Method for controlling delivery of short messages in wireless network

• US 20070249374A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Chi, Ming Ai, Bai, Julie Jingping, Hu, Grace Zhaowen, Luan, Anne Tian
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

In a method for controlling the delivery of short text messages or other messages in a wireless network, a source terminal transmits a message to a recipient wireless unit over the network'"'"'s short messaging service (“SMS”). The message includes a message identifier, a communication identifier of the recipient wireless unit, and message content. Initially, it is determined whether the message satisfies a criterion for blocking the message. If so, the message is blocked. For example, transmission of the message may be blocked if the message identifier is not an authorized identifier. Alternatively, the message may be blocked if the message identifier is an unauthorized identifier. This may be determined by cross-referencing the message identifier to an identifier record of the wireless unit. The identifier record is a data entry, list, or other record associated with the wireless unit for purposes of screening/blocking messages.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with at least one wireless unit over a network, said method comprising the steps of:

determining if a message satisfies at least one message blocking criterion associated with a wireless unit, wherein the message is configured for transmission to the wireless unit over a wireless network messaging service; and

, if so,

blocking said message from at least one of transmission to the wireless unit and display on the wireless unit.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

referencing a message identifier of the message to an identifier record for the wireless unit, wherein the message blocking criterion comprises a selected one of the message identifier not being listed in an authorized identifiers portion of the identifier record and the message identifier being listed in an unauthorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the message is blocked from transmission to the wireless unit unless the message identifier is referenced in the authorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the identifier record is stored on a switch portion of the wireless network; and

the method is carried out at the switch.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the message is blocked from transmission to the wireless unit if the message identifier is referenced in the unauthorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the identifier record is stored on a switch portion of the wireless network; and

the method is carried out at the switch.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the message is blocked from display on the wireless unit unless the message identifier is referenced in the authorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the identifier record is stored on the wireless unit; and

the method is carried out at the wireless unit.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

subsequent to blocking said message, transmitting an acknowledgement to at least one of a network switch in communication with the wireless unit and a terminal originating said message, wherein the acknowledgement indicates that the message was blocked and/or not received.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the message is blocked from display on the wireless unit if the message identifier is referenced in the unauthorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the identifier record is stored on the wireless unit; and

the method is carried out at the wireless unit.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

subsequent to blocking said message, transmitting an acknowledgement to at least one of a network switch in communication with the wireless unit and a terminal originating said message, wherein the acknowledgement indicates that the message was blocked or not received.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the message is a short text message;

the messaging service is a short messaging service; and

the wireless unit is a mobile phone.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the message is blocked from at least one of transmission to the wireless unit and display on the wireless unit unless the message identifier is referenced in the authorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.

15. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the identifier record is stored in a database in a switch portion of the network;

the message includes a communication identifier of the wireless unit; and

the method further comprises accessing the identifier record by cross-referencing the communication identifier to the database, said communication identifier being associated with the identifier record in the database.

16. A method for controlling delivery of messages to a wireless unit, said method comprising the steps of:

referencing a message identifier to an identifier record of a wireless unit, wherein the message identifier is associated with a message configured for transmission to the wireless unit over a wireless network messaging service; and

determining whether to block the message based on the message identifier as referenced to the identifier record.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the identifier record includes at least one of an authorized identifiers portion and an unauthorized identifiers portion;

if the identifier record includes the authorized identifiers portion, the message is blocked unless the message identifier is referenced in the authorized identifiers portion; and

if the identifier record includes the unauthorized identifiers portion, the message is blocked if the message identifier is referenced in the unauthorized identifiers portion.

18. A method for communicating with at least one wireless unit over a network, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing an identifier record in a database based on a communication identifier, wherein the communication identifier is associated with the identifier record in the database and with a wireless unit, said communication identifier being received in a message configured for transmission to the wireless unit over a wireless network messaging service; and

blocking the message from being transmitted to the wireless unit based on a comparison of the identifier record and a message identifier associated with the message.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the message is a short text message;

the messaging service is a short messaging service; and

the wireless unit is a mobile phone; and

the message is blocked unless the message identifier is referenced in an authorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the message is a short text message;

the messaging service is a short messaging service; and

the wireless unit is a mobile phone; and

the message is blocked if the message identifier is referenced in an unauthorized identifiers portion of the identifier record.