System and method for providing subscriber-initiated information over the short message service (SMS) or a microbrowser

• US 6,560,456 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Lohtia, Sunit, James, Wilfred Martin, Hwang, Boon Chong
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/344,407
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/433, 455/435, 455/466, 455/445, 455/566, 455/569, 455/575, 455/414, 709/218, 709/216, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and a method for providing information to a communication device in response to a request for such service received from the communication device. The request may be in the form of a digits request trigger or short message service (SMS) origination message that is initiate from a wireless telephone. The digits request trigger and SMS origination request may be initiated when a user selects a menu option or it may be initiated using a microbrowser. The digits request trigger or SMS origination message is sent from the communication device to a wireless web information services gateway. The gateway retrieves the requested information from one or more sources. The gateway then forwards the retrieved information to the user via an SMS message or via a microbrowser message. The information may be formatted according to a preselected configuration that is stored in a user service information profile.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to users via communications devices associated with said users, comprising:

receiving an information origination message from said communication devices, wherein said information origination message comprises dialed digits;

retrieving information corresponding to said information origination message; and

sending said retrieved information via a Short Message Service (SMS) message to said communication devices for display to said users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said information origination messages are initiated when said users select a menu option on said communication devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said information origination messages are initiated by said users from a microbrowser on said communication devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication devices are wireless telephones.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving step further comprises the steps of:

identifying users associated with said information origination messages;

correlating said information origination messages with specific information requests for said users; and

retrieving said specific information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said information origination message comprises dialed digits sent from said communications device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said information origination message comprises a feature code entered on said communications device.

8. A system for providing information to a wireless network subscriber in response to an information origination message, wherein said information origination message comprises dialed digits, the system comprising:

means for receiving said information origination message from said wireless network;

means for retrieving data corresponding to said information origination message; and

means for sending said retrieved data to a user who initiated said information origination message via a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

means for correlating said information origination message to requested data.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said correlating means accesses a user profile database to identify said requested information for a particular information origination message.

11. A short message service information system for a wireless network comprising:

a short message service (SMS) center coupled to said wireless network and capable of receiving messages from said wireless network;

means for correlating information request messages to requested information, wherein said information request messages comprise dialed digits;

means for retrieving said requested information; and

means for sending said requested information to subscribers via an SMS message.

12. A computer program product having a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon for use in a system for providing requested information to wireless network subscribers, said computer program product comprising:

means for correlating an information request message to requested data, wherein said information request message comprises dialed digits;

means for retrieving said requested data;

means for formatting said requested data according to a user profile; and

means for transmitting said data to said subscriber via a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

13. A short message service information system for a wireless network comprising:

a wireless web information services gateway coupled to said wireless network and capable of receiving feature code messages from said wireless network;

means for correlating said feature code to requested information;

means for retrieving said requested information; and

means for sending said requested information to subscribers on said wireless network via a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

14. A computer program product having a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon for use in a system for providing requested information to wireless network subscribers, said computer program product comprising:

means for correlating an IS-41 trigger to requested data;

means for retrieving said requested data;

means for formatting said requested data according to a user profile; and

means for transmitting said data to said subscriber via a Short Message Service (SMS) message.