System and method for short message service and instant messaging continuity

• US 7,720,082 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neustar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Neustar Incorporated
• Inventors: Ely, Thomas Chambers, Yu, I-Hsiang, Fridman, Sharon, Rosen, Brian, Volach, Ben, Makavy, Ran
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, CHI HO A
• Application Number:
  US11/778,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/412
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for communicating messages between users that use different messaging services. A message from a user communication device is communicated to a remote user communication device using a first messaging service. The remote user communication device communicates messages using a second messaging service. The message from the user communication device is routed to a messaging interface gateway in accordance with configuration information associated with the remote user communication device. The message is routed from the messaging interface gateway to a messaging server associated with the remote user communication device. The messaging server is configured to use the second messaging service. The message is delivered to the remote user communication device using the second messaging service.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information between users that use different messaging services, comprising:

a first user communication module,

wherein the first user communication module is configured to communicate a message to a second user communication module using a first messaging service, and

wherein the second user communication module is configured to communicate messages using a second messaging service; and

a signaling gateway module in communication with the first user communication module,

wherein the signaling gateway module is configured to interface messages between the first messaging service and the second messaging service,

wherein the message from the first user communication module is routed to the signaling gateway module in accordance with configuration information associated with the second user communication module, and

wherein the signaling gateway module is configured to route the message to the second user communication module via a messaging server module configured to use the second messaging service, and

wherein the signaling gateway module comprises;

a message filter module,

wherein the message filter module is configured to allow routing through the signaling gateway module of messages communicated from the first user communication module using the first messaging service, and wherein the message filter module is further configured to block non-message-related information communicated from the first user communication module using the first messaging service.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a communication server module in communication between the first user communication module and the signaling gateway module,

wherein the communication server module is configured to communicate with the first user communication module using the first messaging service.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication server module comprises a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) module.

4. The system of claim 2, comprising:

a user information database module in communication with the communication server module,

wherein the user information database module is configured to store the configuration information of the first and second user communication modules.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the configuration information of the second user communication module comprises a Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN).

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the communication server module is configured to obtain the configuration information associated with the second user communication module from the user information database module for routing the message to the signaling gateway module.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the signaling gateway module is configured to modify the configuration information of the second user communication module stored in the user information database module so that messages between the first user communication module and the second user communication module are routed through the signaling gateway module.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the user information database module comprises a Home Location Register (HLR) module.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the message filter module is configured to return the non-message-related information to the first user communication module.

10. The system of claim 9, comprising:

a user information database proxy module,

wherein the user information database proxy module is configured to prevent the returned non-message-related information from being routed back to the signaling gateway module.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the user information database proxy module comprises a Home Location Register (HLR) proxy module.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first user communication module is associated with at least two addresses, and

wherein one of the at least two addresses is adapted for use in returning the non-message related information to the first user communication module.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user communication module comprises a Short Message Service (SMS) communication device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the signaling gateway module comprises a Signaling System 7 (SS7) application module.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the second user communication module comprises an Instant Messaging (IM) communication device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the messaging server module comprises an Instant Messaging (IM) enabler module.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first messaging service comprises Short Message Service (SMS).

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the second messaging service comprises Instant Messaging (IM).

19. A method of communicating messages between users that use different messaging services, comprising the steps of:

a.) communicating a message from a first user communication device to a second user communication device using a first messaging service,

wherein the second user communication device communicates messages using a second messaging service;

b.) routing the message from the first user communication device to a messaging interface gateway in accordance with configuration information associated with the second user communication device;

c.) routing the message from the messaging interface gateway to a messaging server associated with the second user communication device,

wherein the messaging server is configured to use the second messaging service;

d.) delivering the message to the second user communication device using the second messaging service;

e.) filtering messages routed through the messaging interface gateway that are communicated from the first user communication device using the first messaging service; and

f.) blocking non-message-related information communicated from the first user communication device using the first messaging service.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

g.) storing the configuration information of at least the second user communication device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the configuration information of the second user communication device comprises a Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN).

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

h.) retrieving the stored configuration information associated with the second user communication device for routing the message to the messaging interface gateway.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

h.) modifying the stored configuration information of the second user communication device so that messages between the first user communication device and the second user communication device are routed through the messaging interface gateway.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

g.) returning the non-message-related information to the first user communication device.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising the step of:

h.) preventing the returned non-message-related information from being routed back to the messaging interface gateway.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the first user communication device is associated with at least two addresses, and

wherein one of the at least two addresses is adapted for use in returning the non-message related information to the first user communication device.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the first user communication device comprises a Short Message Service (SMS) communication device.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the messaging interface gateway comprises a Signaling System 7 (SS7) application.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the second user communication device comprises an Instant Messaging (IM) communication device.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the messaging server comprises an Instant Messaging (IM) enabler.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the first messaging service comprises Short Message Service (SMS).

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the second messaging service comprises Instant Messaging (IM).

33. A system for communicating information between users, comprising:

a first mobile network operator in communication with a first communication device,

wherein the first communication device is configured to communicate a message to a second communication device using a first messaging service, and

wherein the second communication device is configured to communicate messages using a second messaging service; and

a second mobile network operator in communication with the first mobile network operator and the second communication device,

wherein the second mobile network operator comprises;

a messaging interface module,

wherein the messaging interface module is configured to interface messages between the first messaging service and the second messaging service; and

a messaging server module in communication with the messaging interface module and the second communication device,

wherein the messaging server module is configured to use the second messaging service for communicating messages to the second communication device,

wherein the first mobile network operator is configured to route the message from the first communication device to the messaging interface module in accordance with address information associated with the second communication device,

wherein the messaging interface module is configured to route the message to the messaging server module, and

wherein the messaging server module is configured to deliver the message to the second communication device using the second messaging service, and wherein the messaging server module is further configured to block non-message-related information communicated from the first communication device using the first messaging service.