Virtual mobile service provider

• US 7,209,734 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gary; Erika A.
• Application Number:
  US10/883,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20040266388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for a virtual mobile service provider. In one embodiment, a method comprises providing a first mobile service enabler for a first mobile service, the mobile service enabler having a first interface using a first format for communicating with a first set of content providers; and providing a second mobile service enabler for a second mobile service, the second mobile service enabler having a second interface using the first format for communicating with a second set of content providers. The method further comprises providing a plurality of drivers, each of the drivers configured to adapt communications received from the first and second mobile service enablers to a wireless network communications format associated with a wireless network access provider in communications with the respective driver.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a first mobile service enabler for a first mobile service, the mobile service enabler having a first interface using a first format for communicating with a first set of content providers;

providing a second mobile service enabler for a second mobile service, the second mobile service enabler having a second interface using the first format for communicating with a second set of content providers;

providing a plurality of drivers, each of the drivers configured to adapt communications received from the first and second mobile service enablers to a wireless network communications format associated with a wireless network access provider in communications with the respective driver;

receiving a first communication at the first mobile service enabler, the first communication in the first format, the first communication associated with a user address;

selecting a driver associated with a first wireless network access provider;

adapting the first communication, using the selected driver, to a first wireless network communications format associated with the first wireless network access provider; and

transmitting the adapted communication, using the selected driver, to the first wireless network access provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the driver comprises determining the first wireless network access provider is communicating with a mobile device associated with the user address.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the first wireless network access provider is communicating with the mobile device comprises searching a knowledge base mapping user addresses to wireless network access providers.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the first wireless network access provider is communicating with the mobile device comprises:

retrieving a list of wireless network access providers associated with the user address, the list indicating a priority of probable wireless network access providers in communication with the mobile device;

sending an inquiry to a first probable wireless network access provider priority indicated by the list, the inquiry checking whether the first probable wireless network access provider is in communications with the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first mobile service comprises a text messaging service and wherein receiving the first communication comprises receiving a text message, in the first format, to be transmitted to the user address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein adapting the first communication comprises adapting the communication to a text message format supported by the first wireless network access provider.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile service comprise a multi-media messaging service and wherein receiving the first communication comprises receiving a multi-media message, in the first format, to be transmitted to the user address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile service comprises a voice call service and wherein receiving the first communication comprises receiving call setup information in the first format for a voice call to be transmitted to the user address.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, with the first mobile service enabler, setting up the voice call using the selected driver.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the first communication comprises reformatting the communication to one of GSM and CDMA.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein adapting the first communication comprises reformatting the communication to one of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) provider and WiFi.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network access provider is a mobile network operator (MNO).

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second communication at the first mobile service enabler, the second communication in the first format, the second communication associated with a second user address;

determining a second wireless network access provider in communication with a second mobile device associated with the second user address;

selecting a second one of the plurality of drivers, the second driver associated with the second wireless network access provider;

adapting the second communication, using the second driver, to a second wireless network communications format associated with the second wireless network access provider;

transmitting the adapted second communication, using the second driver, to the second wireless network access provider.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile service comprises one of a text messaging service and a multimedia service.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile service comprises an identity management service.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile service comprises a voice call service.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile service comprises a billing service.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile service comprises a session management service.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein a first one of the plurality of drivers is a driver to a wireless network access provider using CDMA and a second one of the plurality of drivers is a driver to a wireless network access provider using GSM.

20. A method comprising:

providing a first mobile service enabler for a first mobile service, the mobile service enabler having a first interface using a first format for communicating with a first set of content providers, the first mobile service including a location service;

providing a second mobile service enabler for a second mobile service, the second mobile service enabler having a second interface using the first format for communicating with a second set of content providers;

providing a plurality of drivers, each of the drivers configured to adapt communications received from the first and second mobile service enablers to a wireless network communications format associated with a wireless network access provider in communications with the respective driver;

receiving a request, in the first format, at the first mobile service enabler to determine a location of a wireless mobile device associated with a user address;

adapting the request to the first wireless communications format associated with a first wireless network access provider, the first wireless network access provider in communications with the wireless mobile device;

transmitting the adapted request to the wireless network access provider;

receiving a location message indicating the location from the wireless network access provider, the location message in the first wireless network communications format;

adapting the location message to the first format; and

transmitting the adapted location message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first interface is a web services interface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first format is Extended Markup Language (XML).