Method and system for managing message threads in converged ip messaging service

Abstract

A mechanism to enable multiple message threads management in the context of the Converged IP Messaging (CPM) service and in the context of CPM inter-working with SMS is provided. A CPM user can simply start a message-based conversation with another CPM or Short Message Service (SMS) user without explicitly establishing a session beforehand. All messages that belong to a given conversation are displayed in the corresponding conversational view (i.e. window) in the CPM user device, even if the conversation is stopped and restarted at a later time, and even if there are multiple message threads available (currently active or stored) in the CPM device. Message structures and behavior of the CPM system elements to enable the functionalities above as well as a mechanism makes the message threads management possible even between a CPM user and an SMS user are also provided.

1  A Converged Internet Protocol Message (CPM) system for managing multiple message threads and supporting a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based Converged Internet Protocol Messaging Service (CPMS), the CPM system comprising:
 a CPM client for which the CPMS is supported;   a non-IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) client that has not joined an IMS service; and   an Inter-Working Function (IWF) for, when a recipient client of the CPM client is appointed as the non-IMS client by a CPM server and the IWF receives an SIP message for conversational message communication, converting a message format of the SIP message into a message format that can be received by the recipient client, inserting a thread identifier (ID) included in the SIP message into the converted message, and transmitting the converted message to the recipient client via a server supporting the recipient client.   
   
   
       2 . The CPM system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the non-IMS client that has not joined the IMS service is a Mobile Station (MS) for which a Short Message Service (SMS) is supported;   the IWF converts the SIP message to an SMS SUBMIT Protocol Data Unit (SMS_SUBMIT PDU), inserts the thread ID into a control parameter of a TP user data header of the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, and transmits the control parameter to a Short Message Service Center (SMSC); and   the SMSC receives the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, converts the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to an SMS DELIVERY Protocol Data Unit (SMS_DELIVER PDU), inserts the thread ID into a control parameter of a TP user data header of the SMS_DELIVER PDU, and transmits the control parameter to the MS.   
   
   
       3 . The CPM system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the non-IMS client that has not joined the IMS service is an MS for which an SMS is supported;   the IWF converts the SIP message to an SMS_SUBMIT PDU, inserts the thread ID into a message thread information field of a TP user data header of the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, and transmits the control parameter to an SMSC; and   the SMSC receives the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, converts the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to an SMS_DELIVER PDU, inserts the thread ID into a message thread information field of a TP user data header of the SMS_DELIVER PDU, and transmits the control parameter to the MS.   
   
   
       4 . A Converged Internet Protocol Message (CPM) system for managing multiple message threads and supporting a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based Converged Internet Protocol Messaging Service (CPMS), the CPM system comprising:
 a CPM client for which the CPMS is supported;   a non-IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) client that has not joined an IMS service; and   an Inter-Working Function (IWF) for, when a recipient client of the CPM client is appointed as the non-IMS client by a CPM server and the IWF receives an SIP message for conversational message communication, detecting and storing a thread identifier (ID) from the SIP message, converting a message format of the SIP message into a message format that can be received by the recipient client, transmitting the converted message to the recipient client via a server supporting the recipient client, converting a message received from the recipient client within a predetermined valid reply period to an SIP message, inserting the stored thread ID into the converted SIP message, and transmitting the SIP message to the CPM client via the CPM server.   
   
   
       5 . The CPM system of  claim 4 , wherein the IWF deletes the stored thread ID when there is no message received from the recipient client within the valid reply period. 
   
   
       6 . The CPM system of  claim 5 , wherein, when the recipient client of the CPM client is appointed as the non-IMS client by the CPM server and the IWF receives an SIP message for conversational message communication, the IWF detects the thread ID, a recipient address, and an originator address from the SIP message, checks if a thread ID, a recipient address, and an originator address corresponding to the detected thread ID, the recipient address, and the originator address are stored in a database, stores the detected thread ID, the recipient address, and the originator address and sets the valid reply period when the corresponding thread ID, the recipient address, and the originator address are stored in the database, resets the valid reply period previously set in accordance with the detected thread ID when the corresponding thread ID, the recipient address, and the originator address are not stored in the database, converts the message format of the SIP message into the message format that can be received by the recipient client, and transmits the converted message to the recipient client via the server supporting the recipient client. 
   
   
       7 . The CPM system of  claim 5 , wherein, when the IWF receives a message from the server supporting the recipient client, the IWF detects a recipient address and an originator address from the received message, checks if a recipient address and an originator address corresponding to the detected recipient address and the originator address are stored in a database, extracts a thread ID corresponding to the addresses, converts a message format of the received message into the message format of the SIP message, resets a valid reply period corresponding to the thread ID, inserts the thread ID into the message, and transmits the converted message to the CPM client. 
   
   
       8 . A Converged Internet Protocol Message (CPM) system for managing multiple message threads and supporting a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based Converged Internet Protocol Messaging Service (CPMS), the CPM system comprising:
 a CPM client for which the CPMS is supported;   a Mobile Station (MS) for which a Short Message Service (SMS) is supported;   an Inter-Working Function (IWF) for, when a recipient client of the CPM client is appointed as the MS by a CPM server and the IWF receives an SIP message for conversational message communication, converting a message format of the SIP message into a message format of an SMS SUBMIT Protocol Data Unit (SMS_SUBMIT PDU), setting sub-address digits of a TP destination address of the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to a thread identifier (ID) detected from the SIP message, and transmitting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to a Short Message Service Center (SMSC); and   the SMSC for receiving the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, converting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to an SMS DELIVERY Protocol Data Unit (SMS_DELIVER PDU), setting sub-address digits of a TP originator address of the SMS_DELIVERY PDU to the thread ID, and transmitting the SMS_DELIVERY PDU to the MS.   
   
   
       9 . A method for managing a message thread including a series of messages transmitted to and received from a same counterpart by a Converged Internet Protocol Message (CPM) client supporting a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based Converged Internet Protocol Messaging Service (CPMS), the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a request for transmission of a message for conversational message communication from a recipient;   when the message is a first message of a new message thread associated with the recipient, allocating a new thread ID to the new message thread, storing the new thread identifier (ID) in relation to the recipient, inserting the new thread ID into the message, and transmitting the message;   when the message is a subsequent message in an existing message thread associated with the recipient, detecting a thread ID allocated in accordance with the existing message thread, inserting the allocated thread ID in the message, and transmitting the message;   receiving the message for conversational message communication; and   when the received message includes a thread ID, providing a user with the received message with messages included in a message thread corresponding to the thread ID included in the received message.   
   
   
       10 . A method for managing a message thread including a series of messages transmitted to and received from a same counterpart by a Converged Internet Protocol Message (CPM) client supporting a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based Converged Internet Protocol Messaging Service (CPMS), the method comprising the steps of:
 transmitting, by a CPM client for conversational message communication, an SIP message that includes a thread identifier (ID) allocated to a message thread associated with a recipient appointed as a non-IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) client that has not joined an IMS service; and   when an Inter-Working Function (IWF) receives the SIP message through a CPM server, converting a message format of the SIP message into a message format that can be received by the recipient, inserting the thread ID in the converted message, and transmitting the converted message to the recipient, by the IWF.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 when the recipient is a Mobile Station (MS) for which a Short Message Service (SMS) is supported, converting the SIP message into an SMS SUBMIT Protocol Data Unit (SMS_SUBMIT PDU), inserting the thread ID into a control parameter of a TP user data header of the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, and transmitting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to a Short Message Service Center (SMSC), by the IWF; and   when the SMSC receives the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, converting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU into an SMS DELIVERY Protocol Data Unit (SMS_DELIVER PDU), inserting the thread ID into a control parameter of a TP user data header of the SMS_DELIVER PDU, and transmitting the SMS_DELIVER PDU to the MS, by the SMSC.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 when the recipient is an MS for which an SMS is supported, converting the SIP message into an SMS_SUBMIT PDU, inserting the thread ID into a message thread information field of a TP user data header of the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, and transmitting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to an SMSC, by the IWF; and   when the SMSC receives the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, converting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU into an SMS_DELIVER PDU, inserting the thread ID into a message thread information field of a TP user data header of the SMS_DELIVER PDU, and transmitting the SMS_DELIVER PDU to the MS, by the SMSC.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 when the recipient is an MS for which an SMS is supported, converting the SIP message into an SMS_SUBMIT PDU, inserting the thread ID into a body of a TP user data header of the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, and transmitting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to an SMSC, by the IWF; and   when the SMSC receives the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, converting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU into an SMS_DELIVER PDU, inserting the thread ID into a body of a TP user data header of the SMS_DELIVER PDU, and transmitting the SMS_DELIVER PDU to the MS, by the SMSC.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 when the recipient is an MS for which an SMS is supported, converting the SIP message into an SMS_SUBMIT PDU, setting sub-address digits of a TP destination address of the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to the thread ID, and transmitting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU to an SMSC, by the IWF; and   receiving the SMS_SUBMIT PDU, converting the SMS_SUBMIT PDU into an SMS_DELIVER PDU, setting sub-address digits of a TP originator address of the SMS_DELIVER PDU to the thread ID, and transmitting the SMS_DELIVER PDU to the MS, by the SMSC.   
   
   
       15 . A method for managing a message thread including a series of messages transmitted to and received from a same counterpart in a Converged Internet Protocol Message (CPM) system supporting a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based Converged Internet Protocol Messaging Service (CPMS), the method comprising the steps of:
 transmitting, by a CPM client for conversational message communication, an SIP message that includes a thread identifier (ID) allocated to a message thread associated with a recipient appointed as a non-IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) client that has not joined an IMS service; and   when an Inter-Working Function (IWF) receives the SIP message through a CPM server, storing the thread ID, an address of the CPM client, and a recipient address, setting a predetermined valid reply period corresponding to the thread ID, converting a message format of the SIP message into a message format that can be received by the recipient, and transmitting the converted SIP message to the recipient through a server supporting the recipient, by the IWF; and   when the IWF receives a message from the recipient within the predetermined valid reply period, converting the message received from the recipient into the SIP message, inserting the stored thread ID into the SIP message, and transmitting the SIP message to the CPM client via the CPM server, by the IWF.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising deleting the stored thread ID by the IWF when there is no message received from the recipient client within the valid reply period. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein converting a message format of the SIP message into a message format that can be received by the recipient and transmitting the converted SIP message to the recipient through a server supporting the recipient by the IWF comprises:
 searching a database for the thread ID, the address of the CPM client, and the recipient address;   when the thread ID, the recipient address, and an originator address are not included in the database, storing the thread ID, the recipient address, and the originator address in the database and setting the valid reply period;   when the thread ID, the recipient address, and the originator address are included in the database, resetting the valid reply period previously set in accordance with the thread ID; and   converting a message format of the SIP message into a message format that can be received by the recipient client, and transmitting the converted message to the recipient via the server supporting the recipient client.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein converting the message received from the recipient into the SIP message, inserting the stored thread ID into the SIP message, and transmitting the SIP message to the CPM client via the CPM server by the IWF comprises:
 when the IWF receives a message within the valid reply period from the recipient, detecting a recipient address and an originator address included in the received message;   when the database includes a recipient address and an originator address corresponding to the detected addresses, extracting a thread ID corresponding to the addresses; and   resetting the valid reply period corresponding to the thread ID, converting a message format of the message into a message format of the SIP message, inserting the converted message format into the thread ID, and transmitting the converted message to the CPM client.