HK1216967B - Transmission of a multimedia message doubled with the transmission of a text message - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the management of the wait for a notification of an acknowledgment of receipt M_AR, used by a first terminal T1 that has sent a multimedia message MM to a second terminal T2. Said management involves a method in which the terminal T1 measures a period of waiting for the notification of acknowledgment of receipt M_AR of the multimedia message MM sent to the terminal T2. If the waiting period exceeds a predetermined threshold, the terminal T generates a text message M_SMS for notifying the availability of the multimedia message MM, to be sent the terminal T2. The method provides the deletion of text messages M_SMS received by the terminal T2, when they are duplicates of the multimedia messages MM. The invention further claims a computer system and program for implementing the method. Said management is particularly useful in instant messaging.

Description

The present invention relates to a multimedia message transmission between two terminals, including mobile terminals.

It concerns in particular the management of the waiting time for an acknowledgement of receipt notification, which is implemented by the terminal that sent the multimedia message.

multimedia message a message, including but not limited to instant messaging messages within an instant messaging service, containing one or more multimedia content such as an image, video, audio content, or other.

Modern telecommunications terminals can transmit multimedia messages or files over dedicated multimedia data networks such as GPRS, EDGE, H, H+, 3G, 4G, WIFI, Internet. Multimedia messages can be sent as an e-mail message or via an application of Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) or IM instant messaging services, or via a client-server application on an Internet-type network.

Multimedia messaging service applications MMS provide that a notification text message containing a URL link to a message or multimedia file stored on a server via the Internet is sent to the receiving terminal if, for example, the receiving terminal is not compatible with these applications or is not able to receive MMS.

Instant messaging services on mobile telephony platforms also use SMS to send text messages instead of multimedia messages when the messaging service is not accessible via the multimedia data network. For example, if a first terminal, the sender, is located in an area that does not allow the transmission of multimedia data or access to one of the multimedia data networks, it sends a text message via the conventional GSM/CDMA network to the second terminal, the recipient.

Some IM applications implement presence systems that tell a first terminal that a second receiving terminal is connected to the service. One could envisage that if the presence system tells the second terminal that the service is not connected, then the first terminal sends a text message via SMS to the second terminal.

However, this type of sending/receiving management of multimedia or text messages would present at least one drawback.

The user of the terminal receiving multimedia messages should connect to a multimedia network to be notified of new multimedia messages received. Indeed, until they can connect to this type of network, they are unaware of the multimedia messages awaiting reception. It could be expected that the terminal receiving a multimedia message would also receive a text message notification of the availability of the multimedia message. However, the acknowledgement system would cause duplicate messages on the second terminal when the multimedia message and the text message notification of the reception of the multimedia message are received.

Also, presence systems are unreliable. They may erroneously tell the first terminal that the second terminal is not connected to the service. Consequently, the first terminal would send an SMS message to the second terminal while sending a multimedia message is possible. Conversely, they may erroneously tell the user of the first terminal that the second terminal is connected to the service. Consequently, the first terminal would send a multimedia message to the second terminal that is not connected to the instant messaging service, the user of the second terminal having no knowledge of receiving the multimedia message.

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The present invention improves the situation.

It proposes a method for transmitting a multimedia message from a first terminal to a second terminal, in which the second terminal to the first terminal is to be notified of an acknowledgement of receipt by the second terminal of the multimedia message. the first terminal measures a waiting time for the acknowledgement of receipt notification, and if the waiting time exceeds a predetermined threshold, the first terminal generates a text message for the second terminal.

Typically, the text message can be carried over a network that does not require the means of a network capable of transferring multimedia content.

Thus, the multimedia message is transmitted via a first telecommunications network and the text message is transmitted by the first terminal via a second network.

This can benefit from improved reliability and user experience for a terminal by making optimum use of both types of network, e.g. multimedia data (e.g. data) for the first network and conventional (e.g. GSM/CDMA) data for the second network, respectively.

In one embodiment, the text message contains a multimedia message availability information for the second terminal. For example, depending on whether the first terminal has access to a conventional type network or a multimedia type network, the method according to this embodiment of the invention provides for sending a text message and/or a multimedia message, without taking into account indications from unreliable presence systems. Thus, if the first terminal has access to the multimedia network it always delivers a multimedia message to the second terminal, the waiting time system of a first terminal acknowledgement implemented on the second terminal can guarantee, if the receipt time of the accused of deception exceeds a threshold, automatically sending a text message (e.g. SMS notification type), so that the second terminal provides greater reliability of the delivery of messages via a single channel, for example if it was used to provide availability coverage, and the second terminal provides greater reliability of the delivery of text messages via a single channel.

The connection status can be interpreted, for example, by an application implemented on the first terminal. It automatically switches from the available network, in order of preference network data to network GSM/CDMA for example, to send a text message only.

The user of the first terminal thus has an efficient and reliable feedback on the routing status of the text or multimedia messages he has sent.

As an example, the invention has an advantageous but not limited application to the management of instant messaging (or tchat ) including multimedia content and supported by a dedicated server.

In such an embodiment, the multimedia message is then a message in an instant messaging application, and it is intended to transit through a dedicated server between the first and second terminals.

The first terminal assigns to each multimedia message its own ID. Preferably, if no acknowledgment of receipt of a multimedia message is received after the waiting period, the first terminal assigns to a generated text message a signature of the ID of that multimedia message. Thus, upon receipt of a text message, the second terminal can then compare the signature of the text message to at least one ID of a multimedia message received by the second terminal, and in case of a match, the second terminal deletes the received text message.

Thus, the second terminal will delete the text messages of the multimedia message availability notification as soon as the multimedia message has been received by the second terminal.

By filtering the display of SMS messages received in addition to the multimedia messages, the second terminal effectively removes text availability notification messages considered duplicates of the multimedia messages. The present invention also relates to a system with at least one first terminal and one second terminal, as claimed 6.

The present invention also concerns a computer program containing instructions for the implementation of the general process within the meaning of the invention when implemented by a terminal processor of the above type.

The general algorithm of such a program may be represented by an organization chart such as that in Figure 5 commented on below.

The computer program for implementing the general process within the meaning of the invention may be, for example, a specific plugin aggregated with a general software application such as, for example, an application specific to an instant messaging service installed on each terminal. This application, thus enriched, allows the automatic management of both types of network as well as the management of duplicates (in an optional but advantageous embodiment mode) and receipt charges for text messages (e.g. SMS type) or multimedia messages transmitted or received.

In order to interact with both types of messages (multimedia and SMS), the application integrates both the instant multimedia messaging service and a generally native SMS messaging service, from the first or second terminal, which allows interception/access to SMS transmission/reception/storage functions. The application also integrates network access status management, which allows it to use the second network (e.g. GSM/CDMA type) for text messages when the first network (data type) is not available. These different integrations within the first terminal and/or second terminal allow for efficient and real-time interpretation of the status of available channels and messengers.

Further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description below of examples of the realization of the invention and from the examination of drawings on which: Figure 1 illustrates a first multimedia message transmission scenario requiring the transmission of an SMS message after a timeout, where the second terminal does not have access to an appropriate network,Figure 2 illustrates a second multimedia message transmission scenario requiring the transmission of an SMS message after a timeout, where the first terminal does not receive an acknowledgement of receipt due to the second terminal not having access to an appropriate network,Figure 3 illustrates a third multimedia message transmission scenario requiring the transmission of an SMS message after a timeout,for failure of acknowledgement of receipt by the first terminal due to failure of access to an appropriate network by the first terminal,Figure 4 illustrates an example of a process implementing a timing in the sense of the invention at the first terminal,Figure 5 illustrates an example of a process implementing a suppression of duplicate SMS messages at the second terminal,in a mode of implementation of the invention,Figure 6 schematically illustrates the elements of a terminal to implement a process according to any of the scenarios in Figures 1 to 3.

First, reference is made to Figure 1 on which a system within the meaning of the invention consists of: a first T1 terminal connected to a multimedia type A1 and conventional A2 network managed by telecommunications operator A,a second T2 terminal connected to a multimedia type B1 and conventional B2 network managed by telecommunications operator B,and,in the example described herein, an instant messaging server 10.

A mobile or telecommunications terminal is a device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet, etc., typically comprising (reference to Figure 6) an E signal input and an S signal output connected to an ANT antenna and a PROC processor associated with MEM working memory. The application implemented on the terminals in this implementation example described below is an instant messaging application. Thus, instant messaging server is a dedicated server capable of instantly receiving and transmitting, if necessary storing and managing, multimedia messages between two terminals hosting an instant messaging application, via a multimedia network. It can typically be integrated into an instant messaging platform consisting of the dedicated server 10, a software application that involves the server via one or more communication networks.

A multimedia network is any communication network that uses a set of communication protocols, whether or not transferred by packet, capable of transmitting multimedia data such as text, sound, speech, images and/or video.

A conventional network is any communication network that uses a set of communication protocols, capable of transmitting text data mainly.

In the following, it is noted that operator B can be the same operator as A.

The T1 and T2 terminals implement an instant messaging application, in cooperation with the dedicated server 10 which provides the transmission of multimedia content disguised as instant messages that are exchanged between the T1 and T2 terminals.

In the scenario in Figure 1, the receiving terminal T2 does not have access to the multimedia network B1. The receiving terminal T1 sends an MM multimedia message via the multimedia network A1 to the destination terminal T2. The latter, not receiving the MM multimedia message from the IM server 10, does not send an acknowledgement of receipt M_AR of the MM multimedia message to the terminal T1. The IM application implements a timeout, as described in the invention. In the scenario illustrated in Figure 1, the predetermined time to wait for the notification of acknowledgement of receipt of the MM multimedia message by the terminal T1 is exceeded,and the T1 terminal sends an M_SMS text message in the form of an SMS message via the conventional network A2 to the destination terminal T2. The M_SMS text message contains MM multimedia message availability information to inform the T2 terminal user that an MM multimedia message is available when access to the B1 multimedia network is established. When the second T2 terminal accesses the B1 multimedia network, it receives the MM multimedia message and possibly carries out a redundant message removal (as described below with reference to Figure 5).

Each MM multimedia message is sent with a unique MMi identifier. The identifier is generated by the IM application software before or simultaneously with the sending of the MM multimedia message and incorporates data relating to the transmitting terminal T1-receiving terminal T2 torque.

In an example of implementation, an identifier may be provided, including: a local identifier of the T1 terminal (for example a telephone number in E.164 format), and/or a local identifier of the T2 terminal, and/or an IM (or platform) ID.

The MMi identifier is preferably short and contains as few characters as possible to limit the overload of multimedia and SMS messages.

If, after timing, the acknowledgement of receipt of the MM multimedia message does not reach the T1 terminal within a predetermined time (e.g. a few minutes), the M_SMS text notification message, which is sent by SMS message, contains an SGN signature of the unique MMi identifier.

Each identifier and message ID signature received by the T2 terminal is stored in the MEM memory of the T2 terminal in a dedicated table (reference S53 in Figure 5). When the MMi ID of an MM multimedia message actually received from the T2 terminal and stored in memory is identical to the MMi ID from a subsequently received M_SMS text message signature (reference SGN in Figure 5 commented on below), the M_SMS text message is deleted.

Figure 2 represents a system with similar elements to those shown in Figure 1. The common references refer to equipment of the same kind. In this scenario, the first terminal sends a multimedia message 21 to the second terminal T2. The terminal T2 receives the multimedia message MM but the M_AR acknowledgement is not transmitted to terminal T1 due to lack of access to the multimedia network by the terminal T2. Timing as described in the invention is implemented in terminal T1. If the predetermined waiting time for the notification of acknowledgement of receipt of the multimedia message MM by the terminal T1 is exceeded, then the terminal T1 sends an instantaneous text message M_SMS in the form of an SMS message via the terminal A2 to the terminal T2. In this scenario, a user can not delete messages T2 from the terminal T2 because the terminal terminal terminal does not have a standard T2 terminal, the text message M_SMS is temporarily deleted. In this scenario, the terminal T2 terminal does not have a reader.

In this scenario, the first terminal sends a multimedia MM message to the second terminal T2. The terminal T2 receives the multimedia MM message and then sends the M_AR acknowledgement of the multimedia message to the terminal T1 via the multimedia network. Here, the terminal T1 has no access to the multimedia network. It cannot therefore receive the acknowledgement of receipt. Timing is then implemented in the terminal T1 and, after this timing, in the absence of terminal acknowledgement, the terminal T1 decides to send an M_S_S availability notification SMS message via the terminal T2 AMS network. In this scenario, the M_S_S is not received and the text message is deleted from the terminal terminal.

Figure 4 shows an example of a process implementing a timing in the sense of the invention in the first terminal T1. In step S40, the terminal T1 sends a multimedia MM message. A loop counter N is initialized in step S41. In test step T42, it is checked whether the receiver has reached the terminal T1 ( AR Recep ). If so (OK arrow), in step S43, the process ends (END).consisting of steps S44 and T45, respectively, consisting, for example, of adding a time unit (e.g. from the H clock in Figure 6) to the N=N+1 meter (Step S44) and comparing the N meter with a chosen THR time threshold (Test T45), for example 15 seconds, and with a chosen THR time threshold of 2 minutes. If the time value of the N meter reaches or exceeds the THR time threshold (OK arrow), the T1 terminal sends an SMS message at step S46. Otherwise (KO arrow), return to test step T42 to determine whether to accept or reject.

Now referring to Figure 5, a process of deleting duplicate SMS messages is implemented at terminal T2 following a non-reception by terminal T1 of the acknowledgement of receipt of the multimedia message after the timing, and the sending by terminal T1 of the MM multimedia message availability notification SMS message to terminal T2. At step S51, terminal T2 therefore receives the notification SMS message ( Reception SMS ). At step S52, the multimedia message ID SGN signature is extracted from the above notification SMS message. Terminal T2 contains a table of MM#1, MM#2, MM#3, M#Mi, ..., this table archives each multimedia message actually received. This table is updated by terminal T2 by adding a new multimedia message to each received message and updating the T2 terminal.

In the test step T54, the ID table at step S53 is accessed to compare the SGN signature of the received MM media message ID to the IDs in the table above. If the SGN signature matches one of the MMi identifiers (OK arrow at the T54 test exit), the received SMS message is deleted. Otherwise (KO arrow), at step S55, the terminal T2 displays the SMS message to inform the user of the terminal T2 of the availability of a MM multimedia message. In one implementation, the M_SMS text message may contain an activated link containing the MM multimedia message ID, so that the above implementation of the SMS message (e.g. a URL included in the T2 network query) serves to temporarily activate the multimedia message via the terminal (e.g. B101, where the multimedia message serves a server or serves a multimedia message stored at the terminal B102, where the message is temporarily activated by the server).

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above; it extends to other variants.

It will be understood that the above scenarios are not limited in any way. In a scenario not depicted in the drawings, the first terminal can send a text message to the second terminal via an instant messaging application via the multimedia network. If the second terminal does not receive this text message, and ultimately does not send an acknowledgement to the first terminal, the timing step according to the invention can be implemented. Nevertheless, a text message (e.g. SMS) can still be sent after this timing and taking the form, in this scenario, of a multimedia message, without multimedia content (keeping only the text multimedia message).

The second terminal may not receive the multimedia message for reasons other than lack of access to the multimedia network. For example, if the mail server is failing, it is unable to transmit the multimedia message, or the acknowledgement or both. In these cases, the user of the second terminal is nevertheless notified by SMS message of the availability of the multimedia message, and the user of the first terminal receives the acknowledgement of the notification SMS message.

Of course, the text message, such as the text message in the above description, can be in another form, but still purely text.

Claims (8)

1. Method for transmitting a multimedia message (MM) from a first terminal (T1) to a second terminal (T2), wherein notification (M_AR) of an acknowledgement of receipt, from the second terminal (T2) to the first terminal (T1), is provided by the second terminal (T2) for said multimedia message (MM), wherein:

   - the first terminal (T1) measures a period of waiting for the notification of acknowledgment of receipt (M_AR),

   - if said waiting period exceeds a predetermined threshold (THR), the first terminal (T1) generates a text message (M_SMS) to be sent to the second terminal (T2),

   - the first terminal (T1) assigns an identifier (MMi) to each multimedia message (MM),

   - the first terminal (T1), in the absence of acknowledgment (M_AR) of receipt of a multimedia message (MM) after the waiting period, assigns to a generated text message (M_SMS) a signature (SGN) of the identifier (MMi) of said multimedia message (MM),

   - upon receiving a text message (M_SMS), the second terminal (T2) compares the signature (SGN) of the text message (M_SMS) to at least one identifier (MMi) contained in a multimedia message (MM) received by the second terminal (T2), and if they match, the second terminal (T2) removes said text message (M_SMS) received.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia message (MM) is transmitted via a first telecommunications network, and said text message (M_SMS) is transmitted by the first terminal (T1) via a second network.
3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the text message (M_SMS) is an SMS message.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the text message (M_SMS) includes availability information concerning the multimedia message (MM), for the second terminal (T2).
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the multimedia message (MM) is a message in an instant messaging application, and said multimedia message (MM) is intended to travel between the first (T1) and second (T2) terminals via a dedicated server (10).
6. System comprising at least a first terminal (T1) and a second terminal (T2), for transmitting a multimedia message (MM) from the first terminal (T1) to the second terminal (T2), the second terminal (T2) comprising means for sending a notification (M_AR),from the second terminal (T2) to the first terminal (T1), of acknowledgement of receipt of said multimedia message (MM) by the second terminal (T2), wherein the first terminal (T1) comprises:

   - means for measuring a period of waiting for the notification of acknowledgment of receipt (M_AR),

   - means for comparing the waiting period to a predetermined threshold (THR), and

   - means for generating a text message (M_SMS) to be sent to the second terminal (T2) if the period exceeds said threshold (THR),

   and wherein :

   - the first terminal (T1) assigns an identifier (MMi) to each multimedia message (MM),

   - the first terminal (T1), in the absence of acknowledgment (M_AR) of receipt of a multimedia message (MM) after the waiting period, assigns to a generated text message (M_SMS) a signature (SGN) of the identifier (MMi) of said multimedia message (MM),and

   - upon receiving a text message (M_SMS), the second terminal (T2) compares the signature (SGN) of the text message (M_SMS) to at least one identifier (MMi) contained in a multimedia message (MM) received by the second terminal (T2), and if they match, the second terminal (T2) removes said text message (M_SMS) received.
7. Telecommunications terminal comprising:

   - means for measuring a waiting period for a notification of acknowledgment (M_AR) of receipt of a multimedia message (MM) sent to a third terminal,

   - means for comparing the waiting period to a predetermined threshold (THR),

   - and means for generating a text message (M_SMS) to be sent to the third terminal if the period exceeds said threshold (THR),

   - means, which become active upon receipt of a text message (M_SMS), for comparing a signature (SGN) contained in the text message (M_SMS) and an identifier (MMi) contained in a multimedia message (MM) received, and

   - means for deleting said text message (M_SMS) received, which become active if the signature (SGN) and the identifier (MMi) match.
8. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 5, when executed by a processor (PROC) of a terminal according to claim 7.