Patent Application
20100121958
1. Field of Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention relate wireless communication, and in particular, to integrating various messaging systems in order to provide required functionality.
2. Background
Support for wireless communication (e.g., apparatuses, resources, carrier range, etc.) continues to expand worldwide. This growth has not been limited only to users in nations considered to be economically wealthy and technologically advanced, but has also been evident in underdeveloped areas and in a user base having limited skills, resources, etc. In particular, the same interest in wireless services that, in addition to traditional voice functionality, may now provide Internet access, location and/or positioning, multimedia content, email, messaging and other types of wireless interaction to upper echelon users living in large metropolitan areas now also exists in lower class users, and in areas where wireless service has introduced a new ability to communicate where no widespread landline infrastructure was previously feasible due to, for example, the cost of implementation, terrain and technological obstacles, unskilled user base, etc.
Regardless of the desire for comprehensive wireless communication services for lower class users and in underdeveloped countries, the comprehensive wireless services that are now being offered in technologically developed regions remain unavailable. There are various reasons for this lack of support, including the lack of equipment required to provide more advanced wireless infrastructures, the lack of a consumer base needed to justify the substantial cost involved in obtaining such equipment, the lack of skill or user sophistication or skill needed to fully appreciate such functionality, etc. As a result, while a strong desire, and therefore a potential market, continues to exist for more advanced wireless communication functionality, the situation is problematic as such services are currently unavailable either on a regional basis, or even on a per-user basis, for people and places living under these less-fortunate circumstances.
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to at least a method, apparatus, computer program product and system for supporting interactive functionality via the combined implementation of two or more messaging systems. This functionality may, in some instances, allow users/apparatuses to indirectly access remote resources that would not have ordinarily been available for direct access. Indirect access may be obtained, for example, by initially communicating utilizing a first messaging system and then employing a second messaging system when communication requirements exceed the abilities of the first system (e.g., where generating user content, such as posting information to the Internet, is difficult or impossible using the first system). While two different messaging systems are being employed, linkage between communication occurring in the first and the second messaging systems may be maintained through session information corresponding to the original interaction that took place via the first messaging system.
In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention that may be implemented on apparatuses utilizing the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), a first wireless messaging system supporting Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) functionality may be employed to initialize interaction. USSD is primarily an interactive tool, wherein alphanumeric information is used to send and receive messages that create, for example, user interface menus. As predominantly numerical input is expected when navigating in USSD, it is possible that some USSD handset interfaces may not easily facilitate substantial text (e.g., character) entry, and where this functionality is available, reconfiguring the interface to accept character input is often too technical for average users. These operational limitations can create configuration obstacles when using USSD for character input. Moreover, since USSD operates using a live connection, connection timeout errors may occur when a large amount of character input is required, for example, in situations where the posting of text message information on the Internet is facilitated by an intermediary agent (e.g., due to the lack of direct Internet access).
Further to the above example, another wireless messaging system (e.g., short message service (SMS)) may be utilized to fulfill the requirements of the wireless transaction that exceed the abilities of the first messaging system. In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, activation of a secondary messaging system interface may be triggered when the requirements of the interaction exceed the abilities of the first system (e.g., character input is required in order to complete a transaction). Moreover, information pertaining to prior sessions occurring via the first messaging system may be passed to downstream recipients (e.g., via the second messaging system). In this manner, downstream entities (e.g., websites) that receive messages from the second messaging system may relate the content of these messages back to the activities that spawned the messages occurring via the first messaging system.
The above summarized configurations or operations of various embodiments of the present invention have been provided merely for the sake of explanation, and therefore, are not intended to be limiting. Moreover, inventive elements associated herein with a particular example embodiment of the present invention can be used interchangeably with other example embodiments depending, for example, on the manner in which an embodiment is implemented.
Various embodiments of the present invention will be further understood from the following detailed description including example implementations and/or configurations of the various embodiments when taken in conjunction with appended drawings, in which:
While the present invention has been described herein in terms of a multitude of example embodiments, various changes or alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
An example of a system that is usable for implementing the various embodiments of the present invention is disclosed in
Computing device 100 may be, for example, a laptop computer. Elements that represent basic example components comprising functional elements in computing device 100 are disclosed at 102-108. Processor 102 may include one or more devices configured to execute instructions, wherein a group of instructions may be constituted, for example, as program code. In at least one scenario, the execution of program code may include receiving input information from other elements in computing device 100 in order to formulate an output (e.g., data, event, activity, etc). Processor 102 may be a dedicated (e.g., monolithic) microprocessor device, or may be part of a composite device such as an ASIC, gate array, multi-chip module (MCM), etc.
Processor 102 may be electronically coupled to other functional components in computing device 100 via a wired or wireless bus. For example, processor 102 may access memory 102 in order to obtain stored information (e.g., program code, data, etc.) for use during processing. Memory 104 may generally include removable or imbedded memories that operate in a static or dynamic mode. Further, memory 104 may include read only memories (ROM), random access memories (RAM), and rewritable memories such as Flash, EPROM, etc. Code may include any interpreted or compiled computer language including computer-executable instructions. The code and/or data may be used to create software modules such as operating systems, communication utilities, user interfaces, more specialized program modules, etc.
One or more interfaces 106 may also be coupled to various components in computing device 100. These interfaces may allow for inter-apparatus communication (e.g., a software or protocol interface), apparatus-to-apparatus communication (e.g., a wired or wireless communication interface) and even apparatus to user communication (e.g., a user interface). These interfaces allow components within computing device 100, other apparatuses and users to interact with computing device 100. Further, interfaces 106 may communicate machine-readable data, such as electronic, magnetic or optical signals embodied on a computer readable medium, or may translate the actions of users into activity that may be understood by computing device 100 (e.g., typing on a keyboard, speaking into the receiver of a cellular handset, touching an icon on a touch screen device, etc.) Interfaces 106 may further allow processor 102 and/or memory 104 to interact with other modules 108. For example, other modules 108 may comprise one or more components supporting more specialized functionality provided by computing device 100.
Computing device 100 may interact with other apparatuses via various networks as further shown in
Further, interaction with remote devices may be supported by various providers of short and long range wireless communication 140. These providers may use, for example, long range terrestrial-based cellular systems and satellite communication, and/or short-range wireless access points in order to provide a wireless connection to Internet 120. For example, personal digital assistant (PDA) 142 and cellular handset 144 may communicate with computing device 100 via an Internet connection provided by a provider of wireless communication 140. Similar functionality may be included in devices, such as laptop computer 146, in the form of hardware and/or software resources configured to allow short and/or long range wireless communication.
Now referring to
In
In view of the above problems,
An example implementation, in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed in
A point may come during the USSD 400 interaction when character information (e.g., normumeric text) is required as part of the interaction with the remote resources on Internet 230. While it is possible to send characters via USSD 400, the configuration and execution of such a task is difficult and outside of the skill set of an average user. In such a situation, an SMS interface may be activated and utilized to send character information from apparatus 200 to SMS 402 as shown at 508. SMS 402 may then forward this information to resource 510. Multiple activities may occur as part of the SMS interface activation. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, USSD 400 may be discontinued. However, regardless of whether the USSD interaction continues or is closed, session information corresponding to the interaction occurring prior to SMS activation may be passed to SMS 402. The session information may be included in SMS messages sent from apparatus 200 so that entities receiving the message downstream from apparatus 200, for example the remote resources on Internet 230, may tie or relate the SMS message back to the USSD session that spawned its creation. The relationship identified by the session information may, for example, dictate how the remote resources on Internet 230 process the character information contained in the SMS message.
This process may continue from 606 to 614, wherein a user may traverse different menus by making numeric selections. However, in step 614 character information is required. The requirement for character information, in accordance with this particular example, may automatically trigger an SMS message to be sent to the user as shown at 616. 618-622 shows an example of user interaction with an SMS message. This interaction may include opening the received message, reviewing any instructions contained therein and responding in accordance with the instructions. The response sent at 622 may, in some instances, be conveyed to remote resources existing outside of the USSD service, for example, resources residing on Internet 230.
Now referring to
In step 706 a determination may be made as to whether user interaction is required (or desired) in response to the information displayed in step 704. If no interaction is required then the process may end and return to step 700 in order to await initiation of further communication. Alternatively, the process may proceed to step 708 wherein a determination may be made as to whether the required interaction is outside of the abilities of the first message system. If the interaction is within the scope of functionality granted by the first message system the process may proceed to step 710 where a user may formulate and send a response. The response in this scenario may be, for example a key press, the selection of a certain numeral as defined by a menu of options, a voice command, etc. If the process is complete after sending the response in step 710, then in step 712 a determination may be made to end the current session and restart at step 700. However, if at step 712 it is determined that the process is not complete, the process may return to step 702 to await a response to the message that was sent in step 710.
However, if in step 708 a determination is made that the required or desired user interaction will exceed the abilities of the first message system, then in step 714 an interface to a secondary message system may be initiated. Example interfaces may include applications that are initiated on the apparatus, messages received on the apparatus from the second messaging system, etc. Regardless of the disposition of the first message system session (e.g., activation of a second message system interface terminates the first message system session, etc.), session information from the first message system may be passed in step 716. Session information may comprise any type of data that allows downstream recipients to relate responses sent from the second message system back to the interaction that spawned it in the first message system.
The process may then proceed to step 718 for the formulation of a response message including at least the information requested, or required, as a result of the previous interaction via the first message system. The response message may then be transmitted via the second message system. In some configurations response messages may further include session information, previously passed by the first message system, for use by downstream devices when correlating response messages back to originating messaging session in the first message system. However, it is also possible for the session information to be conveyed to downstream recipients via other methods. For example, some or all of the session information may also be passed along as part of the mobile station international integrated services digital network number (MSISDN), on the network side (e.g., via the Internet), etc. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, two or more conveyance strategies may be employed simultaneously to transfer session information to various recipients. The process may then proceed to step 712 where a determination is made as to whether the process is complete, such as described above.
Accordingly, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form a and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
