System and methods for controlling an application

• US 7,558,861 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2003
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ONMOBILE LIVE, INC. (Onmobile Global Limited)
• Original Assignee: NMS Communications Corporation (Live Microsystems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ciarlante, John J., Qidwai, Imran H., Holt, II, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US10/692,464
• Time in Patent Office: 2,084 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/207, 709217-219, 709/225, 709227-230, 709/236, 709/237, 709/248, 709/249, 719/319, 726/3
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding

Abstract

Users of network based software applications typically interact with an application via a command line interface or a menu interface. Conventional voice-driven communication threads rely on a dedicated communication line (connection) to maintain a session context, or state, between a user and an application for the duration of a session. Such state information enables the application to reference a session context for the session duration, and employ the session context to maintain a state from previous atomic messages sent and received between the device and the application. By maintaining and referencing a session context indicative of previous messages, an application identifies an atomic message as corresponding to a particular session context, and employs the session context to process the message within the context, or environment, defined by the previous messages in the session. In this manner, a stateless protocol such as a text messaging protocol is operable to invoke stateful applications from the stateless infrastructure by employing the session context defined by the session of request and response messages.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an application comprising:

receiving, from a device, a first message via a non-session based, stateless messaging protocol;

providing a session context based on the identity of the user device;

maintaining the session context that maps messages transferred from the device using the non-session based, stateless protocol to a session-based application controlled using a session-based protocol;

mapping the first message from the device using the non-session based, stateless messaging protocol to the session-based protocol using the maintained session context to allow the device to control the session-based application;

identifying the session context between the session-based application and the device, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the user device, identifying further comprising indexing an identity of the device and a preexisting identity of the application in a session table; and

mapping a second message received from the application using the session-based protocol from the session-based application to the non-session based, stateless protocol using the maintained session context to return at least a portion of the second message to the device, further including employing the session context for maintaining the sequence of messages between the device and the application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first message corresponds to the session-based application and is indicative of a request to invoke the session-based application.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising employing the maintained session context for successive messages between the device and the application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein mapping the first message further comprises routing, based on the identified session context, at least a portion of the message to the application, the routing operative to receive and direct user input destined for the application.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising processing a script corresponding to the identified session context to receive and direct a portion of the message to the application.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein routing is operable to preserve the session context by maintaining the sequence of messages between the device and the application.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the session context is maintained based on an identity of the device and an identity of the application.

39. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a unique preexisting identifier corresponding to the application, wherein the unique preexisting identifier in the message further comprises a short code and application specific data, the application specific data encapsulated in an application specific data field following a short code field.

40. The method of claim 1 where the non-session based, stateless messaging protocol is an SMS protocol and the message is a text message.

8. A method for providing context specific application support for an interactive user device in an information transport infrastructure comprising:

receiving a non-session based, stateless message from a user via a user device, the message corresponding to a session-based application;

identifying a session context between the application and the user device, the session context based on an identity of the user device and an identity of the application, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the user device, identifying further comprising indexing an identity of the device and a preexisting identity of the application in a session table;

processing the message by the corresponding application according to the identified session context; and

mapping successive messages between the user device and the application by indexing the user device identity and application identity to preserve the session context by maintaining the order of messages between the user device and the application.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

establishing the session context via the received message, the received message indicative of the application to establish the session context between a text messaging user device and the application; and

invoking the application, the application responsive to the session context and operative to send and receive messages corresponding to the established session context.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein establishing the session context further comprises:

receiving a unique preexisting identifier corresponding to the application;

creating a session context entry in a session table based on the identity of the user device and the unique preexisting identifier; and

referencing, via the unique preexisting identifier, the corresponding application.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein mapping the successive messages includes mapping successive messages from the device to the same application by indexing the identity of the user device and the unique preexisting identifier of the application into a session table having session context entries of wireless telephone numbers and application short codes.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein mapping the successive messages further comprises processing a script corresponding to the identified session context to receive and direct the message to the application.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein mapping the successive messages further comprises emulating a connection ID in the interactive voice response infrastructure by associating the session context with an emulated port ID via the session table.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the session context is operable to maintain state information by referencing and maintaining a connection of the application in a stateful interactive voice response infrastructure to the user device by maintaining the order and sequence of messages sent between the application and the user device.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein establishing the session context further comprises:

receiving a short code corresponding to the application;

creating a session context entry in a session table based on the identity of the user device and the short code; and

referencing, via the short code, a script operative to invoke the application.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the message is a text message including the short code for invoking the application, the short code being a unique preexisting identifier within the infrastructure operative to reference and invoke a particular application for an interactive text messaging user.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the unique preexisting identifier in the message further comprises a short code and application specific data, the application specific data encapsulated in an application specific data field following a short code field.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein mapping the successive messages includes mapping successive messages from the user device to the same application by indexing the identity of the device and the unique preexisting identifier of the application into a session table having session context entries of protocol specific identifiers.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the protocol specific identifiers are further operative to identify a user and are specified according to an instant messaging protocol and further include at least one of user ID, buddy ID, screen name, AIM ID and nickname.

20. The method of claim 10 wherein mapping the successive messages includes mapping successive messages from the device to the same application by indexing the identity of the device and the unique preexisting identifier of the application into a session table having session context entries including at least one user email addresses, email addresses indicative of applications and application short codes.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising referencing a session ID operable to index a particular session context entry including the email address of the user device and indicative of the session context, the session ID computed in response to a message to the application and operable to identify the corresponding return message from the application.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising referencing a session ID operable to index a particular session context entry including at least one protocol specific identifier of the user device and indicative of the session context, the session ID computed in response to a message to the application and operable to identify the corresponding return message from the application.

23. The method of claim 8 further comprising referencing a session ID operable to index a particular session context entry indicative of the session context, the session ID computed in response to a message to the application and operable to identify the corresponding return message from the application.

24. The method of claim 8 wherein the information transport infrastructure is an interactive voice response infrastructure and establishing further comprises adapting speech responsive components for text message operability.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the mapping between the application and the user device occurs via a text to speech interconnection component and an automatic speech recognition interconnection component, the interconnection components operable to integrate text message data to interfaces in the preexisting information transport infrastructure.

26. The method of claim 8 wherein the session context terminates after expiration of a reasonable predetermined timeout by the session manager.

27. A method for providing context specific application support for an interactive text messaging user on an interactive voice response infrastructure comprising:

receiving an informational item from a user via a user device, the informational item corresponding to a particular session-based application;

identifying, via a session manager, a session context between the application and the user, the session context based on the identity of the user device and the identity of the application, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the user device, identifying further comprising indexing an identity of the device and a preexisting identity of the application in a session table;

processing, via a script processor, a script corresponding to the identified session context, the script processor operative to receive and direct user input destined for the application; and

mapping, via the session manager, successive communications between the user device and the application by indexing the user device identity and application identity to preserve the session context by maintaining the order and sequence of informational items between the user and the application.

28. A telecommunications device for remotely controlling an application from a user device comprising:

a message server operative to receive a first message from a device via a non-session based, stateless messaging protocol and to provide a session context based on the identity of the user device;

a session table operative for storing and maintaining a session context entry that enables mapping of messages transferred from the device using the non-session based, stateless protocol to a session-based application controlled using a session-based protocol, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the user device;

a session manager having the session table, the session table responsive to the session manager for mapping the first message from the device, using the non-session based, stateless messaging protocol, to the session-based protocol using the stored session context, to allow the device to control the session-based application, mapping further comprising indexing an identity of the device and a preexisting identity of the application in a session table;

the stored session context for maintaining the sequence of messages between the device and the application;

the session manager further operable to map a second message, received from the application, using the session-based protocol, from the session-based application to the non-session, stateless based protocol using the maintained session context, to return at least a portion of the second message to the device.

29. The telecommunications device of claim 28 wherein the first message corresponds to the session-based application and is indicative of a request to invoke the session-based application.

30. The telecommunications device of claim 28 wherein the session manager is further operable to employ the maintained session context in the session table for successive messages between the device and the application.

31. The telecommunications device of claim 28 wherein the session context table is operable to identify the session context between the session-based application and the device, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the device.

32. The telecommunications device of claim 31 wherein the session manager is operative to map the first message by routing, based on the identified session context, at least a portion of the message to the application, the routing operative to receive and direct user input destined for the application.

33. The telecommunications device of claim 32 wherein the session manager is operative to invoke an application dispatch process, the application dispatch process operable for processing an executable entity corresponding to the identified session context to receive and direct a portion of the message to the application.

34. The telecommunications device of claim 33 wherein the session manager is operative to preserve the session context by maintaining the sequence of messages between the device and the application.

35. The telecommunications device of claim 28 wherein the session manager is operative to maintain the session context based on an identity of the device and an identity of the application.

36. A method for invoking and using a speech based application on an existing speech processing infrastructure using a text messaging enabled device comprising:

defining a set of short codes indicative of local applications;

intercepting a short code at an interactive message manager corresponding to a particular local application

establishing a session context between the user device issuing the short code and the corresponding application based on an identity of the user device;

transmitting, within the established session context, an informational item indicative of the invocation of the particular local application to the speech interpreter;

receiving the invocation request at a scripting component, the scripting component operable to map incoming calls to the local applications via application specific scripts while maintaining the session context;

identifying the session context between the local application and the device, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the user device, identifying further comprising indexing the identity of the device and a preexisting identity of the application in a session table;

mapping the invocation request to the corresponding application;

receiving a response from the particular local application triggered by the invocation;

mapping the response back to the invoking user device via a session table operative to maintain context between the user device and the particular application;

receiving further informational items via a non-session based, stateless messaging protocol from the user device to the same invoked application;

maintaining the context by mapping successive informational items between the user device and the particular application via the session table; and

employing the session context for maintaining the sequence of messages between the user device and the local application.

37. A computer program product having a computer readable medium operable to store computer program logic embodied in computer program code encoded thereon for providing context specific application support for an interactive user device in an information transport infrastructure comprising:

computer program code for receiving a non-session based, stateless message from a user via a user device, the message corresponding to an application;

computer program code for identifying a session context between the application and the user device, the session context based on an identity of the user device and an identity of the application, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the user device, identifying further comprising indexing an identity of the device and a preexisting identity of the application in a session table;

computer program code for processing the message by the corresponding application according to the identified session context; and

computer program code for mapping successive messages between the user device and the application by indexing the user device identity and application identity to preserve the session context by maintaining the order of messages between the user device and the application, further including employing the session context for maintaining the sequence of messages between the device and the application.

38. A telecommunications device for remotely controlling an application from a user telecommunications device comprising:

means for receiving a non-session based, stateless message from a user via a user device, the message corresponding to an application;

means for identifying a session context between the application and the user device, the session context based on an identity of the user device and an identity of the application, identifying further comprising indexing an identity of the user device and a preexisting identity of the application in a session table, the session context operative to enable a stateful exchange between the session-based application and the user device;

means for processing the message by the corresponding application according to the identified session context; and

means for mapping successive messages between the user device and the application by indexing the user device identity and application identity to preserve the session context by maintaining the order of messages between the user device and the application.