Apparatus and method for delivering messages over multiple mediums

Abstract

A method of and device for transmitting a data message to a communication device configured to receive data through a plurality of communications mediums, including: assigning a first priority to a first component of the data message and a second priority to a second component of the data message; sending the first message component to the communication device over an available communications medium; and queuing the second component for delivery via a communication medium having a lower relative data transmission cost than the medium over which the first component was sent.

1 . A method of transmitting a data message to a communication device configured to receive data through a plurality of communications mediums, the method comprising:
 assigning a first priority to a first component of the data message and a second priority to a second component of the data message;   sending the first message component to the communication device over an available communications medium; and   queuing the second component for delivery via a communication medium having a lower relative data transmission cost than the medium over which the first component was sent.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising when at least two of the plurality of communications mediums are available, selecting the available communications medium having the lowest relative data transmission cost for sending the first message component. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising when at least two of the plurality of communication mediums having lower relative data transmission costs than the medium over which the first component was sent are available, selecting the available medium having the lowest data transmission cost for sending the second message component. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising when none of the lower relative data transmission cost communications mediums are available and the second component is queued for an amount of time exceeding a timer setting, sending the second component to the communication device over any one of the plurality of communications mediums that is available. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising when none of the lower relative data transmission cost communications mediums are available and the second component is queued, receiving a user request for the second component and, in response, sending the second component to the communication device over any one of the plurality of communications mediums that is available. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sending the first message component comprises creating a message notification, the message notification containing the first message component, and sending the message notification to the communication device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first component is sent over a cellular-type wireless communications network. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first component comprises at least a subject line of the data message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second component comprises at least one of a message body, an attachment, and graphical content. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first component and the second component are assigned priorities according to one or more rules defined by a system administrator. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first component and the second component are assigned priorities according to one or more rules defined by a user of the communication device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data message comprises webpage content. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first component includes text content, and wherein the second component includes image data. 
     
     
         14 . A first communication device for transmitting a data message to a second communication device that is configured to receive data from the first communication device through a plurality of communications mediums, said first communication device comprising a processor configured to:
 assign a first priority to a first component of the data message and a second priority to a second component of the data message;   send the first message component to the second communication device over an available communications medium; and   queue the second component for delivery via a communication medium having a lower relative data transmission cost than the medium over which the first component was sent.   
     
     
         15 . The first communication device of  claim 14  wherein when at least two of the plurality of communications mediums are available, the processor is further configured to select the available communications medium having the lowest relative data transmission cost for sending the first message component. 
     
     
         16 . The first communication device of  claim 14  wherein when at least two of the plurality of communication mediums having lower relative data transmission costs than the medium over which the first component was sent are available, the processor is further configured to select the available medium having the lowest data transmission cost for sending the second message component. 
     
     
         17 . The first communication device of  claim 14  wherein when none of the lower relative data transmission cost communications mediums are available and the second component is queued for an amount of time exceeding a timer setting, the processor is further configured to send the second component to the second communication device over any one of the plurality of communications mediums that is available. 
     
     
         18 . The first communication device of  claim 14  wherein when none of the lower relative data transmission cost communications mediums are available and the second component is queued, the processor is further configured to receive, from the second communication device, a request for the second component and, in response, send the second component to the second communication device over any one of the plurality of communications mediums that is available. 
     
     
         19 . The first communication device of  claim 14  wherein the processor is configured to send the first message component by creating a message notification, the message notification containing the first message component, and sending the message notification to the second communication device. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code executable by a processor for transmitting data to a communication device that is configured to receive a data message through a plurality of communications mediums, the code comprising instructions for:
 assigning a first priority to a first component of the data message and a second priority to a second component of the data message;   sending the first message component to the communication device over an available communications medium; and   queuing the second component for delivery via a communication medium having a lower relative data transmission cost than the medium over which the first component was sent.