Short code provisioning and threading techniques for bidirectional text messaging

• US 8,463,304 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zipwhip Incorporated.
• Original Assignee: Zipwhip Incorporated.
• Inventors: Lauer, John, Riemma, Anthony, Larson, John, Smyers, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trandai, Scott
• Application Number:
  US12/705,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20100210291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/412.2, 709/203, 709/204, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to designate a selected thread identification value from a collection of thread identification values based upon recognition criteria. The selected thread identification value is utilized during bidirectional text messaging between a first user and a second user.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

designate a selected thread identification value from a collection of thread identification values based upon recognition criteria; and

utilize the selected thread identification value during bidirectional text messaging between a first user and a second user, wherein the selected thread identification value is reserved for all future communications between the first user and the second user and the thread identification value is associated with a mobile device number; and

wherein the selected thread identification value forms a permanent reply path between said first and second user in contrast to a temporarily provisioned thread identification value that expires shortly after being used.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the selected thread identification value includes a thread suffix specifying a vector and channel identification.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the vector specifies sender or recipient control.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the channel identification specifies a unique communication session between the first user and the second user.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the recognition criteria favorably ranks codes with a small number of different values.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the recognition criteria favorably ranks codes with highly repetitive sequences of the same numeral.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the recognition criteria favorably ranks codes with a sequence of low numbers to high numbers.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising executable instructions to initially receive a text message at a first device associated with the first user and subsequently forward the text message to a second device associated with the first user in accordance with specified forwarding criteria.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the specified forwarding criteria is a time delay prior to opening the text message.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to match a selected thread identification value with a forward thread identification value.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to reserve a set of matched thread identification values and forward thread identification values.