System and method for enabling multi-modal communication

• US 9,226,217 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Inventors: Malatack, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US14/690,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20150304934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods for a multi-tenant communication platform. At a multi-tenant communication platform, and responsive to authentication of a communication request provided by an external system, a routing address record of the communication platform is determined that matches a communication destination of the communication request. The matching routing address record associates the communication destination with a plurality of external communication providers. At least one communication provider associated with the matching routing address record is selected, and a request to establish communication with the communication destination is provided to each selected communication provider. The communication request specifies the communication destination and account information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a multi-tenant communication platform;

receiving a request to establish communication, the request being provided by an external system and specifying a communication destination and an account identifier of the external system;

determining whether the account identifier is a valid account identifier of an account that is permitted to establish communication by using the communication platform;

responsive to a determination that the account identifier is a valid account identifier of an account that is permitted to establish communication by using the communication platform;

determining at least one communication provider for the communication destination based on an a routing address record matching the communication destination, the matching routing address record associating the communication destination with one or more communication providers, the routing address record being stored at the communication platform, each communication provider being external to the communication platform;

selecting one or more of the determined at least one communication provider; and

providing a request to establish communication with the communication destination to each selected communication provider,

wherein the communication platform generates the matching routing address record based on registration information provided to the communication platform for the communication destination by each determined communication provider, and wherein the communication destination matches at least one of a routing address identifier and a deterministic endpoint address specified in the matching routing address record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the communication destination matches both of a routing address identifier of a first routing address record and a deterministic endpoint address of a second routing address record, information of the second routing address record is used to determine the at least one communication provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication platform generates the routing address record based on registration information provided to the communication platform for the communication destination by each determined communication provider, and confirmation information provided to the communication platform by each device endpoint associated with registration information provided to the communication platform.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one determined communication provider includes at least one of an SMS service provider, MMS service provider, push notification service provider, IP messaging service provider, proprietary third party OTT messaging service provider, proprietary third party OTT communication service provider, PSTN service provider, SIP voice service provider, Video communication service provider, screensharing service provider, fax service provider, and email service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication destination is at least one of a phone number, an email address, an IP address, and an account identifier of a communication provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to establish communication is authenticated by using the account identifier, and the request is denied in a case where the request is not authenticated.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein communication providers included in a routing address record are communication providers that have registered with the communication platform.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein communication providers included in a routing address record for a deterministic endpoint address are communication providers that have registered with the communication platform for the communication destination and that have been confirmed by a device endpoint associated with the communication destination.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining at least one communication provider comprises:

accessing a routing address record that matches the communication destination and the account identifier of the external system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication destination is associated with a plurality of communication providers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein selecting at least one communication provider comprises:

selecting based on a communication profile, wherein the communication profile is one of a global communication profile and an account communication profile associated with the account identifier of the external system, the account communication profile being generated based on at least one of the request to establish communication and an API of the communication platform.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

confirming the communication provider for the communication destination; and

specifying the confirmed communication provider in the routing address record for the communication destination.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein confirming the communication provider comprises:

at the communication platform;

receiving a registration request that identifies the communication provider and a device endpoint associated with the communication destination;

transmitting a registration communication to the device endpoint;

receiving a confirmation response provided by at least one of the device endpoint and the communication provider;

specifying the confirmed communication provider and the device endpoint in the routing address record for the communication destination; and

providing a confirmation response to the communication provider.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein responsive to the confirmation response, the communication provider associates the communication destination with an account of the communication provider, and stores the association at the communication provider.

15. A method comprising:

at a multi-tenant communication platform, and responsive to authentication of a communication request provided by an external system, the communication request specifying a communication destination and account information;

determining a routing address record of the communication platform that matches the communication destination of the communication request, the matching routing address record associating the communication destination with a plurality of external communication providers;

selecting at least one communication provider associated with the matching routing address record; and

providing a request to establish communication with the communication destination to each selected communication provider.

16. The method of claim 15,

wherein the matching routing address record is stored at the communication platform, and,

wherein the communication platform generates the matching routing address record based on registration information provided to the communication platform for the communication destination by each communication provider associated with the matching routing address record, and

wherein the communication destination matches at least one of a routing address identifier and a deterministic endpoint address specified in the matching routing address record.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

maintaining a plurality of routing address records at the communication platform, each routing address record associating a communication destination with a plurality of communication providers external to the communication platform.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the account information includes an account identifier for the external system and an authentication token associated with the account identifier, and

wherein authentication of the communication request comprises using a communication system of the communication platform to authenticate the communication request by using the authentication token, and determine that the communication request is permitted for an account identified by the account identifier.

19. The method of claim 18,

wherein selecting at least one communication provider associated with the matching routing address record comprises:

selecting at least one communication provider based on a communication profile,

wherein the communication profile is one of a global communication profile and an account communication profile associated with the account identifier of the external system, the account communication profile being generated based on at least one of the communication request and an API of the communication platform.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communication platform generates the matching routing address record by, for each communication provider:

transmitting a registration communication to a device endpoint associated with the communication destination responsive to a registration request that identifies the communication provider and the device endpoint associated with the communication destination;

specifying the communication provider in the routing address record in association with the device endpoint responsive to an endpoint conformation response provided by at least one of the device endpoint and the communication provider; and

providing a registration confirmation response to the communication provider.