HOME ZONE DETERMINATION FOR ELECTRONIC MESSAGING SERVICES

• US 20080010349A1
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Cai, Yigang, Sharma, Alok
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that determine whether a sender/recipient using an electronic messaging service (e.g., SMS messaging service or MMS messaging service) is located in a defined home zone. A communication network in one embodiment includes a messaging system, such as an SMSC or an MMSC, and a home zone system. If the messaging system receives an electronic message from a sender to a recipient, then the home zone system determines a location of the sender/recipient. The home zone system also determines whether the sender/recipient is located in a home zone. If the home zone system determines that the sender/recipient is located in a home zone, then the messaging system forwards the electronic message to the recipient. If the home zone system determines that the sender/recipient is not located in the home zone, then the messaging system blocks the electronic message.

Claims

1. A communication network adapted to provide an electronic messaging service, the communication network comprising:

a messaging system adapted to receive an electronic message from a sender to a recipient; and

a home zone system adapted to determine a location of the recipient responsive to the messaging system receiving the electronic message, and to determine whether the recipient is located in a home zone defined for the recipient;

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the recipient is located in the home zone, and to block the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the recipient is not located in the home zone.

2. The communication network of claim 1 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then:

the messaging system is further adapted to buffer the electronic message;

the home zone system is further adapted to determine the location of the recipient after a retry time interval, and to determine whether the recipient has moved into the home zone; and

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the recipient has moved into the home zone.

3. The communication network of claim 1 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then:

the messaging system is further adapted to buffer the electronic message;

the home zone system is further adapted to dynamically monitor the location of the recipient to determine whether the recipient has moved into the home zone, and to transmit a message to the messaging system if the recipient has moved into the home zone; and

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the recipient has moved into the home zone.

4. The communication network of claim 1 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then the messaging system is further adapted to:

transmit a notification message to the recipient indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receive a response message from the recipient indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

5. The communication network of claim 1 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then the messaging system is further adapted to:

transmit a notification message to the sender indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receive a response message from the sender indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

6. The communication network of claim 1 wherein:

the home zone system is further adapted to determine a location of the sender, and to determine whether the sender is located in a home zone defined for the sender; and

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the sender is located in the home zone, and to block the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the sender is not located in the home zone.

7. A method of providing an electronic messaging service, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic message sent by a sender to a recipient;

determining a location of the recipient;

determining whether the recipient is located in a home zone defined for the recipient;

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the recipient is located in the home zone; and

blocking the electronic message responsive to determining that the recipient is not located in the home zone.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

buffering the electronic message;

determining the location of the recipient after a retry time interval;

determining whether the recipient has moved into the home zone; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the recipient has moved into the home zone.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

buffering the electronic message;

dynamically monitoring the location of the recipient to determine whether the recipient has moved into the home zone; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the recipient has moved into the home zone.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

transmitting a notification message to the recipient indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receiving a response message from the recipient indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

transmitting a notification message to the sender indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receiving a response message from the sender indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining a location of the sender;

determining whether the sender is located in a home zone defined for the sender;

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the sender is located in the home zone; and

blocking the electronic message responsive to determining that the sender is not located in the home zone.

13. A communication network adapted to provide an electronic messaging service, the communication network comprising:

a messaging system adapted to receive an electronic message from a sender to a recipient; and

a home zone system adapted to determine a location of the sender responsive to the messaging system receiving the electronic message, and to determine whether the sender is located in a home zone defined for the sender;

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the sender is located in the home zone, and to block the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the sender is not located in the home zone.

14. The communication network of claim 13 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then:

the messaging system is further adapted to buffer the electronic message;

the home zone system is further adapted to determine the location of the sender after a retry time interval, and to determine whether the sender has moved into the home zone; and

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the sender has moved into the home zone.

15. The communication network of claim 13 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then:

the messaging system is further adapted to buffer the electronic message;

the home zone system is further adapted to dynamically monitor the location of the sender to determine whether the sender has moved into the home zone, and to transmit a message to the messaging system if the sender has moved into the home zone; and

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the sender has moved into the home zone.

16. The communication network of claim 13 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then the messaging system is further adapted to:

transmit a notification message to the recipient indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receive a response message from the recipient indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

17. The communication network of claim 13 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then the messaging system is further adapted to:

transmit a notification message to the sender indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receive a response message from the sender indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

18. The communication network of claim 13 wherein:

the home zone system is further adapted to determine a location of the recipient, and to determine whether the recipient is located in a home zone defined for the recipient; and

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the home zone system determining that the recipient is located in the home zone, and to block the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the recipient is not located in the home zone.

19. A method of providing an electronic messaging service, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic message sent by a sender to a recipient;

determining a location of the sender;

determining whether the sender is located in a home zone defined for the sender;

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the sender is located in the home zone; and

blocking the electronic message responsive to determining that the sender is not located in the home zone.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

buffering the electronic message;

determining the location of the sender after a retry time interval;

determining whether the sender has moved into the home zone; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the sender has moved into the home zone.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

buffering the electronic message;

dynamically monitoring the location of the sender to determine whether the sender has moved into the home zone; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the sender has moved into the home zone.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

transmitting a notification message to the recipient indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receiving a response message from the recipient indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein if the electronic message is blocked, then the method further comprises:

transmitting a notification message to the sender indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message;

receiving a response message from the sender indicating an agreement to the additional payment; and

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to the response message.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

determining a location of the recipient;

determining whether the recipient is located in a home zone defined for the recipient;

delivering the electronic message to the recipient responsive to determining that the recipient is located in the home zone; and

blocking the electronic message responsive to determining that the recipient is not located in the home zone.

25. A communication network adapted to provide an electronic messaging service, the communication network comprising:

a home zone system adapted to monitor whether a subscriber that subscribes to the electronic messaging service is located in a home zone defined for the subscriber; and

a messaging system adapted to receive an electronic message sent to or received from the subscriber, to transmit a query to the home zone system to determine whether the subscriber is located in the home zone, to deliver the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the subscriber is located in the home zone, and to block the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the subscriber is not located in the home zone.

26. The communication network of claim 25 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then:

the messaging system is further adapted to buffer the electronic message, to transmit another query to the home zone system after a retry time interval to determine whether the subscriber has moved into the home zone, and to deliver the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the subscriber has moved into the home zone.

27. The communication network of claim 25 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then:

the messaging system is further adapted to buffer the electronic message;

the home zone system is further adapted to identify whether the subscriber has moved into the home zone, and to transmit a message to the messaging system responsive to identifying that the subscriber has moved into the home zone; and

the messaging system is further adapted to deliver the electronic message responsive to the home zone system determining that the subscriber has moved into the home zone.

28. The communication network of claim 25 wherein if the electronic message is blocked in the messaging system, then the messaging system is further adapted to transmit a notification message to the subscriber indicating that additional payment is needed for delivery of the electronic message, to receive a response message from the subscriber indicating an agreement to the additional payment, and to deliver the electronic message responsive to the response message.