Preventing wireless message delivery outside of specified times

• US 7,366,528 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikan, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US10/756,692
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/517, 379/88.22, 379/93.24, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

A wireless messaging system includes a message controller and a delivery controller. The message controller provides a message to be delivered, and the delivery controller handles transmission of the message to a wireless device. To prevent delivery of a message after a desired expiry time or when a delivery window is closed, the message controller sends a cancellation request to the delivery controller. In response to the cancellation request, the delivery controller cancels any previously scheduled delivery attempts, and inhibits scheduling of future delivery attempts, at least temporarily.

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless messaging system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to cancel delivery of a wireless message if delivery of the wireless message has not been confirmed prior to expiration of a desired time period, the request to cancel being received after rescheduling a transmission of the wireless message for delivery and before the wireless message is transmitted, the retransmission being scheduled outside of the desired time period, the rescheduling occurring within the desired time period; and

preventing delivery of the wireless message after expiration of the desired time period, at least temporarily, in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein preventing delivery of the wireless message includes inhibiting retransmission of a message that has been previously sent but not received.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to cancel delivery is provided by a message controller to a delivery controller, and wherein the delivery controller prevents delivery in response to the request.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the message controller tracks receipt of delivery confirmations for particular wireless messages.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the message controller includes a processing system coupled to the delivery controller via a communications network.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the message controller and the delivery controller are both part of a short message center.

7. The method of claim 1 further including receiving a message to be delivered as a wireless message, wherein both the message to be delivered and the request to cancel delivery are provided by the message originator.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the request to cancel delivery is received contemporaneously with the message to be delivered.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein confirmation that the wireless message has been delivered includes a delivery receipt generated by a wireless receiver in response to receiving the wireless message.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless message is one of a short messaging service message, an enhanced messaging service message, and multimedia messaging service message, or a wireless application protocol push message.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired delivery time includes a recurring time period, and wherein the method further includes:

receiving a request to deliver the wireless message during the recurring time period; and

enabling delivery of the wireless message in response to the request to deliver.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the request to deliver occurs after preventing the delivery.

13. A method comprising:

tracking a message identifier associated with a message to be delivered to a wireless messaging device to determine if the message has been delivered prior to a first specified time; and

if the message has not been delivered prior to the first specified time, canceling a transmission of the message scheduled for transmission after the first specified time and prior to a second specified time, and resubmitting the message for transmission after the second specified time.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein tracking a message identifier includes:

obtaining, at a delivery controller, a delivery receipt from the wireless messaging device in response to the message being delivered to the wireless messaging device; and

obtaining, at a message controller, information associated with the delivery receipt from the delivery controller.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

tracking the message identifier includes obtaining the information associated with the delivery receipt prior to the first specified time; and

wherein

canceling the transmission of the message includes the message controller sending a cancel request to the delivery controller.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein:

tracking the message identifier includes determining if delivery of a message is to be attempted; and

wherein the method further includes notifying a delivery controller that delivery of the message is to be attempted after the second specified time.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein notifying the delivery controller includes submitting the message to the delivery controller.

18. The method of claim 13 further including providing the message to be delivered from a message controller to a delivery controller.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the message controller and the delivery controller are part of a short message center.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the message controller includes a processing system coupled to the delivery controller via a communications network.

21. A method for use in a wireless messaging system, the method comprising:

inhibiting transmission of a wireless messaging communication outside of a specified time period if the wireless messaging communication has been previously sent but not received, the inhibiting including sending a cancel request after scheduling a transmission of the wireless messaging communication and before the wireless messaging communication is transmitted, the scheduled transmission being a retransmission scheduled outside of the specified time period, rescheduling being performed within the specified time period.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein a message controller determines whether the wireless messaging communication has been received based on whether a delivery receipt has been received.

23. A wireless messaging system comprising:

a delivery controller to transmit a message to a wireless messaging device, the delivery controller being configured to reschedule transmission of the message for delivery outside of a specified time period, the rescheduling occurring during the specified time period; and

a message controller to inhibit transmission of the message outside of the specified time period if the delivery controller has previously transmitted the message but confirmation of receipt from the wireless messaging device has not been received.

24. The wireless messaging system of claim 23, wherein the delivery controller and the message controller are part of a short messaging service center.

25. The wireless messaging system of claim 23, wherein the message controller is remotely coupled to the delivery controller via a communication network.

26. The wireless messaging system of claim 23 wherein the specified time period is recurring, and wherein the message controller is further to re-enable transmission of the message in response to the specified time period recurring.