Modification of en-route message to add destination port number selected based at least in part on message originator

• US 8,055,286 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Wick, Ryan A., Reeves, Raymond E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Magloire; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/199,294
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 709238-244, 370/902, 370/351
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/902 Packet switching

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system in which an intermediary is provided within a communication path through which a message is transmitted from its originator to a client device, and the intermediary operates to insert into the message a target port number based at least in part on the originator of the message. In a scenario where the message originator provided or is otherwise associated with a given application group on the client device, the intermediary may thus modify the message to have the message designate as target port number the port number that the client device associates with the application group. Ultimately, when the client device receives the message, the client device would read the target port number and responsively route the message to the appropriate application or application group.

Claims

1. A method for routing an SMS message to particular application logic on a client device, wherein the client device is a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

while the message is en route from an originator of the message to the client device, receiving the message at a network node;

after receipt of the message, the network node determining the originator of the received message and the network node determining a message content footprint of bearer data of the received message;

the network node using at least the determined originator to determine a destination port number at the client device, wherein the destination port number corresponds with the particular application logic on the client device, and wherein using at least the determined originator to determine the destination port number comprises using at least the determined originator and the determined message content footprint cooperatively as a basis to determine the destination port number; and

the network node adding the determined destination port number to the message and sending the message, including the added destination port number, along to the client device,

whereby when the client device receives the message, the client device passes the message to the particular application logic on the client device in accordance with the added destination port number, for processing of the message by the particular application logic.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the network node comprises a short message service center (SMSC),

wherein receiving the SMS message at the network node comprises receiving the SMS message as a short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) message, and

wherein sending the SMS message comprises sending the SMS message via Signaling System #7 (SS7) from the SMSC to a mobile switching center (MSC) for transmission of the SMS message via an air interface to the WCD.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the network node comprises an intermediary disposed at an ingress or egress of a short message service center (SMSC), wherein the SMSC stores and forwards the SMS message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining data that correlates SMS message originators with destination port numbers,

wherein using at least the determined originator to determine the destination port number at the WCD comprises referring to the data to determine the destination port number based on the determined originator.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising maintaining the data at the network node.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the network node determining the destination WCD,

wherein using at least the determined originator to determine the destination port number comprises using at least the determined originator and the determined destination WCD cooperatively as a basis to determine the destination port number.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

maintaining data that correlates SMS originators with destination port numbers for particular WCDs or groups of WCDs,

wherein using at least the determined originator and the determined destination WCD cooperatively as a basis to determine the destination port number comprises referring to the data to determine the destination port number based on the determined originator and the determined destination WCD.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining data that specifies particular port numbers for combinations of SMS originators and message content footprints,

wherein using at least the determined originator and the determined message content footprint cooperatively as a basis to determine the destination port number comprises referring to the data to determine the destination port number based on the determined originator and the determined message content footprint.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the network node determining the destination WCD,

wherein using at least the determined originator and the determined message content footprint cooperatively as a basis to determine the destination port number comprises using at least the determined originator, the determined message content footprint, and the determined destination WCD cooperatively as a basis to determine the destination port number.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

maintaining data that specifies particular port numbers for combinations of SMS originators, message content footprints, and WCDs,

wherein using at least the determined originator, the determined message content footprint, and the determined destination mobile device cooperatively as a basis to determine the destination port number comprises referring to the data to determine the destination port number based on the determined originator, the determined message content footprint, and the determined destination WCD.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the WCD is programmed with a plurality of applications, wherein the particular application logic comprises a message-management module for a proper subset of the plurality of applications, wherein the message-management module operates to receive and forward messages to applications of the proper subset,

whereby when the WCD receives the SMS message, the mobile device passes the SMS message to the message-management module in accordance with the added destination port number, and whereby the message-management module selects an application of the proper subset based on content of the SMS message and provides the SMS message to the selected application for processing.

12. A system for routing a short message service (SMS) message to particular application logic on a mobile device, the system comprising:

a network interface for receiving the SMS message while the SMS message is en route from an originator of the SMS message to the mobile device and for outputting the SMS message for transmission to the mobile device; and

a processor, wherein the processor has access to correlation data stored in a data storage medium, the correlation data defining correlations between at least (i) SMS message content footprints and (ii) destination port numbers;

wherein the after receipt of the SMS message at the network interface, (a) the processor reads the SMS message to determine the originator of the SMS message, (b) the processor refers to the correlation data to determine, for the message from the originator, a destination port number based on at least the determined SMS message content footprint, wherein the destination port number corresponds with the particular application logic on the mobile device, (c) the processor then adds the determined destination port number to the SMS message, and the processor then passes the SMS message to the network interface for transmission of the SMS message, including the added destination port number, to the mobile device,

whereby, when the mobile device receives the SMS message, the mobile device passes the SMS message to the particular application logic on the mobile device in accordance with the added destination port number, for processing of the SMS message by the particular application logic.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the network interface comprises a separate network input interface for receiving the SMS message and network output interface for sending the SMS message.

14. The system of claim 12,

wherein at least the network interface and processor are components of a short message service center (SMSC),

wherein the network interface receives the SMS message as a short message peer-to-peer (SMPP) protocol message, and

wherein the network interface sends the SMS message via Signaling System #7 (SS7) from the SMSC to a mobile switching center (MSC) for transmission of the SMS message via an air interface to the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the correlation data is stored at the SMSC.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is disposed at an ingress or egress of a short message service center (SMSC), wherein the SMSC stores and forwards the SMS message.

17. A method for routing a short message service (SMS) message to particular application logic on a wireless communication device (WCD), the method comprising:

while the SMS message is en route from an originator of the message to the WCD, receiving the SMS message at a network node;

after receipt of the message, the network node determining a message content footprint of bearer data of the received SMS message;

the network node using at least the determined message content footprint to determine, for the SMS message from the originator, a destination port number at the WCD, wherein the destination port number corresponds with the particular application logic on the WCD; and

the network node adding the determined destination port number to the SMS message and sending the SMS message, including the added destination port number, along to the WCD,

whereby when the WCD receives the SMS message, the WCD passes the SMS message to the particular application logic on the WCD in accordance with the added destination port number, for processing of the SMS message by the particular application logic.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the network node comprises a short message service center (SMSC),

wherein receiving the SMS message at the network node comprises receiving the SMS message as a short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) message, and

wherein sending the SMS message comprises sending the SMS message via Signaling System #7 (SS7) from the SMSC to a mobile switching center (MSC) for transmission of the SMS message via an air interface to the WCD.

19. The method of claim 17,

wherein the network node comprises an intermediary disposed at an ingress or egress of a short message service center (SMSC), wherein the SMSC stores and forwards the SMS message.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the WCD is programmed with a plurality of applications, wherein the particular application logic comprises a message-management module for a proper subset of the plurality of applications, wherein the message-management module operates to receive and forward messages to applications of the proper subset,

whereby when the WCD receives the SMS message, the mobile device passes the SMS message to the message-management module in accordance with the added destination port number, and whereby the message-management module selects an application of the proper subset based on content of the SMS message and provides the SMS message to the selected application for processing.