Instant Message Forwarding to Mobile via Contact List Association
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing instant messaging systems fail to efficiently forward messages to mobile devices when recipients are offline or unavailable, as they rely on the recipient's presence on the instant messaging service and configuration for mobile forwarding, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows sender-initiated mobile forwarding by associating mobile telephone numbers with instant message identities in contact lists, enabling messages to be forwarded as text messages to mobile devices even if the recipient is offline or unavailable, based on contact information and user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system relies on recipient presence on instant messaging service for message delivery, then message delivery reliability is improved when recipient is available, but message delivery capability deteriorates when recipient is offline or unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile telephone number as an intermediary communication channel between the instant messaging service and the recipient. When the recipient is offline or unavailable on the IM service, the system can forward the message to the recipient's mobile device via SMS, ensuring continuous message delivery capability without requiring the recipient to be present on the original IM platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The instant messaging system is enhanced to perform multiple delivery functions through a single integration point. The system can deliver messages both through traditional IM service and through mobile SMS, making the delivery mechanism universal and adaptable to different recipient availability states without requiring separate systems.
2Device complexity
If the system requires recipient configuration for mobile forwarding, then system complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates as it becomes cumbersome for users
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically detecting and utilizing the recipient's mobile telephone number from the contact list before message delivery is needed. The sender's contact information is pre-configured with mobile numbers, allowing the system to automatically initiate mobile forwarding without requiring the recipient to have configured any settings or taken any actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system serves itself by automatically determining when mobile forwarding is needed and executing the forwarding process without user intervention. The system monitors recipient availability status and autonomously decides to forward messages to mobile devices based on pre-stored contact information, eliminating the need for manual configuration or user actions.
3Ease of operation
If the system uses contact information association for automatic forwarding, then ease of operation is improved for senders, but device complexity increases due to additional association mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the contact information storage and mobile forwarding functionality into a single integrated mechanism. The mobile telephone numbers are stored and associated with contact entries in the sender's contact list, combining what would otherwise be separate functions (contact management and message forwarding) into a unified system that operates automatically.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described for forwarding an instant message addressed to an intended instant messaging recipient to the recipient's mobile telephone when the recipient's mobile telephone number is known to the instant message sender. In one example, an instant message is forwarded to the intended recipient's mobile telephone number when the instant message sender's contact information for the intended recipient includes an instant message address (e.g., a screen name or other type of instant message identifier) and a mobile telephone number, without dependence upon the intended recipient's presence on the instant message (IM) system or through actual login or registration with an IM forwarding service. In a more particular example, an address book of the instant message sender includes an entry for the intended recipient where the entry includes an instant message address and a mobile telephone number of the intended recipient.