Method and apparatus for delivering messages to wireless devices

• US 7,353,023 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Link, Charles M. II, Cardina, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc M.
• Application Number:
  US09/822,292
• Time in Patent Office: 2,556 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/419, 455/420, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/433
• 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 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sending messages to a wireless device is disclosed. The invention includes a system and a method that waits for a wireless device to register before sending information to the device. In another aspect, the invention includes provisions that track which wireless devices have successfully received the message and which wireless devices have successfully acknowledged receipt of the message.

Claims

1. A method for updating an internal database associated with a first wireless device comprising:

(a) receiving a first item of information relating to a new or revised agreement between a wireless service provider and a subscription company servicing the first wireless device, the first item of information corresponding to at least one wireless service provider that is associated with a local calling area;

(b) targeting a set of subscribers associated with wireless devices including the first wireless device for receiving information related to the first item of information;

(c) updating a concerned database to include the target subscribers for receiving the information related to the first item, the concerned database associating each of the target subscribers with at least one of a number of update attempts executed for the wireless device, an unable to update parameter for the wireless device, or a waiting state parameter for the wireless device indicative of the wireless device waiting for an update;

(d) waiting for a second item of information related to an autonomous registration event by the wireless device;

(e) receiving the second item of information related to the autonomous registration event by the wireless device, the second item of information obtained via protocol analysis that includes monitoring communications from the wireless devices and upon detecting a registration signal, outputting information relating to the registration signal;

(f) transmitting a third item of information to the wireless device only in response to the receipt of the second item of information, and only if the wireless device is associated with a targeted subscriber in the concerned database, wherein the third item of information is related to the first item of information, and wherein the third item of information is associated with a type and a model number for the first wireless device;

(g) providing an entry in a pending database after the third item of information has been sent to the wireless device;

(h) tracking the pendency of the entry in the pending database for determining a period of time elapsed since the transmitting a third item of information where no acknowledgement of receipt of the third item of information has been received from the wireless device; and

(i) deleting the targeted subscriber from the concerned database subsequent to receiving an acknowledgment from the wireless device indicative of successful receipt of the third item of information.

2. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising preparing the first item of information by converting the first item of information into an SMS message.

3. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising comparing the second item information with a record in the concerned database.

4. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 3, further comprising determining a state of the record.

5. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 4, wherein the state of the record is set as unable when after a specified number of attempts, the wireless device is unsuccessful in delivering the acknowledgement of receipt.

6. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 3, wherein a message for the wireless device is retrieved if a state of the record is equal to a wait state.

7. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising assembling the third item of information.

8. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 7, wherein the third item of information is assembled based in characteristics of the wireless device.

9. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 7, wherein the third item of information is an SMS message.

10. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising filtering registration messages from raw SS7 data.

11. A method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device comprising:

(a) receiving an autonomous registration event by the wireless device, the autonomous registration event obtained via protocol analysis that includes monitoring communications from the wireless device and upon detecting a registration signal, outputting information relating to the registration signal;

wherein the wireless device is associated with a subscriber belonging to a group of targeted subscribers for receiving an update to an internal wireless device database, the update relating to a new or revised agreement between at least one wireless service provider and a subscription company servicing the wireless device;

(b) transmitting information to the wireless device only in response to the autonomous registration, wherein the information is associated with a type and a model number for the wireless device, and wherein the information is associated with an identity of the at least one local wireless service provider, and wherein the transmitted information is adapted to be used by the wireless device to update the internal database associated with the wireless device;

(c) providing an entry in a pending database after the transmitting information to the wireless device; and

(d) tracking the pendency of the entry in the pending database for determining a period of time elapsed since the transmitting information where no acknowledgement of receipt of the transmitted information has been received from the wireless device;

(e) creating a record in a concerned database wherein the record is associated with a wireless device that has not received the transmitted information, the concerned database associating each of the target subscribers with at least one of a number of update attempts executed for the wireless device, an unable to update parameter for the wireless device, or a waiting state parameter for the wireless device indicative of the wireless device waiting for an update; and

(f) deleting the record from the concerned database subsequent to receiving an acknowledgment from the wireless device indicative of a successful receipt of the transmitted information.

12. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 11, wherein the transmitted information includes information regarding a plurality of identities of local wireless service providers.

13. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 11, wherein the autonomous registration event is received after raw SS7 data has been filtered.

14. A system for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device comprising:

(a) an IRDB database, wherein the IRDB database includes information concerning wireless service providers and receives updates concerning the wireless service providers from a business office, the updates relating to a new or revised agreement between at least one of the wireless service providers and a subscription company servicing the wireless device;

(b) a centralized database in communication with the IRDB database;

(c) a pending database adapted to store information related to records of messages that have been sent but no acknowledgement has been received by providing an entry in the pending database after updated information has been sent to the wireless device and tracking the pendency of the entry in the pending database for determining a period of time elapsed since the transmitting the updated information where no acknowledgement of receipt of the updated information has been received from the wireless device;

(d) a concerned database adapted to store information related to records of wireless devices whose internal databases are targeted to receive the updated information and that have not yet received the updated information, the concerned database associating each of the target subscribers with at least one of a number of update attempts executed for the wireless device, an unable to update parameter for the wireless device, or a waiting state parameter for the wireless device indicative of the wireless device waiting for an update, wherein a record from the records of wireless devices is deleted from the concerned database subsequent to receiving an acknowledgment from the wireless device indicative of a successful receipt of the transmitted information; and

(e) a message database adapted to store portions of SMS messages, wherein the system composes the information sent to the wireless device by retrieving one or more portions of SMS messages from the message database;

wherein the system sends information to a wireless device targeted to receive the updated information only in response to an autonomous registration by the wireless device, the autonomous registration obtained via protocol analysis that includes monitoring communications from the wireless devices and upon detecting a registration signal, outputting information relating to the registration signal; and

wherein the system retrieves a message from the message database based on a type and a model number for the wireless device.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a history database adapted to store information related to past transactions.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising means for receiving autonomous registrations from a communications network.

17. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a filter adapted to extract registration messages from raw SS7 data.

18. A storage medium including machine-readable program code for updating an internal database associated with a first wireless device, the program code including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

(a) receiving a first item of information relating to a new or revised agreement between a wireless service provider and a subscription company servicing the first wireless device, the first item of information corresponding to at least one wireless service provider that is associated with a local calling area;

(b) targeting a set of subscribers associated with wireless devices including the first wireless device for receiving information related to the first item of information

(c) updating a concerned database to include the target subscribers for receiving the information related to the first item, the concerned database associating each of the target subscribers with at least one of a number of update attempts executed for the wireless device, an unable to update parameter for the wireless device, or a waiting state parameter for the wireless device indicative of the wireless device waiting for an update;

(d) waiting for a second item of information related to an autonomous registration event by the wireless device;

(e) receiving the second item of information related to the autonomous registration event by the wireless device, the second item of information obtained via protocol analysis that includes monitoring communications from the wireless devices and upon detecting a registration signal, outputting information relating to the registration signal;

(f) transmitting a third item of information to the wireless device only in response to the receipt of the second item of information, and only if the wireless device is associated with a targeted subscriber in the concerned database, wherein the third item of information is related to the first item of information, and wherein the third item of information is associated with a type and a model number for the first wireless device;

(g) providing an entry in a pending database after the third item of information has been sent to the wireless device;

(h) tracking the pendency of the entry in the pending database for determining a period of time elapsed since the transmitting a third item of information where no acknowledgement of receipt of the third item of information has been received from the wireless device; and

(i) deleting the targeted subscriber from the concerned database subsequent to receiving an acknowledgment from the wireless device indicative of successful receipt of the third item of information.

19. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 18, further comprising preparing the first item of information by converting the first item of information into an SMS message.

20. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 18, further comprising comparing the second item information with a record in the concerned database.

21. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 20, further comprising determining a state of the record.

22. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 20, wherein a message for the wireless device is retrieved if a state of the record is equal to a wait state.

23. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 22, wherein the state of the record is set as unable when after a specified number of attempts, the wireless device is unsuccessful in delivering the acknowledgement of receipt.

24. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 18, further comprising assembling the third item of information.

25. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 24, wherein the third item of information is assembled based in characteristics of the wireless device.

26. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 24, wherein the third item of information is an SMS message.

27. The method for updating an internal database associated with a wireless device according to claim 18, further comprising filtering registration messages from raw SS7 data.

28. A wireless device including an internal database, the wireless device comprising a communications link to a system, the system comprising:

(a) an IRDB database, wherein the IRDB database includes information concerning wireless service providers and receives updates concerning the wireless service providers from a business office, the updates relating to a new or revised agreement between at least one of the wireless service providers and a subscription company servicing the wireless device;

(b) a centralized database in communication with the IRDB database;

(c) a pending database adapted to store information related to records of messages that have been sent but no acknowledgement has been received;

(d) a concerned database adapted to store information related to records of wireless devices, that include the wireless device, whose internal databases are targeted to receive updated information and that have not yet received the updated information, wherein the wireless device receives updated information from the system only in response to an autonomous registration transmitted by the wireless device, the autonomous registration obtained via protocol analysis that includes monitoring communications from the wireless devices and upon detecting a registration signal, outputting information relating to the registration signal, the concerned database associating each of the target subscribers with at least one of a number of update attempts executed for the wireless device, an unable to update parameter for the wireless device, or a waiting state parameter for the wireless device indicative of the wireless device waiting for an update, wherein a record from the records of wireless devices is deleted from the concerned database subsequent to receiving an acknowledgment from the wireless device indicative of a successful receipt of the updated information; and

(e) a message database adapted to store portions of SMS messages, wherein the system composes the information sent to the wireless device by retrieving one or more portions of SMS messages from the message database;

wherein the system marks the concerned database of the wireless device as unable to return an acknowledgement of successful completion of the updated information after the wireless device has made a specified number of unsuccessful attempts to return the acknowledgement; and

wherein the system retrieves a message from the message database based on a type and a model number for the wireless device.

29. The wireless device according to claim 28, wherein the autonomous registration includes transmitting a mobile identification number, an electronic serial number and a point code to the system;

wherein in response to the transmitting, the mobile identification number is compared with information contained in the concerned database to determine whether the wireless device is identified as waiting for the updated information.

30. The wireless device according to claim 28, wherein the wireless device transmits acknowledgement of successful receipt of the updated information to the system.

31. The wireless device according to claim 28, wherein the system further comprises a history database, wherein upon marking the concerned database of the wireless device as unable to return an acknowledgement of successful completion, the system updates the history database to reflect the unsuccessful completion.

32. The wireless device according to claim 28, wherein the system further comprises a means for receiving autonomous registrations from a communications network.

33. The wireless device according to claim 28, wherein the system further comprises a filter adapted to extract registration messages from raw SS7 data.