System and method for running a multi-module telephony application

• US 8,582,737 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Inventors: Lawson, Jeffrey, Wolthuis, John, Cooke, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARIFZADEH, IBRAHAM KALEL
• Application Number:
  US12/900,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20110081008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 379111-141
• US Class Current: 379/114.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services

Abstract

A method for running an accountable multi-module telephony application including receiving an application request to a number associated with an account of a telephony platform; directing application control to a first module of an application of the account; passing application control from the first module to a second module of the account through a linking system; and metering use of the first module and the at least second module independently.

Claims

1. A method for running an accountable multi-module telephony application comprising:

receiving an application request for a number associated with an account of a telephony platform;

directing application control to a first module of an application of the account;

passing application control from the first module to a second module of the account through a linking system;

metering use of the first module and the at least second module independently;

wherein directing application control to a first module of the account includes directing control to an initial universal resource identifier (URI) of the first module; and

wherein passing application control to the second module through a linking system includes directing application control to an initial URI of the second module; and

wherein passing control to a second module includes receiving from the first module a module identity code of the second module, wherein the module identity code is received at a dispatcher engine of the telephony platform; and

further comprising the dispatcher engine converting the module identity code to the initial URI of the second module; and

wherein the dispatcher engine directs application control to the initial URI of the second module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an application request is a telephony call request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an application request is a text message request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein passing control to a second module includes receiving from the first module a redirecting URI to specify the initial URI of the second module.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a usage model of the account for the first module and the second module;

and prior to directing application control to the initial URI of the second module, a policy engine of the telephony platform verifying permission for the account to use the second module based on the usage model and metered use of the second module.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the usage model of the second module is for unlimited use in a time period, and the metering of application control includes comparing the time period of unlimited use to the current time.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising a billing engine transferring payment from an account based on a usage model for the first module and the second module and the independently metered usage of the first module and the second module;

and wherein verifying permissions includes verifying the account has satisfied a billing requirement associated with the usage model.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging the account for combined usage of the first module and the at least second module as indicated by the metered use of the first module and at least second module;

and distributing payment to an entity of the first module based on usage record of the first module and distributing payment to an entity of the second module based on a usage record of the second module.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the metering application control of the first module uses a metric different from the metric used for metering application control of the at least second module.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the metering is triggered through the passing of application control from the first module to a second module through the linkage system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising independently metering telephony platform application programming interface (API) use outside of application control for the first module and the at least second module.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to an entity of the module in response to telephony platform activity.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising sharing configuration state between the first module and at the least second module, wherein the configuration state is set for every application request for operation of the application containing the first module and second module.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein sharing configuration state includes sharing defined keys with parameter values between the first module and the at least second module.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an instance of application control may additionally have shared configuration state.

16. A method for running an accountable multi-module telephony application comprising:

receiving an application request for a number associated with an account of a telephony platform;

directing application control to an initial universal resource identifier (URI) of a first module of an application of the account;

passing application control from the first module to an initial URI of a second module of the account through a linking system, wherein passing control to a second module includes receiving from the first module a module identity code of the second module, wherein the module identity code is received at a dispatcher engine of the telephony platform; and

the dispatcher engine converting the module identity code to the initial URI of the second module; and

wherein upon verification of permission for the account to use the second module, the dispatcher engine directs application control to the initial URI of the second module;

assigning a usage model of the account for the first module and the second module;

prior to passing application control to the initial URI of the second module, a policy engine of the telephony platform verifying permission for the account to use the second module based on the usage model and metered use of the second module; and

independently metering application control of the first module and of the at least second module by tracking the module associated with the URI directed application control.

17. A method for supplying use of an application protocol interface (API) for an application on a platform comprising:

receiving a request to add a first application for use on a platform;

receiving user account information for the platform;

receiving usage agreement information for the user account; and

metering the first application usage for the account;

permitting use of a platform resource for the user account according to the metered usage and usage agreement information, which includes passing application control to a second application through a linking system, wherein the second application is associated with the user account and has a usage agreement information; and

wherein passing control to a second application includes receiving from the first module a module identity code of the second module, wherein the module identity code is received at a dispatcher engine of the telephony platform; and

the dispatcher engine converting the module identity code to the initial URI of the second module; and

wherein upon verification of permission for the account to use the second module, the dispatcher engine directs application control to the initial URI of the second module.

18. The method for claim 17, wherein permitting use of a platform resource for first application of the user account includes a policy engine verifying permission for the account to use the platform resource based on the usage module.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising charging the user account for metered usage of the platform;

and distributing payment to an entity of the first module based on metered usage of the application.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein permitting API usage of the platform resource for the user account includes passing application control to a second application through a linking system, which includes directing application control to an initial URI of the second application, wherein the second application is associated with the user account and has a usage agreement information.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the platform is a telephony application platform and the application is assigned to a phone number.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein metering the first application platform usage for the account, further comprises metering by tracking universal resource indicators (URIs) of the first application used during application control by the first application of the user account.