System of interoperability between MMS messages and SMS/EMS messages and an associated exchange method

Abstract

A message system is associated with a message domain which includes a mobile radio network, a message server conforming to a first standard referred to as the Enhanced Message Service and/or Short Message Service standard and/or a message server conforming to a second standard referred to as the Multimedia Message Service standard. The message domain further includes a message gateway which includes a database including a table of message profiles of terminals belonging to the message domain and is able to convert a message sent in accordance with the first standard into a message in accordance with the second standard.

1 . A method of exchanging messages between a first mobile terminal which is part of a first message domain and at least one second mobile terminal which is part of a second message domain, each domain including at least one mobile radio network, one message server conforming to a first standard, referred to as the enhanced message service/short message service standard, and/or one message server conforming to a second, standard, referred to as the multimedia message service standard, which method includes the following steps: 
 initiation of a message conforming to said first standard from a first terminal to at least one second terminal not compatible with said first standard to which said initiated message conforms;    transmission of said message by said message server conforming to said first standard to a message gateway including a database comprising a table of message profiles of terminals belonging to a message domain with which said gateway is associated;    conversion by said message gateway of said initiated message conforming to said first standard into a message conforming to said second standard supported by said destination terminal or terminals;    transmission of the converted message conforming to said second standard by said message gateway to said message server conforming to said second standard; and    delivery of said message conforming to said second standard by said server conforming to said second standard to said destination terminal or terminals.    
     
     
         2 . The method claimed in  claim 1  wherein an initiated message conforming to said first standard is converted into a message conforming to a second standard by said message gateway of said second domain of said destination terminal and said gateway determines the message standard or standards supported by the destination terminal listed in its table of message profiles.  
     
     
         3 . The method claimed in  claim 1  wherein an initiated message conforming to said first standard is converted into a message according to said second standard by said message gateway of said first domain of the terminal which initiated said message, said message conforming to said first standard including the address of said gateway in a header and including an information element indicating that data conforming to said second standard is included in the data of said message conforming to said first standard, said conversion of said message including extraction of said data conforming to said second standard.  
     
     
         4 . The method claimed in  claim 1  wherein said conversion is from a message conforming to a first version of said first standard to a message conforming to a second version of said first standard.  
     
     
         5 . The method claimed in  claim 1  wherein said table of profiles contained in said message gateway of a message domain is updated by sending from a terminal listed in said table to said message gateway an update short message including an information element containing the message profile or profiles of said terminal.  
     
     
         6 . The method claimed in  claim 5  wherein said table of profiles is updated automatically by said terminal at the time of a change of its message processing capacities.  
     
     
         7 . The method claimed in  claim 5  wherein said table of profiles is updated at the command of a user of said terminal.  
     
     
         8 . The method claimed in  claim 1  wherein said message domains of said terminal initiating said message and said terminal to which said message is addressed are one and the same.  
     
     
         9 . A message system associated with a message domain which includes a mobile radio network, a message server conforming to a first standard referred to as the Enhanced Message Service and/or Short Message Service standard and/or a message server conforming to a second standard referred to as the Multimedia Message Service standard, and a message gateway which includes a database including a table of message profiles of terminals belonging to said message domain and is able to convert a message sent in accordance with said first standard into a message in accordance with said second standard.  
     
     
         10 . The message system claimed in  claim 9  wherein said message gateway connects said message server conforming to said first standard and said message server conforming to said second standard of the same domain.  
     
     
         11 . The message system claimed in  claim 9  wherein said message gateway of a first domain is connected to said message gateway of a second domain.  
     
     
         12 . A Short Message Service short message initiated by a mobile radio terminal and containing user data including a header including information elements and a data text, wherein each information element includes an identification field followed by a field indicating the length of the data of said information element followed by the data of said information element and said header includes a profile information element whose identifier is associated with the updating of a message profile and whose data indicates the message standard or standards supported by the terminal which initiated said message.  
     
     
         13 . An Enhanced Message Service enhanced message initiated by a mobile radio terminal and including user data including a header including information elements and a data text, wherein each information element includes an identification field followed by a field indicating the length of the data of said information element followed by said data of said element and said header includes a Multimedia Message Service information element whose identifier indicates the presence of Multimedia Message Service information in said data of said message whose data indicates the length of said Multimedia Message Service information, which includes at least one Multimedia Message Service message header.