Message transmission system in a GPRS environment

• US 20040121785A1
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carey, Charles A., Parr, Joseph, Patterson, Anthony T., McElhinney, Brian, Vance, Robert B. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A message transmission system in a GPRS environment provides an intelligent messaging server and mobile client that communicate using SMS and GPRS services. The mobile client allows the user and the messaging provider to set preferences on the mobile client. It allows a service coverage estimation to be set that balances the SMS and GPRS coverage estimations for the mobile client which can be dependent upon the its location and expected coverage for each service within the its operational area. The mobile client also allows the setting of service selection preferences that are expressed using a balance of cost of service and reliability of service. Depending on the preferences set by the user and/or provider and the mobile client'"'"'s evaluation of its SMS and GPRS signal conditions, the mobile client will respond to the server using the protocol that it prefers. The server then switches from SMS to GPRS or vice versa, depending on the service that the mobile client uses. When the server does not have an active GPRS session with the mobile client and the server needs to send the mobile client messages, the server will send a SMS wakeup message to the mobile client. The server automatically fails over to sending messages to the mobile client using SMS when the mobile client loses its GPRS signal coverage or is turned off.

Claims

15. A process for a robust data delivery system between a server an a mobile client using the Short Message Service (SMS) and General Packet Radio System (GPRS) communication services, comprising the steps of:

providing service preference setting means on said mobile client for allowing a user and/or a messaging provider to set preferences on said mobile client for any of;

a service coverage estimation that balances SMS and GPRS service coverage estimations for said mobile client, and service selection preferences that are expressed using a balance of cost of service and reliability of service;

providing signal checking means on said mobile client for checking the status of said mobile client'"'"'s SMS and GPRS signals;

providing signal selection means on said mobile client for weighing said preference settings and said SMS and GPRS signal statuses to decide whether to answer said server using SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said signal selection means selects GPRS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using GPRS; and

wherein if said signal selection means selects SMS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using SMS.

16. The process of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

receiving a message on said mobile client from said server; and

wherein said message is sent by said server using either the SMS or GPRS services.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session when sending a message to said server using GPRS, if a session not been initiated.

18. The process of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

sending an SMS wakeup message from said server to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client; and

wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session with said server in response to said SMS wakeup message if GPRS service is available to said mobile client.

19. The process of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

resending said SMS wakeup message if said SMS wakeup message has timed out; and

wherein said resending step resends said SMS wakeup message each time a timeout occurs until said mobile client answers.

20. The process of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending step.

22. The process of claim 21, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

23. The process of claim 20, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more, and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending step.

24. The process of claim 23, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

25. The process of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

26. The process of claim 25, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

27. The process of claim 26, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

28. The process of claim 25, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

29. The process of claim 28, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

30. A process for a robust data delivery system between a server an a mobile client using the Short Message Service (SMS) and General Packet Radio System (GPRS) communication services, comprising the steps of:

sending an SMS wakeup message from said server to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client; and

providing GPRS session initiation means on said client for initiating a GPRS session with said server in response to said SMS wakeup message, if GPRS service is available to said mobile client.

31. The process of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

providing service preference setting means on said mobile client for allowing a user and/or a messaging provider to set preferences on said mobile client for any of;

a service coverage estimation that balances SMS and GPRS service coverage estimations for said mobile client, and service selection preferences that are expressed using a balance of cost of service and reliability of service;

providing signal checking means on said mobile client for checking the status of said mobile client'"'"'s SMS and GPRS signals;

receiving a message on said mobile client from said server; and

wherein said message is sent by said server using either the SMS or GPRS services;

providing signal selection means on said mobile client for weighing said preference settings and said SMS and GPRS signal statuses to decide whether to answer said server using SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said signal selection means selects GPRS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using GPRS; and

wherein if said signal selection means selects SMS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using SMS.

32. The process of claim 30, wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session when sending a message to said server using GPRS, if a session not been initiated.

33. The process of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

resending said SMS wakeup message if said SMS wakeup message has timed out; and

wherein said resending step resends said SMS wakeup message each time a timeout occurs until said mobile client answers.

34. The process of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

35. An apparatus for a robust data delivery system between a server an a mobile client using the Short Message Service (SMS) and General Packet Radio System (GPRS) communication services, comprising:

service preference setting means on said mobile client for allowing a user and/or a messaging provider to set preferences on said mobile client for any of;

a service coverage estimation that balances SMS and GPRS service coverage estimations for said mobile client, and service selection preferences that are expressed using a balance of cost of service and reliability of service;

a module for receiving a message on said mobile client from said server;

wherein said message is sent by said server using either the SMS or GPRS services;

wherein said mobile client checks the status of its SMS and GPRS signals;

signal selection means on said mobile client for weighing said preference settings and said SMS and GPRS signal statuses to decide whether to answer said server using SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said signal selection means selects GPRS, then said mobile client answers said server using GPRS; and

wherein if said signal selection means selects SMS, then said mobile client answers said server using SMS.

1. A process for a robust data delivery system between a server an a mobile client using the Short Message Service (SMS) and General Packet Radio System (GPRS) communication services, comprising the steps of:

providing service preference setting means on said mobile client for allowing a user and/or a messaging provider to set preferences on said mobile client for any of;

a service coverage estimation that balances SMS and GPRS service coverage estimations for said mobile client, and service selection preferences that are expressed using a balance of cost of service and reliability of service;

receiving a message on said mobile client from said server;

wherein said message is sent by said server using either the SMS or GPRS services;

wherein said mobile client checks the status of its SMS and GPRS signals;

providing signal selection means on said mobile client for weighing said preference settings and said SMS and GPRS signal statuses to decide whether to answer said server using SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said signal selection means selects GPRS, then said mobile client answers said server using GPRS; and

wherein if said signal selection means selects SMS, then said mobile client answers said server using SMS.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session when answering said server using GPRS, if a session not been initiated.

3. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

sending an SMS wakeup message from said server to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client; and

wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session with said server in response to said SMS wakeup message if GPRS service is available to said mobile client.

4. The process of claim 3, further comprising the step of:

resending said SMS wakeup message if said SMS wakeup message has timed out; and

wherein said resending step resends said SMS wakeup message each time a timeout occurs until said mobile client answers.

5. The process of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending step.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

8. The process of claim 5, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more, and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending step.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

10. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

13. The process of claim 10, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more, and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session when answering said server using GPRS, if a session not been initiated.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a module for sending an SMS wakeup message from said server to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client; and

wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session with said server in response to said SMS wakeup message if GPRS service is available to said mobile client.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

a module for resending said SMS wakeup message if said SMS wakeup message has timed out; and

wherein said resending module resends said SMS wakeup message each time a timeout occurs until said mobile client answers.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending module.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

41. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more, and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending module.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

43. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a module for receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

a module for analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more, and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

38-1. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

a module for receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

a module for analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

48. An apparatus for a robust data delivery system between a server an a mobile client using the Short Message Service (SMS) and General Packet Radio System (GPRS) communication services, comprising:

service preference setting means on said mobile client for allowing a user and/or a messaging provider to set preferences on said mobile client for any of;

a service coverage estimation that balances SMS and GPRS service coverage estimations for said mobile client, and service selection preferences that are expressed using a balance of cost of service and reliability of service;

signal checking means on said mobile client for checking the status of said mobile client'"'"'s SMS and GPRS signals;

signal selection means on said mobile client for weighing said preference settings and said SMS and GPRS signal statuses to decide whether to answer said server using SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said signal selection means selects GPRS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using GPRS; and

wherein if said signal selection means selects SMS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using SMS.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising:

a module for receiving a message on said mobile client from said server; and

wherein said message is sent by said server using either the SMS or GPRS services.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session when sending a message to said server using GPRS, if a session not been initiated.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising:

a module for sending an SMS wakeup message from said server to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client; and

wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session with said server in response to said SMS wakeup message if GPRS service is available to said mobile client.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

a module for resending said SMS wakeup message if said SMS wakeup message has timed out; and

wherein said resending module resends said SMS wakeup message each time a timeout occurs until said mobile client answers.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

a module for receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

a module for analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending module.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

56. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more, and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server executes said sending module.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

58. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising:

a module for receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

a module for analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

61. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein if said mobile client does not receive a GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server resends said GPRS message once more, and wherein if said mobile client does receive said resent GPRS message from said server within a predetermined timeout period, then said server sends an SMS wakeup message to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein said GPRS message timeout is set to one minute.

63. An apparatus for a robust data delivery system between a server an a mobile client using the Short Message Service (SMS) and General Packet Radio System (GPRS) communication services, comprising:

a module for sending an SMS wakeup message from said server to said mobile client in an attempt to open a GPRS session with said mobile client; and

a module for providing GPRS session initiation means on said client for initiating a GPRS session with said server in response to said SMS wakeup message, if GPRS service is available to said mobile client.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, further comprising:

service preference setting means on said mobile client for allowing a user and/or a messaging provider to set preferences on said mobile client for any of;

a service coverage estimation that balances SMS and GPRS service coverage estimations for said mobile client, and service selection preferences that are expressed using a balance of cost of service and reliability of service;

signal checking means on said mobile client for checking the status of said mobile client'"'"'s SMS and GPRS signals;

a module for receiving a message on said mobile client from said server; and

wherein said message is sent by said server using either the SMS or GPRS services;

signal selection means on said mobile client for weighing said preference settings and said SMS and GPRS signal statuses to decide whether to answer said server using SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said signal selection means selects GPRS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using GPRS; and

wherein if said signal selection means selects SMS, then said mobile client sends a message to said server using SMS.

65. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein said mobile client initiates a GPRS session when sending a message to said server using GPRS, if a session not been initiated.

66. The apparatus of claim 63, further comprising:

a module for resending said SMS wakeup message if said SMS wakeup message has timed out; and

wherein said resending module resends said SMS wakeup message each time a timeout occurs until said mobile client answers.

67. The apparatus of claim 64, further comprising:

a module for receiving a message on said server from said mobile client;

a module for analyzing said mobile client'"'"'s message to check if the message was sent via SMS or GPRS;

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via SMS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using SMS; and

wherein if said mobile client'"'"'s message was received via GPRS, then said server communicates with said mobile client using GPRS.