초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for facilitating inter-network message communications within the framework of a cellular telecommunications network. The message center of the cellular network includes functionality for processing received messages and forwarding the received messages between the cellular net

A method and apparatus for facilitating inter-network message communications within the framework of a cellular telecommunications network. The message center of the cellular network includes functionality for processing received messages and forwarding the received messages between the cellular network and other connected networks. Each message handled by the message center includes a destination identifier in the text field of the message which identifies not only the delivery destination (addressee) for the message, but also the network over which the message is to be transmitted in order to reach the identified delivery destination. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the message center functionality facilitates inter-network communications among and between a cellular network (using SMS message format transmissions), a conventional telephone network (using facsimile message format transmissions), and a wide or local area network (using e-mail message format transmissions).

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A communications system, comprising:a cellular communications network comprising a plurality of mobile stations engaging in cellular telephone communications as well as short message service message communications wherein at least one short message service message contain

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A communications system, comprising:a cellular communications network comprising a plurality of mobile stations engaging in cellular telephone communications as well as short message service message communications wherein at least one short message service message contains a destination address in a non-cellular communications network as well as a network designation identifying that non-cellular communications network for the destination address;a plurality of non-cellular communications networks for carrying network message communications; andmeans connected between the cellular and non-cellular communications networks for facilitating inter-network message communications, said means functioning to perform a conversion of short message service messages originated at mobile stations on the cellular network to network messages transmitted for delivery by a certain one of the non-cellular communications networks to the destination address and to identify that certain one of the non-cellular communication networks for converting and delivering the network message from the network designation.