Patent Application
20100088185
Text messaging has become an extremely popular way for cellular telephone users to communicate. For many users, however, the cost is expensive, as certain users do not have unlimited text messaging plans, but rather pay per message. Some users have an allowed monthly message limit, but then pay per message once the limit is exceeded.
Short message service, or SMS, (sometimes referred to as simple message service), is a well-known standard for text messaging. In general, SMS uses fixed-size packets to carry the message payload, e.g., (one-hundred-sixty characters in many cases, but possibly seventy characters depending on the implementation). As a result, a per-message paying user pays the same to send a short message such as “hello” as when sending a full or near-full message using all or most of the available packet size.
By way of example, in China, the SMS use fee is charged based upon “blocks” of characters, priced such as 0.1 CNY for one to seventy characters, 0.2 CNY for seventy-one to one-hundred forty characters, and so on. In the United States, the user pays the same fee when sending from one to one-hundred-sixty characters. Unless the user uses up the available characters until the limit, the fee paid by the user is not fully utilized from the users' perspective.
As providing text messaging service to users is highly profitable for service providers, it is not likely that the SMS protocol or this fee model will change anytime soon. Anything that reduces the cost for users is beneficial.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of representative concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in any way that would limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Briefly, various aspects of the subject matter described herein are directed towards a technology by which metadata such as an advertisement is encoded into the free space of a text message for sending with the text of the text message. Other types of metadata include location (e.g., GPS) data, or the sender's mood. As can be readily understood, the inclusion of an advertisement can help reduce the user's cost; the inclusion of other types of data can reduce the number of messages that need to be sent, and/or the amount of typing a user needs to do to convey information.
In one aspect, a text messaging program that determines that free space is available in a text message, works with a metadata processor that selects the metadata to encode into the free space. For example, the metadata may be selected based upon user preference data and/or the amount of free space that remains available after accounting for the text.
In one aspect, when a device receives such a text message that includes encoded metadata, the device parses the metadata, and outputs content corresponding to the metadata. The content may be visible or audible, and may be output for simultaneous viewing with the text, before or after showing the text, in a pop-up display or the like overlaying the text, and so forth. For advertisements, the metadata may be an identifier, that identifies content (e.g., an image) previously downloaded to the receiving device in anticipation of the advertisement metadata being received.
Other advantages may become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
Various aspects of the technology described herein are generally directed towards using unused SMS character space (the resource bandwidth paid for by the user) for sending additional information, in a smart and convenient way. The extra bandwidth of SMS can be used for outputting advertisement information from the mobile device operator (or other service provider), from which participating users gets a discount. Other uses include sending location information, e.g., with GPS-enabled devices, sending mood data, and so on. This may be done transparent to the sender, e.g., if the device is appropriately configured, advertisement data, GPS data and/or mood data (e.g., put in once by the user whenever the user's mood changes) may automatically accompany any SMS message as unused space allows.
While many of the examples described herein are directed towards advertising, location data and mood data, it is understood that any type of additional metadata may be sent, such as representing a cursive signature, contact information, a non-commercial image, and so forth. Moreover, the additional metadata that is sent may be, but need not be the actual content that is displayed, but instead may be a reference (e.g., content identifier) to some content to display.
As such, the present invention is not limited to any particular embodiments, aspects, concepts, protocols, formats, structures, functionalities or examples described herein. Rather, any of the embodiments, aspects, concepts, protocols, formats, structures, functionalities or examples described herein are non-limiting, and the present invention may be used various ways that provide benefits and advantages in computing and communications in general.
Turning to
In general, three sets of components work together in this example implementation, namely an SMS program 102, a metadata processor 104, and various applications 106-109 that each generate and/or make use of respective metadata 116-119. Note that while three example applications 106-108 are shown along with an “other” application 109, it is understood that any number of such applications may be present in a given device, and that not all of the applications need be present. Further note that the SMS program and metadata processor can be combined into a single set of logic, however they perform different operations as described below and thus are considered separate entities regardless of how they are physically or logically arranged in a given implementation.
In the sending implementation of
As generally represented in
As represented by step 402 of
Step 306 of
Step 310 represents encoding the metadata into the message for sending. Step 312 represents sending out the enhanced SMS message containing the metadata information over the normal communications component 124 (which represents any such software and/or hardware).
Note that if at step 306 the metadata processor 104 returns an indication that there is no metadata, step 306 may simply advance to send the message, as shown via the dashed line to step 312. Further note that the SMS program 102 may recognize when there is not enough space to even invoke the metadata processor 104, e.g. the metadata processor 104 may require that there be at least some amount of free space. In such an event, step 302 can likewise jump ahead to step 312 and send the message.
However, encoded metadata may be small, such as a single control code followed by a value that represents mood. Further, one set of metadata may be sent in separate messages to the same recipient; for example, if a user regularly texts another user, partial metadata may be sent with some of the messages, and rebuilt at the recipient into a complete set of metadata for use. Thus, the minimum size requirement for adding metadata may be small.
As represented in
As represented in the steps of
In turn, as represented in
As shown in
With respect to advertising, once metadata is received at a recipient's device, the advertising may be shown in various ways. As advertisers will pay for showing their content, participating users can reduce their text messaging costs, and/or get other financial incentives, such as to receive valuable merchandise coupons, airline miles, and so forth.
In one aspect, the advertisement, or an identifier corresponding to the advertisement, is placed in the metadata, which is typically not visible. However, devices that do not include metadata-aware text messaging software may show it as readable text. Thus, for such devices, the advertisement identifier may be such that its main theme is still readable as text on devices that are not able to distinguish and hide the control codes, e.g., “<code>Visit Joe's Coffeeshop=s5jk656” where the identifier follows the ‘=’ sign in this example.
For metadata aware devices, the identifier is looked up and used to render a corresponding image. For non-metadata aware devices, the user will at least see the business name, for example.
Advertisements may be downloaded on demand, however this may be slow. Thus, advertising content may be pre-downloaded to a data store 250. For example, advertisers may pay/bid to have a certain metadata advertisement identifiers inserted into text messages on a particular day/time; the advertisers can specify that a visible content image (and/or audio or video clip) corresponding to each identifier be downloaded to as many devices as possible just prior to that day/time, to be cached in anticipation of later use. Note that downloading may take place by internet access, email, or even by an automated telephone call that gets the data. The downloading can be timed for when conventional telephone usage is low and extra over-the-air bandwidth is unused, such as late nights or weekends.
With reference to
Components of the mobile device 800 may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit 805, system memory 810, and a bus 815 that couples various system components including the system memory 810 to the processing unit 805. The bus 815 may include any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus, memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures, and the like. The bus 815 allows data to be transmitted between various components of the mobile device 800.
The mobile device 800 may include a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the mobile device 800 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, and removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the mobile device 800.
Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared, WiFi, WiMAX, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
The system memory 810 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory and may include read only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). On a mobile device such as a cell phone, operating system code 820 is sometimes included in ROM although, in other embodiments, this is not required. Similarly, application programs 825 are often placed in RAM although again, in other embodiments, application programs may be placed in ROM or in other computer-readable memory. The heap 830 provides memory for state associated with the operating system 820 and the application programs 825. For example, the operating system 820 and application programs 825 may store variables and data structures in the heap 830 during their operations.
The mobile device 800 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile memory. By way of example,
In some embodiments, the hard disk drive 836 may be connected in such a way as to be more permanently attached to the mobile device 800. For example, the hard disk drive 836 may be connected to an interface such as parallel advanced technology attachment (PATA), serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) or otherwise, which may be connected to the bus 815. In such embodiments, removing the hard drive may involve removing a cover of the mobile device 800 and removing screws or other fasteners that connect the hard drive 836 to support structures within the mobile device 800.
The removable memory devices 835-837 and their associated computer storage media, discussed above and illustrated in
A user may enter commands and information into the mobile device 800 through input devices such as a key pad 841 and the microphone 842. In some embodiments, the display 843 may be touch-sensitive screen and may allow a user to enter commands and information thereon. The key pad 841 and display 843 may be connected to the processing unit 805 through a user input interface 850 that is coupled to the bus 815, but may also be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as the communications module(s) 832 and wired port(s) 840.
A user may communicate with other users via speaking into the microphone 842 and via text messages that are entered on the key pad 841 or a touch sensitive display 843, for example. The audio unit 855 may provide electrical signals to drive the speaker 844 as well as receive and digitize audio signals received from the microphone 842.
The mobile device 800 may include a video unit 860 that provides signals to drive a camera 861. The video unit 860 may also receive images obtained by the camera 861 and provide these images to the processing unit 805 and/or memory included on the mobile device 800. The images obtained by the camera 861 may comprise video, one or more images that do not form a video, or some combination thereof.
The communication module(s) 832 may provide signals to and receive signals from one or more antenna(s) 865. One of the antenna(s) 865 may transmit and receive messages for a cell phone network. Another antenna may transmit and receive Bluetooth® messages. Yet another antenna (or a shared antenna) may transmit and receive network messages via a wireless Ethernet network standard.
In some embodiments, a single antenna may be used to transmit and/or receive messages for more than one type of network. For example, a single antenna may transmit and receive voice and packet messages.
When operated in a networked environment, the mobile device 800 may connect to one or more remote devices. The remote devices may include a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a cell phone, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the mobile device 800.
Aspects of the subject matter described herein are operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with aspects of the subject matter described herein include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microcontroller-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.
Aspects of the subject matter described herein may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a mobile device. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and so forth, which perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Aspects of the subject matter described herein may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
Furthermore, although the term server is often used herein, it will be recognized that this term may also encompass a client, a set of one or more processes distributed on one or more computers, one or more stand-alone storage devices, a set of one or more other devices, a combination of one or more of the above, and the like.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.
