Transmission of MMS Messages with the Conversion of Data Types and/or Data Formats

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting data, a subscriber terminal, a computer program product, and a communications system that provides a sender of data or of a message with additional possibilities for sending data with a higher degree of flexibility for the error-free adaptation of every combination of data and data formats to a given communications system and/or provides the sender with an MMS user application. To this end, a data type and/or data format conversion (KONV) is carried out according to a profile of the recipient (B), whereby a respective reference (LK) to the maintaining of the validity f this reference (LK) is accordingly changes in the data and/or between different data elements of the data type and/or data format conversion (KONV).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method for communicating multimedia messages in a communication system comprising a transmitting terminal, a receiving terminal, and an intermediate terminal connected between the transmitting terminal and receiving terminal, the method comprising:
 receiving at the intermediate terminal a multimedia message transmitted by the transmitting terminal according to a multimedia messaging standard, the multimedia message comprising a first data element and a second data element, wherein the first data element includes a link identifying the second data element, the link including a filename extension;   the intermediate terminal automatically performing at least one of a data type and a data format conversion of the second data element based on a profile of the receiving terminal specifying at least one of data types and data formats supported by the receiving terminal;   the intermediate terminal automatically updating at least the filename extension of the link such that the updated link identifies the converted second data element supported by the receiving terminal; and   the intermediate terminal transmitting the multimedia message, including (a) the converted second data element supported by the receiving terminal and (b) the first data element including the updated link identifying the converted second data element, for delivery to the receiving terminal.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the filename extension indicates at least one of a data type and a data format of the second data element; and   automatically updating at least the filename extension comprises updating the filename extension based on the automatic conversion of the at least one of the data type and the data format.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the link includes a file name and the filename extension; and   automatically updating at least the filename extension comprises updating the filename extension while leaving the file name unchanged.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the intermediate terminal automatically performing at least one of a data type and a data format conversion of the second data element comprises converting a data type or data format of the second data element from a data type or data format that the receiving terminal is unable to display to a data type or data format that the receiving terminal is able to display. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the intermediate terminal is a provider of the receiving terminal. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising verifying the updated link in the multimedia message. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising preparing the multimedia message for transmission as a plurality of data packets containing a header to transport organization information and a body to transmit appropriate payload information as data elements including the first and second data elements. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the multimedia message comprises a Multimedia Message (MM) transmitted in a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). 
     
     
         33 . A relay server for communicating multimedia messages in a communications system;
 wherein the relay server is connected between a transmitting terminal and a receiving terminal; and   wherein the relay server is configured to:   receive a multimedia message transmitted by the transmitting terminal according to a multimedia messaging standard, the multimedia message comprising a first data element and a second data element, wherein the first data element includes a link identifying the second data element, the link including a filename extension;   automatically perform at least one of a data type and a data format conversion of the second data element based on a profile of the receiving terminal specifying at least one of data types and data formats supported by the receiving terminal;   automatically update at least the filename extension of the link such that the updated link identifies the converted second data element supported by the receiving terminal; and   transmit the multimedia message for delivery to the receiving terminal, the multimedia message including (a) the converted second data element supported by the receiving terminal and (b) the first data element including the updated link identifying the converted second data element.   
     
     
         34 . The relay server of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the filename extension indicates at least one of a data type and a data format of the second data element; and   automatically updating at least the filename extension comprises updating the filename extension based on the automatic conversion of the at least one of the data type and the data format.   
     
     
         35 . The relay server of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the link includes a file name and the filename extension; and   automatically updating at least the filename extension comprises updating the filename extension while leaving the file name unchanged.   
     
     
         36 . The relay server of  claim 33 , wherein the intermediate terminal automatically performing at least one of a data type and a data format conversion of the second data element comprises converting a data type or data format of the second data element from a data type or data format that the receiving terminal is unable to display to a data type or data format that the receiving terminal is able to display. 
     
     
         37 . The relay server of  claim 33 , wherein the intermediate terminal is a provider of the receiving terminal. 
     
     
         38 . The relay server of  claim 33 , further comprising verifying the updated link in the multimedia message. 
     
     
         39 . The relay server of  claim 33 , further comprising preparing the multimedia message for transmission as a plurality of data packets containing a header to transport organization information and a body to transmit appropriate payload information as data elements including the first and second data elements. 
     
     
         40 . The relay server of  claim 33 , wherein the multimedia message comprises a Multimedia Message (MM) transmitted in a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). 
     
     
         41 . A computer program product embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media and executable by a processor to perform the steps of:
 receiving a multimedia message transmitted by a transmitting terminal according to a multimedia messaging standard, the multimedia message comprising a first data element and a second data element, wherein the first data element includes a link identifying the second data element, the link including a filename extension;   performing at least one of a data type and a data format conversion of the second data element based on a profile of a receiving terminal specifying at least one of data types and data formats supported by the receiving terminal; and   updating at least the filename extension of the link such that the updated link identifies the converted second data element supported by the receiving terminal; and   communicating the multimedia message for processing by the receiving terminal, the multimedia message including (a) the converted second data element supported by the receiving terminal and (b) the first data element including the updated link identifying the converted second data element.   
     
     
         42 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein:
 the filename extension indicates at least one of a data type and a data format of the second data element; and   the step of updating at least the filename extension comprises updating the filename extension based on the automatic conversion of the at least one of the data type and the data format.   
     
     
         43 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein:
 the link includes a file name and the filename extension; and   the step of updating at least the filename extension comprises updating the filename extension while leaving the file name unchanged.   
     
     
         44 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein the step of performing at least one of a data type and a data format conversion of the second data element comprises converting a data type or data format of the second data element from a data type or data format that the receiving terminal is unable to display to a data type or data format that the receiving terminal is able to display. 
     
     
         45 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein the intermediate terminal is a provider of the receiving terminal. 
     
     
         46 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , further executable to verify the updated link in the multimedia message. 
     
     
         47 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , further executable to prepare the multimedia message for transmission as a plurality of data packets containing a header to transport organization information and a body to transmit appropriate payload information as data elements including the first and second data elements. 
     
     
         48 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein the multimedia message comprises a Multimedia Message (MM) transmitted in a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).