Enhanced page messaging in short message service environments

• US 8,271,006 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Persson, Carl J., Wilson, Thomas H., Gilbert, Deborah L.
• Primary Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US12/540,948
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 455/458, 455/466, 455/433, 455/417, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

A system of enhanced page messaging in a short message service environment is provided. The system comprises a computer system and an application, that when executed on the computer system, receives a first message containing a request to forward the first message to a first portable electronic device wherein the first message is received via a concise textual messaging service. The system also parses at least one of the header and payload content of the first message and determines that the first message is to be delivered as a page message. The system also forwards the first message to the first portable electronic device as a page message.

Claims

1. A system of enhanced page messaging in a short message service environment, comprising:

a computer system; and

an application that, when executed on the computer system,

receives a first message containing a request to forward the first message to a first portable electronic device, wherein the first message is received via a concise textual messaging service;

parses at least one of the header and payload content of the first message and reads at least one of a flag in the header of the first message and a character string in the payload content of the first message;

determines that the first message is to be delivered as a page message based on the reading of at least one of the flag and the character string;

forwards the first message to the first portable electronic device as a page message;

analyzes information reported by the first portable electronic device regarding the battery strength and location of the first portable electronic device;

analyzes current information stored by the application regarding the connection status, signal strength, and message inbox status of the first portable electronic device;

analyzes historical information about the response behavior of the first portable electronic device;

determines a probability based on the analyzed information that the first portable electronic device will receive and respond to the first message within a first predetermined time period; and

forwards the first message to a second portable electronic device described in an escalation list when the determined probability does not exceed a predetermined threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first message is one of a short message service (SMS) text message and a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein information about the battery strength and location of the first portable electronic device is received at regular intervals from the first portable electronic device and is stored by the application.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the location of the first portable electronic device is inferred by identifying the wireless base station that relayed a signal most recently transmitted by the first portable electronic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the application additionally sends queries to at least one of a home location register (HLR), a visitor location register (VLR), and a mobile switching center (MSC) to determine a location of the first portable electronic device and based on the location forwards the first message to a second portable electronic device described in an escalation list.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein prior to forwarding the first message the application further modifies the first message to include instructions to cause the first portable electronic device to emit an audible tone or vibration distinct from audible tones and vibrations emitted when messages are short message service text messages or multimedia messaging service messages.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the application further determines a priority of the first message.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the application determines the priority of the first message by detecting the flag in the header of the first message or reading the character string in the payload content of the first message.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the application further determines the first message is of high priority.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the application determines that the first message is of high priority by detecting the flag in the header of the first message or reading the character string in the payload content of the first message.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first portable electronic device exhibits an alert indicating the high priority associated with the first message in response to receiving the first message, and wherein the high priority of the first message is exhibited on the first portable electronic device by at least one of sounding an audible tone and causing a vibration distinct from audible tones and vibrations exhibited when messages are one of standard short message service messages and page messages of medium and low priority.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the application further delivers all messages received for forwarding from a predetermined source with an elevated priority.

13. A system of enhanced page messaging in a short message service environment, comprising:

a computer system; and

an application that, when executed on the computer system,

receives a first message containing a request to forward the first message to a first portable electronic device, wherein the first message is received via a concise textual messaging service;

parses at least one of the header and payload content of the first message and reads at least one of a flag in the header of the first message and a character string in the payload content of the first message;

determines that the first message is to be delivered as a page message based on the reading of at least one of the flag and the character string;

forwards the first message to the first portable electronic device as a page message;

copies the first message to an electronic file and activates an escalation plan to alert a second portable electronic device when the application determines that the first message is of high priority and detects that the first portable electronic device does not immediately receive the first message;

searches the electronic file for duplicate messages when the electronic file is at or near capacity; and

one of consolidates duplicate messages into a single message and deletes all messages related to a single subject with the exception of the most recent message related to the single subject.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the application determines that the electronic file is near capacity when less than ten percent total capacity of the electronic file is free space.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the application further changes the order of messages stored in the electronic file based on a priority determination.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the application further converts the first message to a voice message and forwards the voice message to a different destination when the electronic file is at or near capacity.

17. A system of enhanced page messaging in a short message service environment, comprising:

a computer system; and

an application that, when executed on the computer system,

receives a first message containing a request to forward the first message to a first portable electronic device, wherein the first message is received via a concise textual messaging service;

parses at least one of the header and payload content of the first message and reads at least one of a flag in the header of the first message and a character string in the payload content of the first message;

determines that the first message is to be delivered as a page message based on the reading of at least one of the flag and the character string;

forwards the first message to the first portable electronic device as a page message;

copies the first message to an electronic file when the application determines that the first message is of medium or low priority;

searches the electronic file for duplicate messages when the electronic file is at or near capacity; and

one of consolidates duplicate messages into a single message and deletes all messages related to a single subject with the exception of the most recent message related to the single subject.