Tap to subscribe to text message alerts

• US 10,373,206 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Friborg, Jr., George Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Macasiano, Marilyn G
• Application Number:
  US14/303,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20150363831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1456, 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for providing text message alerts. A telephony interface module receives an alert enrollment request from a client device. The alert enrollment request is received through a first type of communication channel. The alert enrollment request includes a protocol specific portion that includes a communication endpoint identifier assigned to the client device. A data database management module links the communication endpoint identifier to an opt-in record. A text message interface module communicates, based on the client device identifier being linked to the opt-in record, an alert to the client device through a second type of communication channel. The alert is addressed to the client device based on the communication endpoint identifier linked to the opt-in record.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

a non-transitory machine-readable medium for storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving an alert enrollment request from a client device, the alert enrollment request being received through a first type of telecommunication channel using a first telecommunication protocol, the alert enrollment request including a communication endpoint identifier assigned to the client device;

determining the communication endpoint identifier based on the alert enrollment request;

in response to the alert enrollment request, generating and transmitting via the first type of telecommunication channel an anti-fraud verification request to the client device using the first telecommunication protocol and the communication endpoint identifier assigned to the client device, the anti-fraud verification request including a phrase to be repeated by a user of the client device;

based on the alert enrollment request and a response from the client device to the anti-fraud verification request, automatically performing an anti-fraud verification of the client device;

based on the automatic performing of the anti-fraud verification of the client device, linking the communication endpoint identifier to an opt-in record of a database, the linking including performing a write operation to write the communication endpoint identifier to a data structure associated with the opt-in record;

generating an alert in a form compatible with a second telecommunication protocol; and

transmitting, based on the linking of the communication endpoint identifier to the opt-in record, the alert to the client device through a second type of telecommunication channel using the second telecommunication protocol, the alert being addressed to the client device based on the communication endpoint identifier linked to the opt-in record.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of telecommunication channel is a voice call service provided by a telephony network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication endpoint identifier is a telephone number usable to establish a phone call with the client device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second type of telecommunication channel is a text message service provided by the telephony network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the alert enrollment request includes caller line identification data; and

the linking of the communication endpoint identifier to the opt-in record includes;

determining the communication endpoint identifier further based on accessing caller line identification data of the alert enrollment request;

determining that the determined communication endpoint identifier is not linked to an existing opt-in record; and

generating a new opt-in record based on a determination that the communication endpoint identifier is not linked to the existing opt-in record.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the linking of the communication endpoint identifier to the opt-in record includes determining, based on the communication endpoint identification, that the client device is a mobile phone, and wherein the generating of the new opt-in record is further based on a determination that the client device is the mobile phone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting, over a third type of telecommunication channel, an alert enrollment invitation to the client device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the third type of telecommunication channel is an Internet Protocol service provided by a network.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the alert enrollment invitation includes a selectable user interface control element to initiate transmission of the alert enrollment request by the client device to a text messaging system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

communicating a confirmation message to the client device based on the linking of the communication endpoint identification to the opt-in record, the confirmation message including at least one of data to display text stating a name for an alert program, a frequency of text messages, or instructions for help or for canceling.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a server, an alert enrollment request from a client device, the alert enrollment request being received through a first type of telecommunication channel using a first telecommunication protocol, the alert enrollment request including a communication endpoint identifier assigned to the client device;

determining the communication endpoint identifier based on the alert enrollment request;

in response to the alert enrollment request, generating and transmitting via the first type of telecommunication channel an anti-fraud verification request to the client device using the first telecommunication protocol and the communication endpoint identifier assigned to the client device, the anti-fraud verification request including a phrase to be repeated by a user of the client device;

based on the alert enrollment request and a response from the client device to the anti-fraud verification request, automatically performing an anti-fraud verification of the client device;

based on the automatic performing of the anti-fraud verification of the client device, linking the communication endpoint identifier to an opt-in record of a database, the linking including performing a write operation to write the communication endpoint identifier to a data structure associated with the opt-in record;

generating an alert in a form compatible with a second telecommunication protocol; and

based on the linking of the communication endpoint identifier to the opt-in record, transmitting the alert to the client device through a second type of telecommunication channel using the second telecommunication protocol, the alert being addressed to the client device based on the communication endpoint identifier linked to the opt-in record.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the first type of telecommunication channel is a voice call service provided by a telephony network.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the communication endpoint identifier is a telephone number usable to establish a phone call with the client device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the second type of telecommunication channel is a text message service provided by the telephony network.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein:

the alert enrollment request includes caller line identification data; and

the linking of the communication endpoint identifier to the opt-in record includes;

determining the communication endpoint identifier further based on accessing caller line identification data of the alert enrollment request;

determining that the determined communication endpoint identifier is not linked to an existing opt-in record; and

generating a new opt-in record based on a determination that the communication endpoint identifier is not linked to an existing opt-in record.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more hardware processors of a machine, cause the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving an alert enrollment request from a client device, the alert enrollment request being received through a first type of telecommunication channel using a first telecommunication protocol, the alert enrollment request including a communication endpoint identifier assigned to the client device;

determining the communication endpoint identifier based on the alert enrollment request;

in response to the alert enrollment request, generating and transmitting via the first type of telecommunication channel an anti-fraud verification request to the client device using the first telecommunication protocol and the communication endpoint identifier assigned to the client device, the anti-fraud verification request including a phrase to be repeated by a user of the client device;

based on the alert enrollment request and a response from the client device to the anti-fraud verification request, automatically performing an anti-fraud verification of the client device;

based on the automatic performing of the anti-fraud verification of the client device, linking the communication endpoint identifier to an opt-in record of a database, the linking including performing a write operation to write the communication endpoint identifier to a data structure associated with the opt-in record;

generating an alert in a form compatible with a second telecommunication protocol; and

based on the linking of the communication endpoint identifier to the opt-in record, transmitting the alert to the client device through a second type of telecommunication channel using the second telecommunication protocol, the alert being addressed to the client device based on the communication endpoint identifier linked to the opt-in record.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first type of telecommunication channel is a voice call service provided by a telephony network.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the communication endpoint identifier is a telephone number usable to establish a phone call with the client device.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the second type of telecommunication channel is a text message service provided by the telephony network.