Universal short code administration facility

• US 7,460,873 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2004
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sybase 365 Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sybase 365 Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Lovell, Robert C. Jr., Zimmern, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US10/889,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20040260838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/406, 455/412.1, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

Systems and methods for assigning short codes to provide uniformity among wireless carriers. In the systems and methods, a Universal Short Code (USC) Administrator maintains a list of short codes and their lease status so that SMS messages sent to a particular short code may be routed to the proper holder of the short code. A network facilitator is in communication with both the USC Administrator and at least one wireless carrier to route the SMS message to the proper holder of the short code. The short code may be leased for a specified period of time so that the short code can be reassigned after expiration of the lease. The systems and methods also support inquiries concerning particular short codes, leases, lessees, and usage prices.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting a message from a mobile subscriber to an application provider using a short code, the system comprising:

an administrator in communication with a database, wherein the database contains the short code and a status of the short code that indicates that the short code is leased;

a network facilitator selectably connectable to the administrator; and

a plurality of wireless carriers selectably connectable to the network facilitator,

wherein the mobile subscriber is associated with one of the plurality of wireless carriers,

wherein the one of the plurality of wireless carriers connects to the network facilitator when receiving the message from the mobile subscriber addressed to the short code,

wherein the network facilitator communicates with the administrator to obtain routing information indicating to which one of a plurality of application providers the short code is assigned, and based on the information thereafter delivers the message to the application provider,

wherein the administrator, in response to a request asking whether the short code is available, provides the status of the short code, and

wherein the administrator periodically broadcasts to the network facilitator information regarding (i) which short codes have recently been leased and (ii) which leases for short codes are soon to expire.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a second application provider and the status of the short code is provided to the second application provider.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the database contains an identification of the application provider as the lessee of the short code, and

wherein the administrator, in response to a request for the identification of the application provider, provides the identification of the application provider.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the identification of the application provider includes at least two of a name of the application provider, a mailing address of the application provider, a telephone number of the application provider, an email address of the application provider, a point of contact for the application provider, a date on which the application provider'"'"'s lease ends, a login ID and password of the application provider, and a Web site URL of the application provider.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the database contains a price for leasing the short code, and

wherein the administrator, in response to a request for the price for leasing the short code, provides the price for leasing the short code.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the price for leasing the short code varies depending on at least one of when the short code is leased, how long the short code is leased, and how popular the short code is.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the database contains a second short code and a status of the second short code, and

wherein the administrator, in response to a request asking whether the second short code is available, provides the status of the second short code.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the status of the second short code is one of leased, available for lease, out of range of possible short codes, and lease requested-awaiting approval.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the request is received from an entity acting on behalf of a second application provider.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the entity comprises one of a network facilitator and a wireless carrier.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the administrator is configured to rescind a leased short code as a result of low usage.

12. A method for assigning a specific short code that is employed to route a non-voice message, the method comprising:

receiving from a first application provider a request to lease the specific short code that is to be employed to route a non-voice message from a mobile subscriber to an application provider;

verifying the availability of the specific short code via at least a database lookup;

temporarily assigning the specific short code to the first application provider;

notifying the first application provider of the assignment of the specific short code;

receiving from a second application provider a query for a status of the specific short code;

reporting the status of the specific short code to the second application provider; and

periodically broadcasting to the first application provider and the second application provider information regarding (i) which short codes have recently been leased and (ii) which leases for short codes are soon to expire.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the status is leased.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving from the second application provider a query for an identification of a lessee of the specific short code; and

reporting an identification of the first application provider to the second application provider.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identification includes at least two of a name of the first application provider, a mailing address of the first application provider. a telephone number of the first application provider, an email address of the first application provider, a point of contact for the first application provider, a date on which the first application provider'"'"'s lease ends, a login ID and password of the first application provider, and a Web site URL of the first application provider.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising reporting a specified period of time during which the specified short code is assigned to the first application provider.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving from the second application provider a query for a lease price for the specific short code; and

reporting the lease price to the second application provider.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the lease price depends on at least one of when the specific short code is leased, how long the specific short code is leased, and how popular the specific short code is.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein verifying the availability of the specific short code further comprises contacting one of a network facilitator and a wireless carrier to determine if the specific short code is available.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the query is received from an entity acting on behalf of the second application provider.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the entity comprises one of a network facilitator and a wireless carrier.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising rescinding a leased short code as a result of low usage.

23. A system for transmitting a message from a mobile subscriber to an application provider using a short code, the system comprising:

an administrator in communication with a database, wherein the database contains the short code and a status of the short code that indicates that the short code is leased;

a plurality of network facilitators selectably connectable to the administrator and logically operating as a singe network facilitator; and

a plurality of wireless carriers, each being selectably connectable to and associated with at least one of the plurality of the network facilitators,

wherein the mobile subscriber is associated with one of the plurality of wireless carriers

wherein the one of the plurality of wireless carriers connects to the associated network facilitator when receiving the message from the mobile subscriber addressed to the short code,

wherein the associated network facilitator communicates with the administrator to obtain routing information indicating to which one of a plurality of application providers the short code is assigned, and based on the information thereafter delivers the message to the application provider,

wherein the administrator, in response to a request asking whether the short code is available, provides the status of the short code, and

wherein the administrator periodically broadcasts to interested parties information regarding (i) which short codes have recently been leased and (ii) which leases for short codes are soon to expire.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the status comprises an indication that the short code is leased and an identification of the application provider.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the identification comprises at least two of a name of the application provider, a mailing address of the application provider, a telephone number of the application provider, an email address of the application provider, a point of contact for the application provider, a date on which the application provider'"'"'s lease ends, a login ID and password of the application provider, and a Web site URL of the application provider.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the database contains prices for leasing the short code, and

wherein the administrator, in response to a request for the price for leasing the short code, provides the price for leasing the short code.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the administrator is configured to rescind a leased short code as a result of low usage.