Patent Application
20070275743
Embodiments of the present invention may leverage the capabilities of a centrally-located, full-featured VASP facility. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 7,154,901 entitled “INTERMEDIARY NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING MESSAGE EXCHANGE BETWEEN WIRELESS NETWORKS,” and its associated continuations, for a description of a VASP, a summary of various of the services/functions/etc. that are performed by a VASP, and a discussion of the numerous advantages that arise from same.
As depicted in
1) A WC 114→118 (and, by extension, all of the MSs 102→104, 106→108, 110→112 that are serviced by the WC 114→118) with ubiquitous access to a broad universe of SPs 122→124, and
2) A SP 122→124 with ubiquitous access to a broad universe of WCs 114→118 (and, by extension, to all of the MSs 102→104, 106→108, 110→112 that are serviced by the WCs 114→118).
Generally speaking a VASP may have varying degrees of visibility (e.g., access, etc.) to the (MS←→MS, MS←→SP, etc.) messaging traffic:
1) A WC may elect to route just their out-of-network messaging traffic to a VASP. Under this approach the VASP would have visibility (e.g., access, etc.) to just the portion of the WC's messaging traffic that was directed to the VASP by the WC.
2) A WC may elect to route all of their messaging traffic to a VASP. The VASP may, possibly among other things, subsequently return to the WC that portion of the messaging traffic that belongs to (i.e., that is destined for a MS of) the WC. Under this approach the VASP would have visibility (e.g., access, etc.) to all of the WC's messaging traffic.
While the discussion below will include a VASP, it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that other arrangements are equally applicable and indeed are fully within the scope of the present invention.
In the discussion below the present invention is described and illustrated as being offered by a SP. A SP may, for example, be realized as a third-party service bureau, an element of a WC or a landline carrier, an element of a VASP, multiple third-party entities working together, etc.
In the discussion below reference is made to messages that are sent, for example, between a MS and a SP. As set forth below, a given ‘message’ sent between a MS and a SP may actually comprise a series of steps in which the message is received, forwarded and routed between different entities, including possibly inter alia a MS, a WC, a VASP, and a SP. Thus, unless otherwise indicated, it will be understood that reference to a particular message generally includes that particular message as conveyed at any stage between an origination source, such as for example a MS, and an end receiver, such as for example a SP. As such, reference to a particular message generally includes a series of related communications between, for example, a MS and a WC; a WC and a VASP; a VASP and a SP; etc. The series of related communications may, in general, contain substantially the same information, or information may be added or subtracted in different communications that nevertheless may be generally referred to as a same message. To aid in clarity, a particular message, whether undergoing changes or not, is referred to by different reference numbers at different stages between a source and an endpoint of the message.
To better understand the particulars of the present invention consider for a moment a simple hypothetical example—SP SPx offers a service that has been enhanced or augmented as provided through aspects of the instant invention and Mary, a MS, uses SPx's service.
1) MS 202 WD 206. For example, Mary's WD such as a mobile telephone, BlackBerry, PalmPilot, etc.
2) WC 208. The provider of service for Mary's 202 WD 206.
3) VASP 210. As noted above the use of a VASP, although not required, provides significant advantages.
SP 204 Gateway (GW) 212. A messaging, etc. gateway facility within SPx 204.
SP 204 AS 214. Facilities within SPx 204 that provide key elements of the instant invention (which will be described below).
It is important to note or observe that:
1) In the instant example the messages are shown traversing a VASP.
2) The SP may employ a Short Code (SC) or a regular Telephone Number (TN) as its source address (and to which it would ask users of its service to direct any messages). While the abbreviated length of a SC (e.g., five digits for a SC administered by Neustar under the Common Short Code [CSC] program) incrementally enhances the experience of a MS (e.g., the MS need remember and enter only a few digits as the destination address of a message) it also, by definition, constrains the universe of available SCs thereby causing each individual SC to be a limited or scarce resource and raising a number of SC/CSC management, etc. issues. A description of a common (i.e., universal) short code environment may be found in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/742,764 entitled “UNIVERSAL SHORT CODE ADMINISTRATION FACILITY,” which is incorporated herein by reference. As just one example, following the model that is employed in the UK (where emergency voice telephone calls may be directed to 999) a SP might offer the instant invention under the CSC 99999.
In
1) Mary 202 witnesses a hit-and-run accident, uses her WD 206 to capture a photograph of the offending vehicle's license plate, and (perhaps after being unable to call 911 to report the incident) dispatches an SMS/MMS/IMS/etc. message 216 to CSC 99999. Such a message may also be referred to herein as a “notification message.”
2) The WC 208 that services Mary's 202 WD 206 receives the message, identifies the message as having a destination address of CSC 99999, and routes the message 218 on to a VASP for further routing, processing, and delivery.
3) The VASP 210 receives the message, identifies the message as having a destination address of CSC 99999, and routes the message 220 on to the (appropriate) destination SP, SPX 204 (i.e., the SP that currently services the CSC 99999).
4) A GW 212 at SPX 204 receives the message, optionally performs one or more processing steps (described below), and passes the message 222 on to an available AS 214.
5) The AS receives the message, performs a series of processing steps (described below), and possibly, inter alia, dispatches one or more SMS/MMS/IMS/etc. reply messages 224 (which, in brief, traverses a reverse path of the above 226→230) to Mary's 204 WD 206.
As indicated above, a SP's GW and AS may, individually and/or together, perform a range of processing steps. The processing steps may include, possibly inter alia:
1) Data Value Extraction. A range of data values may be extracted or retrieved from an incoming message including, inter alia, date and time, the TN of the sending MS, possibly the physical location of the sending MS, the body or content of the message, etc. The specific data values that were just cataloged are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other pieces of information are easily possible and indeed are fully within the scope of the present invention.
2) Validation and Editing. A flexible, extensible, and dynamically configurable set of validation, edit, etc. rules may optionally be applied to one or more of the data values.
3) Enhancement and Augmentation. One or more flexible, extensible, and dynamically configurable operations may optionally be completed against one or more of the data values to enhance or augment those data values and/or derive other data values. For example:
(a) Using the TN of the sending MS and a comprehensive number lookup facility (that, among other things, fully supports Mobile Number Portability [MNP] schemes) the identity of the specific WC that services the MS may be determined.
(b) If it was not possible to obtain the current physical location of the sending MS directly from the incoming message one or more operations may optionally be completed against the Location-Based Services (LBS), Global Positioning System (GPS), etc. capabilities/facilities of the servicing WC to obtain the current physical location of the sending MS.
(c) One or more of the available data elements may optionally be leveraged to identify the specific law enforcement, fire and rescue, etc. resources that are at or near the MS' current physical location.
The specific enhancement and augmentation operations that were just cataloged are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other operations are easily possible and indeed are fully within the scope of the present invention.
4) Analysis. One or more flexible, extensible, and dynamically configurable manual (e.g., human intervention) and/or automated (e.g., pattern-recognition software) analysis operations may optionally be completed. For example:
(a) One or more third-party telephone directory, license plate number, watch list, etc. databases may be queried.
(b) One or more data values (or images) from an incoming message may be compared to, correlated with, etc. one or more data values (or images) from previously-received messages to, for example, identify or further develop one or more patterns, confirm the nature of a possible emergency, event or situation, or obtain additional information with respect to the same emergency, event or situation.
The analysis operations that were described above are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other analysis operations are easily possible.
5) Action. Based on (i) a flexible, extensible, and dynamically configurable set of action rules and (ii) various of the data values, analysis results, etc. one or more actions may optionally be executed. For example:
(a) An incoming message, possibly along with other developed information, may be forwarded to a local law enforcement agency.
(b) A local law enforcement agency may be contacted (e.g., called) directly.
(c) One or more SMS/MMS/IMS/etc. reply messages may be dispatched to the sending MS with a request for additional information.
(d) One or more SMS/MMS/IMS/etc. reply messages may be dispatched to the sending MS with a request that the MS contact (e.g., call) a specific third-party (e.g., a law enforcement agency) using a provided TN.
(e) An incoming message, possibly along with other developed information, may be forwarded to one or more national agencies (e.g., the Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI], the Department of Homeland Security [DHS], etc.).
(f) One or more national agencies (e.g., the FBI, the DHS, etc.) may be contacted (e.g., called) directly.
The actions that were described above are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other actions are easily possible.
The specific exchanges that were described above (as residing under the designation Set 1) are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other exchanges are easily possible and indeed are fully within the scope of the present invention.
In
The specific exchanges that were described above (as residing under the designation Set 2) are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other exchanges are easily possible and indeed are fully within the scope of the present invention.
In
The specific exchanges that were described above (as residing under the designation Set 3) are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other exchanges are easily possible and indeed are fully within the scope of the present invention.
The Set 1, Set 2, and Set 3 exchanges that were described above are illustrative only and it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other exchanges are easily possible and indeed are fully within the scope of the present invention. For example:
1) A SP may offer an optional registration process. A registration process may be tailored (e.g., the range of information gathered, the scope of access subsequently granted, etc.) to the class of user—e.g., different types, categories, etc. of users may complete different registration processes. A registration process may be completed through any combination of one or more channels including, inter alia, the World Wide Web (WWW via, for example, a Web site that is operated by SPx), wireless messaging (SMS, MMS, etc.), Electronic Mail (E-Mail) messages, Instant Messaging (IM), conventional mail, telephone, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) facility, etc. Information that may be collected during a registration process may be preserved in a data repository (e.g., a database) and may optionally be organized as a Profile. A Profile may optionally be augmented by a SP to include, as just a few examples of the many possibilities, internal and/or external demographic, psychographic, sociological, etc. data.
2) A SP may provide support for a range of billing models including, inter alia, a fixed one-time charge, a recurring (monthly, etc.) fixed charge, a recurring (monthly, etc.) variable charge, etc. A SP may offer different payment mechanisms including, possibly among other things, credit or debit card information, authorization to place a charge on a MS's phone bill, etc. A billing transaction may take any number of forms and may involve different external entities (e.g., a WC's billing system, a carrier billing system service bureau, a credit or debit card clearinghouse, etc.). A billing transaction may include, inter alia:
A) The appearance of a line item charge on the bill or statement that a MS receives from her WC. Exemplary mechanics and logistics associated with this approach are described in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/837,695 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BILLING AUGMENTATION,” which is incorporated herein by reference. Other ways of completing or performing line item billing are easily implemented by those skilled in the art.
B) The charging of a credit card or the debiting of a debit card.
The reply message(s) that were described above may optionally contain an informational element—e.g., a public service announcement, a relevant or applicable personal or physical safety factoid, etc. The informational element may be selected statically (e.g., all generated messages are injected with the same informational text), randomly (e.g., a generated message is injected with informational text that is randomly selected from a pool of available informational text), or location-based (i.e., a generated message is injected with informational text that is selected from a pool of available informational text based on the current physical location of the recipient of the message as derived from, as one example, a LBS facility).
The reply message(s) may optionally contain advertising—e.g., textual material if an SMS model is being utilized, multimedia (images of brand logos, sound, video snippets, etc.) material if an MMS model is being utilized, etc. The advertising material may be selected statically (e.g., all generated messages are injected with the same advertising material), randomly (e.g., a generated message is injected with advertising material that is randomly selected from a pool of available material), or location-based (i.e., a generated message is injected with advertising material that is selected from a pool of available material based on the current physical location of the recipient of the message as derived from, as one example, a LBS facility).
The reply message(s) may optionally contain promotional materials (e.g., text, still images, video clips, etc.).
In one possible implementation of the present invention, MS 202 may be given an award (e.g., monetary, etc.) in connection with submission of a (notification) message 216 that leads to, e.g., the capture or arrest of a criminal, the avoidance of an accident, the timely reporting of a fire, etc.
A dynamically updateable set of one or more Gateways (GW1 308→GWa 310 in the diagram) handle incoming (e.g., SMS/MMS/IMS/etc. messaging, etc.) traffic and outgoing (e.g., SMS/MMS/IMS/etc. messaging, etc.) traffic. Incoming traffic is accepted and deposited on an intermediate or temporary Incoming Queue (IQ1 312→IQb 314 in the diagram) for subsequent processing. Processed artifacts are removed from an intermediate or temporary Outgoing Queue (OQ1 324→OQc 326 in the diagram) and then dispatched.
A dynamically updateable set of one or more Incoming Queues (IQ1 312→IQb 314 in the diagram) and a dynamically updateable set of one or more Outgoing Queues (OQ1 324→OQc 326 in the diagram) operate as intermediate or temporary buffers for incoming and outgoing traffic.
A dynamically updateable set of one or more WorkFlows (WorkFlow1 318→WorkFlowd 320 in the diagram) remove incoming traffic from an intermediate or temporary Incoming Queue (IQ1 312→IQb 314 in the diagram), perform all of the required processing operations, and deposit processed artifacts on an intermediate or temporary Outgoing Queue (OQ1 324→OQc 326 in the diagram).
The Database 322 that is depicted in
As depicted in
Through flexible, extensible, and dynamically updatable configuration information, a WorkFlow component may be quickly and easily realized to support any number of activities. For example, WorkFlows might be configured to support the extraction of data values from an incoming message; the editing/validation of data values; the enhancement/augmentation of data values; an array of analysis operations; an array of actions; the generation and dispatch of reply messages; the generation of scheduled and/or on-demand reports; etc. The specific WorkFlows that were just described are exemplary only; it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous other WorkFlow arrangements, alternatives, etc. are easily possible.
A SP may maintain a repository (e.g., a database) into which selected details of all administrative, messaging, etc. activities may be recorded. Among other things, such a repository may be used to support:
1) Scheduled (e.g., daily, weekly, etc.) and/or on-demand reporting with report results delivered (to, e.g., local law enforcement agencies, national agencies such as the FBI or the DHS, etc.) through SMS, MMS, IMS, etc. messages; through e-mail; through a WWW-based facility; etc.
2) Scheduled and/or on-demand data mining initiatives (possibly leveraging or otherwise incorporating one or more external data sources) with the results of same presented through Geographic Information Systems (GISs), visualization, etc. facilities and delivered (to, e.g., local law enforcement agencies, national agencies such as the FBI or the DHS, etc.) through SMS, MMS, IMS, etc. messages; through e-mail; through a WWW-based facility; etc.
It is important to note that while aspects of the discussion that was presented above focused on the use of SCs, it will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that TNs and other message address identifiers (such as, for example, SIP URIs) are equally applicable and, indeed, are fully within the scope of the present invention.
The discussion that was just presented referenced the specific wireless messaging paradigms SMS and MMS. These paradigms potentially offer an incremental advantage over other paradigms in that native support may commonly be found on a WD that a potential MS would be carrying. However, it is to be understood that it would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that other paradigms (IMS, etc.) are fully within the scope of the present invention.
It is important to note that the hypothetical example that was presented above, which was described in the narrative and which was illustrated in the accompanying figures, is exemplary only. It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art that numerous alternatives to the presented example are easily possible and, indeed, are fully within the scope of the present invention.
The following list defines acronyms as used in this disclosure.
The foregoing disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art in light of the above disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/802,766, filed on May 24, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60802766 | May 2006 | US |
