Gateway application to support use of a single internet address domain for routing messages to multiple multimedia message service centers

• US 20050249150A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Dewey, Mike, Johnson, Carle S. Jr., Bhadange, Nikhil
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks

Abstract

Wireless carrier networks can utilize multiple MMSCs all accessed by a message sender with a message addressed to a single Internet domain, providing a single point of entry for messages into the network of MMSCs and maintaining routing information sufficient to route messages to all subscribers via the MMSC.

Claims

1. A Multimedia Messaging (MMS) gateway, comprising:

MM3 (SMTP), MM4 (MMS Extended SMTP), and MM7 (SOAP) interfaces for connection to an Internet;

a plurality of MM3 (SMTP), MM4 (MMS Extended SMTP), and MM7 (SOAP) interfaces for connection to a plurality of Multimedia Messaging Service Centers (MMSCs);

a database associating subscribers with a particular MMSC servicing them; and

a routing module to forward incoming MMS messages to a particular one of a plurality of MMSCs based on information obtained from said database;

wherein MMS messages are sent to subscribers of a plurality of MMSCs using addresses to a single domain name associated with said MMS gateway.

2. The Multimedia Messaging (MMS) gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a table in said database defining a particular MMSC to which MMS messages to said particular subscriber are to be forwarded from said MMS gateway.

3. The Multimedia Messaging (MMS) gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a single anti-spam filtering function operating on messages intended for each of said plurality of MMSCs.

4. The Multimedia Messaging (MMS) gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a store and forward capability that prevents message loss in an event that any of said plurality of MMSCs are momentarily out of service.

5. The Multimedia Messaging (MMS) gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a module to facilitate, consolidate, and accumulate overall network messaging statistics for all of said plurality of MMSCs.

6. A method of providing a single domain name for Multimedia Messaging (MMS) messages addressed to multiple Multimedia Messaging Service Centers (MMSCs) in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving an MMS message through a connection to an Internet intended for a subscriber of one of a plurality of MMSCs;

associating a destination subscriber with a particular one of said plurality of MMSCs servicing them; and

forwarding said received MMS message to said particular one of said plurality of MMSCs based on an association of said destination subscriber with said particular one of said plurality of MMSCs;

wherein MMS messages are sent to subscribers of a plurality of MMSCs using addresses to a single domain name.

7. The method of providing a single domain name for Multimedia Messaging (MMS) messages addressed to multiple Multimedia Messaging Service Centers (MMSCs) in a wireless network according to claim 6, wherein:

said domain name is assigned a unique Universal Resource Locator (URL).

8. Apparatus for providing a single domain name for Multimedia Messaging (MMS) messages addressed to multiple Multimedia Messaging Service Centers (MMSCs) in a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving an MMS message through a connection to an Internet intended for a subscriber of one of a plurality of MMSCs;

means for associating a destination subscriber with a particular one of said plurality of MMSCs servicing them; and

means for forwarding said received MMS message to said particular one of said plurality of MMSCs based on an association of said destination subscriber with said particular one of said plurality of MMSCs;

wherein MMS messages are sent to subscribers of a plurality of MMSCs using addresses to a single domain name.

9. The apparatus for providing a single domain name for Multimedia Messaging (MMS) messages addressed to multiple Multimedia Messaging Service Centers (MMSCs) in a wireless network according to claim 8, wherein:

said domain name is assigned a unique Universal Resource Locator (URL).