Messaging system in a hybrid network and mobile communication environment

Abstract

Providing communication between a network communication device and a mobile communication device is disclosed. A server is in communication with a mobile communications network. The server communicates with mobile communication devices in the mobile communications network using a first protocol. The server monitors the state of each mobile communication device, and provides network state information for a group of mobile communication devices to a network communication device. The network communication device and the server communicate using a second protocol, and the network communication device is adapted to display network state information for the group of mobile communication devices and adapted to provide a user interface for communicating with the mobile communication devices. The network communication device includes logic for receiving network information for a communications network. The network information is related to the presence of a mobile communication device in the communications network. The network communication device also includes logic for transmitting a first message to the communications network

1 . A method comprising:
 before transmitting any user communication message to a mobile communications device, processing network presence information to determine whether the mobile communication device is present on a communications network;   responsive to determining that the mobile communication device is not present on the communications network, delaying the transmission of the first user communication message until the mobile communication device is present on the communications network; and   transmitting a first user communication message to the communications network for user messaging, wherein the communications network relays the first user communication message to the mobile communication device.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 displaying to a user information related to the network presence information.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the displayed information conveys that the mobile communication device is in a given state, the given state selected from a group consisting of off-network and on-network. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying information related to delivery comprising:
 prior to receiving a second user communication message from the communications network, displaying to a user information conveying that the first user communication message has not been received by the mobile communication device; and   responsive to receiving the second user communication message from the communications network, displaying to the user information conveying that the first user communication message has been received by the mobile communication device.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 providing the communications network with one identifier for each mobile communication device in a group of mobile communications devices;   receiving network information for a given mobile communication devices included in the group, wherein the network information is related to the presence of the given mobile communication device in the communications network.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the network information indicates that the given mobile communication device is in a given state, the given state selected from the group consisting of off-network and on-network. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further including:
 monitoring the presence of the mobile communication device in the communications network through a series of network information messages;   displaying to a user information indicating the current state of the mobile communications device in the communications network, wherein the current state is one of the group consisting of on-network and off-network; and   responsive to the state of the mobile communication device changing, displaying the new state of the mobile communication device.   
   
   
       8 . A method comprising:
 receiving from the user a first user communication message with a first protocol,   before transmitting any user communication message to a mobile communications device, processing network information to determine whether the mobile communication device is present on a communications network;   responsive to determining that the mobile communication device is not present on the communications network, delaying the transmission of a second user communication message until the mobile communication device is present on the communications network; and   transmitting to the mobile communications device a second user communication message with a second protocol.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first user communication message is an electronic email carried over the internet, and the protocol of the second user communication message is a Short Message Service protocol. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further including:
 receiving a third message from the mobile communication device, the third message confirming that the mobile communication device received the second user communication message; and   responsive to receiving the third message, transmitting a fourth message to the sender, wherein the fourth message confirms that the mobile communication device received the content of the first user communication message.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , further including:
 responsive to transmitting the second user communication message, transmitting a third message to the sender, wherein the third message confirms that the content of the first user communication message was transmitted to the mobile communication device.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , further including:
 monitoring the current state of the mobile communication device in the communications network, wherein the current state is one of the group consisting of on-network and off-network; and   responsive to the state of the mobile communication device changing, transmitting network information related to the change of state of the mobile communication device to the sender.   
   
   
       13 . A network communication device comprising:
 logic for, before transmitting any user communication message to a mobile communications device, processing network presence information to determine that the mobile communication device is not present on the communications network;   logic for delaying the transmission of a first user communication message until the mobile communication device is present on the communications network; and   logic for transmitting the first user communication message.   
   
   
       14 . The network communication device of  claim 13 , wherein the logic is embodied in a computer readable medium. 
   
   
       15 . The network communication device of  claim 13 , further including:
 logic for displaying to a user information related to the presence of the mobile communication device in the communications network.   
   
   
       16 . The network communication device of  claim 15 , wherein the displayed information conveys that the mobile communication device is in a given state, the given state selected from the group consisting of off-network and on-network. 
   
   
       17 . The network communication device of  claim 13 , further including:
 logic for displaying to a user information related to delivery of the first user communication message.   
   
   
       18 . The network communication device of  claim 13 , further including:
 logic for providing the communications network with one identifier for each mobile communication device in a group of mobile communications devices;   logic for receiving network information for a given mobile communication devices included in the group, wherein the network information is related to the presence of the given mobile communication device in the communications network.   
   
   
       19 . The network communication device of  claim 18 , wherein the network information indicates that the given mobile communication device is in a given state, the given state selected from the group consisting of off-network and on-network. 
   
   
       20 . The network communication device of  claim 13 , further including:
 logic for monitoring the presence of the mobile communication device in the communications network through a series of network information messages; and   logic for displaying to a user information indicating the current state of the mobile communications device in the communications network, wherein the current state is one of the group consisting of on-network and off-network; and   logic for displaying the new state of the mobile communication device, wherein the new state is displayed responsive to the state of the mobile communication device changing.