Text message delivery features for an interactive wireless network

• US 7,035,904 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jordan, Royce D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAWAZ, ASAD M
• Application Number:
  US09/965,783
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-203, 709206-207, 709/239, 370/328, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/412
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

An apparatus and method for sending a message to a wireless device over a wireless network includes receiving the message transmitted over an external network in communication with the wireless network or a gateway in the network. The message includes an expiration instruction and expiration information indicating a time after which the message is not to be delivered to the wireless device. The wireless network or gateway attempts to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network, and carries out the expiration instruction by deleting the message at the time indicated by the expiration information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for sending a message to a wireless device over a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

a gateway for receiving the message transmitted over an external network in communication with the gateway, the message including an expiration instruction and expiration information indicating a time after which the message is not to be delivered to the wireless device, for attempting to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network, and for carrying out the expiration instruction by deleting the message at the time indicated by the expiration information if the message has not been delivered to the wireless device;

the gateway lapsing the expiration instruction if the message has been delivered to the wireless device by the indicated by the expiration information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway comprises a database for storing the message.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the database has a directory structure for associating the wireless device with the message.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the gateway flags the message in the database with the expiration information and executes a protocol to determine when the flagged expiration information matches a time indicated by the gateway.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway transmits the message to the external network at the time indicated by the expiration information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expiration information indicates a length of time before the gateway carries out the expiration instruction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expiration information indicates a date and time for the gateway to carry out the expiration instruction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message is a text message.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the expiration instruction and expiration information are included in the text message.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expiration instruction and expiration information are in a header of the message.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external network is the Internet.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a pager.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gateway attempts to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network at a predetermined time.

14. A method of sending a message to a user of a wireless device over a wireless network, the method comprising:

sending a message including an expiration instruction and expiration information indicating a time after which the message is not to be delivered to the wireless device;

attempting to deliver the message to the wireless device over the wireless network;

deleting the message at the time indicated by the expiration information if the message has not been delivered to the wireless device; and

lapsing the expiration instruction if the message has been delivered to the wireless device by the time indicated by the information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising returning the message to a source external to the wireless network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein message is a text message, and the expiration instruction and expiration information are included in the message.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the expiration instruction and expiration information ae in a header of the message.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising flagging the message with the expiration information;

and

carrying out the expiration instruction by comparing the flagged message with a time indicated by the wireless system.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising

determining whether the message has been delivered to the wireless device prior to deleting the message.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the message is sent over the Internet through a connection to the wireless network.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the message is attempted to be delivered to the wireless device aver the wireless network at a predetermined time.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the message includes a deferred delivery instruction to delay delivery until a specified time.

22. A method of sending a message to a user of a wireless device over a wireless network that maintains a mailbox for the user, the method comprising:

sending a message, which includes an expiration instruction and expiration information indicating a time after which the message is not to be delivered to the wireless device, to the user'"'"'s mailbox;

flagging the message in the user'"'"'s mailbox with the expiration information;

attempting to deliver the message in the user'"'"'s mailbox to the wireless device over the wireless network;

comparing the flagged message with a time indicated by the wireless system; and

deleting the message from the user'"'"'s mailbox at the time indicated by the expiration information if the message has not been delivered to the wireless device;

lapsing the expiration instruction if the message has been delivered to the wireless device by the time indicated by the expiration information.

23. A computer program product or sending a message to a user of a wireless device over a wireless network that maintains a mailbox for the user comprising;

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising;

sending a message, which includes an expiration instruction and expiration information indicating a time after which the message is not to be delivered to the wireless device, to the user'"'"'s mailbox;

flagging the message in the user'"'"'s mailbox with the expiration information;

attempting to deliver the message in the user'"'"'s mailbox to the wireless device over the wireless network;

comparing the flagged message with a time indicated by the wireless system; and

deleting the message from the user'"'"'s mailbox at the time indicated by the expiration information if the message has not been delivered to the wireless device;

lapsing the expiration instruction if the message has been delivered to the wireless device by the time indicated by the expiration information.