Network invitation arrangement and method

• US 8,464,315 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ahtisaari, Marko
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEDIN, SHANTO
• Application Number:
  US12/077,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20080250482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 713/171, 713/193, 709/204, 709/205, 709/217, 709/232, 726 3- 7
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity

Abstract

Method and arrangement for enabling communications between an entity operating a network including a first user, and a second user includes sending a message from the first user to the entity informing the entity of identification information of the second user interested in joining the network, sending from the entity to the first user a key to allow the second user to communicate with the entity, providing a message from the first user directly to the second user containing the key, sending a message from the second user to the entity using the key, determining whether the key sent by the second user corresponds to the key provided by the entity to the first user, and if so enabling communications between the second user and the entity. The ability of the first user to obtain a key to enable the second user to join the network is time-limited.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending a first message from a first user to an entity informing the entity of identification information of a second user, wherein the identification information includes a subscriber phone number of a mobile phone of the second user;

receiving from the entity a second message containing a key to enable the second user to communicate with the entity, wherein the entity transmits the second message upon determining that the first user is authorized to send an invitation to the second user; and

sending, from the first user to the second user, a third message containing the key and instructions, which enables the second user to send a fourth message using the key to the entity, wherein, communications between the second user and the entity are enabled upon verification by the entity that the key contained in the fourth message corresponds to the key provided by the entity to the first user and that the fourth message was received from the subscriber phone number identified by the first message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is one of a provider and an operator of mobile telecommunications services, the third message is an invitation to perform at least one of applying for mobile telecommunications services, joining a mobile telecommunications network, and accepting mobile telecommunications services from the entity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first user and the second user each have respective mobile telecommunications devices which can send and receive messages.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the respective mobile telecommunications devices comprise at least one of mobile telephones, multimedia computers, personal data assistants, laptop computers, and desktop computers.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the respective mobile telecommunications devices have communication capabilities including at least one of text, messaging, Wireless Application Protocol browsing, World Wide Web browsing, voice, audio and video communications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity provides an Internet-based service and the third message comprises an invitation to receive the Internet-based service, and wherein the identification information further includes an e-mail address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message further comprises instructions for initiating communications with the entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the third message comprises at least one of sending a short message service message to the second user containing the key, sending instructions via e-mail including the key, informing the second user of the key via telephone, sending the key in a letter, and showing the second user the key directly from a device of the first user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein verifying that the key used by the fourth message corresponds to the key provided by the entity further comprises comparing the key used by the fourth message to a database of keys maintained by the entity.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining an origin of the fourth message and determining whether the origin of the fourth message corresponds to the second user; and

upon verification of the origin, enabling communications between the second user and the entity.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein when the first user is determined to be unable to extend the invitation to the second user, storing a request to extend the invitation in a database and subsequently notifying the first user when the first user becomes able to extend invitation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling communications further comprises triggering the entity to send a fifth message to the second user indicating that the second user is now authorized to communicate with the entity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity operates one of a virtual community and a non-virtual community, and wherein sending the third message containing the key comprises sending an invitation to join one of the virtual community and the non-virtual community.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is an organizer of a marketing campaign, and the third message further comprises information about one of a product and a service which is a subject of the marketing campaign.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the key is an access code.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the key is a number providing access to the entity, wherein the fourth message provides access to the entity.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the first user of a time window during which the first user can extend an invitation to the second user.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

storing an invitation history of the first user; and

determining the time window based on the invitation history.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

sending a first message from a first user to an entity informing the entity of identification information of a second user, wherein the identification information includes a subscriber phone number of a mobile phone of the second user;

receiving from the entity a second message containing a key to enable the second user to communicate with the entity, wherein the entity transmits the second message upon determining that the first user is authorized to send an invitation to the second user; and

sending, from the first user to the second user, a third message containing the key, and instructions for the mobile phone of the second user to send a fourth message using the key to the entity, wherein communications between the second user and the entity are enabled upon verification by the entity that the key contained in the fourth message corresponds to the key provided by the entity to the first user and that the fourth message was received from the subscriber phone number identified by the first message.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the entity is one of a provider and an operator of mobile telecommunications services, the third message is an invitation to accept the mobile telecommunications services from the entity.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first user and the second user each have respective mobile telecommunications devices.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the respective mobile telecommunications devices comprise at least one of mobile telephones, multimedia computers, personal data assistants, laptop computers, and desktop computers.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the respective mobile telecommunications devices have communication capabilities including at least one of text, messaging, Wireless Application Protocol browsing, World Wide Web browsing, voice, audio and video communications.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the entity provides an Internet-based service, wherein the third message is an invitation to receive the Internet-based service, and wherein the identification information further includes an e-mail address.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the second message further comprises instructions for initiating communications with the entity.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the third message comprises at least one of a short message service message to the second user containing the key, email instructions including the key, and a call to the second user to inform the second user of the key.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein verifying that the key used by the fourth message corresponds to the key provided by the entity further comprises comparing the key to a database of keys maintained by the entity.

28. The system of claim 27, the instructions further comprising:

determining an origination of the third message and determining whether the origin of the third message corresponds to the second user; and

upon verification of the origin, enabling communications between the second user and the entity.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein when the first user is determined to be unable to extend the invitation to the second user, the second hardware implemented means being arranged to store a request to extend the invitation in a database and subsequently notify the first user when the first user becomes able to extend invitation.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein enabling communications further comprises triggering the entity to send a fifth message to the second user indicating that the second user is now authorized to communicate with the entity.

31. The system of claim 19, wherein the entity operates one of a virtual community and a non-virtual community, and wherein sending the third message containing the key comprises sending an invitation to join one of the virtual community and the non-virtual community.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein the entity is an organizer of a marketing campaign, and the third message is a message about one of a product and a service which is a subject of the marketing campaign.

33. The system of claim 19, wherein the key is an access code.

34. The system of claim 19, wherein the key is a number providing access to the entity, wherein the fourth message provides access to the entity.

35. The system of claim 19, the instructions further comprising notifying the first user of a time window during which the first user can extend an invitation to the second user.

36. The system of claim 35, the instructions further comprising:

storing an invitation history of the first user; and

determining the time window based on the invitation history.

37. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform steps comprising:

receiving a first message from a first user belonging to a subscriber network, the first message providing identification information of a second user, wherein the identification information includes a subscriber phone number of a mobile phone of the second user;

upon a determination that the first user is authorized to invite the second user to join the subscriber network, sending a second message to the first user, the second message including a key to allow the second user to communicate with the computing device;

receiving a third message from the second user containing the key, wherein the second user received the key directly from the first user; and

upon a determination that the key received from the second user corresponds to the key sent in the second message to the first user and that the message was received from the subscriber phone number identified by the first message, enabling communications between the second user and the computing device.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the second message further comprises instructions for initiating communications with the computing device.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, the instructions further causing the computing device to perform steps comprising:

determining an origin of the third message.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, the instructions further causing the computing device to determine whether the first user is able to extend an invitation to the second user prior to sending the second message.

41. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

receiving a first message from a first user belonging to a subscriber network, the first message providing identification information of a second user, wherein the identification information includes a subscriber phone number of a mobile phone of the second user;

upon a determination that the first user is authorized to invite the second user to join the subscriber network, sending a second message to the first user, the second message including a key;

receiving a third message from the second user, the third message containing the key, wherein the second user received the key directly from the first user; and

upon a determination that the key received from the second user corresponds to the key sent to the first user in the second message and that the third message was received from the subscriber phone number identified by the first message, enabling communications with the second user.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising at least one database for storing information about the first user and the second user.

43. The system of claim 41, the instructions further comprising determining a permitted time window for the first user to extend invitations.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the second message includes instructions to enable the second user to initiate communications with the system.