System and method for providing user names for network addresses

• US 8,457,662 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, John, McNamara, Justin, Cenciarelli, Fulvio Arturo, Mikan, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSARIO, NELSON M
• Application Number:
  US12/338,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/466, 455/415, 455/418, 455/566, 455/551, 455/550.1, 455/556.2, 455/558, 455/574, 455/403, 455/115.1, 455/343.2, 455/552.1, 455/500, 455/78, 455/127.1, 455/127.4, 455/127.5, 379/88.11, 379/142.04, 709/206, 375/226, 375/316, 375/343, 375/375, 375/376, 370/512, 370/513, 370/514, 370/516, 370/518
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing user names for network addresses in messages such as SMS, MMS and EMS are disclosed. A data base is provided for storage in a mobile device that associates a user name with at least a portion of a network address. A system is provided for a mobile device that converts the network address transmitted with the message into a user name and displays the message with the user name.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a user name associated with a portion of a network address in a storage component in a mobile device;

storing information identifying Message Service messages from the network address as one of billable or nonbillable;

receiving, by the mobile device, a Message Service message from the network address, the network address being included as an Originator address in a transfer Protocol User Data Header;

extracting, by the mobile device, the portion of the network address from the received Originator address in the transfer Protocol User Data Header;

searching the storage component in the mobile device for said extracted portion of the network address;

determining, by the mobile device, the user name associated with said extracted portion of the network address;

displaying the Message Service message and the user name on the mobile device display; and

displaying information identifying the Message Service message as one of billable or nonbillable.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said network address comprises an alphanumeric string with N characters;

and said portion of the network address comprises an alphanumeric string with M characters where N and M are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said network address comprises ten numeric characters and said portion of the network address comprises the first five numeric characters of the network address.

4. A method comprising:

associating a user name with a portion of a network address;

instructing a mobile device to store the portion of the network address and associated user names in a storage component of the mobile device;

instructing the mobile device to store information identifying Message Service messages as one of billable or nonbillable;

instructing the mobile device to display the user name associated with the portion of network address in Message Service message displays in the mobile device when the mobile device receives a Message Service message having the network address as an Originator address in a transfer Protocol User Data Header; and

instructing the mobile device to display information identifying the Message Service message as one of billable or nonbillable.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said method element of instructing a mobile device to store the portion of the network address and associated user names in a storage component of the mobile device comprises instructing the mobile device to store the portion of the network address and associated user names in a hidden directory in a storage component of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said network address comprises an alphanumeric string with N characters;

and said portion of the network address comprises an alphanumeric string with M characters where N and M are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said method element of instructing the mobile device to display the user name associated with the portion of network address in Message Service message displays in the mobile device comprises transmitting an executable application to the mobile device.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

storing a user name associated with a portion of a network address in a storage component in a mobile device;

storing information identifying Message Service messages from the network address as one of billable or nonbillable;

receiving a Message Service message from the network address in the mobile device the network address being included as an Originator address in a transfer Protocol User Data Header;

extracting the portion of the network address from the Originator address in the transfer Protocol User Data Header;

searching the storage component in the mobile device for said extracted portion of the network address;

determining the user name associated with said extracted portion of the network address;

displaying the Message Service message and the user name on the mobile device display; and

displaying information identifying the Message Service message as one of billable or nonbillable.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said network address comprises an alphanumeric string with N characters;

and said portion of the network address comprises an alphanumeric string with M characters where N and M are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said network address comprises ten numeric characters and said portion of the network address comprises the first five numeric characters of the network address.

11. A system comprising:

memory having executable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor, when executing the executable instructions, effectuates operations comprising;

associating a user name with a portion of a network address;

instructing a mobile device to store the portion of the network address and associated user names in a storage component of the mobile device;

instructing the mobile device to store information identifying Message Service messages as one of billable or nonbillable; and

instructing the mobile device to display the user name associated with the portion of network address in Message Service message displays in the mobile device when the mobile device receives a Message Service message having the network address as an Originator address in a transfer Protocol User Data Header.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said subsystem that instructs a mobile device to store the portion of the network address and associated user names in a storage component of the mobile device comprises a subsystem that instructs the mobile device to store the portion of the network address and associated user names in a hidden directory in a storage component of the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said network address comprises an alphanumeric string with N characters;

and said portion of the network address comprises an alphanumeric string with M characters where N and M are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said subsystem that instructs the mobile device to display the user name associated with the portion of network address in Message Service message displays in the mobile device comprises at least one subsystem that transmits an executable application to the mobile device.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive Message Service messages;

a data storage component;

a database stored in said data storage component, said database comprising;

a plurality of user names, each associated with a portion of respective network addresses; and

information identifying Message Service messages as one of billable or nonbillable;

a processor that;

extracts the portion of a network address from an Originator address in a transfer Protocol User Data Header of the Message Service message;

compares the extracted portion of the network address to at least some of the portions of network addresses stored in the database; and

returns the associated user name; and

a display that;

displays the Message Service message and user name of the originator of the message; and

displays information identifying the Message Service message as one of billable or nonbillable.

16. The mobile device of claim 15 wherein said network address comprises an alphanumeric string with N characters;

and said portion of the network address comprises an alphanumeric string with M characters where N and M are positive integers and M is less than or equal to N.