APPLICATION POD INTEGRATION WITH AUTOMATED MOBILE PHONE BILLING AND DISTRIBUTION PLATFORM

• US 20080040733A1
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMS AC Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SMS AC Incorporated
• Inventors: Pousti, Michael, Ballester, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A platform for supporting a network-enabled application is configured to render the network enabled application for a user, via a user interface associated with the user, in accordance with various APIs included in the platform and used by a program developer to develop the network-enabled application. The rendering can included recognizing that the user interface is a mobile user interface and rendering the network-enabled application in a manner appropriate and/or optimal for the mobile user interface.

Claims

1. A platform for supporting a network-enabled application, comprising:

a plurality of communication channels to a respective plurality of wireless network carriers, each of the wireless network carriers having a plurality of users;

at least one processor;

at least one interface having access to the internet;

at least one Application Programming Interface (API); and

at least one computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for integrating the network-enabled application with the platform, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform;

a selection receipt step of receiving, in the platform, a selection indication from one of the plurality of users via an application webpage operated by the platform of a network-enabled application, the selection indication including an application identifier and network location information corresponding to the network-enabled application;

a recognizing step of recognizing, in the platform, the application identifier and the network location information and sending a request to an application server associated with the application identifier and the network location information;

a receiving step of receiving, in the platform, code instructions associated with the selected network-enabled application in response to the request;

a rendering step of rendering, in the platform, the selected network-enabled application to a user interface associated with the user in accordance with the code instructions and the API;

a billing event detection step of detecting, in the platform, a billing event generated by the network-enabled application, the billing event containing an identification code corresponding to the user; and

a billing message step of sending, in the case that the billing event is determined to be valid in the billing validation step, a billing message from the platform to an external billing mechanism, the billing message containing a billing amount which the external billing mechanism bills to the user.

2. A platform according to claim 1, wherein the API is an API associated with mobile user interface capability, and wherein rendering the selected network-enabled application to a user interface associated with the user in accordance with the API, comprises a recognizing step, performed in the platform, of recognizing the user interface type, and rendering the network-enabled application appropriately based on the user interface type.

3. A platform according to claim 2, wherein recognizing the user interface comprises the step of recognizing, preformed in the platform, whether the user interface is a mobile user interface.

4. A platform according to claim 3, wherein rendering the network-enabled application appropriately comprises the step of rendering, performed in the platform, the network-enabled application in one format when the user interface is a mobile user interface and in another when the user interface is not a mobile user interface.

5. A platform according to claim 4, wherein the network application is rendered in mobile protocol if the user interface is a mobile user interface.

6. The platform according to claim 4, rendering the network-enabled application appropriately comprises the step of translating, performed in the platform, a format associated with the code instructions into an appropriate format for the user interface.

7. The platform according to claim 6, wherein the step of translating comprises the step of removing, performed in the platform, certain features from the code to improve security.

8. The platform according to claim 7, wherein the format associated with the code is an HTML format, and wherein the features removed comprise at least one of javascript, iframe, and script features.

9. The platform according to claim 7, wherein the features removed comprise hyperlinks.

10. A platform according to claim 3, wherein rendering the network-enabled application appropriately comprises the step of modifying, performed in the platform, the network-enabled application functionality when the user interface is a mobile user interface.

11. A platform according to claim 10, wherein modifying the network-enabled functionality comprises the step of adding, performed in the platform, two-way communication capability between the platform and the mobile user interface via the network-enabled application.

12. The platform according to claim 11, wherein the communication capability is via text messaging.

13. The platform according to claim 11, wherein the communication capability is via Short Message Service (SMS).

14. The platform according to claim 11, wherein the communication capability is via Mobile Message Service (MMS).

15. The platform according to claim 11, wherein the communication capability is via email.

16. A platform according to claim 10, wherein modifying the network-enabled functionality comprises the step of enabling, performed in the platform, the user to enter commands through the network-enabled application to be communicated to the platform via the user interface.

17. A platform according to claim 16, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:

the step of receiving, in the platform, a command from the user interface; and

the step of responding, in the platform, to the command, or forwarding the command to the application server.

18. A platform according to claim 17, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:

the step of receiving, in the platform, a response from the application server, when the command is forwarded; and

the step of forwarding the response to the user via the user interface.

19. The platform according to claim 17, wherein the communication capability is via text messaging.

20. The platform according to claim 17, wherein the communication capability is via Short Message Service (SMS).

21. The platform according to claim 17, wherein the communication capability is via Mobile Message Service (MMS).

22. The platform according to claim 17, wherein the communication capability is via email.

23. A platform according to claim 1, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:

the step of receiving, in the platform, at least one message from the application server for deliver to at least one of the plurality of users; and

the step of communicating, in the platform, the message to the at least one of the plurality of users.

24. A platform according to claim 23, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving, in the platform, at least one message from the application server for delivery to at least one of the plurality of users at a specified time or periodic interval.

25. A platform according to claim 23, wherein the step of receiving further comprises receiving, in the platform, a bulk schedule for at least one message to be delivered to at least one of the plurality of users at certain specified times.

26. A platform for supporting a network-enabled application, comprising:

a plurality of communication channels to a respective plurality of wireless network carriers, each of the wireless network carriers having a plurality of users;

at least one processor;

at least one interface having access to the internet;

at least one Application Programming Interface (API); and

at least one computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for integrating the network-enabled application with the platform, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform;

a selection receipt step of receiving, in the platform, a selection indication from one of the plurality of users via an application webpage operated by the platform of a network-enabled application, the selection indication including an application identifier and network location information corresponding to the network-enabled application;

a determining step of determining, in the platform, whether the user is a owner or a viewer of the selected network-enabled application;

a recognizing step of recognizing, in the platform, the application identifier and the network location information and sending a request to an application server associated with the application identifier and the network location information, the request including augmented information, the augmented information including whether the user is an owner or a viewer;

a receiving step of receiving, in the platform, code instructions associated with the selected network-enabled application in response to the request, the code-instructions depending on the augmented information; and

a rendering step of rendering, in the platform, the selected network-enabled application to a user interface associated with the user in accordance with the code instructions and the API.

27. A platform according to claim 26, wherein the at least one computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for integrating the network-enabled application with the platform, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform:

a billing event detection step of detecting, in the platform, a billing event generated by the network-enabled application, the billing event containing an identification code corresponding to the user; and

a billing message step of sending a billing message from the platform to an external billing mechanism, the billing message containing a billing amount which the external billing mechanism bills to the user.

28. The platform of claim 26, wherein the augmented information includes an identifier associated with the user.

29. The platform of claim 26, wherein the augmented information includes demographic information.

30. The platform of claim 26, wherein the demographic information comprises an age of the user.

31. The platform of claim 26, wherein the demographic information comprises a gender of the user.

32. The platform of claim 26, wherein the demographic information comprises a location of the user.

33. The platform of claim 26, wherein the step of rendering the selected network-enabled application comprises the step of rendering, performed in the platform, the network-enabled application based on the demographic information.

34. The platform of claim 26, wherein the step of rendering the selected network-enabled application comprises the step of rendering, performed in the platform, the network-based application differently based on whether the user is an owner or a viewer.

35. A platform for supporting a network-enabled application, comprising:

a plurality of communication channels to a respective plurality of wireless network carriers, each of the wireless network carriers having a plurality of users;

at least one processor;

at least one interface having access to the internet;

at least one Application Programming Interface (API); and

at least one computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for integrating the network-enabled application with the platform, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform;

a selection receipt step of receiving, in the platform, a selection indication from one of the plurality of users via an application webpage operated by the platform of a network-enabled application, the selection indication including an application identifier and network location information corresponding to the network-enabled application;

a recognizing step of recognizing, in the platform, the application identifier and the network location information and sending a request to an application server associated with the application identifier and the network location information;

a receiving step of receiving, in the platform, code instructions associated with the selected network-enabled application in response to the request; and

a rendering step of rendering, in the platform, the selected network-enabled application to a user interface associated with the user in accordance with the code instructions and the API, the API defining a plurality of menus to be rendered as part of the network-enabled application that allow the user to share information with other users via the network enabled application.

36. A platform according to claim 35, wherein one of the plurality of menus is a share menu, and wherein the share menu allows the user to send messages to other users.

37. A platform according to claim 36, wherein sending messages comprises the step of sending, performed in the platform, a text message.

38. A platform according to claim 36, wherein sending messages comprises the step of sending, performed in the platform, a SMS message.

39. A platform according to claim 36, wherein sending messages comprises the step of sending, performed in the platform, an Instant Message (IM).

40. A platform according to claim 36, wherein sending messages comprises the step of sending, performed in the platform, an email message.

41. A platform according to claim 35, wherein one of the plurality of menus is a community menu, and wherein the community menu allows the user to rate the networked-enabled application.

42. A platform according to claim 35, wherein one of the plurality of menus is a community menu, and wherein the community menu allows the user to access a blog related to the networked-enabled application.

43. A platform according to claim 35, wherein one of the plurality of menus is a directory menu, and wherein the directory menu allows the user to access a list of other network-enabled application recommended by other users of the plurality of users the networked-enabled application.

44. A platform according to claim 35, wherein one of the plurality of menus is a help menu, and wherein the help menu allows the user to access information related to the networked-enabled application.

45. A platform according to claim 44, wherein accessing information related to the network-enabled application comprises the step of receiving, performed in the platform, a request for information from the user through the help menu included in the network application, and the step of sending, performed in the platform, the request to an application server associated with the network-enabled application.

46. A platform according to claim 45, wherein accessing information related to the network-enabled application further comprises the step of receiving, performed in the platform, a message from the application server in response to the request, and the step of communicating, performed in the platform, the message to the user through the network-enabled application.

47. A platform for supporting a network-enabled application, comprising:

a plurality of communication channels to a respective plurality of wireless network carriers, each of the wireless network carriers having a plurality of users;

at least one processor;

at least one interface having access to the internet;

at least one Application Programming Interface (API); and

at least one computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for integrating the network-enabled application with the platform, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform;

a selection receipt step of receiving, in the platform, a selection indication from one of the plurality of users via an application webpage operated by the platform of a network-enabled application, the selection indication including an application identifier and network location information corresponding to the network-enabled application;

a recognizing step of recognizing, in the platform, the application identifier and the network location information and sending a request to an application server associated with the application identifier and the network location information;

a receiving step of receiving, in the platform, code instructions associated with the selected network-enabled application in response to the request; and

a rendering step of rendering, in the platform, the selected network-enabled application to a user interface associated with the user in accordance with the code instructions and the API, wherein the code and the API define tags that can be included in a content area of the network-enabled application.

48. A platform according to claim 47, wherein the tags are configured to bracket certain content within the content area.

49. A platform according to claim 48, wherein one of the tags triggers a pop-up side menu when a user scrolls over the bracketed content using the user interface.

50. A platform according to claim 49, wherein the pop-up side menu includes an option that when selected allows the user to share content in the content area with others of the plurality of users via the platform.

51. A platform according to claim 49, wherein the pop-up side menu includes an option that when selected allows the user to rate content in the content area and share the rating with others of the plurality of users via the platform.

52. A platform according to claim 49, wherein the pop-up side menu includes an option that when selected allows the user to obtain via the platform information about other network-enabled applications that are popular with others of the plurality of users.

53. A platform according to claim 49, wherein the pop-up side menu includes an option that when selected allows the user to obtain help information for the network-enabled application via the platform.

54. A platform according to claim 48, wherein one of the tags allows the bracketed content to be updated without the need to update any other content in the content area.