Multi-User Multimedia Messaging Services

Abstract

Methods, devices, and computer programs for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices. A multimedia message is sent from an originator user device to an originator server and further to one or more recipient servers with which the recipient user devices are associated. The recipient servers send the multimedia message to the addressed recipient user devices associated with the recipient server and receive status messages, each status message including an indication of an individual message transmission state of the multimedia message at one of the recipient user devices. The recipient servers aggregate the indications according to at least two message transmission state types into a report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message, and send the report to the originator server.

1 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A method for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving from an originator server, the multimedia message at a recipient server;   sending the multimedia message from the recipient server to the addressed recipient user devices associated with the recipient server;   receiving status messages at the recipient server, each status message including an indication of an individual message transmission state of the multimedia message at one of the recipient user devices, wherein there are multiple message transmission state types;   aggregating the indications by the recipient server according to at least two message transmission state types of the multiple message transmission state types into a report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message; and   sending the report from the recipient server to the originator server.   
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein at least one of the indications for the individual transmission state includes at least one item from a group comprising:
 an acknowledgement of a notification about the multimedia message;   an acknowledgement of a delivery of the multimedia message; and   an acknowledgement of a reading of the multimedia message.   
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the originator server receives the multimedia message from an originator user device. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the aggregating step includes compiling the indications according to a request originating from at least one of a group comprising:
 the originator user device;   the originator server; and   the recipient server.   
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 49 , wherein the request is modifiable or one or more requests are addable to the request. 
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein only status messages that are received within a given time interval are used for the report. 
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein one or more of the indications are related to one or more addresses of the recipient user devices, and the report includes the one or more addresses related to the transmission state. 
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 46 , further comprising processing the report for statistical and/or charging purposes. 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the recipient user devices are associated with a plurality of recipient servers, and the originator server sends the multimedia message to the plurality of recipient servers, and receives a plurality of reports, each report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message related to a respective one of the plurality of recipient servers, and the originator server aggregates the plurality of reports into a further report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message. 
     
     
         55 . A recipient server for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices, the recipient server comprising:
 a receiving unit for receiving messages;   a transmission unit for sending messages; and   a processing unit for processing messages and information;   wherein the recipient server is configured to:
 receive the multimedia message from an originator server; 
 send the multimedia message to the addressed recipient user devices associated with the recipient server; 
 receive status messages, each status message including an indication of an individual message transmission state of the multimedia message at one of the recipient user devices, wherein there are multiple message transmission state types; 
 aggregate the indications according to at least two message transmission state types of the multiple message transmission state types into a report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message; and 
 send the report to the originator server. 
   
     
     
         56 . The recipient server according to  claim 55 , wherein the recipient server is configured to:
 compile the indications according to a request originating from at least one of a group comprising an originator user device, the originator server, and the recipient server; and   aggregate the compiled indications.   
     
     
         57 . The recipient server according to  claim 55 , wherein the recipient server is configured to modify the request and to compile the indications according to the modified request, or to add one or more requests and to compile the indications according to the added one or more requests. 
     
     
         58 . The recipient server according to  claim 55 , wherein the recipient server is configured to use for the report, only status messages that are received within a given time interval. 
     
     
         59 . The recipient server according to  claim 55 , wherein the recipient server is configured to relate one or more of the indications to one or more addresses of the recipient user devices and to relate the one or more addresses to the transmission state in the report. 
     
     
         60 . The recipient server according to  claim 55 , wherein the recipient server is adapted to process the report for statistical and/or charging purposes. 
     
     
         61 . An originator server for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices, the originator server comprising:
 a receiving unit for receiving messages;   a transmission unit for sending messages; and   a processing unit for processing messages and information;   wherein the originator server is configured to:
 send the multimedia message to a plurality of recipient servers with which the addressed recipient user devices are associated; 
 receive a plurality of reports from the plurality of recipient servers, each received report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message related to the respective recipient server from which the respective report is received; and 
 aggregate the plurality of received reports into a further report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message. 
   
     
     
         62 . The originator server according to  claim 61 , wherein the multimedia message is received from an originator user device, and the originator server is configured to send the further report to the originator user device. 
     
     
         63 . The originator server according to  claim 61 , wherein the originator server is configured to execute at least one item from a group comprising a compilation according to a request, a modification of a request, and an adding of a request. 
     
     
         64 . The originator server according to  claim 61 , wherein the originator server is configured to process at least one of the reports and the further report for statistical and/or charging purposes. 
     
     
         65 . An originator user device for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices, the originator user device comprising:
 a receiving unit for receiving messages;   a transmission unit for sending messages; and   a processing unit for processing messages and information;   wherein the originator user device is configured to:
 generate a request for a report according to a selection by a user of the originator user device, the request including indicators for a compilation to determine the transmission state in an aggregated way according to at least two indicated message transmission state types; 
 send the request and the multimedia message to an originator server; and 
 receive the report from the originator server according to the request, the received report comprising the determined transmission state. 
   
     
     
         66 . A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium of a processing unit of a recipient server for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices associated with the recipient server, wherein when the computer program is executed by the processing unit, the recipient server is caused to:
 receive the multimedia message from an originator server;   send the multimedia message to the addressed recipient user devices associated with the recipient server;   receive status messages, each status message including an indication of an individual message transmission state of the multimedia message at one of the recipient user devices, wherein there are multiple message transmission state types;   aggregate the indications according to at least two message transmission state types of the multiple message transmission state types into a report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message; and   send the report to the originator server.   
     
     
         67 . A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium of a processing unit of an originator server for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices, wherein when the computer program is executed by the processing unit, the originator server is caused to:
 send the multimedia message to a plurality of recipient servers with which the addressed recipient user devices are associated;   receive a plurality of reports from the plurality of recipient servers, each received report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message related to the respective recipient server from which the respective report is received; and   aggregate the plurality of received reports into a further report representing the transmission state of the multimedia message.   
     
     
         68 . A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium of a processing unit of an originator user device for efficient reporting of a transmission state of a multimedia message addressed to recipient user devices, wherein when the computer program is executed by the processing unit, the originator user device is caused to:
 generate a request for a report according to a selection by a user of the originator user device, the request including indicators for a compilation to determine the transmission state in an aggregated way according to at least two indicated message transmission state types;   send the request and the multimedia message to an originator server; and   receive the report from the originator server according to the request, the received report comprising the determined transmission state.