Electronic mail system providing message character set formatting features and related methods

Abstract

An electronic messaging method may include storing at least one information field to be included in electronic messages on a message server in one of a plurality of different character set formats, and receiving electronic message body text at the message server to be included in an electronic message for a given communications network from among a plurality of communications networks. The body text may have a respective character set format. The method may further include comparing the character set format of the body text with the character set format of the at least one information field and, if the at least one information field is displayable in the character set format of the body text, then formatting the at least one information field in the character set format of the body text. Otherwise, the body text and the at least one information field may be formatted in a default character set format associated with the given communications network.

1 . An electronic messaging method comprising:
 storing at least one information field to be included in electronic messages on a message server in one of a plurality of different character set formats;   receiving electronic message body text at the message server to be included in an electronic message for a given communications network from among a plurality of communications networks, the body text having a respective character set format;   comparing the character set format of the body text with the character set format of the at least one information field and
 if the at least one information field is displayable in the character set format of the body text, then formatting the at least one information field in the character set format of the body text, and 
 otherwise formatting the body text and the at least one information field in a default character set format associated with the given communications network. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one information field comprises at least one name field. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one name field comprises at least one sender field. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one information field comprises at least one signature field. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of different character set formats comprises a UTF-8 character set format. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of different character set formats comprises an ISO-2022-JP character set format. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of communications networks comprises a plurality of cellular communications networks. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic message body text is received by the message server from a wireless communications device. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the given communications network is a service provider's network. 
   
   
       10 . An electronic message server comprising:
 a memory configured to store at least one information field to be included in electronic messages in one of a plurality of different character set formats; and   a processor configured to
 receive electronic message body text to be included in an electronic message for a given communications network from among a plurality of communications networks, the body text having a respective character set format, and 
 compare the character set format of the body text with the character set format of the at least one information field and if the at least one information field is displayable in the character set format of the body text, then formatting the at least one information field in the character set format of the body text, and otherwise formatting the body text and the at least one information field in a default character set format associated with the given communications network. 
   
   
   
       11 . The electronic message server of  claim 10  wherein the at least one information field comprises at least one name field. 
   
   
       12 . The electronic message server of  claim 11  wherein the at least one name field comprises at least one sender field. 
   
   
       13 . The electronic message server of  claim 10  wherein the at least one information field comprises at least one signature field. 
   
   
       14 . The electronic message server of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of different character set formats comprises a UTF-8 character set format. 
   
   
       15 . The electronic message server of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of different character set formats comprises an ISO-2022-JP character set format. 
   
   
       16 . The electronic message server of  claim 10  wherein the given communications network is a service provider's network. 
   
   
       17 . An electronic messaging system comprising:
 a communications device for generating electronic message body text to be included in an electronic message for a given communications network from among a plurality of communications networks; and   a message server configured to
 store at least one information field to be included in electronic messages in one of a plurality of different character set formats, 
 receive the electronic message body text from said communications device, and 
 compare the character set format of the body text with the character set format of the at least one information field and, if the at least one information field is displayable in the character set format of the body text, then format the at least one information field in the character set format of the body text, and otherwise format the body text and the at least one information field in a default character set format associated with the given communications network. 
   
   
   
       18 . The electronic messaging system of  claim 17  wherein the at least one information field comprises at least one name field. 
   
   
       19 . The electronic messaging system of  claim 17  wherein the at least one information field comprises at least one signature field. 
   
   
       20 . The electronic messaging system of  claim 17  wherein the plurality of different character set formats comprises a UTF-8 character set format. 
   
   
       21 . The electronic messaging system of  claim 17  wherein the plurality of different character set formats comprises an ISO-2022-JP character set format. 
   
   
       22 . The electronic messaging system of  claim 17  wherein said communications device comprises a mobile wireless communications device. 
   
   
       23 . The electronic messaging system of  claim 17  wherein the given communications network is a service provider's network.