Method to qualify multimedia message content to enable use of a single internet address domain to send messages to both short message service centers and multimedia message service centers

• US 7,991,411 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Dewey, Mike, Johnson, Carle S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addy; Anthony S
• Application Number:
  US10/959,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20050250520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,490 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/428, 455/466, 4554141-4144, 455/445, 455/556.2, 455/560, 370/352, 370/328, 370/401, 709/206, 709/207, 709/245, 709/246
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A multimedia messaging service (MMS) intelligent content evaluator gateway is provided to allow use of a single address mailbox and Internet domain for receipt of either an MMS or an SMS message. The MMS intelligent content evaluator gateway evaluates the content of a received message, and then forwards the same to the appropriate system for delivery. The MMS intelligent content evaluator gateway makes use of database tables containing subscriber information and message routing tables necessary to derive the MMS and SMS destination addresses for each subscriber or range of subscriber addresses. Tables may also be implemented indicating the capabilities of each subscriber'"'"'s handset, such as whether or not the handset can support MMS messages.

Claims

1. A wireless carrier message gateway, comprising:

a network interface to receive a message in any of a plurality of message formats including multimedia (MMS) message format and short message service (SMS) message format, said message being addressed to a domain name assigned a single unique Universal Resource Locator (URL) assigned to a single wireless carrier message gateway;

a content evaluator to determine a message format of said received message addressed to said single unique URL assigned to said single wireless carrier message gateway as being either said multimedia (MMS) message format or said short message service (SMS) message format; and

a router to conditionally forward at least a portion of said received message to a multimedia messaging service center (MMSC) if said message format of said received message is determined to be said multimedia (MMS) message format, and to conditionally forward at least said portion of said received message to a short message service center (SMSC) if said message format of said message is determined to be said short message service (SMS) message format.

2. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a database table defining a particular subscriber destination routing address to which SMS messages to said particular subscriber are to be forwarded from said wireless carrier message gateway.

3. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a database table defining message capabilities of a subscriber'"'"'s wireless device.

4. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 3, wherein said defined message capabilities include:

a definition informing that said subscriber'"'"'s wireless device is capable of displaying SMS messages only.

5. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 3, wherein said defined message capabilities include:

a definition informing that said subscriber'"'"'s wireless device is capable of displaying MMS messages.

6. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

an anti-spam filtering function within said wireless carrier message gateway operating on multiple messages intended for said destination subscriber.

7. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 6, wherein:

said multiple messages include SMS messages and MMS messages.

8. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a store and forward capability that prevents message loss in the event that said MMSC is momentarily out of service.

9. The wireless carrier message gateway according to claim 1, further comprising:

a message storage facility located within said wireless carrier message gateway to facilitate, consolidate, and accumulate overall network messaging statistics.

10. A method of providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving, at a single wireless carrier message gateway, a message in any of a plurality of message formats including multimedia (MMS) message format and a short message service (SMS) message format, said message being addressed to a domain name assigned a single unique Universal Resource Locator (URL) assigned to said single wireless carrier message gateway;

determining, at said single wireless carrier message gateway, a message format of said received message addressed to said single unique URL assigned to said single wireless carrier message gateway as being either said multimedia (MMS) message format or said short message service (SMS) message format;

conditionally forwarding at least a portion of said received message to a multimedia messaging service center (MMSC) servicing said destination subscriber if said message content format of said received message is detected to be said multimedia (MMS) message format; and

conditionally forwarding at least said portion of said received message to a short message service center (SMSC) servicing said destination subscriber if said message format of said received message is detected to be said short message service (SMS) message format.

11. The method of providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network according to claim 10, further comprising:

accessing a table entry to determine a message capability of said destination subscriber.

12. The method of providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network according to claim 11, wherein:

said message capability for said destination subscriber relates that said subscriber'"'"'s wireless device is capable of displaying SMS messages only.

13. The method of providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network according to claim 11, wherein:

said message capability for said destination subscriber relates that said subscriber'"'"'s wireless device is capable of displaying MMS messages.

14. Apparatus for providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving, at a single wireless carrier message gateway, a message in any of a plurality of message formats including multimedia (MMS) message format and a short message service (SMS) message format, said message being addressed to a domain name assigned a single unique Universal Resource Locator (URL) assigned to said single wireless carrier message gateway;

means for determining, at said single wireless carrier message gateway, a message format of said received message addressed to said single unique URL assigned to said single wireless carrier message gateway as being either said multimedia (MMS) message format or said short message service (SMS) message format;

means for conditionally forwarding at least a portion of said received message to a multimedia messaging service center (MMSC) servicing said destination subscriber if said determined message format of said received message is said multimedia (MMS) message format; and

means for conditionally forwarding at least said portion of said received message to a short message service center (SMSC) servicing said destination subscriber if said determined message format of said received message is said short message service (SMS) message format.

15. The apparatus for providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for accessing a table entry to determine a message capability of said destination subscriber.

16. The apparatus for providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network according to claim 15, wherein:

said message capability for said destination subscriber relates that said subscriber'"'"'s wireless device is capable of displaying SMS messages only.

17. The apparatus for providing a single domain name for multiple message formats in a wireless network according to claim 15, wherein:

said message capability for said destination subscriber relates that said subscriber'"'"'s wireless device is capable of displaying MMS messages.