Patent Application
20120322468
The invention is related to the field of communications and, in particular, to interfacing RESTful web services with packet-switched networks for text messaging.
Text messaging has become a popular mode of communication in many mobile (or wireless) networks. One example of text messaging is Short Message Service (SMS), which is a set of communication protocols allowing the exchange of short text messages (i.e., 160 characters or less) between devices. While the term “text message” traditionally referred to text-only messages sent using SMS, it has been extended to include multimedia messages, such as images, video, sound content, etc. The multimedia messages may be sent using Multimedia Message Service (MMS) protocol. Often times, mobile users more frequently use text messaging for communication than voice calls.
Although text messaging is traditionally thought of as two mobile devices exchanging text messages, there may be web-based applications that allow an end user to send or receive text messages. For example, an end user may access a 3rd party web site for sending/receiving text messages. Through the 3rd party web site, the end user may enter a message intended for a recipient and a telephone number for the recipient. The web-based application then generates a send request for the text message using an Application Programming Interface (API) defined for web-based services. In another example, some social networking services (e.g., Facebook) may provide text messaging capabilities through a web site. When a user logs into his/her social network account, one option available to the end user may be to send/receive text messages.
Organizations have defined standard APIs for web-based applications to use when sending/receiving text messages. One API that is used for web applications is a RESTful API, also referred to as a RESTful web API. The RESTful web API is a set of operations that use HTTP methods, such as POST, GET, PUT, and DELETE, while conforming to Representational State Transfer (REST) constraints.
Unfortunately, the RESTful APIs presently used for web services do not provide enough flexibility for today's evolving networks.
Embodiments described herein provide a system, such as an API, that interfaces RESTful web services with packet-switched networks. The system is able to translate RESTful operations from a web application to messages in the signaling protocol of the packet-switched network for SMS/MMS messaging. Also, the system is able to translate signaling messages from the packet-switched network to RESTful operations. By converting between RESTful and the signaling protocol of the packet-switched network, text messages may be exchanged directly between the web application and the packet-switched network. This advantageously improves how web-based text messaging may be implemented in evolving networks, such as IMS networks or LTE networks.
One embodiment comprises a system that handles a Mobile Terminated (MT) text message from a web application to a packet-switched network. The system includes an interface operable to receive a RESTful send operation from the web application that is used for sending the MT text message from the web application. The system further includes a controller operable to convert the RESTful send operation for the MT text message to a send request in a signaling protocol used in the packet-switched network. The signaling protocol used in the packet-switched network may be Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol, Mobile Application Part (MAP) protocol, etc. The interface is further operable to transmit the send request for the MT text message to the packet-switched network for delivery of the MT text message to a recipient.
In another embodiment, the system is able to handle a Mobile Originated (MO) text message from the packet-switched network to the web application. The interface is operable to receive a send request for the MO text message from the packet-switched network. As above, the send request is in the signaling protocol used in the packet-switched network. The controller is further operable to convert the send request for the MO text message to a RESTful receive operation that is used for receiving the MO text message into the web application. The interface is further operable to transmit the RESTful receive operation for the MO text message to the web application for delivery of the MO text message to a user of the web application.
Other exemplary embodiments may be described below.
Some embodiments of the present invention are now described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference number represents the same element or the same type of element on all drawings.
The figures and the following description illustrate specific exemplary embodiments of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, any examples described herein are intended to aid in understanding the principles of the invention, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments or examples described below, but by the claims and their equivalents.
Web application 110 is able to exchange text messages with UE 140 with the assistance of conversion system 120. Conversion system 120 acts to translate RESTful operations to a signaling protocol used in packet-switched network 130, and vice-versa. Conversion system 120 may be thought of as an Application Programming Interface (API), as it converts standardized operations from web application 110 to the signaling protocol used in packet-switched network 130. In this embodiment, the signaling protocol used in packet-switched network 130 may be Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol, Mobile Application Part (MAP) protocol, or another protocol.
Conversion system 120 includes an interface 122 and a controller 124. Interface 122 comprises any device or component that communicates with web application 110 and/or other web applications not shown using RESTful. Interface 122 is also able to communicate with packet-switched network 130 through a signaling protocol used within packet-switched network 130. Controller 124 comprises any device or component that translates messages between RESTful and the signaling protocol used in packet-switched network 130.
Assume that a user of web application 110 creates a text message intended for UE 140. This is referred to as a Mobile Terminated (MT) or Application Originated (AO) text message. When this occurs, web application 110 generates a RESTful operation or command for sending the MT text message. For example, a RESTful operation for sending the MT text message may comprise a POST operation with a “SendSms” command inserted for the MT text message. The operation for sending the MT text message is referred to herein generally as a RESTful send operation. Web application 110 then transmits the RESTful send operation to conversion system 120.
In step 202, interface 122 receives the RESTful send operation for the MT text message from web application 110. In step 204, controller 124 converts the RESTful send operation to a send request in the signaling protocol used in packet-switched network 130. For example, if the signaling protocol used in packet-switched network 130 comprises SIP, then controller 124 may convert the RESTful send operation to a SIP MESSAGE that encapsulates the MT text message. In order to perform the conversion, controller 124 may store a table that maps the RESTful operations to methods of the signaling protocol used in packet-switched network 130. The table may also map fields from the RESTful operations (e.g., source address, terminating address, message type, etc) to fields in the signaling protocol. Controller 124 may use this table to convert the RESTful send operation from web application 110 to the send request.
In step 206, interface 122 transmits the send request to packet-switched network 130 so that the MT text message may be delivered to its intended recipient, which is UE 140. The appropriate node in packet-switched network 130 may attempt delivery of the MT text message to UE 140 without conversion to another protocol.
A similar process as described above is used for delivering a text message from UE 140 to web application 110. Assume that an end user of UE 140 creates a text message intended for web application 110. This is referred to as a Mobile Originated (MO) or Application Terminated (AT) text message. When this occurs, a text message application in UE 140 generates a send request in the signaling protocol for packet-switched network 130 that is used for sending the MO text message, such as a SIP MESSAGE. UE 140 then transmits the send request to conversion system 120.
When MT and MO text messages are sent as described in the above embodiments (see step 206 of
When packet-switched network 130 receives a send request for a MT text message, packet-switched network 130 attempts to deliver the MT text message to UE 140. If delivery of the MT text message is successful or fails, packet-switched network 130 generates a status message that includes status information for the delivery of the MT text message. The status message is in the signaling protocol used by packet-switched network 130. For example, if SIP is used in packet-switched network 130, then the status message may comprise a SIP MESSAGE, a SIP NOTIFY, or a SIP response such as a SIP 7xx message. Packet-switched network 130 then transmits the status message to conversion system 120.
For a MO text message, web application 110 is able to generate status information for delivery of the MO text message. If delivery of the MO text message is successful or fails, web application 110 generates a RESTful status operation that includes the status information for the MO text message. The RESTful status operation may comprise a POST operation with a “NotifySmsDeliveryReceipt” command inserted that encapsulates the status information. Web application 110 then transmits the RESTful status operation to conversion system 120.
Conversion system 120 as described above allows for web-based text messaging to be implemented in evolving packet-switched networks. For example, conversion system 120 may be used to implement web-based text messaging in IMS networks and LTE networks. This can advantageously increase revenues for IMS and LTE service providers.
RESTful SMS Web Service supports the following SMS interfaces/methods toward web application 610.
SendSms
GetSmsDeliveryStatus
GetReceivedSms
StartSmsNotification
StopSmsNotification
NotifySmsReception
NotifySmsDeliveryReceipt
Each RESTful interface/method belongs to an HTTP verb/operation. Table 1 shows the relationship of RESTful profiles with 3GPP MAP and SMPP PDU.
The RESTful SMS Web Service should support HTTP status codes for return of each of the HTTP verbs. These status codes include but not limited to:
200 OK
202 Accepted
400 Bad Request
403 Forbidden
500 Internal Server Error
The examples shown in
The POST operation includes the SendSms command for sending the SMS message. The originator's address is +1 630 224 1234, the recipient's address is +1 630 355 6789, and the SMS text body is “Hello, Alice”. Web application 610 transmits the POST operation to conversion system 620 (see arrow 701). Conversion system 620 responds to web application 610 with an HTTP 202 Accepted message (see arrow 702).
Web application 610 also sends a request to conversion system 620 for a delivery status report. The status request comprises a GET (GetSmsDeliveryStatus) operation (see arrow 703). One example of the GET operation is as follows:
Conversion system 620 responds back to web application 610 with an HTTP 200 OK message that includes delivery information (see arrow 704). One example of the HTTP 200 OK is as follows:
Conversion system 620 extracts address data and the SMS body from the POST (SendSMS) operation, and converts it into a SIP MESSAGE that encapsulates the SMS message. More particularly, the MT SMS message is embedded in the 3GPP MAP RP-DATA (MAP mt-ForwardSM (SMS-DELIVER)) of the SIP MESSAGE. Where MAP RP-DATA is used within the SIP MESSAGE to encapsulate the MT SMS message, the RP-DATA may have the parameters indicated in Table 2.
When the RP-User Data field includes an SMS-DELIVER TPDU for MT SMS messages (see 3GPP TS 23.040), the RP-User Data may have the parameters illustrated in Table 3.
After converting the POST operation to a SIP MESSAGE, conversion system 620 transmits the SIP MESSAGE to IP-SM-GW 632 (see arrow 705). IP-SM-GW 632 in turn forwards the SIP MESSAGE to S-CSCF 634 of IMS network 630 (see arrow 706). Because the SMS message is already encapsulated within a SIP MESSAGE, IP-SM-GW 632 does not have to convert the message from another protocol (e.g., SMPP) to SIP. S-CSCF 634 then delivers the SIP MESSAGE to UE 640 (see arrow 707). UE 640 parses the SIP MESSAGE successfully, and responds to conversion system 620 with a SIP 200 OK (see arrows 708-710).
UE 640 then parses the RP-DATA of the SIP MESSAGE and determines that the RP-DATA includes an embedded delivery status request in TP-SRI (see Table 3). Therefore, UE 640 sends another SIP MESSAGE to conversion system 620 (see arrows 711-713) that includes the status information for the original SIP MESSAGE that carried the SMS message. More particularly, the status information is embedded in the RP-ACK of the SIP MESSAGE. The RP-ACK may have the parameters indicated in Table 4.
Conversion system 620 replies back to UE 640 with a SIP 200 OK (see arrows 714-716).
In response to the SIP MESSAGE that includes the status information for the SIP MESSAGE, conversion system 620 converts the SIP MESSAGE from UE 640 into a RESTful status operation that encapsulates the status information. The RESTful status operation in this example is a POST operation (NotifySmsReception). Conversion system 620 maps parameters from the MAP RP-ACK into the POST operation. One example of the POST operation is as follows:
Conversion system 620 then transmits the POST (NotifySmsReception) operation to web application 610 (see arrow 717). Web application 610 replies to conversion system 620 with an HTTP 200 OK (see arrow 718).
In addition to providing status information for the SIP MESSAGE, UE 640 is able to determine whether the SMS message itself was successfully delivered. Even though a SIP MESSAGE that encapsulates the SMS message was successfully received in UE 640, the SMS message itself may be corrupted in some manner so that it cannot be processed and displayed to an end user. Therefore, UE 640 is able to determine whether the SMS message was processed and provided to the end user, and generate status information for delivery of the MT SMS message.
UE 640 sends another SIP MESSAGE to conversion system 620 that includes the status information for the MT SMS message (see arrows 719-721). The status information (delivery status report) is embedded in the RP-DATA of the SIP MESSAGE (MAP Report-SM-Delivery-Status (SMS-STATUS-REPORT)). The SIP MESSAGE format is the same as the original SIP MESSAGE for the SMS message, but the TPDU in the RP-DATA includes the SMS-STATUS-REPORT as defined by TS 23.040. The RP-User Data may have the parameters illustrated in Table 5.
Conversion system 620 replies back to UE 640 with a SIP 200 OK (see arrows 722-724).
In response to the SIP MESSAGE that includes the status information for the SMS message, conversion system 620 converts the SIP MESSAGE from UE 640 into a RESTful status operation that encapsulates the status information. The RESTful status operation in this example is a POST operation (NotifySmsDeliveryReceipt). One example of the POST operation is as follows:
Conversion system 620 then transmits the POST operation to web application 610 (see arrow 725). Web application 610 replies to conversion system 620 with an HTTP 200 OK (see arrow 726). There may be additional messaging that is used to deliver the MT SMS message and its associated status information, as
Web application 610 then sends the POST operation to conversion system 620 (see arrow 801). Conversion system 620 responds back to web application 610 with an HTTP 200 OK (see arrow 802).
Assume in this example that an end user of UE 640 creates a MO SMS message intended for web application 610. When this occurs, UE 640 generates a SIP MESSAGE that encapsulates the SMS message in an RP-DATA field (which contains MAP MO-Forward-SM (SMS-SUBMIT)). When the RP-User Data field includes an SMS-SUBMIT TPDU for MO SMS messages (see 3GPP TS 23.040), the RP-User Data may have the parameters illustrated in Table 6.
UE 640 then transmits the SIP MESSAGE to conversion system 620 through IP-SM-GW 632 and S-CSCF 634 (see arrows 803-805). Conversion system 620 responds to UE 640 with a SIP 200 OK (see arrows 806-808).
After receiving the SIP MESSAGE, conversion system 620 converts the SIP MESSAGE to a RESTful receive operation that encapsulates the SMS message. The RESTful receive operation comprises a POST operation (NotifySmsReception) that encapsulates the SMS message. The POST operation is used in web application 610 to receive an MO SMS message when the user is online. One example of the POST operation (NotifySmsReception) is as follows:
Conversion system 620 sends the POST operation to web application 610 (see arrow 809). Web application 610 responds back to conversion system 620 with an HTTP 200 OK (see arrow 810).
The original SIP MESSAGE from UE 640 included an embedded delivery status request in TP-SRR (see Table 6). Therefore, conversion system 620 generates a GET (GetSmsDeliveryStatus) operation requesting a delivery status report for the MO SMS message. One example of the GET operation (GetSmsDeliveryStatus) is as follows:
Conversion system 620 then sends the GET operation (GetSmsDeliveryStatus) to web application 610 (see arrow 811). Web application 610 responds back to conversion system 620 with an HTTP 200 OK that includes the status information (see arrow 812). One example of the HTTP 200 OK is as follows:
Web application 610 then sends a POST operation (NotifySmsReception) to conversion system 620 (see arrow 813) as an acknowledgement that the MO SMS message was received. One example of the POST operation is as follows:
Conversion system 620 responds back to web application 610 with an HTTP 200 OK (see arrow 814).
After acquiring the status information from web application 610, conversion system 620 provides the status information to IMS network 630 and/or UE 640 as follows. The POST operation from web application 610 (see arrow 813) included a delivery status report for the MO SMS message. Thus, conversion system 620 converts the POST operation to a SIP MESSAGE that includes the status information. The status information at this point is for the original SIP MESSAGE that carried the MO SMS message. Conversion system 620 embeds the status information in the RP-ACK of the SIP MESSAGE, and transmits the SIP MESSAGE with the status information to UE 640 (see arrows 815-817). UE 640 replies back to conversion system 620 with a SIP 200 OK (see arrows 818-820).
Because UE 640 requested a delivery status report for the MO SMS message, web application 610 also determines whether the MO SMS message was successfully delivered to the user. If so, web application 610 generates status information (i.e., delivery receipt) for the MO SMS message, and inserts the status information in a POST operation (NotifySmsDeliveryReceipt). One example of the POST operation is as follows:
Web application 610 then transmits the POST operation (NotifySmsDeliveryReceipt) to conversion system 620 (see arrow 821). Conversion system 620 replies back to web application 610 with an HTTP 200 OK (see arrow 822).
Conversion system 620 converts the POST operation (NotifySmsDeliveryReceipt) request to a SIP MESSAGE that includes the status information for the MO SMS message. The status information is embedded in the RP-DATA/Status of the SIP MESSAGE, such as in the MAP Report-SM-Delivery-Status (SMS-STATUS-REPORT). Conversion system 620 then transmits the SIP MESSAGE to UE 640 through IP-SM-GW 632 and S-CSCF 634 (see arrows 823-825). UE 640 replies back to conversion system 620 with a SIP 200 OK (see arrows 826-828). There may be additional messaging that is used to deliver the MO SMS message and its associated status information, as
When the user logs into web application 610, web application 610 generates a GET (GetReceivedSms) operation to retrieve MO SMS messages that are stored for the user (if any). One example of the GET operation (GetReceivedSms) is as follows:
Web application 610 then transmits the GET operation to conversion system 620 (see arrow 916). Conversion system 620 identifies the MO SMS message stored for the user, and converts the stored MO SMS message into a RESTful receive operation for web application 610. In this example, the RESTful receive operation is an HTTP 200 OK that encapsulates the MO SMS message. One example of the HTTP 200 OK is as follows:
Conversion system 620 then transmits the HTTP 200 OK to web application 610 (see arrow 917). The call flow in
Any of the various elements shown in the figures or described herein may be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or some combination of these. For example, an element may be implemented as dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware elements may be referred to as “processors”, “controllers”, or some similar terminology. When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, a network processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or other circuitry, field programmable gate array (FPGA), read only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), non volatile storage, logic, or some other physical hardware component or module.
Also, an element may be implemented as instructions executable by a processor or a computer to perform the functions of the element. Some examples of instructions are software, program code, and firmware. The instructions are operational when executed by the processor to direct the processor to perform the functions of the element. The instructions may be stored on storage devices that are readable by the processor. Some examples of the storage devices are digital or solid-state memories, magnetic storage media such as a magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable digital data storage media.
Although specific embodiments were described herein, the scope of the invention is not limited to those specific embodiments. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims and any equivalents thereof.
