WebAPI/AppDefinedTeleophony

For B2G, communication applications likes Skype, WhatsApp, LINE, ..., etc, will define their owned communication protocols for short/instant messages, voice calling, and contacts. The features of these applications are very similar to telephony, users may like to integrate all of them into one/or several place(s).

For most communication applications, they are comprised by contacts, calling history, messaging, and voice/video calling service. For voice/video call, it is very different from one application to another. So, every application should define their owned user interface to accept and initiate a call. But, for contact, calling history, and messages, they are very similar for applications. By integrating contact, calling history, and messages from all applications, the platform can provide better UX that users can browse and search all information at one place.

Following, this page is about changes of ContactsAPI, calling history, and WebSMS

Contacts API

interface ContactField : nsISupports
{
  attribute DOMString handler;  // the application that can handle voice/video calling and messaging.
  attribute DOMURI status;      // an status icon as an indication of presence and alike.
  attribute DOMString[] type;   // for primary/favorite (use:"PREF"), "home", "work", etc.
  attribute DOMString value;
};

|handler| and |status| field are added to ContactField interface. With them, the contact app can invoke the correct APP to initiate a voice/video calling or concall. For most IM now, |status| field can be used to show presence and status of a user.

WebSMS

interface SmsManager
{
  SmsRequest       send(DOMString number, DOMString message);
  SmsRequest[]     send(DOMString[] number, DOMString message);
  unsigned short   getNumberOfMessagesForText(in DOMString text);
  SMSRequest       delete(in long id);                       // request.result == boolean
  SMSRequest       delete(in SmsMessage message);            // request.result == boolean
  SMSRequest       getMessage(in long id);                   // request.result == SMSMessage
  SMSRequest       getMessages(in SMSFilter filter, bool reverse); // request.result == SMSIterator
  SMSRequest       markMessageRead(long id, boolean aValue); // request.result == boolean
  SmsRequest       addArrivedMessage(SmsMessage msg);        // IM or Telephony Apps can add a new message as a new arrival.
};

interface SmsMessage
{
  readonly attribute long      id;
  readonly attribute DOMString handler;  // the application that can handle the message for replying or sending.
  readonly attribute DOMString delivery; // could be "sent" or "received"
  readonly attribute DOMString sender;
  readonly attribute DOMString receiver;
  readonly attribute DOMString body;
  readonly attribute Date      timestamp;
  readonly attribute boolean   read;
};

addArrivedMessage() is added to SmsManager to let communication Apps add a message for a new arriving message. |handler| is added to SmsMessage to record the application can handle replying the message. The message app is not supposed for responding for editing messages. It should wake up the handler of the message for editing.

Should we provide a way for synchronization between the database of WebSMS and App's local storage?

Calling history

There is no API for calling history. We need a new API for that. It must have the capability of telling what the App can handle an address/number in the calling history.

Communication Apps

The communication apps are invoked through activities or other IPC mechanism. A communication App should provide following functions.

• initiate a voice/video call to a receiver
• reply an existing message in the database of WebSMS
• send a new message to a given receiver
• show a user in contacts

The communicaton apps are responsible for handling incoming calls and messages. But, they store contacts, messages, and calling history in ContactsAPI, WebSMS, and calling history API.