WO2009045061A2

WO2009045061A2 - Procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a converged ip messaging service and terminal therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2009045061A2
Application number: PCT/KR2008/005813
Authority: WO
Inventors: Woo Jun Ye; Romain Masson
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2007-10-05
Filing date: 2008-10-02
Publication date: 2009-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-05
Also published as: WO2009045061A3

Abstract

Provided are a procedure for forwarding stored data such as messages or media which are stored in a network-based storage server without downloading the stored data to a terminal in a converged messaging service and a terminal therefor. A source terminal acquires access information of the stored data by communicating with the network-based storage server, generates a converged message including the acquired access information, and transmits the converged message for requesting forwarding of the stored data to a messaging server. Then, the stored data is retrieved by the network-based storage server by using the received access information. The messaging server or the network-based storage server generates a combined converged message by including the stored data into the received converged message. The messaging server transmits a signal for requesting transmission of the combined converged message for a target terminal.

Description

PROCEDURE FOR FORWARDING STORED MESSAGES AND/ OR MEDIA IN A CONVERGED IP MESSAGING SERVICE AND

TERMINAL THEREFOR

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, and more particularly, to a procedure for forwarding data such as messages or media stored in a network-based storage server without downloading the data to a terminal in a CPM service and a terminal therefor. Background Art

[2] An IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) is spotlighted as essential information and communication technology for providing a new multimedia service in a next generation internet protocol (IP) based communication environment. The IMS is a set of nodes for providing various multimedia services and controlling calls in a mobile communication network environment. The IMS combines an IP network with the mobile communication environment. Accordingly, in the IMS, since a terminal and an IP network easily interact with each other, it is possible to provide multimedia services such as IP- based voice, audio, video, and data by using a mobile communication terminal.

[3] One of available signaling protocols of the IMS network is a session initiation protocol (SIP). The SIP is a call control protocol in an application layer for generating, modifying, and terminating an IP-based multimedia service session between user terminals or between a user terminal and an entity with an IP address by searching for a location of a target to be communicated with.

[4] Among the various services provided through the IMS network, a converged IP messaging (CPM) service is technology for combining existing multimedia communication services such as a short messaging service (SMS), a multi-media messaging service (MMS), an E-mail service, a voice over IP (VoIP) service, a push-to (PT) service, and the like with one another and providing the combined service under an IP- based infrastructure. Unlike existing individual multimedia communication services provided through limited networks and terminals, in the CPM, it is possible to provide a converged service regardless of kinds of terminals, types of media, kinds of access networks, and types of services.

[5] In order to provide a converged service regardless of kinds of terminals/access networks and types of services, the CPM system has system configurations to store and manage data such as messages or media objects on a network-based storage server. A message and media storage function is a functional entity for performing a function of managing data stored in a message and media storage server on the network. The message and media storage function serves to retrieve, store, and delete messages or media objects and serves to generate messages or media objects in a storage server and upload the generated messages or media objects.

[6] In the CPM service using the network-based storage server, a user may desire to transmit a CPM message including stored data such as messages and media objects which are stored in the network-based storage server to another terminal. In order to transmit the CPM message, the user first downloads the stored data to the terminal and then, according to a typical procedure for transmitting the CPM message, generates the CPM message (for example, a SIP-based message) including the stored data that have been downloaded, and transmits the generated CPM message. In this procedure for transmitting the CPM message by downloading the stored data, since it is possible to previously complete a single message including information desired by the user in addition to the downloaded data, additional procedures may not be necessary in the CPM server. Thus, it is possible to simplify the function of the CPM server.

[7] However, in the aforementioned method, since the stored data is first downloaded to the terminal and then uploaded to the CPM server, unnecessary traffic of the stored data may occur between the terminal and the CPM server. Specifically, in case of massive stored data, since massive data is downloaded and uploaded through a wireless channel, overloads are caused in the wireless channel. Accordingly, wireless resources are wasted. In addition, it is difficult to stably provide a service due to a variable wireless channel environment. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] A technical goal of the present invention is to provide a procedure for forwarding stored data such as messages and/or media in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service capable of preventing unnecessary and excessive traffic from occurring and of stably providing a service by transmitting stored data such as files or messages without downloading the stored data to a terminal from a network-based storage server such as a message and media storage server and a terminal therefor.

[9] Another technical goal of the present invention is to provide a procedure for forwarding stored data such as messages and/or media in a CPM service capable of transmitting messages or media which are stored in a network-based storage server through an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) network without downloading the messages or media from the network-based storage server to a terminal and a terminal therefor. Technical Solution [10] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forwarding stored messages and/or media by using a messaging server for supporting a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, the method comprising: receiving a signal for requesting transmission of a converged message, the signal including address information for the stored messages and/or media which are stored in a network-based storage server from a terminal; acquiring the stored messages and/or media from the network-based storage server by using the address information; and requesting transmission of a combined converged message for a target terminal, the combined converged message being generated by including the stored messages and/or media into the converged message.

[11] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of a method of forwarding stored messages and/or media in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, the method comprising: acquiring access information of the stored messages and/or media which are stored in a network-based storage server and are objects of a request for forwarding by communicating with the network-based storage server; and generating a converged message including the access information and transmitting the converged message to a messaging server so as to enable the messaging server to request forwarding of the stored messages and/or media to the target terminal.

[12] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a terminal which supports a procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, the terminal comprising: a messaging client acquiring access information of the stored messages and/or media which are stored in a network-based storage server and are objects of a request for forwarding by communicating the network-based storage server and generating a converged message including the access information for requesting forwarding of the stored messages and/ or media to a target terminal; and a transceiver receiving a signal including the access information and transmitting a signal including the converged message for the messaging client through a mobile communication network.

[13] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of forwarding stored messages and/or media by using a messaging server for supporting a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, the method comprising: receiving a signal for requesting transmission of a converged message from a terminal, the signal including access information for accessing the stored messages and/or media which are stored in a network-based storage server; acquiring the stored messages and/ or media based on the access information through the network-based storage server; and requesting transmission of a combined converged message for a target terminal, the combined converged message being generated by including the stored messages and/or media into the converged message.

[14] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of forwarding stored messages and/or media in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service by using a terminal, the method comprising: receiving a partial CPM message; placing link information associated with the partial CPM message to an outbox of the terminal after the receiving step; and performing a synchronization between the outbox and an outbox of a network-based storage server so as to provide the link information to the network-based storage server, whereby a full CPM message associated with the partial CPM message can be retrieved by the network-based storage server for forwarding the full CPM message to a target terminal.

Advantageous Effects

[15] In the present invention, since stored data such as files or messages to a target terminal are forwarded without downloading the stored data from a network-based storage server to a source terminal, it is possible to prevent unnecessary and excessive data traffic from occurring through a mobile communication channel and to stably provide a messaging service. In addition, it is possible to forward messages or media which are stored in a network-based storage server for a converged messaging service or a network-based storage server for existing individual messaging services through an IMS network or SIP/IP-based network without downloading the messages or media to a terminal. Brief Description of the Drawings

[16] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating system architecture for forwarding stored data without downloading the stored data to a terminal in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[17] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a CPM service according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[18] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a GENURALAUTH message that is a signal for requesting an authenticated URL as an example of address information.

[19] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a URLAUTH URL message that is a response to the

GENURALAUTH shown in FIG. 3.

[20] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a converged message including address information acquired by exchanging the GENURALAUTH message shown in FIG. 3 with the URLAUTH URL message shown in FIG. 4.

[21] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a CPM service system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[22] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of LUIDs and message related information associated with the LUIDs in a local storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[23] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of LUID and GUID mapping information stored in a server storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[24] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a CPM service system illustrated in FIG. 6.

[25] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a CPM service system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[26] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments should be considered in descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation.

[27] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating system architecture for forwarding stored data such as messages and/or media without downloading the stored data to a terminal in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the system architecture includes a terminal 10, a messaging server 20, a network-based storage server 30, and an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) core 40.

[28] The current embodiment may be applicable to a system including the network-based storage server 30 shown in FIG. 1. A CPM system is an example of this system. The CPM system generally includes a CPM conversation server, a message and media storage server, a converged address book, a CPM user preference server, an in- terworking function, and a CPM client. In a case where the embodiment of the present invention is applied to the CPM system, the network-based storage server 30, the messaging server 20, and a messaging client 14 of the terminal 10 of FIG. 1 may correspond to a message and media storage server of the CPM system, a CPM conversation server, and a CPM client, respectively. Since architecture of the CPM system, functions of components, and interface among components are described in OMA-AD-CPM-V1_0-20071004-D and OMA-RD-CPM-V l_0-20070927-D among standardization documents of Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), detailed description on those will be omitted. Accordingly, the aforementioned standardization documents may be applied to parts that are not described in this specification.

[29] Referring to FIG. 1, the terminal 10 is a device which makes access to a mobile communication network and communicates with a functional entity on a network such as another terminal or IMS network. A name of the terminal 10 is not limited. For example, the terminal 10 may be referred to as a device, any mobile communication terminal, a user equipment of a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), a global system for mobile communication (GSM), or a mobile station (MS) of Inter Standard-95 (IS-95). The name of the terminal 10 is not limited thereto. The terminal 10 may be a terminal of a user which desires to forward stored data, that is, a source terminal. Alternatively, the terminal 10 may be a terminal of a user to which stored data is forwarded, that is, a target terminal.

[30] The terminal 10 basically includes a controller 12, a messaging client 14, and a transceiver 16. Other known components can also be included in the terminal 10. The controller 12 is used to control operations of internal functional entities (for example, the messaging client 14, a user interface (UI), the transceiver 16, and the like). The transceiver 16 is used to enable the terminal 10 to transmit and receive various signals through the mobile communication network.

[31] The messaging client 14 is a functional entity for enabling the terminal to use a messaging service such as the CPM service. The messaging client 14 includes a CPM client for supporting the CPM service. The messaging client 14 may be referred to as a messaging user agent (MUA). The messaging client 14 may interact with clients for existing individual messaging services such as a short messaging service (SMS), a multi-media messaging service (MMS), an E-mail service, and the like, in addition to the CPM client. Alternatively, the individual messaging service clients may be physically converged on the CPM client. This messaging client 14 begins the CPM service by interacting with another CPM component such as the messaging server 20 or network-based storage server 30 and accesses the CPM components.

[32] The messaging server 20 is a functional entity for managing and supporting the messaging service such as the CPM service. The messaging server 20 may be referred to as a CPM conversation server. The messaging server 20 uses services of other external entities in addition to the services of the CPM components so as to embody the CPM service. The messaging server 20 communicates with the terminal 10, the network-based storage server 30, and the IMS core 40 and interacts with other external functional entities. For example, the messaging server 20 may acquire necessary stored data by interacting with the storage server of the system for an existing individual messaging service (for example, an E-mail service).

[33] According to one embodiment, when receiving a request from the terminal 10, particularly, the source terminal, the messaging server 20 serves to combine stored data that is transmitted from the network-based storage server 30 (for example, received messages or text, or media files such as images, music, moving pictures, and the like) with the CPM message received from the terminal 10. The messaging server 20 requests the IMS core 40 to transmit a CPM message combined with the stored data for the target terminal. In addition, the messaging server 20 may request the network- based storage server 30 to store the converged message of which transmission is completed.

[34] The network-based storage server 30 is a functional entity for storing and managing messages, media, and the like. The network-based storage server 30 may be directly or indirectly accessed by other components of the system, for example, the messaging client 14 of the terminal 10 and the messaging server 20. When receiving a request from the terminal 10, particularly, the source terminal, the network-based storage server 30 provides access information of the stored data, e.g., address information or link information of the stored data or any other identification/location information for accessing the stored data. In one embodiment, when receiving a request from the messaging server 20, the network-based storage server 30 transmits the stored data to the messaging server 20, where the full CPM message including the retrieved stored data may be generated by the messaging server 20. In another embodiment, the full CPM message including the retrieved stored data may be generated by the network- based storage server 30, which in turn transmits it to the messaging server 20.

[35] The network-based storage server 30 may be a message and media storage server for the CPM service. The network-based storage server 30 is not limited thereto. For example, the network-based storage server 30 may be a server for storing and managing messages on a network for an existing individual messaging service (for example, an E-mail service and the like). In this case, the network-based storage server 30 may be a storage server of a system for the E-mail service, for example, an internet message access protocol (IMAP) server based on Request For Comments (RFC) 3501. The network-based storage server 30 is not limited thereto.

[36] The IMS core 40 is a set of control nodes for providing various multimedia services using a session initiation protocol (SIP) in a mobile communication network and controlling a call based on the SIP. The IMS core 40 generally serves to register the terminal 10 and route SIP signaling for the terminal 10 or from the terminal 10 to a suitable server. For example, the IMS core 40 may route SIP signaling among the terminal 10, the messaging server 20, and the network-based storage server 30, which are the CPM components. When receiving a request from the messaging server 20, the IMS core 40 serves to transmit a converged message to a messaging server (not shown) for a receiving terminal.

[37] The IMS core 40 may additionally include an application server (AS) for supporting various application services which may be provided through the IMS network. The aforementioned messaging server 20 and the network-based storage server 30 may be included in the IMS core 40 as the application server (AS) of the IMS core 40. In this case, the messaging server 20 and the network-based storage server 30 are functionally distinguished from each other. However, the messaging server 20 and the network- based storage server 30 may be physically combined with each other or separated from each other. In FIG. 1, the IMS core 40 can be a SIP/IP core, but the invention is not limited thereto and can use other network core. The SIP/IP core is generally a set of nodes for providing a variety of IP-based multimedia services and performing a session control process in the environment of mobile communication network, and can be, e.g., a 3GPP IMS or a 3GPP2 MMD (multimedia domain). Next, a procedure according to a first embodiment of the present invention for forwarding stored data by using the system architecture shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a CPM service according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, for the convenience of description, a reference numeral 10 denotes a source terminal, and a reference numeral 10' denotes a target terminal.

[38] Referring to FIG. 2, the source terminal 10 which desires to forward stored data performs a procedure for acquiring address information of the stored data in cooperation with the network-based storage server 30 (operation SlOl and S 102). The address information is detailed location information regarding the location where data are stored in the network-based storage server 30. For example, the address information may be an authenticated uniform resource locater (URL). Since the address information is used to directly identify data to be forwarded among data stored in the network-based storage server 30, the address information may include another type of information for performing the same function.

[39] More specifically, the source terminal 10 transmits a signal for requesting address information of the stored data to the network-based storage server 30 (operation SlOl). The source terminal 10 may specify the stored data of which address information is desired to be acquired by combining any information for identifying the stored data with the request message. Here, the stored data is a previously received message that is stored in the network-based storage server 30 or a media or data file with an arbitrary format. A receiving path of the message or a type of the message, and a path through which a media or data file is stored in the network-based storage server 30 are not limited. For example, the stored data may be a received message such as an E-mail which is previously received by the source terminal 10 and stored in the storage and media storage server (for example, the CPM storage server) that is the network-based storage server 30 or the IMAP server that is a storage server for the E-mail service. Alternatively, the stored data may be text, images, moving pictures, or music files which are stored in the network-based storage server 30 for the purpose of data or media transmission.

[40] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a GENURALAUTH message that is a signal for requesting an authenticated URL as an example of the address information. Referring to FIG. 3, the source terminal 10 requests address information by specifying an E-mail message of which unique identifier (UID) is '25627' among received E-mails that are stored in an INBOX folder of a user with an account of bob.ar@example.org in the IMAP server as the stored data to be forwarded.

[41] Then, the network-based storage server 30 transmits a response signal including the address information to the source terminal 10 in response to the received request message (operation S 102). The address information may be information for indicating a storage location of the stored data specified by the received request signal.

[42] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a URLAUTH URL message that is a response to the

GENURALAUTH shown in FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 4, the network-based storage server 30 transmits the URLAUTH URL message including authenticated URL information that is denoted by 'A' in FIG. 4 to the source terminal 10. The authenticated URL information is address information of an E-mail of which UID is '25627 'among received E-mails that are stored in an INBOX folder of a user with an account of bob.ar@example.org in the IMAP server.

[43] Referring to FIG. 2, the source terminal 10, more specifically, the messaging client of the source terminal 10 generates a converged message for requesting forwarding of the stored data to another terminal (operation S 103). The converged message may be a message using the SIP (for example, a SIP message method or a messaging session relay protocol (MSRP) send method, and the like). The converged message includes the address information that has been acquired through operations SlOl and S 102. In addition, the converged message may further include other information or contents (text, images, and the like)(types of the contents are not limited) which are desired to be transmitted to a user of the target terminal 10' in addition to the stored data to be forwarded.

[44] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a converged message including address information acquired by exchanging the GENURALAUTH message shown in FIG. 3 with the URLAUTH URL message shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 5, the converged message is used to request a forwarding procedure. A body part of the converged message is divided into a first part to be added by the user and a second part including the address information acquired in operation S 102. The first part includes newly added contents (a part denoted by 'B', which includes 'This is a sample message'). In a case where there is no contents to be added, the first part may include no information or message. The second part includes the address information that is included in the received URLAUTH URL message, as it is.

[45] Referring to FIG. 2, the source terminal 10 transmits a message for requesting forwarding of the stored data to the messaging server 20 (operation S 104). The converged message generated in operation S 103 (for example, the message using the SIP shown in FIG. 5) may be used as the message for requesting forwarding of the stored data, as it is.

[46] Next, the messaging server 20 acquires the stored data to be forwarded by communicating with the network-based storage server 30 (operations S 105 and S 106). The address information included in the received converged message is used to acquire the stored data. More specifically, the messaging server 20 transmits the message for requesting the stored data to the network-based storage server 30 (operation S 105). The messaging server 20 specifies the stored message to be acquired by combining the address information included in the received converged message with the request message. Then, the network-based storage server 30 combines the stored data (for example, messages, media, data, and the like) corresponding to the address information with the response message and transmits the response message to the messaging server 20 in response to the request message (operation S 106).

[47] The messaging server 20 adds the received stored data to the converged message that was previously received, thereby generating the combined converged message (operation S 107). The combined converged message may have the same format as the converged message generated in operation S 103. However, the combined converged message may further include stored data in addition to the address information or only include the stored data instead of the address information. In a case where the converged message generated in operation S 103 includes contents added by the user of the source terminal 10, the combined converged message also includes the contents.

[48] When the converged message combined with the stored data is generated, the messaging server 20 transmits a signal for requesting transmission of the combined converged message to the IMS core 40 (operation S 108). The signal for requesting transmission may be the combined converged message itself. Alternatively, the signal may be obtained through a predetermined signaling procedure in which the combined converged message is included. The IMS core 40 which is requested to transmit the combined converged message transmits the combined converged message to a home messaging server of the target terminal 10' for the target terminal by using a general SIP signaling procedure.

[49] The data stored in the network-based storage server 30 is forwarded for the target terminal 10' without being downloaded to the source terminal 10, through the aforementioned procedures. That is, in the current embodiment, it is unnecessary to transmit the stored data from the network-based storage server 30 to the source terminal 10 and to transmit the stored data from the source terminal 10 to the messaging server 20. The stored data is transmitted from the network-based storage server 30 to the messaging server 20. The messaging server 20 combines the stored data with the converged message including contents to be additionally transmitted by the user of the source terminal 10 and directly transmits the combined converged message for the target terminal 10'. Accordingly, in the current embodiment, since it is unnecessary to download or upload the data stored in the network-based storage server 30 through the mobile communication network, it is possible to reduce loads due to massive data traffic in a wireless communication network. In addition, it is possible to stably provide services.

[50] Referring to FIG. 2, the messaging server 20 transmits a signal for requesting storing of the combined converged message of which transmission is completed through the IMS core 40 to the network-based storage server 30 (operation Sl 10). The request signal includes the combined converged message. Then, the network-based storage server 30 may store the combined converge message as the message of which transmission is completed in response to the request signal and store the forwarded stored data included in the converged message as the message of which forwarding is completed.

[51] Now a procedure for forwarding stored data without downloading in a CPM service system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be discussed referring to FIG. 6. First, the system architecture will be discussed and then the method for forwarding the stored data without downloading in the system will be discussed.

[52] Referring to the system architecture shown in FIG. 6, the CPM service system according to the second embodiment includes a terminal 100, a CPM conversation server 200, and a message and media storage (M&Ms) server 300 including a data synchronization (DS) server 310, and may include other components as desired. All components of the CPM service system are operatively coupled and configured. Communications between the terminal 100 and the CPM conversation server 200 and between the CPM conversation server 200 and the M&Ms server 300 may occur through a SIP/IP core 400. Further, communications between the CPM conversation server 200 and other terminals or servers (e.g., remote CPM conversation server) may occur through the SIP/IP core 400.

[53] The terminal 100, the CPM conversation server 200 and the M&Ms server 300 correspond to and are examples of the terminal 10, the messaging server 20, and the network-based storage server 30 of FIG. 1, respectively.

[54] The terminal 100 includes a controller 112, a CPM client 114, and a transceiver 116, which correspond respectively to the controller 12, the messaging client 14, and the transceiver 16 of the terminal 10 in FIG. 1. The terminal 100 also includes a data synchronization (DS) client 118 for communicating with the DS server 310 of the M&Ms server 300 to synchronize data stored in the terminal 100 side with data stored in the M&Ms server 300 side as desired. For both the terminal 100 and the M&Ms server 300, data may be stored in its internal storage device or an external storage device as- sociated thereto. The internal and/or external storage device of the terminal 100 is referred to herein as a local storage device, and the internal and/or external storage device of the M&Ms server 300 is referred to herein as a server storage device.

[55] In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the CPM service system in advance is configured to deliver only a part of a CPM message to the terminal 100. Here, the part of the CPM message, which is referred to herein also as a partial CPM message, may be only the header of the message, or only the header and body of the message without the attachments), but is not limited thereto. For each partial CPM message received by the terminal 100, the corresponding full CPM message is stored in the server storage device of the M&Ms server 300 through the DS operation of the DS client 118 and the DS server 310 as discussed above, or through other known storage procedures.

[56] A user of the terminal 100 may set up the system to receive only the partial CPM message to the user's terminal 100, instead of the full CPM message, due to the user's preference, e.g., because the user does not want to waste time waiting for the terminal 100 to download the full message. As a variation, the terminal 100 itself may set up its configurations or the system may set up the terminal 100 so that only partial CPM messages are received by the terminal 10 depending on various factors, e.g., device capabilities, preferred resource management, etc.

[57] The CPM message is a message or signal containing one or more contents such as texts, images, audio-clips, video-clips, pictures, e-mails, etc. which is communicated in the CPM service system.

[58] When the terminal 100 receives a partial CPM message as discussed above from, e.g., another terminal or server, the terminal 100 may forward this message to another terminal or server such as a third-party entity. For instance, a user of the terminal 100 may view the received partial CPM message (e.g., only the header of the message indicating, e.g., sender and brief description of the picture attached) on the user's terminal 100. Then the user may want to forward the entire message including the attached picture to a third-party terminal/person. In that case, the user can select a forward button or input a forward request to forward the entire message associated with the partial message to the third-party terminal/user. Then the terminal 100 transmits the partial CPM message with link information to the CPM conversation server 200 to implement the forwarding operation according to the present invention.

[59] In the second embodiment, the link information is any access information which can be used to locate and access the full CPM message stored in the server storage device. Preferably, the link information is a locally unique identifier (LUID) of an object corresponding to the received partial CPM message. Generally, contents (e.g., messages, etc.) are stored in a local storage device (database) of the terminal 100 under the control of the DS client 118 as objects. Each object is given a unique identifier or number for uniquely identifying the object in the local storage device, and this unique identifier is known as a LUID which is unique per device and per application.

[60] FIG. 7 shows an example of such LUIDs stored in a local storage device 130 of the terminal 100. As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of different contents/items are given respectively different LUIDs and stored in the local storage device 130. Each LUID may also be stored in association with message-related information (or content-related information) of the message/content. For example, a LUID for identifying a picture attachment may be stored in association with certain characteristics of the picture or of the received partial CPM message (e.g., sender, receipt time, etc.). Thus the message related information of a certain message can be used to determine the LUID(s) associated with that message.

[61] On the network side, the M&Ms server 300 also stores the contents as objects in the server storage device of the M&Ms server 300. Each object in the server storage device is given a unique identifier or number for uniquely identifying the object in the server storage device. This unique identifier is also known as a global unique identifier (GUID). The M&Ms server 300 also stores and manages mapping information for mapping the LUIDs and the GUIDs in the server storage device. An example of such mapping information is illustrated in FIG. 8.

[62] As shown in FIG. 8, a server storage device 330 associated with the M&Ms server

300 stores a server mapping table which maps the LUIDs stored in the local storage device 130 to the GUIDs. The server storage device 330 also stores the full contents (Data) in association with the GUIDs. Thus, if a LUID of a particular item is known, then the M&Ms server can access the full contents associated with that LUID, by determining a GUID corresponding to the LUID based on the mapping table and then by retrieving the full contents associated with the determined GUID from the server storage device 330. The management and updating of the server mapping table along with the GUIDs and contents in the server storage device 330, and the management and updating of the LUIDs in the local storage device 130 can be performed using the DS operation between the DS client 118 and the DS server 310 according to known DS protocols.

[63] Having explained the CPM service system of the second embodiment, the method for forwarding the stored data without downloading according to the second embodiment will be described in more detail referring to FIG. 6.

[64] In step Sl, when the terminal 100 receives a partial CPM message, the terminal 100

(e.g., CPM client 114) transmits the partial CPM message with the link information as discussed above. The link information is preferably one or more LUIDs for identifying missing parts (not-transmitted parts) of the CPM message. That is, LUIDs of the link information correspond to the remaining parts of the CPM message, where the remaining parts and the received partial part(s) of the CPM message may constitute a full CPM message or a substantially full CPM message.

[65] In order to acquire the link information, in a first example, the terminal 100 may look to the local storage device 130 and based on characteristics of the received partial CPM message (message related information), obtain one or more LUIDs associated with the received partial CPM message from the local storage device 130. The terminal 100 may then transmit the obtained LUID(s)(link information for accessing the missing parts of the CPM message) with the partial CPM message to the CPM conversation server 200. In a second example, if the received partial CPM message is a new partial CPM message and thus there is no LUID associated with the new message in the local storage device 130, then the terminal 100 may request and obtain LUIDs (for identifying the missing parts of the CPM message) associated with the partial CPM message from the M&Ms server 300. That is, the terminal 100 may request and obtain access information from the network-based storage server 300 in the same or similar manner as steps SlOl and S 102 of FIG. 2.

[66] The partial CPM message with the link information can be transmitted in step Sl through a SIP-based interface known as CPM-PFl that is established between a CPM client and a CPM conversation server according to known CPM specifications.

[67] Then in step S2, when the CPM conversation server 200 receives the partial CPM message with the link information, the CPM conversation server 200 recognizes that the message has to be forwarded to the M&Ms server 300, because of the presence of the link information. Accordingly, the CPM conversation server 200 forwards the received partial CPM message with the link information to the M&Ms server 300, e.g., through the CPM-PFl interface.

[68] In step S3, when the M&Ms server 300 receives the partial CPM message with the link information, the M&Ms server 300 recognizes that the full CPM message is to be sent back to the CPM conversation server 300, because of the presence of the link information. Accordingly, the M&Ms server 300 retrieves the full contents (missing parts) associated with the LUIDs of the link information from the server storage device 330 by referring to the server mapping table, replaces the link information with the retrieved full contents to form a full CPM message, and then transmits the full CPM message to the CPM conversation server 200. This communication can be made through the CPM-PFl interface.

[69] In step S4, the CPM conversation server 200 receives the full CPM message and forwards it to an appropriate terminal/server through the SIP/IP core 400. Here, the appropriate terminal may be a terminal selected by the user of the terminal 100 to which the CPM message is to be forwarded. As a result, the CPM message is effectively forwarded from the terminal 100 to another terminal/server without the terminal 100 having to download the full CPM message. This reduces the communication load on the CPM service system.

[70] FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart for explaining one specific example of the method of

FIG. 6 according to the present invention.

[71] Referring to FIG. 9, in step SI l, a user of the terminal 100 (e.g., 'Bob') configures his CPM service (e.g., through a service provider) such that the CPM service system delivers only the header of each message to his terminal 100 without any body or attachments. That is, the system is configured to deliver a partial CPM message to the terminal 100.

[72] Accordingly, in step S12, when a message is received for Bob's terminal 100, the full message is stored in the server storage device and the CPM conversation server 200 sends only the header of the CPM message to the terminal 100. That is, the CPM conversation sends the partial CPM message to Bob's terminal 100.

[73] Subsequently, in step S 13, Bob can select the received header, click a forward button or function, and select a forwarding address of the message (e.g., Pierre's address), so that the full message represented by the header can be forwarded to Pierre's terminal 500.

[74] In step S 14, Bob's terminal 100 transmits the header (partial CPM message) with link information identifying the missing part(s) of the CPM message to the CPM conversation server 200. Step S 14 is an example of step Sl in FIG. 6.

[75] Then in step S 15, the CPM conversation server 200 sends the received header with the link information to the M&Ms server 300 and then receives the full CPM message (e.g., header, body, attachment, etc.) from the M&Ms server 300. That is, in step S 15, steps S2 and S3 of FIG. 6 are carried out.

[76] In step S 16, once the full CPM message is received, the CPM conversation server

200 forwards the full CPM message to Pierre's terminal 500, which is an example of step S4 in FIG. 6. Accordingly, Bob can advantageously forward a full message to Pierre without having to download the full message to Bob's device.

[77] Next, a procedure for forwarding stored data without downloading in a CPM service system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be discussed referring to FIG. 10. The same components are used in the second and third embodiments as illustrated by using the same reference numerals. Thus, the embodiment of FIG. 10 will be discussed to describe its differences from the embodiment of FIG. 6 in more detail, and the description of some of the common features of the second and third embodiments will be omitted for the sake of brevity.

[78] As in the second embodiment of FIG. 6, in the third embodiment, the user of the terminal 100 has configured the user's CPM service to receive only a partial CPM message (e.g., header only, or header and body without attachment, etc.). [79] Referring to step SlO of FIG. 10, when the terminal 100 receives a partial CPM message, the DS client 118 places the partial CPM message and link information associated with the received partial CPM message in a DS OUTBOX folder 119 of the terminal 100. The link information and the manner of acquiring the link information in the third embodiment (FIG. 9) may be the same as those in the second embodiment (FIG. 6).

[80] According to the DS protocols, the terminal 100 has its own DS OUTBOX folder

119 and the M&Ms server 300 also has its own DS OUTBOX folder 311. These OUTBOX folders are folders containing messages to be sent. Thus, when the DS client 118 places the partial CPM message and the link information (e.g., LUIDs of the missing parts of the CPM message as discussed above) in the OUTBOX folder 119, the DS client 118 initiates a synchronization of the OUTBOX folder 119 to the OUTBOX folder 311 by sending a SYNC command to the DS server 310. Through this DS operation, the M&Ms server 300 then acquires from the OUTBOX folder 311 the partial CPM message and LUIDs that were present in the OUTBOX folder 119 of the terminal 100. This synchronization communication between the terminal 100 and the M&Ms server 300 may be performed through a known SIP-based interface referred to as CPM-STO which is established in CPM specifications.

[81] In step S20, once the M&Ms server 300 obtains the partial CPM message with the link information through step SlO, then M&Ms server 300 recognizes that the link information is to be replaced with the corresponding content(s), because of the presence of the link information. Then the M&Ms server 300 replaces the link information with the corresponding content(s) by referring to the server mapping information stored in the server storage device 330, and then transmits the full CPM message including the missing parts of the message to the CPM conversation server 200 through, e.g., the CPM-PFl interface.

[82] In step S30, the CPM conversation server 200 then forwards the received full CPM message to an appropriate device (e.g., another terminal or server) through the SIP/IP core 400 using, e.g., the CPM-PFl interface. Steps S20 and S30 are basically identical respectively to steps S3 and S4 of FIG. 6.

[83] As a result, the CPM message is advantageously forwarded from the terminal 100 to another terminal/server without the terminal 100 having to download the full CPM message according to the present invention. While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. Industrial Applicability

[84] The present invention may be applicable to a converged messaging service through a mobile communication network.

Claims

[1] A method of forwarding stored messages and/or media by using a messaging server for supporting a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, the method comprising: receiving a signal for requesting transmission of a converged message from a terminal, the signal including access information for accessing the stored messages and/or media which are stored in a network-based storage server; acquiring the stored messages and/or media based on the access information through the network-based storage server; and transmitting a combined converged message for a target terminal, the combined converged message being generated by including the stored messages and/or media into the converged message.

[2] The method of claim 1, wherein the access information includes address information which the terminal has acquired from the network-based storage server by communicating with the network-based storage server.

[3] The method of claim 2, wherein in the receiving the signal for requesting transmission, the messaging server receives the converged message generated by the terminal, the converged message further including contents to be added by a user of the terminal.

[4] The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting the network-based storage server to store the combined converged message.

[5] The method of claim 1, wherein the access information includes link information for indicating one or more unique identifiers associated with the messages and/or media.

[6] A method of forwarding stored messages and/or media in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, the method comprising: acquiring access information of the stored messages and/or media which are stored in a network-based storage server and are objects of a request for forwarding by communicating with the network-based storage server; and generating a converged message including the access information and transmitting the converged message to a messaging server so as to enable the messaging server to request forwarding of the stored messages and/or media to a target terminal.

[7] The method of claim 6, wherein the generated converged message further includes contents to be added by a user of a terminal which generates the converged message.

[8] The method of claim 6, wherein the access information includes address in- formation or link information, which is utilized to communicate with the network-based storage server by the messaging server in order to forward the stored messages and/or media to the target terminal.

[9] A method of forwarding stored messages and/or media in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service by using a terminal, the method comprising: receiving a partial CPM message; placing the partial CPM message and link information associated with the partial CPM message to an outbox of the terminal; and performing a synchronization between the outbox and an outbox of a network- based storage server so as to provide the partial CPM message and the link information to the network-based storage server.

[10] A terminal which supports a procedure for forwarding stored messages and/or media in a converged IP messaging (CPM) service, the terminal comprising: a messaging client acquiring access information of the stored messages and/or media which are stored in a network-based storage server and are objects of a request for forwarding by communicating the network-based storage server and generating a converged message including the access information for requesting forwarding of the stored messages and/or media to a target terminal; and a transceiver receiving a signal including the access information and transmitting a signal including the converged message for the messaging client through a mobile communication network.

[11] The terminal of claim 10, wherein the access information includes address information or link information.