Disposition Notifications for IM-to-SMS Message Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

When an Instant Messaging (IM) message is interworked to a Short Message Service (SMS) due to a recipient mobile station not supporting advanced notification features or being out of coverage, the sender loses awareness of the advanced notification functionalities, leading to inconsistent messaging experiences.

Innovation Solution

A messaging application server converts the IM message to an SMS format and generates a disposition notification message indicating delivery via a different protocol, allowing the sender to adjust expectations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If IM message interworking to SMS is performed when recipient is not operative to receive IM, then message delivery capability is improved, but advanced notification functionalities are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage delivery capabilityVSAvoidadvanced notification functionalities

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The messaging application server acts as an intermediary between the IM network and SMS network. It receives the IM message, determines the recipient cannot receive IM, converts the message to SMS format, and crucially generates a disposition notification message to inform the sender of the protocol conversion. This mediator preserves information about the interworking that occurred.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by generating and transmitting a disposition notification message back to the sender mobile station. This notification provides feedback about the message delivery status and indicates that interworking to a different protocol occurred, allowing the sender to adjust expectations about notification functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If IM message is converted to SMS format, then compatibility with legacy mobile stations is improved, but service consistency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecompatibilityVSAvoidservice consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The messaging application server serves as a mediator that maintains service consistency by transparently handling the protocol conversion. It preserves the original IM message content while converting only the transport protocol, and adds disposition notification information to maintain service transparency across different network types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the protocol parameter from IM to SMS based on recipient capability, while maintaining other message parameters intact. The disposition notification message includes information about the protocol change, allowing the sender's device to adjust its service expectations while the core message content remains consistent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If disposition notification message is generated indicating delivery via different protocol, then sender awareness is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesender awarenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The messaging application server performs multiple functions: receiving IM messages, determining recipient capability, converting to SMS format, generating disposition notifications, and transmitting to the IM network. This multi-functional approach consolidates complexity in a single server rather than requiring complex logic in multiple network elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a copy of the disposition notification message that mirrors the original message delivery status while adding information about the protocol interworking. This copying approach allows the sender's device to process the notification without requiring complex interworking logic, as the server has already performed the analysis and generated the appropriate notification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS12489726B2Method and system for reporting message disposition in a communication network

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

Methods, servers and mobile stations are provided to allow a sender mobile station which has transmitted a message toward a recipient mobile station via a first protocol to be notified that the message has been delivered to the recipient mobile station via a different protocol. The sender mobile station may be notified that the message was delivered to the recipient mobile station via a different protocol method via a disposition notification message comprising an indication that the message was delivered to the recipient mobile station via a different protocol.