driver, a digital subscriber line (DSL) device driver, an Ethernet device driver, a wireless device driver, a wired device driver, etc. The device drivers interface with the actual hardware being used to connect the network devices to the cloud communications network18. The NIC cards have a medium access control (MAC) address that is unique to each NIC and unique across the whole cloud network18. The Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol is used to provide a data link layer of an Ethernet LAN system and for other network systems.

Above the link layer42is a network layer44(also called the Internet Layer for Internet Protocol (IP) suites). The network layer44includes, but is not limited to, an IP layer46.

IP46is an addressing protocol designed to route traffic within a network or between networks. However, more fewer or other protocols can also be used in the network layer44, and the present invention is not limited to IP46. For more information on IP46see IETF RFC-791, incorporated herein by reference.

Above network layer44is a transport layer48. The transport layer48includes, but is not limited to, an optional Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) layer50, a Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) layer52, a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer52and a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) layer54. However, more, fewer or other protocols could also be used in the transport layer48.

Optional IGMP layer50, hereinafter IGMP50, is responsible for multicasting. For more information on IGMP50see RFC-1112, incorporated herein by reference. ICMP layer52, hereinafter ICMP52is used for IP46control. The main functions of ICMP52include error reporting, reachability testing (e.g., pinging, etc.), route-change notification, performance, subnet addressing and other maintenance. For more information on ICMP52see RFC-792, incorporated herein by reference. Both IGMP50and ICMP52are not required in the protocol stack38. ICMP52can be used alone without optional IGMP layer50.

TCP layer54, hereinafter TCP54, provides a connection-oriented, end-to-end reliable protocol designed to fit into a layered hierarchy of protocols which support multi-network applications. TCP54provides for reliable inter-process communication between pairs of processes in network devices attached to distinct but interconnected networks. For more information on TCP54see RFC-793, incorporated herein by reference.

UDP layer56, hereinafter UDP56, provides a connectionless mode of communications with datagrams in an interconnected set of computer networks. UDP56provides a transaction oriented datagram protocol, where delivery and duplicate packet protection are not guaranteed. For more information on UDP56see RFC-768, incorporated herein by reference. Both TCP54and UDP56are not required in protocol stack38. Either TCP54or UDP56can be used without the other.

Above transport layer48is an application layer57where application programs58(e.g.,30,30a,30b,30c,30d, etc.) to carry out desired functionality for a network device reside. For example, the application programs58for the client network devices12,14,16,27,29,31,98-104may include web-browsers or other application programs, application program30, while application programs for the server network devices20,22,24,26may include other application programs (e.g.,30a,30b,30c,30d, etc.).

In one embodiment, application program30includes a RCS message, application30a, a RCS functionality application30b, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) application30cand/or other application30d. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and more, fewer and/or other applications can be used to practice the invention.

However, the protocol stack38is not limited to the protocol layers illustrated and more, fewer or other layers and protocols can also be used in protocol stack38. In addition, other protocols from the Internet Protocol suites (e.g., Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, (SMTP), Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), DNS, etc.), Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP), and/or other protocols from other protocol suites may also be used in protocol stack38.

In addition, markup languages such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML), EXtensible Markup Language (XML) and others are used.

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is a markup language for creating web pages and other information that can be displayed in a web browser.

HTML is written in the form of HTML elements consisting of tags enclosed in angle brackets within the web page content. HTML tags most commonly come in pairs although some tags represent empty elements and so are unpaired. The first tag in a pair is the start tag, and the second tag is the end tag (they are also called opening tags and closing tags). In between these tags web designers can add text, further tags, comments and other types of text-based content.

The purpose of a web browser is to read HTML documents and compose them into visible or audible web pages. The browser does not display the HTML tags, but uses the tags to interpret the content of the page.

HTML elements form the building blocks of all websites. HTML allows images and objects to be embedded and can be used to create interactive forms. It provides a means to create structured documents by denoting structural semantics for text such as headings, paragraphs, lists, links, quotes and other items. It can embed scripts written in languages such as JavaScript which affect the behavior of HTML web pages.

EXtensible Markup Language (XML) is another markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, the contents of which are incorporated by reference and several other related specifications, all free open standards.

XML a textual data format with strong support via Unicode for the languages of the world. Although the design of XML focuses on documents, it is widely used for the representation of arbitrary data structures, for example in web services. The oldest schema language for XML is the Document Type Definition (DTD). DTDs within XML documents define entities, which are arbitrary fragments of text and/or markup tags that the XML processor inserts in the DTD itself and in the XML document wherever they are referenced, like character escapes.

The Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol in the telecommunications industry is an open, industry standard protocol designed to provide a flexible data communication interface for the transfer of short message data between External Short Messaging Entities, Routing Entities (ESME) and Short Message Service Center (SMSC).

Preferred embodiments of the present invention include network devices and wired and wireless interfaces that are compliant with all or part of standards proposed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), U.S. National Institute of Security Technology (NIST), American National Standard Institute (ANSI), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Forum, Bluetooth Forum, or the ADSL Forum.

Wireless Interfaces

In one embodiment of the present invention, the wireless interfaces on network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104include but are not limited to, IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.15.4 (ZigBee), “Wireless Fidelity” (Wi-Fi), “Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access” (WiMAX), ETSI High Performance Radio Metropolitan Area Network (HIPERMAN) or “RF Home” wireless interfaces. In another embodiment of the present invention, the wireless sensor device may include an integral or separate Bluetooth and/or infra data association (IrDA) module for wireless Bluetooth or wireless infrared communications. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other 802.11xx and other types of wireless interfaces can also be used.

802.11b is a short-range wireless network standard. The IEEE 802.11b standard defines wireless interfaces that provide up to 11 Mbps wireless data transmission to and from wireless devices over short ranges. 802.11a is an extension of the 802.11b and can deliver speeds up to 54M bps. 802.11g deliver speeds on par with 802.11a. However, other 802.11XX interfaces can also be used and the present invention is not limited to the 802.11 protocols defined. The IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g standards are incorporated herein by reference.

Wi-Fi is a type of 802.11xx interface, whether 802.11b, 802.11a, dual-band, etc. Wi-Fi devices include an RF interfaces such as 2.4 GHz for 802.11b or 802.11g and 5 GHz for 802.11a.

802.15.4 (Zigbee) is low data rate network standard used for mesh network devices such as sensors, interactive toys, smart badges, remote controls, and home automation. The 802.15.4 standard provides data rates of 250 kbps, 40 kbps, and 20 kbps., two addressing modes: 16-bit short and 64-bit IEEE addressing, support for critical latency devices, such as joysticks, Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance, (CSMA-CA) channel access, automatic network establishment by a coordinator, a full handshake protocol for transfer reliability, power management to ensure low power consumption for multi-month to multi-year battery usage and up to 16 channels in the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band (Worldwide), 10 channels in the 915 MHz (US) and one channel in the 868 MHz band (Europe). The IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standard is incorporated herein by reference.

WiMAX is an industry trade organization formed by leading communications component and equipment companies to promote and certify compatibility and interoperability of broadband wireless access equipment that conforms to the IEEE 802.16XX and ETSI HIPERMAN. HIPERMAN is the European standard for metropolitan area networks (MAN).

The IEEE The 802.16a and 802.16g standards are wireless MAN technology standard that provides a wireless alternative to cable, DSL and T1/E1for last mile broadband access. It is also used as complimentary technology to connect IEEE 802.11XX hot spots to the Internet.

The IEEE 802.16a standard for 2-11 GHz is a wireless MAN technology that provides broadband wireless connectivity to fixed, portable and nomadic devices. It provides up to 50-kilometers of service area range, allows users to get broadband connectivity without needing direct line of sight with the base station, and provides total data rates of up to 280 Mbps per base station, which is enough bandwidth to simultaneously support hundreds of businesses with T1/E1-type connectivity and thousands of homes with DSL-type connectivity with a single base station. The IEEE 802.16g provides up to 100 Mbps.

The IEEE 802.16e standard is an extension to the approved IEEE 802.16/16a/16g standard. The purpose of 802.16e is to add limited mobility to the current standard which is designed for fixed operation.

The ESTI HIPERMAN standard is an interoperable broadband fixed wireless access standard for systems operating at radio frequencies between 2 GHz and 11 GHz.

The IEEE 802.16a, 802.16e and 802.16g standards are incorporated herein by reference. WiMAX can be used to provide a WLP.

The ETSI HIPERMAN standards TR 101 031, TR 101 475, TR 101 493-1 through TR 101 493-3, TR 101 761-1 through TR 101 761-4, TR 101 762, TR 101 763-1 through TR 101 763-3 and TR 101 957 are incorporated herein by reference. ETSI HIPERMAN can be used to provide a WLP.

In one embodiment, the plural server network devices20,22,24,26include a connection to plural network interface cards (NICs) in a backplane connected to a communications bus. The NIC cards provide gigabit/second (1×109bits/second) communications speed of electronic information. This allows “scaling out” for fast electronic content retrieval. The NICs are connected to the plural server network devices20,22,24,26and the cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to the NICs described and other types of NICs in other configurations and connections with and/or without buses can also be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, of the invention, the wireless interfaces also include wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces. As is known in the art, a WPAN is a personal area network for interconnecting devices centered around an individual person's devices in which the connections are wireless. A WPAN interconnects all the ordinary computing and communicating devices that a person has on their desk (e.g. computer, etc.) or carry with them (e.g., PDA, mobile phone, smart phone, table computer two-way pager, etc.)

A key concept in WPAN technology is known as “plugging in.” In the ideal scenario, when any two WPAN-equipped devices come into close proximity (within several meters and/or feet of each other) or within a few miles and/or kilometers of a central server (not illustrated), they can communicate via wireless communications as if connected by a cable. WPAN devices can also lock out other devices selectively, preventing needless interference or unauthorized access to secure information. Zigbee is one wireless protocol used on WPAN networks such as cloud communications network18or non-cloud communications network18′.

The one or more target network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104and one or more server network devices20,22,24,26communicate with each other and other network devices with near field communications (NFC) and/or machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.

“Near field communication (NFC)” is a set of standards for smartphones and similar network devices to establish radio communication with each other by touching them together or bringing them into close proximity, usually no more than a few centimeters. Present applications include contactless transactions, data exchange, and simplified setup of more complex communications such as Wi-Fi. Communication is also possible between an NFC device and an unpowered NFC chip, called a “tag” including radio frequency identifier (RFID) tags99and/or sensor.

NFC standards cover communications protocols and data exchange formats, and are based on existing radio-frequency identification (RFID) standards including ISO/IEC 14443 and FeliCa. These standards include ISO/IEC 1809 and those defined by the NFC Forum, all of which are incorporated by reference.

An “RFID tag” is an object that can be applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification and/or tracking using RF signals.

An “RFID sensor” is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into an RF signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument (e.g., target network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104, server network devices20,22,24,26, etc.)

“Machine to machine (M2M)” refers to technologies that allow both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same ability. M2M uses a device to capture an event (such as option purchase, etc.), which is relayed through a network (wireless, wired cloud, etc.) to an application (software program), that translates the captured event into meaningful information. Such communication was originally accomplished by having a remote network of machines relay information back to a central hub for analysis, which would then be rerouted into a system like a personal computer.

However, modern M2M communication has expanded beyond a one-to-one connection and changed into a system of networks that transmits data many-to-one and many-to-many to plural different types of devices and appliances. The expansion of IP networks across the world has made it far easier for M2M communication to take place and has lessened the amount of power and time necessary for information to be communicated between machines.

However, the present invention is not limited to such wireless interfaces and wireless networks and more, fewer and/or other wireless interfaces can be used to practice the invention.

Wired Interfaces

In one embodiment of the present invention, the wired interfaces include wired interfaces and corresponding networking protocols for wired connections to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and/or a cable television network (CATV) and/or satellite television networks (SATV) and/or three-dimensional television (3DTV), including HDTV that connect the network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104via one or more twisted pairs of copper wires, digital subscriber lines (e.g. DSL, ADSL, VDSL, etc.) coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, other connection media or other connection interfaces. The PSTN is any public switched telephone network provided by AT&T, GTE, Sprint, MCI, SBC, Verizon and others. The CATV is any cable television network provided by the Comcast, Time Warner, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to such wired interfaces and more, fewer and/or other wired interfaces can be used to practice the invention.

Television Services

In one embodiment, the cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fprovide cloud SaaS64services and/or non-cloud application services from television services over the cloud communications network18or application services over the non-cloud communications network18′. The television services include digital television services, including, but not limited to, cable television, satellite television, high-definition television, three-dimensional, televisions and other types of network devices.

However, the present invention is not limited to such television services and more, fewer and/or other television services can be used to practice the invention.

Internet Television Services

In one embodiment, the cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fprovide cloud SaaS64services and/or non-cloud application services from Internet television services over the cloud communications network18or non-cloud communications network18′ The television services include Internet television, Web-TV, and/or Internet Protocol Television (IPtv) and/or other broadcast television services.

“Internet television” allows users to choose a program or the television show they want to watch from an archive of programs or from a channel directory. The two forms of viewing Internet television are streaming content directly to a media player or simply downloading a program to a viewer's set-top box, game console, computer, or other network device.

“Web-TV” delivers digital content via broadband and mobile networks. The digital content is streamed to a viewer's set-top box, game console, computer, or other network device.

“Internet Protocol television (IPtv)” is a system through which Internet television services are delivered using the architecture and networking methods of the Internet Protocol Suite over a packet-switched network infrastructure, e.g., the Internet and broadband Internet access networks, instead of being delivered through traditional radio frequency broadcast, satellite signal, and cable television formats.

However, the present invention is not limited to such Internet Television services and more, fewer and/or other Internet Television services can be used to practice the invention.

General Search Engine Services

In one embodiment, the cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fprovide cloud SaaS64services and/or non-cloud application services from general search engine services. A search engine is designed to search for information on a cloud communications network18or non-cloud communications network18′ such as the Internet including World Wide Web servers, HTTP, FTP servers etc. The search results are generally presented in a list of electronic results. The information may consist of web pages, images, electronic information, multimedia information, and other types of files. Some search engines also mine data available in databases or open directories. Unlike web directories, which are maintained by human editors, search engines typically operate algorithmically and/or are a mixture of algorithmic and human input.

In one embodiment, the cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fprovide cloud SaaS64services and/or non-cloud application services from general search engine services. In another embodiment, the cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fprovide general search engine services by interacting with one or more other public search engines (e.g., GOOGLE, BING, YAHOO, etc.) and/or private search engine services.

In another embodiment, the cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fprovide cloud SaaS64services and/or non-cloud application services from specialized search engine services, such as vertical search engine services by interacting with one or more other public vertical search engines (e.g., GALAXY.COM, etc.) and/or private search engine services.

However, the present invention is not limited to such general and/or vertical search engine services and more, fewer and/or other general search engine services can be used to practice the invention.

Social Networking Services

In one embodiment, the cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30fprovide cloud SaaS64services and/or non-cloud application services from one more social networking services including to/from one or more social networking web-sites (e.g., FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, etc.). The social networking web-sites also include, but are not limited to, social couponing sites, dating web-sites, blogs, RSS feeds, and other types of information web-sites in which messages can be left or posted for a variety of social activities.

However, the present invention is not limited to the social networking services described and other public and private social networking services can also be used to practice the invention.

Security and Encryption

Network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104with wired and/or wireless interfaces of the present invention include one or more of the security and encryptions techniques discussed herein for secure communications on the cloud communications network18or non-cloud communications network18′.

Application programs58(FIG.2) include security and/or encryption application programs integral to and/or separate from the applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d. Security and/or encryption programs may also exist in hardware components on the network devices (12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104) described herein and/or exist in a combination of hardware, software and/or firmware.

Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) (also called “Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a security protocol for WiLANs defined in the IEEE 802.11b standard. WEP is cryptographic privacy algorithm, based on the Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4) encryption engine, used to provide confidentiality for 802.11b wireless data.

RC4 is cipher designed by RSA Data Security, Inc. of Bedford, Massachusetts, which can accept encryption keys of arbitrary length, and is essentially a pseudo random number generator with an output of the generator being XORed with a data stream to produce encrypted data.

One problem with WEP is that it is used at the two lowest layers of the OSI model, the physical layer and the data link layer, therefore, it does not offer end-to-end security. One another problem with WEP is that its encryption keys are static rather than dynamic. To update WEP encryption keys, an individual has to manually update a WEP key. WEP also typically uses 40-bit static keys for encryption and thus provides “weak encryption,” making a WEP device a target of hackers.

The IEEE 802.11 Working Group is working on a security upgrade for the 802.11 standard called “802.11i.” This supplemental draft standard is intended to improve WiLAN security. It describes the encrypted transmission of data between systems 802.11X WiLANs. It also defines new encryption key protocols including the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). The IEEE 802.11i draft standard, version 4, completed Jun. 6, 2003, is incorporated herein by reference.

The 802.11i standard is based on 802.1x port-based authentication for user and device authentication. The 802.11i standard includes two main developments: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and Robust Security Network (RSN).

WPA uses the same RC4 underlying encryption algorithm as WEP. However, WPA uses TKIP to improve security of keys used with WEP. WPA keys are derived and rotated more often than WEP keys and thus provide additional security. WPA also adds a message-integrity-check function to prevent packet forgeries.

RSN uses dynamic negotiation of authentication and selectable encryption algorithms between wireless access points and wireless devices. The authentication schemes proposed in the draft standard include Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). One proposed encryption algorithm is an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption algorithm.

Dynamic negotiation of authentication and encryption algorithms lets RSN evolve with the state of the art in security, adding algorithms to address new threats and continuing to provide the security necessary to protect information that WiLANs carry.

The NIST developed a new encryption standard, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to keep government information secure. AES is intended to be a stronger, more efficient successor to Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES).

DES is a popular symmetric-key encryption method developed in 1975 and standardized by ANSI in 1981 as ANSI X.3.92, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. As is known in the art, 3DES is the encrypt-decrypt-encrypt (EDE) mode of the DES cipher algorithm. 3DES is defined in the ANSI standard, ANSI X9.52-1998, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. DES modes of operation are used in conjunction with the NIST Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for data encryption (FIPS 46-3, October 1999), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The NIST approved a FIPS for the AES, FIPS-197. This standard specified “Rijndael” encryption as a FIPS-approved symmetric encryption algorithm that may be used by U.S. Government organizations (and others) to protect sensitive information. The NIST FIPS-197 standard (AES FIPS PUB 197, November 2001) is incorporated herein by reference.

The NIST approved a FIPS for U.S. Federal Government requirements for information technology products for sensitive but unclassified (SBU) communications. The NIST FIPS Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules (FIPS PUB 140-2, May 2001) is incorporated herein by reference.

RSA is a public key encryption system which can be used both for encrypting messages and making digital signatures. The letters RSA stand for the names of the inventors: Rivest, Shamir and Adleman. For more information on RSA, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,829, now expired and incorporated herein by reference.

“Hashing” is the transformation of a string of characters into a usually shorter fixed-length value or key that represents the original string. Hashing is used to index and retrieve items in a database because it is faster to find the item using the shorter hashed key than to find it using the original value. It is also used in many encryption algorithms.

Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA), is used for computing a secure condensed representation of a data message or a data file. When a message of any length <264bits is input, the SHA-1 produces a 160-bit output called a “message digest.” The message digest can then be input to other security techniques such as encryption, a Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) and others which generates or verifies a security mechanism for the message. SHA-512 outputs a 512-bit message digest. The Secure Hash Standard, FIPS PUB 180-1, Apr. 17, 1995, is incorporated herein by reference.

Message Digest-5 (MD-5) takes as input a message of arbitrary length and produces as output a 128-bit “message digest” of the input. The MD5 algorithm is intended for digital signature applications, where a large file must be “compressed” in a secure manner before being encrypted with a private (secret) key under a public-key cryptosystem such as RSA. The IETF RFC-1321, entitled “The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm” is incorporated here by reference.

Providing a way to check the integrity of information transmitted over or stored in an unreliable medium such as a wireless network is a prime necessity in the world of open computing and communications. Mechanisms that provide such integrity check based on a secret key are called “message authentication codes” (MAC). Typically, message authentication codes are used between two parties that share a secret key in order to validate information transmitted between these parties.

Keyed Hashing for Message Authentication Codes (HMAC), is a mechanism for message authentication using cryptographic hash functions. HMAC is used with any iterative cryptographic hash function, e.g., MD5, SHA-1, SHA-512, etc. in combination with a secret shared key. The cryptographic strength of HMAC depends on the properties of the underlying hash function. The IETF RFC-2101, entitled “HMAC: Keyed-Hashing for Message Authentication” is incorporated here by reference.

An Electronic Code Book (ECB) is a mode of operation for a “block cipher,” with the characteristic that each possible block of plaintext has a defined corresponding cipher text value and vice versa. In other words, the same plaintext value will always result in the same cipher text value. Electronic Code Book is used when a volume of plaintext is separated into several blocks of data, each of which is then encrypted independently of other blocks. The Electronic Code Book has the ability to support a separate encryption key for each block type.

Diffie and Hellman (DH) describe several different group methods for two parties to agree upon a shared secret in such a way that the secret will be unavailable to eavesdroppers. This secret is then converted into various types of cryptographic keys. A large number of the variants of the DH method exist including ANSI X9.42. The IETF RFC-2631, entitled “Diffie-Hellman Key Agreement Method” is incorporated here by reference.

The HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) Secure (HTTPs), is a standard for encrypted communications on the World Wide Web. HTTPs is actually just HTTP over a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). For more information on HTTP, see IETF RFC-2616 incorporated herein by reference.

The SSL protocol is a protocol layer which may be placed between a reliable connection-oriented network layer protocol (e.g. TCP/IP) and the application protocol layer (e.g. HTTP). SSL provides for secure communication between a source and destination by allowing mutual authentication, the use of digital signatures for integrity, and encryption for privacy.

The SSL protocol is designed to support a range of choices for specific security methods used for cryptography, message digests, and digital signatures. The security methods are negotiated between the source and destination at the start of establishing a protocol session. The SSL 2.0 protocol specification, by Kipp E. B. Hickman, 1995 is incorporated herein by reference. More information on SSL is available at the domain name See “netscape.com/eng/security/SSL_2.html.”

Transport Layer Security (TLS) provides communications privacy over the Internet. The protocol allows client/server applications to communicate over a transport layer (e.g., TCP) in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, or message forgery. For more information on TIS see IETF RFC-2246, incorporated herein by reference.

In one embodiment, the security functionality includes Cisco Compatible EXtensions (CCX). CCX includes security specifications for makers of 802.11xx wireless LAN chips for ensuring compliance with Cisco's proprietary wireless security LAN protocols. As is known in the art, Cisco Systems, Inc. of San Jose, California is supplier of networking hardware and software, including router and security products.

However, the present invention is not limited to such security and encryption methods described herein and more, fewer and/or other types of security and encryption methods can be used to practice the invention. The security and encryption methods described herein can also be used in various combinations and/or in different layers of the protocol stack38with each other.

Cloud Computing Networks

FIG.4is a block diagram60illustrating an exemplary cloud computing network18. The cloud computing network18is also referred to as a “cloud communications network”18. However, the present invention is not limited to this cloud computing model and other cloud computing models can also be used to practice the invention. The exemplary cloud communications network includes both wired and/or wireless components of public and private networks.

In one embodiment, the cloud computing network18includes a cloud communications network18comprising plural different cloud component networks72,74,76,78. “Cloud computing” is a model for enabling, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., public and private networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that are shared, rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

This exemplary cloud computing model for electronic information retrieval promotes availability for shared resources and comprises: (1) cloud computing essential characteristics: (2) cloud computing service models: and (3) cloud computing deployment models. However, the present invention is not limited to this cloud computing model and other cloud computing models can also be used to practice the invention.

Exemplary cloud computing essential characteristics appear in Table 1. However, the present invention is not limited to these essential characteristics and more, fewer or other characteristics can also be used to practice the invention.

TABLE 11. On-demand RCS Interoperability services. Automatic RCSinteroperability services can unilaterally provision computingcapabilities, such as server time and network storage, as neededautomatically without requiring human interaction with each networkserver on the cloud communications network 18.2. Broadband network access. Automatic RCS interoperability servicescapabilities are available over plural broadband communicationsnetworks and accessed through standard mechanisms that promoteuse by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobilephones, smartphones 14, tablet computers 12, laptops, PDAs, etc.).The broadband network access includes high speed network accesssuch as 3G, 4G and 5G wireless and/or wired and broadband and/orultra-broad band (e.g., WiMAX, etc.) network access.3. Resource pooling. Automatic RCS interoperability services resources arepooled to serve multiple requesters using a multi-tenant model, withdifferent physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned andreassigned according to demand. There is location independence inthat a requester of services has no control and/ or knowledge over theexact location of the provided by the RCS interoperability serviceresources but may be able to specify location at a higher level ofabstraction (e.g., country, state, or data center). Examples of pooledresources include storage, processing, memory, network bandwidth,virtual server network device and virtual target network devices.4. Rapid elasticity. Capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned,in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out and rapidly releasedto quickly scale for RCS interoperability service collaboration. Forautomatic RCS interoperability service services, multi-mediacollaboration converters, the automatic RCS interoperability servicescollaboration and analytic conversion capabilities available forprovisioning appear to be unlimited and can be used in any quantityat any time.5. Measured Services. Cloud computing systems automatically control andoptimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at somelevel of abstraction appropriate to the type of automatic RCSinteroperability services (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, customelectronic content retrieval applications, etc.). Electronic AutomaticRCS interoperability services collaboration conversion usage ismonitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency for boththe automatic RCS interoperability services provider and theautomatic RCS interoperability service requester of the utilizedelectronic content storage retrieval service.

Exemplary cloud computing service models illustrated inFIG.4appear in Table 2. However, the present invention is not limited to these service models and more, fewer or other service models can also be used to practice the invention.

TABLE 21. Cloud Computing Software Applications 62 for RCSinteroperability services (CCSA, SaaS 64). The capability to usethe provider’s applications 30, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 30f running ona cloud infrastructure 66. The cloud computing applications 62, areaccessible from the server network device 20 from various clientdevices 12, 14, 16 through a thin client interface such as a webbrowser, etc. The user does not manage or control the underlyingcloud infrastructure 66 including network, servers, operating systems,storage, or even individual application 30, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 30fcapabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specificapplication configuration settings.2. Cloud Computing Infrastructure 66 for RCS interoperabilityservices (CCI 68). The capability provided to the user is to provisionprocessing, storage and retrieval, networks 18, 72, 74, 76, 78 andother fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able todeploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operatingsystems and applications 30, 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d. The user does notmanage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure 66 but hascontrol over operating systems, storage, deployed applications, andpossibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., hostfirewalls, etc.).3. Cloud Computing Platform 70 for RCS interoperability services(CCP 71). The capability provided to the user to deploy onto the cloudinfrastructure 66 created or acquired applications created usingprogramming languages and tools supported servers 20, 22, 24, 26,etc.. The user not manage or control the underlying cloudinfrastructure 66 including network, servers, operating systems, orstorage, but has control over the deployed applications 30a, 30b, 30c,30d, 30e, 30f and possibly application hosting environmentconfigurations.

Exemplary cloud computing deployment models appear in Table 3. However, the present invention is not limited to these deployment models and more, fewer or other deployment models can also be used to practice the invention.

TABLE 31. Private cloud network 72. The cloud network infrastructure is operatedsolely for RCS interoperability services. It may be managed by theelectronic content retrieval or a third party and may exist on premiseor off premise.2. Community cloud network 74. The cloud network infrastructure isshared by several different organizations and supports a specificelectronic content storage and retrieval community that has sharedconcerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, complianceconsiderations, etc.). It may be managed by the different organizationsor a third party and may exist on premise or off premise.3. Public cloud network 76. The cloud network infrastructure such as theInternet, PSTN, SATV, CATV, Internet TV, etc. is made available tothe general public or a large industry group and is owned by one ormore organizations selling cloud services.4. Hybrid cloud network 78. The cloud network infrastructure 66 is acomposition of two and/or more cloud networks 18 (e.g., private 72,community 74, and/or public 76, etc.) and/or other types of publicand/or private networks (e.g., intranets, etc.) that remain uniqueentities but are bound together by standardized or proprietarytechnology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloudbursting for load-balancing between clouds, etc.)

Cloud software64for electronic content retrieval takes full advantage of the cloud paradigm by being service oriented with a focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability for electronic content retrieval. However, cloud software services64can include various states.

Cloud storage of desired electronic content on a cloud computing network includes agility, scalability, elasticity and multi-tenancy. Although a storage foundation may be comprised of block storage or file storage such as that exists on conventional networks, cloud storage is typically exposed to requesters of desired electronic content as cloud objects.

In one exemplary embodiment, the cloud application30,30a,30b,30c,30d, offers cloud services for RCS interoperability. The application30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30foffers the cloud computing Infrastructure66,68as a service62(IaaS), including a cloud software infrastructure service62, the cloud Platform70,71as a Service62(PaaS) including a cloud software platform service62and/or offers Specific cloud software services as a Service64(SaaS) including a specific cloud software service64for RCS interoperability services. The IaaS, PaaS and SaaS include one or more of cloud services62comprising networking, storage, server network device, virtualization, operating system, middleware, run-time, data and/or application services, or plural combinations thereof, on the cloud communications network18.

FIG.5is a block diagram80illustrating an exemplary cloud storage object82. One or more server network devices (e.g.,20,22,24,26, etc.) store portions13′,15′ of the electronic message content13,15(e.g., SMS, MMS, RCS, etc.) as cloud storage objects82(FIG.5) as is described herein.

The cloud storage object82includes an envelope portion84, with a header portion86, and a body portion88. However, the present invention is not limited to such a cloud storage object82and other cloud storage objects and other cloud storage objects with more, fewer or other portions can also be used to practice the invention.

The envelope portion84uses unique namespace Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) and/or Uniform Resource Names (URNs), and/or Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) unique across the cloud communications network18to uniquely specify, location and version information and encoding rules used by the cloud storage object82across the whole cloud communications network18. For more information, see IETF RFC-3305, Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs), URLs, and Uniform Resource Names (URNs), the contents of which are incorporated by reference.

The envelope portion84of the cloud storage object82is followed by a header portion86. The header portion86includes extended information about the cloud storage objects such as authorization and/or transaction information, etc.

The body portion88includes methods90(i.e., a sequence of instructions, etc.) for using embedded application-specific data in data elements92. The body portion88typically includes only one portion of plural portions of application-specific data92and independent data94so the cloud storage object82can provide distributed, redundant fault tolerant, security and privacy features described herein.

Cloud storage objects82have proven experimentally to be a highly scalable, available and reliable layer of abstraction that also minimizes the limitations of common file systems. Cloud storage objects82also provide low latency and low storage and transmission costs.

Cloud storage objects82are comprised of many distributed resources, but function as a single storage object, are highly fault tolerant through redundancy and provide distribution of desired electronic content across public communication networks76, and one or more private networks72, community networks74and hybrid networks78of the cloud communications network18. Cloud storage objects82are also highly durable because of creation of copies of portions of desired electronic content across such networks72,74,76,78of the cloud communications network18. Cloud storage objects82includes one or more portions of desired electronic content and can be stored on any of the72,74,76,78networks of the cloud communications network18. Cloud storage objects82are transparent to a requester of desired electronic content and are managed by cloud applications30,30a,30b,30c,30d.

In one embodiment, cloud storage objects82are configurable arbitrary objects with a size up to hundreds of terabytes, each accompanied by with a few kilobytes of metadata. Cloud objects are organized into and identified by a unique identifier unique across the whole cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to the cloud storage objects described, and more fewer and other types of cloud storage objects can be used to practice the invention.

Cloud storage objects82present a single unified namespace or object-space and manages desired electronic content by user or administrator-defined policies storage and retrieval policies. Cloud storage objects includes Representational state transfer (REST), Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and/or Application Programming Interface (API) objects and/or other types of cloud storage objects. However, the present invention is not limited to the cloud storage objects described, and more fewer and other types of cloud storage objects can be used to practice the invention.

REST is a protocol specification that characterizes and constrains macro-interactions storage objects of the four components of a cloud communications network18, namely origin servers, gateways, proxies and clients, without imposing limitations on the individual participants.

SOAP is a protocol specification for exchanging structured information in the implementation of cloud services with storage objects. SOAP has at least three major characteristics: (1) Extensibility (including security/encryption, routing, etc.); (2) Neutrality (SOAP can be used over any transport protocol such as HTTP, SMTP or even TCP, etc.), and (3) Independence (SOAP allows for almost any programming model to be used, etc.)

LDAP is a software protocol for enabling storage and retrieval of electronic content and other resources such as files and devices on the cloud communications network18. LDAP is a “lightweight” version of Directory Access Protocol (DAP), which is part of X.500, a standard for directory services in a network. LDAP may be used with X.509 security and other security methods for secure storage and retrieval. X.509 is public key digital certificate standard developed as part of the X.500 directory specification. X.509 is used for secure management and distribution of digitally signed certificates across networks.

An API is a particular set of rules and specifications that software programs can follow to communicate with each other. It serves as an interface between different software programs and facilitates their interaction and provides access to automatic RCS interoperability services in a cloud or non-cloud environment. In one embodiment, the API for RCS interoperability services is available to network devices12,14,16,20,22,24,26,31,98-104and networks18,18′. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

Wearable Devices

Wearable technology” and/or “wearable devices” are clothing and accessories incorporating computer and advanced electronic technologies. Wearable network devices provide several advantages including, but not limited to: (1) Quicker access to notifications. Important and/or summary notifications are sent to alert a user to view the whole message. (2) Heads-up information. Digital eye wear allows users to display relevant information like directions without having to constantly glance down; (3) Always-on Searches. Wearable devices provide always-on, hands-free searches; and (4) Recorded data and feedback. Wearable devices take telemetric data recordings and providing useful feedback for users for exercise, health, fitness, etc. activities.

FIG.6is a block diagram with96illustrating wearable devices. The wearable devices include one or more processors and include, but are not limited to, wearable digital glasses98, clothing100, jewelry102(e.g., smart rings, smart earrings, etc.) and/or watches104. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and more, fewer and other types of wearable devices can also be used to practice the invention.

In one specific embodiment, the application30,30a,30b,30c,30d,30e,30finteracts with wearable devices98-104automatic RCS interoperability services the methods described herein However, the present invention is not limited this embodiment and other embodiments can also be used to practice the invention.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Bia Data

“Artificial intelligence” (AI), also known as machine intelligence (MI), is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence (NI) displayed by humans and other animals. AI research is defined as the study of “intelligent agents.” Intelligent agents are any software application or hardware device that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals. Colloquially, the term “artificial intelligence” is applied when a machine mimics “cognitive” functions that humans associate with human brains, such as learning, problem solving and comparing large number of data points.

In one embodiment, the present invention uses one or more AI methods including, but are not limited to, AI knowledge-based methods30cfor (1) RCS interoperability services. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and more, fewer and/or other AI methods can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, SaaS64includes and AI application30cwith the AI methods described herein. In another embodiment, the AI application30cis a standalone application. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and the AI application30ccan be provided in other than the SaaS64.

“Big Data” refers to the use of predictive analytic methods that extract value from data, and to a particular size of data set. The quantities of data used are very large, at least 100,000 data points and more typically 500,000 to 1 Million+ data points. Analysis of Big Data sets are used to find new correlations and to spot trends. In one embodiment, SaaS64includes and Big Data application30dwith the Big Data described herein.

In one embodiment, the AI methods described herein collect data information to create and store (e.g., in cloud storage object82, etc.) a Big Data that is used to analyze trends find new correlations and to spot trends. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the AI methods described herein can be used without Big Data sets.

Short Message Service (SMS) Messaging

Short Message Service (SMS) is an electronic text messaging service component of phone, Web, or mobile communication systems. It uses standardized communications protocols to allow fixed line or mobile phone devices to exchange short text messages.

SMS messages were defined in1985as part of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) series of standards as a means of sending messages of up to 160 characters to and from GSM mobile handsets. Though most SMS messages are mobile-to-mobile text messages, support for the service has expanded to include other mobile technologies as well as satellite and landline networks.

The SMS Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comments (RFC) 5724, ISSN: 2070-1721, 2010, is incorporated herein by reference.

Direct and Instant Messages

A “direct message” (DM) is a private form of communication between social media users that is only visible to the sender and recipient(s). INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, FACEBOOK and other platforms, allow for direct messages between their users, with varying restrictions by platform.

An “instant message” (IM) is a type of online chat allowing real-time text transmission over the Internet or another computer network. Messages are typically transmitted between two or more parties, when each user inputs text and triggers a transmission to the recipient, who are all connected on a common network.

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a standard way to send messages that include multimedia content to and from a mobile phone over a cellular network. Users and providers may refer to such a message as a PXT, a picture message, and/or a multimedia message.

The MMS Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comments (RFC) 4355 and 4356, are incorporated herein by reference.

Rich Communication Suite (RCS)

Rich Communications Suite/Rich Communications System (RCS) is a communication protocol between mobile telephone carriers, between phones and carriers, and between individual devices aiming at replacing SMS messages with a message system that is richer, provides phonebook polling (e.g., for service discovery, etc.), and can transmit in-call multimedia. It is also marketed under the names of Advanced Messaging, Advanced Communications, Chat, joyn, Message+ and SMS+. RCS is also a communication protocol available for device-to-device (D2D) exchanges without using a telecommunications carrier for devices that are in close physical proximity (e.g., between two IoT devices, smart phones, smart phone and electronic tablet, etc.)

One advantage RCS Messaging has over SMS is that RCS enables users to send rich, verified messages including photos, videos and audio messages, group messages, read receipts, indicators to show other users are typing a message, carousel messages, suggested chips, chat bots, barcodes, location integration, calendar integration, dialer integration, and other RCS messaging features. RCS messaging includes person-to-person (P2P), application-to-person (A2P), application-to-application (A2A), application-to-device (A2D) and/or device-to-device (D2D) messaging.

The RCS Interworking Guidelines Version 14.0, 13 Oct. 2017, GSM Association, Rich Communication Suite RCS API Detailed Requirements, version 3.0, Oct. 19, 2017, Rich Communication Suite 8.0 Advanced Communications Services and Client Specification Version 9.0, 16 May 2018, RCS Universal Profile Service Definition Document Version 2.2, 16 May 2018, and Rich Communication Suite Endorsement of OMA CPM 2.2 Conversation Functions Version 9.0, 16 Oct. 2019, are all incorporated herein by reference.

The Rich Communication Suite-Enhanced (RCS-e) includes methods of providing first stage interoperability among Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). RCS-e is a later version of RCS which enables mobile phone end users to use instant messaging (IM), live video sharing and file transfer across any device on any MNO.

The RCS functionality of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, one and two way, rich, verified, multimedia messages including photos, videos and audio messages, group messages, read receipts, indicators to show other users are typing a message, predefined quick-reply suggestions, rich cards, carousels, action buttons, maps, click-to-call, calendar integration, geo-location, etc. The RCS functionality also includes RCS emulators and/or thin RCS applications that provide full and/or selected features of available RCS functionality. The RCS message application30aand the RCS interoperability application30bprovides full and/or partial RCS functionality including, but not limited to, RCS-e functionality.

The RCS functionality of the present invention also includes selected portions of RCS functionality used in message application30aand the RCS interoperability application30b. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments.

RCS Interoperability Services

FIGS.7A and7Bare a flow diagram illustrating a Method106for automatically RCS interoperability services. InFIG.7Aat Step108, receiving an electronic message on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a first communications channel via a communications network from a first target network device with one or more processors for a second target network device with one or more processors, wherein RCS messaging includes two-way person-to-person (P2P) and application-to-person (A2P) messaging. At Step110, the RCS message application conducts a test to determine if the second target network device can receive RCS messages. If at Step110, the second target network device can receive RCS messages, at Step112, the electronic message is sent from the RCS message application to the second target network device on a RCS communications channel via the communications network. The second target network device has access to RCS functionality from the electronic message. If at Step110, the second target network device cannot receive RCS messages, inFIG.7Bat Step114, the electronic message is modified on an RCS message application on the server network device to include an electronic link to an RCS interoperability application on the server network device creating a modified electronic message. The RCS interoperability application independently provides seamless RCS functionality to the second target network device when the electronic link is activated in the modified electronic message. The electronic link includes a first encrypted portion including a phone number, user name, unique network identifier (e.g., Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), encrypted token, stored contact, database record, cloud database record, etc.) to uniquely identify the second target network device on the communications network and a second non-encrypted portion that provides RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application on the server network device. At Step116, the RCS message application sends the modified electronic message to the second target network device on another communications channel that does not include RCS functionality via the communications network, thereby providing RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application on the server network device to the second network device.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.7Aat Step108, an electronic message13is received on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application30aon a server network device20with one or more processors on a first communications channel17via a communications network18,18′ from a first target network device12,14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,12, etc.) with one or more processors for a second target network device14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,14, etc.) with one or more processors. The RCS messaging, includes, but is not limited to, person-to-person (P2P), application-to-person (A2P), application-to-application (A2A), application-to-device (A2D) and/or device-to-device (D2D) messaging.

In one embodiment, the RCS message application30ais provided as a cloud SaaS64on a cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the electronic message13is stored in one or more cloud storage objects13/82. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

At Step110, the RCS message application30aconducts a test to determine if the second target network device14can receive RCS messages. If at Step110the second target network device14can receive RCS messages, at Step112, the electronic message13is sent from the RCS message application30ato the second target network device14on a RCS communications channel19via the communications network18,18′. The second target network device14has access to RCS functionality from the electronic message13.

In one embodiment, the test at Step110is conducted by sending and receiving a message to a third-party server via the communications network18,18′. For example, in one specific embodiment, the RCS message application30asends a device capability request to a third-party (e.g., GOOGLE, etc.) and receives a response as to whether the second target network device14has access to RCS functionality. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one specific embodiment, the RCS message application30amaintains a list of communications networks18,18′ that do not support RCS functionality. In such a specific embodiment, if the second target network device14is on a communications network already known not to support RCS functionality, then the test at Step110is skipped as it is not necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another specific embodiment, the RCS message application30amaintains a list of target network devices (e.g., by phone number, etc.) that do not support RCS functionality. In such a specific embodiment, if the second target network device14is on a communications network already known not to support RCS functionality, then the test at Step110is skipped as it is not necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

If at Step110, the second target network device14cannot receive RCS messages, inFIG.7Bat Step114, the electronic message13is modified13′ on the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to include an electronic link21to an RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20. The RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20independently provides seamless RCS functionality to the second target network device14when the electronic link21is activated in the modified electronic message13′. The electronic link21includes, but is not limited to a first encrypted portion23including a phone number, user name, unique network identifier (e.g., Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) and/or Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), encrypted token, stored contact, database record, cloud database record, cloud network identifier, and/or other unique identifier, etc.) to uniquely identify the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′ to uniquely identify the second target network device on the communications network and a second non-encrypted portion33that provides access to RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application on the server network device20. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the first encrypted portion23further includes a social media identifier (e.g., FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, YOUTUBE, WHATSAPP, etc.) instead of the phone number. In another embodiment, the first encrypted portion23includes both the phone number and social media identifier. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the first encrypted portion23includes the phone number, user name, unique network identifier (e.g., Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) and/or Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), encrypted token, stored contact, database record, cloud database record, cloud network identifier, and/or other unique identifier, etc.) stored in a XML data format and encrypted from the XML data format.

In another embodiment, the electronic message13is modified13′ on the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to include an electronic link21to an external program application that can provide RCS functionality, such as FACEBOOK Messenger, WHATSAPP, a chat bot application, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

The first encrypted portion23is encrypted/decrypted with any of the security and/or encryption methods described herein. The encryption methods prevent eavesdropping, hacking, changing, and/or other altering of the electronic link information. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

The second non-encrypted portion33includes, but is not limited to a HTTP, HTTPS, TCP/IP, UDP/IP, Ethernet, etc., link portion and/or other electronic link portion.

In another embodiment, the first and second portions of the electronic link21are not encrypted and includes a plain text electronic link with the first and second portions both in plain text. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another embodiment, the first and second portions of the electronic link21are both encrypted and include a fully encrypted electronic link. In such an embodiment, the full encrypted electronic link is automatically directed to a location of the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20for decryption. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the electronic link21is automatically activated. In another embodiment, the electronic link21is manually activated with a selection input (e.g., clicking on the link, etc.).

In one embodiment, the RCS interoperability application30bis provided as a cloud SaaS64on the cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the RCS interoperability application30bis provided as a chat bot application and/or other multimedia chat application and/or other multi-media messenger application reachable by a web browser and/or other multi-media application reachable directly from an electronic messaging application (e.g., SMS, etc.) on the second network device via the communications network. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the modified electronic message13′ is stored in one or more cloud storage objects13′/82′ on the cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

At Step116, the RCS message application30asends the modified electronic message13′ to the second target network device14on a second communications channel25that does not include RCS functionality via the communications network18,18′, thereby providing RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device to the second network device14.

In one embodiment, the second communications channel25includes a SMS and/or MMS communications channel. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another embodiment, the second communications channel25includes a channel to an API for a social media messenger, a chat bot application, other Application Programming Interface (API), deep link, mobile deep link, deferred deep link, MMS, GOOGLE Business Messages, APPLE iMessages, FACEBOOK MESSENGER, APPLE IMESSAGE, WHATSAPP, TELEGRAM, VIBER, TWITTER MESSAGING, SKYPE, SLACK, TELEGRAM, ZOOM, and/or other types of second communication channels25. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

“Deep linking” is the use of a hyperlink that links to a specific, generally searchable or indexed, piece of web content on a website (e.g., “http://example.com/path/page”), rather than the website's home page (e.g., “http://example.com”). In one embodiment, the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) includes all the information needed to point to a particular item. In another embodiment, the URL is created dynamically to include information to point to a particular item. Deep linking is different from mobile deep linking, which refers to directly linking with an internal link to in-app content using a non-HTTP Uniform Resource Identifier (URI).

“Mobile deep linking” includes using an internal URI that links to a specific location within a mobile application (e.g., RCS message application30aand/or RCS interoperability application30b, etc.) and/or into a specific location on an operating system (e.g., ANDROID, APPLE iOS, etc.) running on a mobile network device12,14,16, rather than directly launching a mobile application30a,30b.

“Deferred deep linking” provides deep linking to content on a mobile network device12,14,16, even if the mobile application30a,30band/or application30is not already installed. Depending on the mobile device platform12,14,16, the URI required to trigger a mobile application30a,30bmay be different.

In one embodiment, the electronic message includes a mixture of text, images, video, audio, with and/or without an electronic link21, sent to a telecommunications operator and/or a cloud network18SaaS64message supplier via a HTTP, HTTPs, REST, SMPP and/or an API call. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another embodiment, the second communications channel25includes GOOGLE Business Messages. GOOGLE Business Messages include a mobile conversational channel that combines entry points on GOOGLE Maps, Search, Images, etc. and/or other GOOGLE brand websites and/or other websites to create rich, asynchronous RCS-like, messaging experiences.

APPLE iMessages includes an instant messaging service developed by APPLE, Inc. iMessage functions exclusively on APPLE platforms: macOS iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Core features of iMessage, available on all supported platforms, include sending text messages, images, videos, and documents; getting delivery and read statuses (read receipts); and end-to-end encryption so only the sender and recipient can read the messages, and no one else, including APPLE itself, can read them. The service also allows sending location data and stickers. On iOS and iPadOS, third-party developers can extend iMessage capabilities with custom extensions, an example being quick sharing of recently played songs.

In another embodiment, the second communications channel25includes another type of telecommunications channel. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

The RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20independently provides seamless full RCS functionality to the second target network device14via the communications network18,18′ when the electronic link21is activated in the modified electronic message13′/82′.

FIG.8is a flow diagram illustrating a Method118for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging. At Step120, a second target network device with one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic from an RCS message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a second communications channel via a communications network. The second communications channel does not include RCS functionality. The modified electronic messages includes an electronic link to an RCS interoperability application. The RCS interoperability application provides seamless RCS functionality to the second target network device via the second communications channel when the electronic link is activated in the modified electronic message. The electronic link includes, but is not limited to, an encrypted portion including a phone number, user name, unique network identifier (e.g., Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), encrypted token, stored contact, database record, cloud database record, and/or other unique network identifier etc.) to uniquely identify the second target network device on the communications network and a second non-encrypted portion that provides RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application At Step122, the second target network device activates the electronic link in the modified electronic message activating RCS functionality on the second target network device from the RCS interoperability application via the second communications channel via the communications network.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.8at Step120, a second target network device14with one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic13′/82′ from an RCS message application30aon a server network device20with one or more processors on a second communications channel25via a communications network18′18. The second communications channel25does not include RCS functionality. The modified electronic message13′/82′ includes an electronic link21to an RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20. The RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20provides seamless RCS functionality to the second target network device14via the second communications channel25when the electronic link21is activated in the modified electronic message13′/82′. The electronic link21includes, but is not limited to, a first encrypted portion23including a phone number, user name, unique network identifier (e.g., Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), encrypted token, stored contact, database record, cloud database record, etc.) to uniquely identify the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′ and second non-encrypted portion33that provides RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20when activated.

In one embodiment, the RCS message application30aand/or the RCS interoperability application30bare provided as a cloud SaaS64,64′ on the cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the RCS interoperability application30bis provided as an RCS chat application and/or other multimedia chat application and/or other multi-media application reachable by a web browser and/or other multi-media application reachable directly from an electronic messaging application (e.g., SMS, etc.) on the second network device via the communications network. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the modified electronic message13′ is stored in one or more cloud storage objects13′/82′ on the cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

The encryption portion23is encrypted/decrypted with any of the security and/or encryption methods described herein.

In one embodiment, the second communications channel25is a SMS communications channel. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

At Step122, the second target network device14activates the electronic link21in the modified electronic message13′/82′ activating RCS functionality on the second target network device14from the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20via the second communications channel25via the communications network18,18′.

The RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device independently provides seamless full RCS functionality to the second target network device14via the second communications channel25via communications network18,18′ when the electronic link21is activated in the modified electronic message13′/82′.

FIG.9is a flow diagram illustrating a Method124for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging. At Step126, a second target network device with one or more processors without RCS functionality activates an electronic link in a modified electronic message activating RCS functionality on the second target network device from a RCS interoperability application on a server network device via a second communications channel via the communications network. At Step128, the second target network device receives RCS access confirmation from the RCS interoperability application on the server network device via the second communications channel via the communications network. The RCS interoperability application on the server network device decrypts the first encrypted portion of the modified electronic message to confirm an identity of the second target network device on the communications network. At Step130, the second network device accesses RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application on the server network device via the second communications channel via the communications network sent by a first network device with one or more processors that includes RCS functionality, providing two-way RCS message communications between second target network device without RCS functionality and the first target network device with RCS functionality.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.9at Step126, a second target network device14with one or more processors without RCS functionality activates an electronic link21in a modified electronic message13′/82′ activating RCS functionality on the second target network device14from a RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20via a second communications channel25via the communications network18,18′.

At Step128, the second target network device14receives RCS access confirmation from the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device via the second communications channel25via the communications network18,18′. The RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20decrypts the first encrypted portion23of the modified electronic message13′/82′ to confirm an identity of the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′. The first encrypted portion23included the phone number, user name, unique identifier (e.g., Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), and/or Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), encrypted token, stored contact, database record, cloud database record, etc.) of the second target network device14to uniquely identify the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′

At Step130, the second network device14accesses RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20via the second communications channel25via the communications network18,18′ sent by a first network device12with one or more processors that includes RCS functionality, providing two-way RCS message communications between the second target network device14without RCS functionality and the first target network device12with RCS functionality.

In another embodiment, only one-way RCS message communications is provided between the second target network device14without RCS functionality and the first target network device12with RCS functionality. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

FIG.10is a flow diagram illustrating a Method132for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging. At Step134, a second electronic message is received including Interactive Voice Response (IVR) information on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a first communications channel via a communications network from the first target network device with one or more processors for the second target network device with one or more processors, wherein the second target network device does not include RCS functionality. At Step136, translating the IVR information in the second electronic message into RCS information on the Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application on the server network device. At Step138, steps110-116from Method106ofFIGS.7A and7Bare repeated using the second electronic message.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.10at Step134, a second electronic message15is received including Interactive Voice Response (IVR) information on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application30bon a server network device20with one or more processors on a first communications channel17via a communications network18,18′ from the first target network device12with one or more processors for the second target network device16with one or more processors, wherein the second target network16device does not include RCS functionality.

Interactive voice response (IVR) is a technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF tones input via a keypad. In telecommunications, IVR allows customers to interact with a company's host system via a telephone keypad or by speech recognition, after which services can be inquired about through the IVR dialogue. IVR systems respond with pre-recorded or dynamically generated audio or text messages to further direct users on how to proceed. IVR systems deployed in the network are sized to handle large call volumes and are also used for outbound calling as IVR systems are more intelligent than many predictive dialer systems.

IVR systems are used for mobile purchases, banking payments, services, retail orders, utilities, travel information and weather conditions. A common misconception refers to an automated attendant as an IVR. The terms are distinct and mean different things to traditional telecommunications professional as the purpose of an IVR is to take input, process it, and return a result, whereas that of an automated attendant is to route calls. The term, voice response unit (VRU) is sometimes used as well.

The documents, “An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Control Package for the Media Control Channel Framework” IETF RFC 6231 and “IANA Registry for MEDIACTRL Interactive Voice Response Control Package,” IETF RFC 6623, the contents of both which are incorporated herein by reference.

At Step136, translating the IVR information in the second electronic message15into RCS information on the Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application30bon the server network device20.

In another embodiment, Step136, is replaced with Step136′ in which the RCS message application30aon the server network device20indicates the IVR information in the second electronic message requires translation into RCS information for the second target network device14that does not include RCS functionality. However, the RCS message application30adoes not translate any IVR information into RCS information. In one embodiment, the IVR indication includes a data field in the second electronic message be set to indicate the second message includes IVR information that needs to be translated to RCS information. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and other embodiments may be used to practice the invention.

At Step138, steps110-116from Method106ofFIGS.7A and7Bare repeated using the second electronic message15and second network device16.

Expanded RCS Functionality for Network Devices

FIGS.11A and11Bare a flow diagram illustrating a Method140for providing interoperability for Rich Communication Suite (RCS) messaging.

InFIG.11Aat Step142, receiving an electronic message on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a first communications channel via a communications network from a first target network device with one or more processors for a second target network device with one or more processors, wherein RCS messaging includes two-way person-to-person (P2P) and application-to-person (A2P) messaging. At Step144, the RCS message application conducts a test to determine if the second target network device can receive RCS messages. If at Step144, the second target network device can receive RCS messages, at Step146, the electronic message is sent from the RCS message application to the second target network device on a RCS communications channel via the communications network. The second target network device has access to RCS functionality from the electronic message. If at Step144, the second target network device cannot receive RCS messages, inFIG.11Bat Step148, the electronic message is modified on an RCS message application on the server network device to include: a first type of electronic link to access an RCS interoperability application on the server network device, or second type of electronic link to one or more RCS interoperability applications local to the second target network device or to one or more RCS interoperability applications remote to the second target network device, and a globally unique identifier to uniquely identify the second target network device on the communications network, or no additional electronic link and a globally unique identifier to uniquely identify the second target network device on the communications network, thereby creating a modified electronic message. At Step150, the RCS message application sends the modified electronic message to the second target network device on a second communications channel that does not include RCS functionality via the communications network, thereby providing RCS functionality to the second network device.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.11Aat Step142, an electronic message13is received on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application30aon a server network device20with one or more processors on a first communications channel17via a communications network18,18′ from a first target network device12,14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,12, etc.) with one or more processors for a second target network device14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,14, etc.) with one or more processors. The RCS messaging, includes, but is not limited to, person-to-person (P2P), application-to-person (A2P), application-to-application (A2A), application-to-device (A2D) and/or device-to-device (D2D) messaging.

In one embodiment, the RCS message application30ais provided as a cloud SaaS64on a cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the electronic message13is stored in one or more cloud storage objects13/82. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the electronic message includes a mixture of text, digital images, video, audio, with and/or without an electronic link21, sent to a telecommunications operator and/or a cloud network18SaaS64message supplier via a HTTP, HTTPs, REST, SMPP and/or an API call. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention

At Step144, the RCS message application30aconducts a test to determine if the second target network device14can receive RCS messages. If at Step144the second target network device14can receive RCS messages, at Step146, the electronic message13is sent from the RCS message application30ato the second target network device14on a RCS communications channel19via the communications network18,18′. The second target network device14has access to RCS functionality from the electronic message13.

In one embodiment, the test at Step144is conducted by sending and receiving a message to a third-party server via the communications network18,18′. For example, in one specific embodiment, the RCS message application30asends a device capability request to a third-party (e.g., GOOGLE, etc.) and receives a response as to whether the second target network device14has access to RCS functionality. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one specific embodiment, the RCS message application30amaintains a list of communications networks18,18′ that do not support RCS functionality. In such a specific embodiment, if the second target network device14is on a communications network already known not to support RCS functionality, then the test at Step110is skipped as it is not necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another specific embodiment, the RCS message application30amaintains a list of target network devices (e.g., by phone number, etc.) that do not support RCS functionality. In such a specific embodiment, if the second target network device14is on a communications network18,18′ already known not to support RCS functionality, then the test at Step144is skipped as it is not necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

FIG.12is a block diagram illustrating a data flow152for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging.

InFIG.11A, if at Step144, the second target network device cannot receive RCS messages, inFIG.11Bat Step148, the electronic message13is modified13′ on an RCS message application30aon the server network device20to include: a first type of electronic link154(FIG.12) to access an RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20, or second type of electronic link156to one or more RCS interoperability applications158local to the second target network device14or to one or more RCS interoperability applications160remote to the second target network device14, and a globally unique identifier162to uniquely identify the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′, or no additional electronic link161and a only globally unique identifier162, thereby creating a modified electronic message13′.

In one embodiment, first type of electronic link154, includes but is not limited to a first type of electronic link154to access the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the second type of electronic link156includes a type of second type of electronic link156′ to one or more RCS interoperability applications158local to the second target network device12. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the second type of electronic link156, includes but is not limited to, a second type of electronic link156′ for an input to an Application Program Interface (API) for one or more different applications, RCS emulator, operating system (e.g., ANDROID, iOS, etc.) call, deep link, mobile deep link, deferred deep link and/or a combination thereof of links for applications30local to the second network device14. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the second type of electronic link156″ for the second target network device14in the modified electronic message13′ includes links to one or more RCS interoperability applications160remote to the second target network device14, the link156″ including but not limited to, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPs), cloud REpresentational State Transfer (REST), Application Program Interface (API), and/or Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP), electronic link. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, if no additional electronic link161is added to the modified electronic message13′, the target network device14automatically or manually activates local158or remote160RCS interoperability applications local to the second target network device14. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the globally unique identifier162includes, but is not limited to, a phone number, user name, unique network identifier, Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), encrypted token, stored contact, database record, cloud database record social media identifier, cloud network identifier, and/or a combination thereof. However, the invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice.

In one embodiment, the globally unique identifier162includes, but is not limited to, one or more encrypted portions. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments with and/or without encrypted portions can be used to practice the invention.

At Step150, the RCS message application30aon the server network device20sends the modified electronic message13′ to the second target network device14on a second communications channel25that does not include RCS functionality via the communications network18,18′, thereby providing RCS functionality to the second network device14.

In one embodiment, the modified electronic message13′ includes, but is not limited to, one or more encrypted portions. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments including a modified electronic message13′ with and/or without encrypted portions can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the second communications channel25includes, but is not limited to, a secure communications channel including, but not limited to, sending the modified electronic message13with a Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Data Encryption Standard (DES), RSA encryption, Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA), Message Digest-5 (MD-5), Keyed Hashing for Message Authentication Codes (HMAC), Electronic Code Book (ECB) or Diffie and Hellman (DH) and/or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), encryption method. However, the present invention is not limited to such and embodiment and other embodiments with other security and/or encryption methods can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the second communications channel25includes, but is not limited to, second communications channel for: a Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), GOOGLE Business Message, APPLE iMessage, instant message, direct message, an Application Programming Interface (API) for: a social media messenger, a chat bot application, RCS interoperability application, RCS emulator application, deep linked application, mobile deep linked application, and/or deferred deep linked application, second communications channel25. However, the present invention is not limited to such and embodiment and other embodiments with other types of second communications channels can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the RCS interoperability application30band other RCS applications30,30afurther include: RCS-enhanced (RCS-e) functionality, RCS-modified (RCS-m) and/or RCS-thin (RCS-t) functionality.

RCS-enhanced (RCS-e) functionality adds functionality beyond RCS standard functionality. RCS-modified (RCS-m) functionality includes RCS functionality modified to include features for specific hardware device and new or existing specific software programs, etc. RCS-thin (RCS-t) functionality includes only a selected sub-set of RCS functionality, the sub-set including less than all RCS functionality.

In one embodiment, the RCS interoperability application30band other RCS applications30further includes an AI application30c. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the present invention can be practiced with and/or without AI.

FIG.13is a flow diagram illustrating a Method164for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging.

InFIG.13at Step166, a second target network device with one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message from a RCS message application on a server network device with the one or more processors on a second communications channel via a communications network. At Step168, the second target network device activates a first type electronic link in the modified electronic message to provide RCS functionality on the second target network device from the RCS interoperability application on the server network device via the second communications channel via the communications network.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.13at Step166, a second target network device14with one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message13′ from a RCS message application30aon a server network device20with the one or more processors on a second communications channel25via a communications network18,18′.

At Step168, the second target network device14activates a first type electronic link156′ in the modified electronic message13′ to provide RCS functionality on the second target network device14from the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20via the second communications channel25via the communications network18,18′.

FIG.14is a flow diagram illustrating a Method170for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging.

InFIG.14at Step172, a second target network device with the one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message from a RCS message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a second communications channel via a communications network. At Step174, the second target network device activates a second type electronic link in the modified electronic message to provide RCS functionality on the second target network device from one or more RCS interoperability applications local to the second target network device or from one or more other RCS interoperability applications remote to the second target network device accessed via the second communications channel via the communications network.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.14at Step172, a second target network device14with the one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message13from a RCS message application30bon a server network device20with one or more processors on a second communications channel25via a communications network18,18′.

At Step174, the second target network device14activates a second type electronic link156″ in the modified electronic message13′ to provide RCS functionality on the second target network device14from one or more RCS interoperability applications local to the second target network device14and/or from one or more other RCS interoperability applications30bremote to the second target network device14accessed via the second communications channel25via the communications network18,18′.

In one embodiment, the one or more other RCS interoperability applications30bremote to the second target network device14reside on another server22,24,26, etc. different than the server network device20that was originally contacted to receive the electronic message13.

In another embodiment, the one or more other RCS interoperability applications30bremote to the second target network device14reside on server network device20. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

FIG.15is a flow diagram illustrating a Method178for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging.

InFIG.15, at Step180, a second target network device with the one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message from a RCS message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a second communications channel via a communications network. At Step182, the second target network device conducts a test to determine if the modified electronic message includes a first type electronic link or a second type of electronic link. If the modified electronic message does not include the first type of electronic link or the second type of electronic link, the second target network device activates one or more RCS interoperability applications local to the second target network device or one or more other RCS interoperability applications remote to the second target network device.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.15at Step180, a second target network device14with the one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message13′ from a RCS message application30aon a server network device20with one or more processors on a second communications channel25via a communications network18,18′.

At Step182, the second target network device12conducts a test to determine if the modified electronic message13′ includes a first type electronic link154or a second type of electronic link156. If the modified electronic message13′ does not include the first type of electronic link154or the second type of electronic link156, the second target network device12activates one or more RCS interoperability applications158local to the second target network device or one or more other RCS interoperability applications160remote to the second target network device14.

If the test at Step182, determines the modified electronic message13′ includes the first type of electronic link154or the second type of electronic link156, then method164ofFIG.13or method172ofFIG.14are executed depending on the type of electronic link including the modified electronic message13′.

E-Commerce and Data Collection Via RCS

It is desirable to provide e-commerce and data collection from user prompts and input fields directly from RCS messages.

FIGS.16A and16Bare a flow diagram illustrating a Method186for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging.

InFIG.16Aat Step188, receiving an electronic message on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a first communications channel via a communications network from a first target network device with one or more processors for a second target network device with one or more processors, wherein RCS messaging includes two-way person-to-person (P2P) and application-to-person (A2P) messaging and wherein the electronic message includes RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection information. At Step190, the RCS message application conducts a test to determine if the second target network device can receive RCS messages. If at Step190, the second target network device can receive RCS messages, at Step192, the electronic message is sent from the RCS message application to the second target network device on a RCS communications channel via the communications network. The second target network device has access to RCS functionality including RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection information from the electronic message. If at Step190, the second target network device cannot receive RCS messages, inFIG.16Bat Step194, the electronic message is modified on an RCS message application on the server network device to include one or more electronic links to an RCS interoperability application and RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection applications on the server network device creating a modified electronic message. The RCS interoperability application independently provides seamless RCS functionality and RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection functionality to the second target network device when the electronic link is activated in the modified electronic message. The modified electronic message is further modified to include a globally unique identifier to uniquely identify the second target network device on the communications network. At Step196, the RCS message application sends the modified electronic message to the second target network device on a second communications channel that does not include RCS functionality via the communications network, thereby providing RCS functionality including RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection functionality via the RCS interoperability application on the server network device to the second network device.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.11Aat Step188, an electronic message13is received on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application30aon a server network device20with one or more processors on a first communications channel17via a communications network18,18′ from a first target network device12,14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,12, etc.) with one or more processors for a second target network device14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,14, etc.) with one or more processors. The RCS messaging, includes, but is not limited to, person-to-person (P2P), application-to-person (A2P), application-to-application (A2A), application-to-device (A2D) and/or device-to-device (D2D) messaging.

The electronic message13includes RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection information.

E-commerce is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over a network such as the Internet, an intranet, etc. There are three main types of e-commerce: business-to-business (B2B) business-to-consumer (B2C), and consumer-to-consumer (C2C). In one embodiment, the electronic message13includes e-commerce requests, including but not limited to, searching for goods and/or services, selecting goods and/or services for purchase, providing payment information for goods and/or services selected for purchase, providing purchase confirmation of goods and/or services, including but not limited to, B2B, B2C and/or C2C e-commerce transactions. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and more, fewer and other types of e-commerce information can be used to practice the invention.

Data collection is a systematic approach to gathering and measuring information from a variety of sources to get a complete and accurate picture of an area of interest. Data collection enables a person or organization to answer relevant questions, evaluate outcomes and make predictions about future probabilities and trends.

Accurate data collection is essential to maintaining the integrity of research, making informed business decisions and ensuring quality assurance. For example, in retail sales, data might be collected from mobile applications, website visits, loyalty programs and online surveys to learn more about customers. In a server consolidation project, data collection would include not just a physical inventory of all servers, but also an exact description of what is installed on each server and operating system, middleware and the application or database that the server supports.

Surveys, interviews and focus groups are primary instruments for collecting information. Today, with help from Web and analytics tools, organizations are also able to collect data from mobile devices, website traffic, server activity and other relevant sources, depending on the project.

Big data for use standalone or with AI describes voluminous amounts of structured, semi-structured and unstructured data collected by organizations. But because it takes a lot of time and money to load big data into a traditional relational database for analysis, new approaches for collecting and analyzing data have emerged. To gather and then mine big data for information, raw data with extended metadata is aggregated in a big data collection. Machine learning and artificial intelligence programs use complex algorithms to look for repeatable patterns in the big data collection.

Generally, there are two types of data: quantitative data and qualitative data. Quantitative data is any data that is in numerical form (e.g., statistics and percentages.) Qualitative data is descriptive data (e.g., image, color, smell, sight, sound, taste, appearance quality, etc.).

However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and more, fewer and other types of data collection information can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the electronic message13includes data inputs and data prompts to collect data from the second target network device14. The data includes, but is not limited to, search engine information, social media information, goods and/or services information, registrations, surveys, other types of data collection, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and more, fewer and other types of data collection information can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the RCS message application30ais provided as a cloud SaaS64on a cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the electronic message13is stored in one or more cloud storage objects13/82. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

At Step190, the RCS message application30aconducts a test to determine if the second target network device14can receive RCS messages. If at Step190the second target network device14can receive RCS messages, at Step192, the electronic message13is sent from the RCS message application30ato the second target network device14on a RCS communications channel19via the communications network18,18′. The second target network device14has access to RCS functionality including RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection information from the electronic message13.

In one embodiment, the RCS functionality including RCS e-commerce or RCS data collection information is included in an RCS emulator on the server network device. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention with and/or without an RCS emulator.

In one embodiment, the electronic message13is sent from the RCS message application30ato the second target network device14on a secure RCS communications channel19via the communications network18,18′ using one or more of the encryption and/or security messages described herein. In another embodiment, the electronic message13is encrypted before sending. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments using or note using secure communications channels and/or encrypted messages can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the test at Step190is conducted by sending and receiving a message to a third-party server via the communications network18,18′. For example, in one specific embodiment, the RCS message application30asends a device capability request to a third-party (e.g., GOOGLE, GOOGLE Business Messages, APPLE iMessages, etc.) and receives a response as to whether the second target network device14has access to RCS functionality. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one specific embodiment, the RCS message application30amaintains a list of communications networks18,18′ that do not support RCS functionality. In such a specific embodiment, if the second target network device14is on a communications network already known not to support RCS functionality, then the test at Step110is skipped as it is not necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another specific embodiment, the RCS message application30amaintains a list of target network devices (e.g., by phone number, etc.) that do not support RCS functionality. In such a specific embodiment, if the second target network device14is on a communications network already known not to support RCS functionality, then the test at Step190is skipped as it is not necessary. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one specific embodiment, RCS e-commerce functionality and/or RCS data collection functionality is provide by one or more third-party server network devices22,24,26via the communications network. However, the present invention is limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention with and/or without use of third-parties to provide any RCS and/or RCS RCS e-commerce functionality and/or RCS data collection functionality.

If at Step190, the second target network device14cannot receive RCS messages, inFIG.16Bat Step194, the electronic message13is modified13′ on the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to include one or more electronic links21to an RCS interoperability application30bande-commerce applications30eand/or data collection applications30fon the server network device20. The RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20independently provides seamless RCS functionality with RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection functionality to the second target network device14when the electronic link21is activated in the modified electronic message13′. A globally unique identifier is also added to the modified electronic message to uniquely identify the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′ to provide access to RCS functionality via the RCS interoperability application on the server network device20. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the one or more electronic links21are automatically activated. In another embodiment, the one or more electronic links21are manually activated with a selection input (e.g., clicking on the link, etc.).

In one embodiment, the RCS interoperability application30b, the RCS e-commerce application30eand/or RCS data collection application30fare provided as a cloud SaaS64on the cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the RCS interoperability application30b, the RCS e-commerce application30eand/or RCS data collection application30fare provided as a chat bot application and/or other multimedia chat application and/or other multi-media messenger application reachable by a web browser and/or other multi-media application reachable directly from an electronic messaging application (e.g., SMS, etc.) on the second network device via the communications network. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the modified electronic message13′ is stored in one or more cloud storage objects13′/82′ on the cloud communications network18. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

At Step196, the RCS message application30asends the modified electronic message13′ to the second target network device14on a second communications channel25that does not include RCS functionality via the communications network18,18′, thereby providing RCS functionality with RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection application functionality via the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device to the second network device14.

In one embodiment, the modified electronic message13′ is sent from the RCS message application30ato the second target network device14on a secure RCS communications channel19via the communications network18,18′ using one or more of the encryption and/or security messages described herein. In another embodiment, the modified electronic message13′ is encrypted before sending. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention with and/or without sending secure messages.

In one embodiment, the electronic message13includes a mixture of text, images, video, audio, with and/or without an electronic link21, sent to a telecommunications operator and/or a cloud network18SaaS64message supplier via a HTTP, HTTPs, REST, SMPP and/or an API call. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another embodiment, the second communications channel25includes GOOGLE Business Messages and/or APPLE iMessages. GOOGLE Business Messages include a mobile conversational channel that combines entry points on GOOGLE Maps, Search, Images, etc. and/or other GOOGLE brand websites and/or other websites to create rich, asynchronous RCS-like, messaging experiences.

In another embodiment, the second communications channel25includes another type of telecommunications channel. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and the other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

The RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20independently provides seamless full RCS functionality with the RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection functionality to the second target network device14via the communications network18,18′ when the electronic link21is activated in the modified electronic message13′/82′.

FIG.17is a flow diagram illustrating a Method198for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging.

InFIG.17at Step200, a second target network device with one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message from a RCS message application on a server network device with the one or more processors on a second communications channel via a communications network. At Step168, the second target network device activates an electronic link in the modified electronic message to provide RCS functionality including RCS e-commerce and/or RCS data collection functionality on the second target network device from the RCS interoperability application on the server network device via the second communications channel via the communications network.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.17at Step166, a second target network device14with one or more processors that does not have RCS messaging functionality receives a modified electronic message13′ from a RCS message application30aon a server network device20with the one or more processors on a second communications channel25via a communications network18,18′.

At Step168, the second target network device14activates an electronic link156′ in the modified electronic message13′ to provide RCS functionality including RCS e-commerce functionality and/or RCS data collection functionality on the second target network device14from the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20via the second communications channel25via the communications network18,18′.

A method and system for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite (RCS) messaging with e-commerce and data collection is presented herein. If a target network device cannot directly receive RCS messages, electronic messages are modified on an RCS message application to include different types of electronic links to remote or local RCS interoperability applications. The local or remote RCS interoperability applications independently provides seamless, rich multi-media RCS functionality to the target network device including e-commerce and data collection when the electronic link is activated in the modified electronic message. The local or remote RCS interoperability applications provide two-way RCS message communications between target network devices without RCS functionality and target network devices with RCS functionality.

Using Alternate RCS Channels to Share RCS Information.

There are many interoperability issues between applications, mobile phones and networks that do and do not support RCS. There are also interoperability issues with sharing RCS channels across third-party applications, such as a messaging application, social media application, API, etc.

For example, if an RCS message is sent to a mobile phone and application and/or network that does not support RCS, the mobile phone, application or network will instead be sent as a regular text (SMS) message instead of an RCS message. This prevents the user of the mobile phone or network from experiencing all the rich features provided by RCS messages.

RCS channels also cannot be easily shared with third-party applications and with network devices that do not support RCS.

Alternate non-RCS channels also cannot be easily used with third-party applications and with network devices that do not support RCS.

RCS sharing is not easily accomplished across multiple target network devices that include and do not include RCS functionality.

The present invention solves additional problems associated RCS interoperability.

FIGS.18A,18B and18Care a flow diagram illustrating Method204for providing interoperability for Rich Communication Suite (RCS) information sharing via alternate channels.

InFIG.18Aat Step206, receiving an electronic message on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application on a server network device with one or more processors on a first communications channel via a communications network from a first target network device with one or more processors for a second target network device with one or more processors, the electronic message including RCS messaging comprising: two-way, person-to-person (P2P), application-to-person (A2P), application-to-application (A2A), application-to-device (A2D), device-to-device (D2D), and/or RCS messaging, the electronic message including RCS information comprising RCS share request information to share (i.e., share a RCS message with plural other target network devices) the electronic message with one or more third target network devices. At Step208, accessing a RCS directory on first target network device including a list of RCS services available on the first target network device via the RCS message application on the server network device via the communications network. At Step210, a test is conducted on the RCS message application on the server network device to determine whether the second target network device can directly receive RCS messages.

If at Step210, the second target network device can directly receive RCS messages, then inFIG.18Bat Step212, storing the electronic message from the first network device in database on the RCS message application on the server network device and/or in a non-transitory computer readable medium on the first network device. At Step214, opening an RCS communications channel (i.e., a primary channel, etc.) from the RCS message application on the server network device to a messaging application on the second network device via the communications network. At Step216, sending the electronic message from the RCS message application on the server network device to the second target network device on the RCS communications channel (e.g., the primary channel, etc.) via the communications network, wherein the second target network device has direct access to RCS functionality, and wherein the second target network device initiates an RCS share request via the messaging application to share the electronic message with RCS information from the second target network device with a list of stored contacts for one or more third target network devices.

If at Step210, the second target network device cannot directly receive RCS messages, then inFIG.18Cat Step218, modifying on the RCS message application on the server network device electronic message including (1) one or more electronic links to an RCS interoperability application on the server network device, and (2) a unique network identifier to uniquely identify the second target network device on the communications network, thereby creating a modified electronic message. At Step220, storing the modified electronic message from the first network device in database with the RCS message application on the server network device. At Step222, opening a secondary communications channel (i.e., a non-RCS channel, etc.) from the RCS message application on the server network device to the messaging application on the second network device via the communications network. At Step224, sending the modified electronic message from the RCS message application on the server network device to the second target network device on the secondary communications channel (e.g., a non-RCS channel etc.) via the communications network, wherein the second target network device does not direct access to RCS functionality, and wherein the second target network device initiates an RCS share request via the messaging application to share the modified electronic message with RCS information from the second target network device with the list of stored contacts for one or more third target network devices via the one or more electronic links to the RCS interoperability application on the server network device.

The present invention is illustrated with an exemplary embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to such an exemplary embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment inFIG.18Aat Step206, an electronic message13is received on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application30aon a server network device20with one or more processors on a first communications channel17via a communications network18,18′ from a first target network device12,14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,12, etc.) with one or more processors for a second target network device14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,14, etc.) with one or more processors. The RCS messaging, includes, but is not limited to, person-to-person (P2P), application-to-person (A2P), application-to-application (A2A), application-to-device (A2D), device-to-device (D2D) messaging and/or RCS messaging, the electronic message including RCS information comprising RCS share request information to share (i.e., share a RCS message with plural other target network devices) the electronic message with one or more third target network devices.

At Step208, accessing a RCS directory on first target network device12including a list of RCS services available on the first target network device12via the RCS message application30aon the server network device20via the communications network18,18′.

At Step210, a test is conducted on the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to determine whether the second target network device14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,14, etc.) can directly receive RCS messages.

At Step212, storing the electronic message13from the first network device12,14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,12, etc.) in database20′ on the RCS message application30aon the server network device and/or in a non-transitory computer readable medium on the first network device12.

At Step214, opening an RCS communications channel19(a primary channel) from the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to a messaging application30on the second network device12,14,16,31,98-104(e.g.,14, etc.) via the communications network18,18′.

At Step216, sending the electronic message13from the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to the second target network device14on the RCS communications channel19(e.g. the primary channel, etc.) via the communications network,18,18′, wherein the second target network device14has direct access to RCS functionality, and wherein the second target network device14initiates an RCS share request via the messaging application30to share the electronic message13with RCS information from the second target network device14with a list of stored contacts95for one or more third target network devices16,31,98-104, etc.

In one embodiment, an existing contact is selected from the list of contacts95, an existing contact and/or a new contact is created, by entering the contact manually, and/or recipient details are entered manually with receipt of a selection input (e.g., entry of a phone number, name, mouse click to retrieve a list item, etc.) in the RCS application30a, RCS interoperability application30b, messaging application30, social media application, GOOGLE Business Messages, APPLE iMessage, etc. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and other embodiments may be used to practice the invention.

If at Step210, the second target network device14cannot directly receive RCS messages, then inFIG.18Cat Step218, modifying on the RCS message application30aon the server network device20electronic message13including: (1) one or more electronic links21to an RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device, and (2) a unique network identifier93to uniquely identify the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′, thereby creating a modified electronic message13′.

At Step220, storing the modified electronic message13′ from the first network device12in database20′ with the RCS message application30aon the server network device20.

At Step222, opening a secondary communications channel25(e.g., a non-RCS channel, etc.) from the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to the messaging application30on the second network device14via the communications network18,18′.

At Step224, sending the modified electronic message13′ from the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to the second target network device14on the secondary communications channel25(e.g., a non-RCS channel, etc.) via the communications network18,18′, wherein the second target network device14does not direct access to RCS functionality, and wherein the second target network device14initiates an RCS share request via the messaging application30to share the modified electronic message13with RCS information from the second target network device14with the list of stored contacts95for one or more third target network devices16,31,98-104, etc. via the one or more electronic links21to the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20.

However, the present invention is not limited to such an exemplary embodiment and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, an RCS share experience is initiated by a user of a target network device by clicking a radio button, typing in text, clicking a sham button, and/or any other method to start the sharing of the RCS experience. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and other embodiments an be used to practice the invention.

FIG.19is a block diagram226illustrating Rich Communication Suite (RCS) information sharing via alternate channels.

The method ofFIG.18A-18Care used to illustrate the data flow ofFIG.19. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

InFIG.19, an electronic message13is received on a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) message application30aon a server network device20with one or more processors on a first communications channel17via a communications network18,18′ from a first target network device14with one or more processors for a second target network device14′ with one or more processors. The electronic message is an RCS message with includes the text and graphics illustrated in box228.

The second target network device14′ cannot directly receive RCS messages. The RCS message application30aon the server network device20modifies electronic message13including: (1) one or more electronic links21to an RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device, and (2) a unique network identifier93to uniquely identify the second target network device14on the communications network18,18′, thereby creating a modified electronic message13′ including the textual information and link illustrated in box230.

The modified electronic message13′ from the first network device12is stored in the database20′ with the RCS message application30aon the server network device20.

The RCS message application30aon the server network device20Opens a secondary communications channel25(e.g., a non-RCS channel, etc.) from the messaging application30on the second network device14via the communications network18,18′.

Sending the modified electronic message13′ from the RCS message application30aon the server network device20to the second target network device14′ on the secondary communications channel25(e.g., a non-RCS channel, etc.) via the communications network18,18′, wherein the second target network device14′ does not direct access to RCS functionality, and wherein the second target network device14′ initiates an RCS share request via the messaging application30to share the modified electronic message13′ with RCS information228from the second target network device14with the list of stored contacts95for one or more third target network devices14′″ (only one of which is illustrated for simplicity) via the one or more electronic links21to the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20.

In one embodiment the second target network device14″ does not include RCS functionality and the one or more third target network devices14″′ arm sent a message, notification or prompt (e.g., radio button and text232, etc.), including a Push notification, with a call-to-action text, radio button or feature, link or instructional text to receive or launch the RCS-emulated experience from the RCS interoperability application30bon the server network device20(e.g., Steps218-224ofFIG.18C, etc.). However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

A “Push notification” is a platform notification service that enables application developers to send notification data to applications installed on target network devices. The notification information sent can include RCS messages, badges, sounds, audio, video, data updates and/or custom text alerts, etc.

In one embodiment, the recipient user's target network devices is sent a message, notification and/or prompt with a call-to-action text, button or feature, link or instructional text to receive or launch the native RCS or RCS-emulated experience. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and other embodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In another embodiment, the second target network device14″ includes RCS functionality and the one or more third target network devices14″′ are sent a message, notification or prompt (e.g., radio button and text232, etc.) including a Push notification with a cell-to-action text, radio button or feature, link or instructional text to receive or launch the RCS experience directly from RCS application30aon the server network device20(e.g., Steps212-216ofFIG.18B, etc.). However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and other embodiments an be used to practice the invention.

Using the primary native RCS channel and/or a secondary channel RCS emulated experience, a share experience is initiated by a user of a target network device by clicking a button, typing in text, clicking a share button, and/or other mechanism to start the sharing of the RCS experience, RCS message and/or RCS agent process.

A method and system for providing interoperability for Rich Communications Suite/Systems (RCS) messaging with RCS information sharing using plural channels is presented herein. If a target network device includes RCS functionality then RCS sharing (i.e., sharing a RCS message with plural other target network devices) is done directly on a RCS channel (e.g., a primary channel) with other target network devices. If a target devices does not include RCS functionality, RCS functionality is provided via a secondary channel (e.g., a non-RCS channel, etc.) by an RCS interoperability application on a server network device to provide a RCS-emulated experience for RCS sharing for the other target network devices.

It should be understood that the architecture, programs, processes, methods and systems described herein are not related or limited to any particular type of computer or network system (hardware or software), unless indicated otherwise. Various types of specialized computer systems may be used with or perform operations in accordance with the teachings described herein.

In view of the wide variety of embodiments to which the principles of the present invention can be applied, it should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention. For example, the steps of the flow diagrams may be taken in sequences other than those described, and more or fewer elements may be used in the block diagrams.

While various elements of the preferred embodiments have been described as being implemented in software, in other embodiments hardware or firmware implementations may alternatively be used, and vice-versa.

Therefore, all embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of the proceeding described and equivalents thereto are identified and claimed as the invention.