Messaging system for managing communications resources

• US 7,643,816 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2008
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Antikainen, Ismo, Romppanen, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US12/221,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20080318555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 455406-409, 455/412.12, 455/413, 455/466, 455/405, 379/114.16, 379/114.17, 379/114.21
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a messaging system for managing communications resources and are particularly suitable for providing a means for subscribers of a telecommunications network to continue participating in a communications service that would otherwise be ended due to the calling party having a low or zero balance. Embodiments of the invention are generally applicable to users of a mobile network.

Embodiments of the invention provide a messaging system for use by the telecommunications network to transmit a message to a remote party, where the remote party is identified by means of a telephone calling identifier associated with a call setup request for a telecommunications session received from a user of the telecommunications network. The messaging system comprises a storage system for storing data providing a predetermined definition of message content to be sent to the remote party. In response to trigger event such as determining that the account balance available for said user participating in the requested communications session is below a predetermined threshold, the messaging system is arranged to initiate the transmission of a message to said remote party. The transmitted message contains message content that is defined at least in part by said definition of message content and can comprise a “call me message.” This thereby ensures that a “call me” message reaches the remote party.

Claims

1. A messaging system for use in a telecommunications network, said messaging system being for use by the telecommunications network to transmit a message to a remote device of a second user, the remote device of the second user being identified by means of a telephone calling identifier associated with a call setup request for a call session received from a device of a first user of the telecommunications network, said messaging system comprising:

a storage system for storing data providing a predetermined definition of message content to be sent to a remote device of the second user;

transmission means for, in response to a trigger event, invoking transmission of a message to said remote device of the second user, said transmission of the message to the remote device of the second user being further dependent on data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request, wherein trigger means for identifying that said trigger event occurs when it is determined that an account balance available for said device of the first user participating in the requested communications call session is below a predetermined threshold, and wherein said transmitted message includes message content defined at least in part by said definition of message content and said data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request.

2. The messaging system according to claim 1, wherein the storage system is further arranged to store data providing a predetermined definition of message-associated information to be provided to said device of the first user, and the messaging system is arranged to transmit, according to the predetermined definition, message-associated information to a device associated with the device of the first user, said message-associated information including notification of the remote device of the second user to whom the message is transmitted in response to said trigger event.

3. The messaging system according to claim 2, wherein the transmission means is arranged to send the message-associated information to the device of the first user in response to the trigger event, and, responsive to a response message containing said data, to include the data in the message transmitted to the remote device of the second user.

4. The messaging system according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined definition of message content to be sent to the remote device of the second user includes content specified by an information provider.

5. The messaging system according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined definition of message content to be sent to the remote device of the second user includes content specified by an information provider.

6. The messaging system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined definition of message content to be sent to the remote device of the second user includes content specified by an information provider.

7. The messaging system according to claim 6, wherein use of network resources in respect of a subsequently received request for call set up from the remote device of the second user to the device of the first user are offset by resources allocated to the information provider.

8. The messaging system according to claim 7, wherein use of network resources for transmission of said message to said remote device of the second user and/or said message-associated information to the device of the first user are offset by resources allocated to the information provider.

9. The messaging system according to claim 6, wherein use of network resources for transmission of said message to said remote device of the second user and/or said message-associated information to the device of the first user are offset by resources allocated to the information provider.

10. The messaging system according to claim 1, the telecommunications network including an interactive voice recognition device arranged to receive speech input from the device of the first user, whereby to provide said data to be sent to the remote device of the second user.

11. The messaging system according to claim 7, wherein the interactive voice recognition device is arranged to analyze said speech input against a predetermined size of message content and to notify the device of the first user in the event that the received speech input exceeds the predetermined size of message content.

12. The messaging system according to claim 11, wherein the interactive voice recognition device is responsive to a modification instruction received from the device of the first user so as to modify the received speech input with speech input subsequently specified by the user.

13. The messaging system according to claim 11, wherein the interactive voice recognition device is responsive to a cancellation instruction received from the device of the first user so as to replace the received speech input with speech input subsequently specified by the user.

14. The messaging system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined definition of message content is stored in association with user records corresponding to said device of the first user and with said telephone calling identifier corresponding to a given remote device of the second user.

15. The messaging system according to claim 1, further comprising means arranged to invoke termination of the call session in response to the trigger event.

16. The messaging system according to claim 15, wherein the user records include data indicative of a rate to be applied in respect of a given requested communications session, and the means for invoking termination of the call session is arranged to perform an evaluation process comprising evaluating the account balance for said device of the first user in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a said rate.

17. The messaging system according to claim 16, wherein the means for invoking termination of the call session is arranged to perform said evaluation process during set up of said communications session requested by the device of the first user.

18. The messaging system according to claim 1, including a storage system arranged to store user records including data indicative of said account balance associated with said device of the first user.

19. The messaging system according to claim 18, wherein the user records are stored independently of said data providing a predetermined definition of message content to be sent to a remote device of the second user.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising transmitting message-associated information to the device of the first user, said message-associated information including notification of the remote device of the second user to whom the message is transmitted in response to said available account balance being determined to be below the predetermined threshold.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

identifying a message body from said data received from the device of the first user; and

on the basis of said definition of message content, creating a message comprising said message body, whereby to create said message for transmission to the remote of device of the second user.

25. The method according to claim 22, in which the communications network stores user records comprising data identifying an information provider, the method further comprising offsetting use of network resources in respect of a subsequently received request for call set up from the remote device of the second user to the device of the first user by resources allocated to the information provider.

28. The method according to claim 25, in which the process is performed in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

31. The method according to claim 22, in which the process is performed in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

32. The method according to claim 21, in which the process is performed in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

36. The method according to claim 25, further comprising terminating the call session.

39. The method according to claim 22, further comprising terminating call session.

40. The method according to claim 21, further comprising terminating the call session.

45. The method according to claim 25, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

48. The method according to claim 22, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session, requested by the device of the first user.

49. The method according to claim 21, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session, requested by the device of the first user.

54. The method according to claim 25, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

57. The method according to claim 22, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

58. The method according to claim 21, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

20. A method of controlling transmission of messages in respect of a call session involving a device of the first user of a communications network and a remote device of a second user, the remote device of the second user being identified by means of a telephone calling identifier associated with a call setup request for the call session received from the device of the first user of telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising a storage system for storing data providing a predetermined definition of message content to be sent to the remote device of the second user, said method comprising:

monitoring, during the call session, an account balance available for said device of the first user participating in the requested call session against a predetermined threshold; and

when the available account balance is determined to be below the predetermined threshold, initiating transmission of a message to said remote device of the second user, wherein said transmission of the message to the remote device is dependent on data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request, said transmitted message containing message content defined at least in part by said definition of message content and comprising said data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

identifying a message body from said data received from the device of the first user; and

on the basis of said definition of message content, creating a message comprising said message body, whereby to create said message for transmission to the remote device of the second user.

24. The method according to claim 23, in which the communications network stores user records comprising data identifying an information provider, the method further comprising offsetting use of network resources in respect of a subsequently received request for call set up from the remote device of the second user to the device of the first user by resources allocated to the information provider.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising offsetting transmission of said message to said remote device of the second user and/or said message-associated information to the device of the first user by resources allocated to the information provider.

27. The method according to claim 26, in which the process is performed in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

29. The method according to claim 24, in which the process is performed in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

30. The method according to claim 23, in which the process is performed in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

33. The method according to claim 20, in which the process is performed in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising terminating the call session.

35. The method according to claim 26, further comprising terminating call session.

37. The method according to claim 24, further comprising terminating the call session.

38. The method according to claim 23, further comprising terminating call session.

41. The method according to claim 20, further comprising terminating the call session.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

43. The method according to claim 33, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

44. The method according to claim 26, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

46. The method according to claim 24, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

47. The method according to claim 23, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

50. The method according to claim 20, further comprising performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

51. The method according to claim 41, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

52. The method according to claim 33, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

53. The method according to claim 26, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

55. The method according to claim 24, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

56. The method according to claim 23, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

59. The method according to claim 20, further comprising performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

60. A computer program product, or a suite of computer program products for controlling transmission of messages in respect of a call session involving a device of the first user of a telecommunications network and a remote device of a second user, the remote device of the second user being identified by means of a telephone calling identifier associated with a call setup request for the call session received from the device of the first user of the telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising a storage system for storing data providing a predetermined definition of message content to be sent to a remote device of the second user, comprising program code means being adapted to perform the steps of monitoring, during the call session, an account balance available for said device of the first user participating in the requested call session against a predetermined threshold;

and when the available account balance is determined to be below the predetermined threshold, initiating transmission of a message to said remote device of the second user, wherein said transmission of the message to the remote device of the second user is dependent on data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request, said transmitted message containing message content defined at least in part by said definition of message content and comprising said data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request.

61. The computer program product according to claim 60, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of:

transmitting message-associated information to the device of the first user, said message-associated information including notification of the remote device of the second user to whom the message is transmitted in response to said available account balance being determined to be below the predetermined threshold.

62. The computer program product according to claim 60, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of:

identifying a message body from said data received from the device of the first user; and

on the basis of said definition of message content, creating a message comprising said message body, whereby to create said message for transmission to the remote device of the second user.

63. The computer program product according to claim 60, in which the telecommunications network stores user records comprising data identifying an information provider, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of offsetting use of network resources in respect of a subsequently received request for call set up from the remote device of the second user to the device of the first user by resources allocated to the information provider.

64. The computer program product according to claim 60, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of offsetting transmission of said message to said remote device of the second user and/or said message-associated information to the device of the first user by resources allocated to the information provider.

65. The computer program product according to claim 60, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of performing the process in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

66. The computer program product according to claim 60, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of terminating the call session.

67. The computer program product according to claim 60, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of performing said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session, requested by the device of the first user.

68. The computer program product according to claim 60, the program code means being further adapted to perform the step of performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.

69. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure comprising a computer program product, or a suite of computer program products for controlling transmission of messages in respect of call session involving a device of the first user of a telecommunications network and a remote device of a second user, the remote device of the second user being identified by means of a telephone calling identifier associated with a call setup request for the call session received from the device of the first user of the telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising a storage system for storing data providing a predetermined definition of message content to be sent to a remote device of the second user, the computer program product stored on the computer-readable medium comprising program code means being adapted to perform the steps of:

monitoring, during the call session, an account balance available for said device of the first user participating in the requested communications session against a predetermined threshold;

when the available account balance is determined to be below the predetermined threshold, initiating transmission of a message to said remote device of the second user, wherein said transmission of the message to the remote device of the second user is dependent on data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request, said transmitted message containing message content defined at least in part by said definition of message content and comprising said data received from the device of the first user after the call setup request.

70. The computer-readable medium according to claim 69, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform the step of:

transmitting message-associated information to the device of the first user, said message-associated information including notification of the remote device of the second user to whom the message is transmitted in response to said available account balance being determined to be below the predetermined threshold.

71. The computer-readable medium according to claim 69, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform the steps of:

identifying a message body from said data received from the device of the first user; and

on the basis of said definition of message content, creating a message comprising said message body, whereby to create said message for transmission to the remote device of the second user.

72. The computer-readable medium according to claim 70, in which the communications network stores user records comprising data identifying an information provider, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform the step of offsetting use of network resources in respect of a subsequently received request for call set up from the remote device of the second user to the device of the first user by resources allocated to the information provider.

73. The computer-readable medium according to claim 69, in which the communications network stores user records comprising data identifying an information provider, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform the step of offsetting use of network resources in respect of a subsequently received request for call set up from the remote device of the second user to the device of the first user by resources allocated to the information provider.

74. The computer-readable medium according to claim 69, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform the step of performing the process in relation to a predetermined amount of call time and a rate for the call session.

75. The computer-readable medium according to claim 69, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform the step of terminating the call session.

76. The computer readable medium according to claim 69, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform said monitoring of said account balance during set-up of said call session requested by the device of the first user.

77. The computer-readable medium according to claim 69, the computer-readable medium being further adapted to perform the step of performing the monitoring of said account balance during said call session.