Patent 11089450

Prior art

Earlier patents, publications, and products that may anticipate or render the claims unpatentable.

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Prior art

Earlier patents, publications, and products that may anticipate or render the claims unpatentable.

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Here is an analysis of the most relevant prior art cited against US patent 11089450, interpreting patent numbers literally as per the operating rules. The focus is on potential anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102, requiring a single prior art reference to disclose every element of a claim.

The independent claims of US11089450 (Claims 1, 9, 15, 24) describe a method performed by a first mobile wireless device involving:

  1. Receiving a first message (SMS or MMS) from a second mobile wireless device.
  2. Crucially, this first message is received prior to the first device subscribing to a new service.
  3. The first device subscribing to a service for transmitting and receiving packet-switched messages, where this service's format is explicitly not SMS, MMS, or EMS format.
  4. After subscribing, the first device transmits a request to determine if the second device (sender of the original message) is a subscriber of this new service.
  5. Receiving a response indicating the second device is a subscriber.
  6. Formatting a second message in accordance with this new service's distinct message format, based on the successful subscription and the response.

Many cited prior art references discuss aspects of messaging interoperation, packet-switched messaging, or bearer selection. However, the precise sequence of events, particularly the timing of subscription to a new, distinct packet-switched service relative to receiving an initial legacy message, the subsequent verification of the original sender's status within that new service, and the explicit exclusion of legacy formats for the new service's messages, forms the core distinguishing features of US11089450's independent claims.

Below are the cited prior art references from US11089450, along with their details, a brief description, and an assessment of their potential to anticipate claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102:

Most Relevant Prior Art Analysis

  1. US5729544A

    • Full Citation: US5729544A - Method for transmitting data packets based on message type - Motorola, Inc.
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 1994-05-09; Publication: 1998-03-17
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a method for transmitting data packets in a communication system by converting messages from a mobile unit into data packets and routing them over a packet data network based on message type.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference addresses network-level routing of data packets. It does not disclose the specific user-centric method steps of US11089450, such as receiving an SMS/MMS prior to subscribing to a new packet-switched service, then verifying the original sender's subscription to this new service, and formatting a message in a non-SMS/MMS/EMS format. Therefore, it does not anticipate claims 1, 9, 15, or 24.

  2. WO2001041477A1

    • Full Citation: WO2001041477A1 - Instant messenger system and instant message transfer method using phone number as instant messenger address - Arreo Communications Inc.
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 1999-12-03; Publication: 2001-06-07
    • Brief Description: This patent describes an instant messenger system that uses a mobile phone number as the primary identifier for instant messaging, removing the need for separate usernames.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant as it teaches using a mobile phone number as an identifier for an instant messaging (packet-switched) service, aligning with aspects of US11089450. It potentially discloses elements related to identifying subscribers by phone number (e.g., in claims 7, 10, 19, 20, 26, 28, 30). However, it does not explicitly disclose the specific sequence of receiving an SMS/MMS prior to subscribing to such a service, followed by verification of the original sender's subscription status to that specific new service, and then formatting a message in a distinct non-SMS/MMS/EMS format.

  3. US20020077131A1

    • Full Citation: US20020077131A1 - Dual protocol GPRS message center and method therefor - Jerry Mizell
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2000-12-20; Publication: 2002-06-20
    • Brief Description: This application describes a message center supporting both SMS and GPRS (a packet-switched protocol) for message delivery, allowing selection of the appropriate protocol based on various factors.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is relevant for disclosing dual-protocol messaging and bearer selection (SMS vs. packet-switched). While it covers the technical capability to choose a bearer, it does not detail the user-level subscription to a new service after receiving an initial message, the verification of the sender's subscription to this new service, or the constraint on the new service's message format. Thus, it does not anticipate claims 1, 9, 15, or 24.

  4. US20030040300A1

    • Full Citation: US20030040300A1 - Method and apparatus for sending a short message service (SMS) message to a multimedia messaging service (MMS) user using email - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2001-08-20; Publication: 2003-02-27
    • Brief Description: This application details a method for allowing SMS messages to be sent to MMS users by converting them into an email format.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent focuses on interoperability through message conversion. It lacks the unique sequence of steps of US11089450's claims, specifically the user subscribing to a new packet-switched service after receiving an SMS/MMS, and then performing a subscription verification of the original sender for that new service. It does not anticipate claims 1, 9, 15, or 24.

  5. US20030096608A1

    • Full Citation: US20030096608A1 - System and method for providing an instant messaging service with a short message service (SMS) gateway - Ericsson AB
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2001-11-20; Publication: 2003-05-22
    • Brief Description: This application describes an instant messaging system that incorporates an SMS gateway to enable communication between SMS users and instant messaging users.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is highly relevant as it discloses the interworking of SMS and IM (packet-switched messaging) via a gateway. It teaches how an SMS could be received and processed by an IM system. However, it typically focuses on the technical bridging rather than the specific user-initiated workflow of US11089450, particularly the "prior to subscribing," "after the subscribing" for sender verification, and the explicit "not SMS/MMS/EMS" format constraint for the new service's messages. It does not fully anticipate claims 1, 9, 15, or 24.

  6. US20040002334A1

    • Full Citation: US20040002334A1 - Method and system for providing packet-switched based mobile messaging - Nokia Corporation
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2002-06-25; Publication: 2004-01-01
    • Brief Description: This application describes a method and system for providing mobile messaging services primarily over packet-switched networks, offering enhanced features compared to traditional circuit-switched messaging.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant for establishing a "service for transmitting and receiving packet switched messages" as an alternative or improvement to SMS/MMS, aligning with the format constraint in US11089450. However, it does not explicitly disclose the specific sequence of a first device receiving an SMS/MMS before subscribing, then after subscribing, verifying the original sender's subscription to this new service, and then formatting a message in this new service's distinct format.

  7. US20050186938A1

    • Full Citation: US20050186938A1 - Integrated messaging system and method - Openwave Systems Inc.
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2004-02-27; Publication: 2005-08-25
    • Brief Description: This application describes an integrated messaging system that combines various messaging types (e.g., email, SMS, MMS, IM) into a unified platform or single interface for users.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant to claims involving a "single interface" (claims 6, 8, 21, 23, 25) that can display different message types, including SMS and other packet-switched messages. However, it typically describes a system that integrates existing message types, rather than a method where a device receives a legacy message, then subscribes to a new, distinct packet-switched service, and then verifies the original sender's subscription to this new service before formatting a message in the new, non-legacy format. The precise steps and temporal relationships in US11089450 remain distinguishing.

  8. US20060018302A1

    • Full Citation: US20060018302A1 - Method and apparatus for sending messages via alternative communication paths - Nokia Corporation
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2003-07-31; Publication: 2006-01-26
    • Brief Description: This application describes choosing between alternative communication paths (e.g., SMS or IP-based bearers) for sending messages, based on factors such as availability or cost.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference directly addresses bearer selection, a fundamental concept also present in US11089450. It could teach the technical aspect of selecting a packet-switched bearer if available. However, it does not specifically disclose the distinct user workflow involving an initial legacy message, subsequent new service subscription, and sender verification for that new service as defined in US11089450's independent claims.

  9. US20060046714A1

    • Full Citation: US20060046714A1 - Unified messaging system and method - Openwave Systems Inc.
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2004-08-30; Publication: 2006-03-02
    • Brief Description: This application describes a unified messaging system that integrates various communication types (e.g., email, voicemail, SMS, IM) into a single interface for user access.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US20050186938A1, this is highly relevant to the "single interface" claims (6, 8, 21, 23, 25). However, it faces the same limitations regarding the specific user-centric subscription and verification sequence for a new, distinct messaging service with specific format exclusions as outlined in US11089450's independent claims.

  10. US7072688B2

    • Full Citation: US7072688B2 - Messaging service for dynamically switching between messaging types - Motorola, Inc.
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2002-09-27; Publication: 2006-07-04
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a messaging service capable of dynamically switching between different messaging types (e.g., SMS, MMS, IM) for transmission, often based on recipient capabilities or network conditions.
    • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is very relevant to the dynamic bearer selection aspect of US11089450. It teaches switching between different messaging types. However, it typically describes a network- or client-side capability to handle multiple existing messaging types, not the specific user method of encountering an SMS/MMS first, then subscribing to a new service for packet-switched messages (of a distinct format), and then verifying the original sender's subscription to that new service for subsequent communication.

While these prior art references collectively disclose many individual elements and concepts found in US11089450, no single reference appears to fully anticipate the independent claims (1, 9, 15, 24) under a strict § 102 analysis. The specific combination of the temporal sequence of receiving a legacy message before subscribing to a new, distinct packet-switched messaging service, followed by verification of the original sender's subscription to this new service, and then formatting a message in the explicitly non-SMS/MMS/EMS format of this new service, is not clearly and completely disclosed in any single piece of prior art. Therefore, these references would likely be considered more relevant for obviousness arguments under 35 U.S.C. § 103, rather than direct anticipation under § 102.

Generated 5/23/2026, 12:47:25 AM