WO2004077769A2

WO2004077769A2 - Method and apparatus for download of instant messaging protocols

Info

Publication number: WO2004077769A2
Application number: PCT/EP2004/050214
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bin Wang; Hong Jin Wang; Yan Tao Li
Original assignee: Motorola Inc; Motorola Limited
Priority date: 2003-02-27
Filing date: 2004-02-26
Publication date: 2004-09-10
Also published as: WO2004077769A3; CN1525322A

Abstract

A system for downloading an instant message protocol program from an instant message provider (2) to an electronic apparatus (3). Each electronic apparatus is provided with a user interface portion (31), a network connection portion (33), and an instant message protocol program portion (32). The user interface portion and network connection portion include programs written in native code, while the instant message protocol program portion uses KJava TM code. In this way, the instant, message protocol may be downloaded directly to the protocol program portion, of each electronic apparatus, therby enabling those electronic appartus to carry on instant message communication through the instant message provider. The method of he present Invention is to set up at least one user interface program, a network connection program, and an instant, message protocol program. The user interface program and network connection program are written in native codes, while the instant message protocol program is written in JavaTM codes.

Description

SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMIC DOWNLOAD OF INSTANT MESSAGING PROTOCOLS AND METHOD THEREOF

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to direct and real time communication between a mobile telecommunication equipment, wireless communication equipment or any electronic apparatus and network or other service providers providing instant message services. More particularly, it relates to a method, a system and an electronic apparatus for downloading the instant messaging communication protocol from the instant message provider to the electronic apparatus.

Background of the Invention

At present, there are many kinds of Instant messaging (IM) protocols for realizing communication or exchange of real time or instant messaging in Internet communication. Various network or Internet providers, such as the Instant Messenger ™ of America Online (AOL), Yahoo ™ messenger of Yahoo, and MSN™ messenger of Microsoft Corporation, all adopt respective IM protocol. However, in the wireless communication field, it is troublesome to install all of those various IM protocols in the small mobile communication equipment, and the mobile communication equipment can be hardly suitable for upgrade of the present protocol and support of the new protocols.

In the prior art, to enable communication contact between the same wireless communication equipment and multiple instant message service providers, an "intermediate server or interface equipment" are used (Gateway) to communicate with mobile telephones and other wireless communication equipment. The function of the intermediate server or interface equipment is to convert IM protocols of network service providers so as to enable communication with mobile wireless communication equipment. This will increase the investment and period of achievement. In addition, the present network providers do not disclose their own instant message protocol (IM protocol) or interface protocols.

Establishment of intermediate servers or interface equipment (gateway) takes not only lots of time and high cost, but also requires a uniform protocol developed for the intermediate servers or interface equipment, that may be used for all kinds of mobile communication equipment. At present more and more mobile telecommunication equipment or electronic devices, such as mobile telephone, PDA (personal data assistant), can support KJava™ platform. However, using the platform of a pure KJava™ program may have lots of drawbacks, for instance, the limitation of the independent advantage of the platform and poor work performance. Nonetheless, if using pure KJava™ code to support IM program and download, this method may support various IM protocols. However, because the input and output of mobile equipment may have various characteristics, such as the different display screen, the Instant message (IM) providers may have to develop various KJava™ program to support various mobile communication or electronic equipment. Therefore, if the pure KJava™ program supports simultaneously instant message and work platform, many defects of KJava™ itself may be revealed, that is the limitation of the independent advantages and poor work performance.

In order to eliminate the intermediate server or interface equipment, one early approach was to communicate directly with Internet provider to provide instant message services is to install a specific protocol (IM protocol) in the mobile telephone or other wireless communication or electronic equipment. Although native code program may be used instead of KJava™ program, such mobile equipment can only support a limited number of IM protocols. This limits substantially the mobile telephone or wireless •communication or electronic apparatus, that is, they are limited to be used for providing instant message service for those network providers who sign on the protocols. It may not allow the end-user of mobile telephone to select the preferred instant message of a network or to report real time the provider to establish customer relationship, while at the same time the user may use the preferred electronic apparatus. As a result, the network providers or various instant message service providers cannot develop the direct business relationship with individual mobile communication users.

In view of the aforesaid disadvantages in the prior art, the present invention is provided to allow the users of mobile communication or electronic devices to use the preferred electronic apparatus, and to select network provider freely and directly to establish instant message communication or exchange. The basic concept of the present invention is to use native code for the program related to the work platform of the mobile communication or electronic apparatus, while using KJava™ to write the programs related to the instant message protocol.

Summary of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a system and an electronic apparatus that are capable of establishing directly instant message communication between an instant message provider and users of various electronic equipments, and a method thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method, system or an electronic apparatus that allows the end-user to select freely own preferred instant message provider and to establish directly instant message communication contact regardless the type or model of apparatus the users use.

The further object of the present invention is to provide a method, System or an apparatus that permits the users of wireless mobile or electronic apparatus to download directly, at any time, the communication protocol from the instant message provider to establish instant message contact. In accordance with the present invention, a method of downloading an instant message protocol program om an instant message provider to an electronic apparatus comprises providing at least one user interface program, a network connection program, and the instant message protocol program in each electronic apparatus; wherein the user interface program and network connection program are written in a native code, hile the instant message protocol program is in Java™ based code. In this way, the instant message protocol may be downloaded directly to each electronic apparatus/equipment, thereby enabling those electronic apparatus to carry out instant message communication through the instant message provider. The Java™ code program is KJava™ code program, and the instant message provider uses KJava™ to write its instant message service protocol,

In the method of the present invention, a user sends an inquiry to a desired instant message server through the user interface program and the protocol program, requesting downloading of its instant message protocol. Upon receipt of the Inquiry, the instant message server will determine whether or not the user is already a customer, an then allow the user to download, The instant message protocol of the server will be downloaded to an application program through the network connection program, and then to be registered in the user interface program.

After the instant message protocol is downloaded to the user's mobile communication or electronic equipment, the mobile communication or electronic equipment may carry out direct instant message communication with the network server that provides the instant message service.

In accordance with the present invention, a system of downloading an instant message protocol program from an instant message provider to an electronic apparatus is characterized in that each electronic apparatus includes at least one user interface portion, a network connection portion, and the instant message protocol program portion; wherein the user interface portion and network connection portion include programs that are written in native code, while the instant message protocol program portion is based on Java ™ code. In this way, the instant message protocol may be downloaded directly to the protocol program portion of the electronic apparatus, thereby enabling those electronic apparatus to carry on instant message communication through the instant message provider. The Java™ code program is KJava™ code program, and the instant message provider may be any provider that uses KJava™ to write its instant message service protocol. At least one electronic apparatus or equipment carries out the wireless communication with the service provider.

In accordance with the present invention, an electronic apparatus comprises at least one user interface portion, a network connection portion and the instant message protocol program portion; wherein the user interface portion and network connection portion include programs written in native code, while the instant message protocol program is in Java™ based code. In this way, an instant message protocol may be downloaded directly to the instant message protocol program portion of the electronic apparatus, thereby enabling the electronic apparatus to carry on instant message communicate with another similar electronic apparatus through the instant message provider. The electronic apparatus is a wireless communication apparatus. The Java ™ code program is a KJava™ program,

In the system of the present invention, the instant message server may be any server having KJava™ supported protocol. The electronic apparatus may be any mobile telephones, PDA, and computers that have the aforesaid communication function.

In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to realize the direct instant message Communication between a plurality of instant message servers and the same electronic apparatus or between mobile communication equipment. It will keep the good communication platform, and at the same time realize direct downloading of instant message protocol, and "real time" message communication.^

Brief Introduction of drawings:

Figure 1 is a system illustration of instant message communication between a mobile electronic equipment and an instant message service provider or server in the prior art.

Figure 2 is an illustration of a mobile communication or electronic apparatus/equipment of the present invention, having various program portions.

Figure 3 is an Illustration of a system of instant message communication between a mobile communication or electronic equipment and an instant message service provider or server of the present Invention, which also illustrates roughly the early scheme of direct IM communication of Motorola.

Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method of directly downloading instant message communication protocol between a mobile communication or electronic equipment and an instant message service provider or server of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the invention

With reference to Figure 1 , in a conventional instant message communication system, an intermediate server or interface equipment (gateway) 1 is connected with a server 2 providing instant message service, and is used for converting the instant message protocol of the instant message server into protocol applicable in an electronic device or mobile communication equipment 3, such as mobile telephone, pager, PDA and the like electronic apparatus or device, and notebook computer having wireless communication capability. This may assure the nondisclosure of the instant message (IM) protocols of individual network providers. The network server 2 does not need to consider what kind of electronic or mobile communication equipment user may use its instant message communication service. Each network service provider relies on the provider of intermediate server or interface. In this kind of prior art, the wireless instant message communication scheme has a substantial limitation.

In order to realize the instant message communication of an electronic apparatus or mobile communication equipment, it requires that any kind of electronic apparatus or mobile communication equipments or devices may carry out directly the instant message communication with the network server. This will require that any kind of electronic apparatus or wireless mobile communication equipments σan download directly the instant message protocol from the network server. However, the instant message protocols of individual network service provider may use completely different programs from each other, while various kinds of electronic apparatus or wireless mobile communication equipment may also have different input and output. In this way, a network service provider may have to write lots of different instant message program in order to attract users of different electronic apparatus or mobile equipments to become its own customers. Accordingly, it is not realistic to have every network service provider to meet the demand of the users of various electronic apparatus or mobile telephones.

At present, normal electronic devices or wireless mobile equipment may support a Java™ or KJava™ platform. Although a KJava™ platform may facilitate downloading of an instant message program, the work performance of a KJava™ platform is limited, and the advantage of Java™ nrelated to the platform is also restricted. Therefore, the present invention provides that all programs related to the communication equipment are written in native code, while the program related to protocol is written in KJava™.

In accordance with the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, each electronic apparatus or wireless mobile equipment 3 has at least one user interface portion 31 (User Interface), an instant message protocol program portion 32 (Protocol Program Unit), and a network connection portion 33 (Network Connection Unit). The instant message protocol 21 used by the network server that may provide instant message service and the protocol program of the protocol program portion 32 in each electronic apparatus or mobile wireless communication equipment 3 are written in KJava™ codes, while the programs of the user interface portion 31 and the network connection portion 33 are written in native codes.

Using KJava™ to write a program for the protocol program portion 32 in the electronic apparatus or mobile equipment may allow the user of the electronic apparatus or mobile equipment 3 to download the instant message protocol directly from the network server 2. In the meantime, ail of other interface or connection programs are written in native code so as to enhance the work performance of the electronic apparatus or wireless mobile equipment and tα assure the high efficiency thereof. In this way, there will not be any obstacle in the instant message communication between the electronic apparatus or wireless mobile equipment and the network service provider. The user may then select one or more network providers of instant message services based on their own preference, and download directly the instant message protocol or protocols onto the electronic apparatus or mobile equipment, thereby enabling the instant message communication of the electronic apparatus or mobile equipment users through the network server.

The method of the present invention solves the problems of the previous native codes and pure KJava™ codes programs, and it is more flexible in comparison with the prior art. In the present invention, the protocol program is always in the active state when the native code program of IM is functioning.

Figure 3 is an illustration of a system of instant message communication between a mobile communication or electronic equipment and an instant message service provider or server of the present invention. The system of downloads directly an instant message from the instant message service provider. The present invention comprises at least a server 2 providing instant message services and a plurality of electronic apparatus or mobile wireless communication equipments. The electronic apparatus or mobile wireless communication equipment 3 is provided with at least a user interface portion 31, an instant message program portion 32, and a network connection portion 33. The instant message protocol 21 of the server 2 and the protocol programs of the electronic apparatus or mobile wireless communication equipment 3 are written in Java™ or KJava™ codes, while the programs of the interface 31 and the network connection 33 of the electronic apparatus or mobile wireless communication equipment 3 are written in native codes.

In the system of the present invention, the KJava™ supported electronic apparatus or mobile wireless communication equipment 3 may be any kinds of mobile telephone, PDA, calculator and notebook computers having the aforesaid communication function.

Figure 3 also illustrates roughly an early scheme of direct IM communication that did not use any intermediate sever (Gateway Server). As stated hereinbefore, the early scheme may realize direct IM communication with limited numbers of service providers that signed on the communication protocol, and it is limited to few kinds of electronic apparatus or mobile telephones.

Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method of directly downloading instant message communication protocol between a mobile communication or electronic equipment and an instant message service provider or server of the present invention. The user interface program 31 ' written in native code receives the operation instruction from the user, such as, downloading the instant message (IM) protocol 21. The user interface program 31" ill transmit the instruction to the protocol program 32'. The protocol program 32' will issue the instruction through the network connection program 33' to send the request to the network server 2.

The instance message server 2 will first determine whether or not the user is already the customer of the network service provider upon receipt of downloading the instant message protocol, and then permit downloading. The instant message protocol 21 of the server 2 downloads the protocol to the application protocol program 32' through the network connection protocol 33', and then have the protocol registered at the user interface program 31'.

After the instant message protocol is downloaded, the electronic apparatus or mobile telecommunication equipment 3 may carry out the direct instant message communication with the network server 2 that provides the instant message service, or carry out the instant message communication with other users through the server.

The primary features of the present invention have been described hereinbefore. The present invention is not limited to the examples given herein. Any simple and obvious alternatives shall be within the scope of the protection set forth in the accompanying claims if they are not apart from the spirit or substance of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is;

1. A method of downloading an instant messaging (IM) protocol from a service provider to an electronic apparatus, comprising providing each of said apparatus with at least a user interface program, a network connection program, and a protocol program, wherein said user interface and network connection program

. are in a native code, while said protocol program is in a Java™ based code such that said instant messaging protocol can be directly downloaded to the each of said apparatus so as to enable the instant messaging communication among said apparatus through said service provider.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said apparatus sends, at the initiation of the user, an inquiry to said Instant messaging service provider for downloading said protocol program of said service provider.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said service provider verifies the user's identification of said at least one of apparatus upon receipt of the downloading inquiry before downloading said instant messaging protocol,

4. The method of claim 2, wherein upon receipt of the downloading inquiry said service provider sends said protocol to said at least one of apparatus through said network connection.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the downloaded protocol program is registered at the user interface program when being used for the first time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said instant messaging service provider is any of available service providers that have their instant messaging protocol encoded in KJava™.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said apparatus communicates with the service provider through wireless communication.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said Java™ based code is a KJava™ code.

9. A system of downloading an instant messaging protocol program of a service provider to an electronic apparatus, comprising at least a user interface, a network connection unit, and a protocol program unit in each of said apparatus, wherein said user interface and network connection unit have programs in native codes, while said protocol program unit is in a Java™ based code such that said instant messaging protocol can be directly downloaded into the protocol program unit of the apparatus so as to enable instant messaging communication among said apparatus through said service provider.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of said apparatus communicates with the service provider by wireless communication.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said instant messaging service provider is any of available service providers that have their instant messaging protocol encoded in KJava™ .

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said Java based code is a KJava™ code.

13. An electronic apparatus comprising at least a user interface, a network connection unit, and a protocol program unit, wherein said user interface and network connection unit have programs in native codes, while said protocol program unit is in a Java™ based code such that an instant messaging protocol program can be directly downloaded into the protocol program unit so as to enable instant messaging communication with another similar device through a service provider.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein said device is a wireless communication device,

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein said Java™ based code is a KJava™ code.