Short messaging service center mobile-originated to HTTP internet communications

• US 6,891,811 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Properties I KFT
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Richard A., Wilson, Johanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Levitan, Dmitry
• Application Number:
  US09/588,460
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/400, 370/401, 370/404, 370/464, 370/465, 370/467, 370/474, 370/493, 370/351, 370/357, 370/389, 370/392, 370/393, 709/230, 709/236, 709/238, 709/246, 709/249
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A mobile device-to-HTTP protocol gateway (MHG, or “MO Gateway”) which translates between Wireless Mobile Originated commands from an SMSC, and an application server on the Internet (i.e., a “web IP Server”). A wireless Internet gateway establishes communications with one or more relevant SMSCs using standard format SMPP commands, and the MHG utilizes HTTP protocol POST messages to post short messages originated at the mobile device to a particular URL. Return results are received by the MHG via HTTP protocol messages, translated to SMPP messages, and forwarded back to the SMSC for delivery to the mobile device. The wireless Internet Gateway communicates with the MHG using RMI protocol commands. An MHG in accordance with the principles of the present invention enables a developer to create mobile applications using standard web development tools, e.g., Java Servlets. The MHG allows standard format command messages to be used throughout the pathway between a mobile device and an application program on a web IP server at a particular URL.

Claims

1. A gateway, comprising:

a first communication path to accept a short message from a short message service center;

a translation module to insert said short message into an HTTP protocol message; and

a second communication path to transmit said HTTP protocol message to at least one URL;

wherein said gateway facilitates two-way short message service communication between a short message service device and an HTTP device.

2. The gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said HTTP protocol message is a POST message.

3. The gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said short message originated from a wireless device.

4. The gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said short message is received via an RMI callback mechanism.

5. The gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said second communication path is adapted to transmit said HTTP protocol message to a plurality of URLs.

6. The gateway according to claim 1, wherein:

said second communication path accepts return results from said URL;

said translation module inserts said return results into a short message; and

said first communication path transmits said short message to said short message service center.

7. The gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said return results conform to HTTP protocols.

8. The gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said first communication path transmits a SUBMIT_SM message to said short message servicing center.

9. A method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program on an Internet Protocol server, comprising:

sending a short message from said wireless device to said Internet Protocol server;

routing said short message using a wireless protocol message;

conveying said short message from said wireless device to said Internet Protocol server using an HTTP protocol POST message; and

returning data back to said wireless device from said Internet Protocol server through an HTTP stream established with said HTTP protocol POST message.

10. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program on an Internet Protocol server according to claim 9, wherein:

said wireless protocol is SMPP.

11. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program on an Internet Protocol server according to claim 9, wherein:

said wireless protocol is ReFlex.

12. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 9, wherein:

said SMPP protocol message is a DELIVER_SM message.

13. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 9, further comprising:

forwarding said routed short message to a gateway using an RMI callback mechanism.

14. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 9, wherein:

said short message is sent to a predefined address.

15. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 9, wherein:

said short message is conveyed to a plurality of Internet Protocol servers using respective HTTP protocol POST messages.

16. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 9, further comprising:

routing said return data from said HTTP stream to a short message service center using an SMPP protocol message.

17. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 16, wherein:

said SMPP protocol message is a SUBMIT_SM message.

18. The method of communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 17, further comprising:

conveying said return data from said short message service center to a wireless device using an IS-41 protocol message.

19. Apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program on an Internet Protocol server, comprising:

means for sending a short message from said wireless device to said Internet Protocol server;

means for routing said short message using an SMPP protocol message;

means for conveying said short message from said wireless device to said Internet Protocol server using an HTTP protocol POST message; and

means for returning data back to said wireless device from said Internet Protocol server through an HTTP stream established with said HTTP protocol POST message.

20. The apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 19, wherein:

said SMPP protocol message is a DELIVER_SM message.

21. The apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for forwarding said routed short message to a gateway using an RMI callback mechanism.

22. The apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 19, wherein:

said means for sending sends said short message to a predefined address.

23. The apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 19, wherein:

said means for conveying conveys said short message to a plurality of Internet Protocol servers using respective HTTP protocol POST messages.

24. The apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for routing said return data from said HTTP stream to a short message service center using an SMPP protocol message.

25. The apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 24, wherein:

said SMPP protocol message is a SUBMIT_SM message.

26. The apparatus for communicating between a wireless device and an application program of an Internet Protocol server according to claim 25, further comprising:

means for conveying said return data from said short message service center to a wireless device using an IS-41 protocol message.

27. A mobile to HTTP gateway, comprising:

an SMPP relayer;

a message director to process messages from said SMPP relayer;

a poster collector to obtain at least one target poster;

a poster to convert an SMPP Message into an HTTP protocol POST message; and

a poster to convert an HTTP protocol POST message into an SMPP Message.