Systems, methods, network elements and applications for modifying messages

• US 8,478,240 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Aaltonen, Janne, Saru, Sami
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US12/204,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20090068991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/466, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• 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 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data

Abstract

Methodologies and mechanisms are provided that enable the monitoring of communication dialogs or sessions between a plurality of users or a user and a content service and a determination of content to be added to current and/or future messages sent in the communication dialog(s) or session(s) based on content of one or more previously sent messages.

In embodiments of the invention the message and previous message comprising the dialogue(s) or session(s) are transmitted between a first party and a second party and the messages are intercepted en route for a respective party.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of selecting information content for transmission in connection with a current message, the method comprising:

selecting, by a processor, a previous message to the current message;

identifying, by the processor, one keyword in the previous message;

determining, by the processor, that the current message and the previous message belong to a first communication dialog upon a determination that the content of the current message and the previous message relate to each other;

selecting, by the processor, information content for transmission in connection with the current message based on the one keyword in the previous message when the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog; and

determining, by the processor, that the first communication dialog concludes with the current message when the content of the current message includes an affirmative response, wherein a subsequent message to the current message is part of a second communication dialog different than the first communication dialog and the current message is not part of the second communication dialog.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message is sent by a receiver of the current message.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the previous message is a message sent to a sender of the current message.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message is a message sent by a sender of the current message.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message is a message received by a receiver of the current message.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information content is added to the current message.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information content is transmitted as a separate message than the current message.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a second mobile terminal.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a content service provider.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current message is sent from a content service provider to a first mobile terminal.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a plurality of second mobile terminals.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising appending the selected information content to the current message prior to transmitting the information content to a second mobile terminal wherein the transmission of the information content to the second mobile terminal occurs as part of delivery of the current message to the second mobile terminal.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message is a Short Messaging Service message.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message is a Multi-Media Service message.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the selected information content and the current message to an intended recipient.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on a time period occurring between the previous message and the current message.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the processor, call detail records for the previous message and the current message; and

storing, in a database, the generated call detail records.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17, wherein determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on an analysis of the call detail records.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on the one keyword of the previous message and at least one keyword identified in the current message.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 19, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the at least one keyword of the current message is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the current message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is also based on at least one keyword of the current message.

22. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on keywords identified in a plurality of messages determined to be part of the first communication dialog.

23. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the at least one keyword is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the current message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

24. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein information content includes one of data, text, pictures, audio, video, links to web-sites, location information, telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses, HyperText Markup Language data, eXtensible Markup Language data, eXtensible HyperText Markup Language or downloadable files.

25. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information content is advertising content.

26. An article of manufacture for selecting information content for transmission in connection with a current message, the article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

selecting a previous message to the current message;

identifying at least one keyword in the previous message;

determining that the current message and the previous message belong to a first communication dialog, upon a determination that the content of the current message and the previous message relate to each other;

selecting information content for transmission in connection with the current message based on the at least one keyword in the previous message, when the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog; and

determining that the first communication dialog concludes with the current message when the content of the current message includes an affirmative response, wherein a subsequent message to the current message is part of a second communication dialog different than the first communication dialog and the current message is not part of the second communication dialog.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the previous message is sent by a receiver of the current message.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein the previous message is a message sent to a sender of the current message.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the previous message is a message sent by a sender of the current message.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the previous message is a message received by a receiver of the current message.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the information content is added to the current message.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the information content is transmitted as a separate message than the current message.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a second mobile terminal.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a content service provider.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the current message is sent from a content service provider to a first mobile terminal.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the current message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a plurality of second mobile terminals.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the steps further comprise appending the selected information content to the current message prior to transmitting the information content to a second mobile terminal wherein the transmission of the information content to the second mobile terminal occurs as part of delivery of the current message to the second mobile terminal.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the previous message is a Short Messaging Service message.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the previous message is a Multi-Media Service message.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the steps further comprise transmitting the selected information content and the current message to an intended recipient.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on a time period occurring between the previous message and the current message.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the steps further comprise generating and storing call detail records for the previous message and the current message.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 42, wherein the determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on an analysis of the call detail records.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on the at least one keyword of the previous message and one keyword identified in the current message.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 44, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the at least one keyword of the current message is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is also based on at least one keyword of the current message.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on keywords identified in a plurality of messages determined to be part of the first communication dialog.

48. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the at least one keyword is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the current message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

49. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein information content includes one of data, text, pictures, audio, video, links to web-sites, location information, telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses, HyperText Markup Language data, eXtensible Markup Language data, eXtensible HyperText Markup Language or downloadable files.

50. The article of manufacture of claim 26, wherein the information content is advertising content.

51. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to;

select a previous message to a current message;

identify at least one keyword in the previous message;

determine that the current message and the previous message belong to a first communication dialog upon a determination that the content of the current message and the previous message relate to each other

select information content for transmission in connection with the current message based on the one keyword in the previous message when the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog; and

determine that the first communication dialog concludes with the current message when the content of the current message includes an affirmative response, wherein a subsequent message to the current message is part of a second communication dialog different than the first communication dialog and the current message is not part of the second communication dialog.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the previous message is sent by a receiver of the current message.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the previous message is a message sent to a sender of the current message.

54. The system of claim 51, wherein the previous message is a message sent by a sender of the current message.

55. The system of claim 51, wherein the previous message is a message received by a receiver of the current message.

56. The system of claim 51, wherein the information content is added to the current message.

57. The system of claim 51, wherein the information content is transmitted as a separate message than the current message.

58. The system of claim 51, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a second mobile terminal.

59. The system of claim 51, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a content service provider.

60. The system of claim 51, wherein the current message is sent from a content service provider to a first mobile terminal.

61. The system of claim 51, wherein the current message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a plurality of second mobile terminals.

62. The system of claim 51, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

append the selected information content to the current message prior to transmitting the information content to a second mobile terminal wherein the transmission of the information content to the second mobile terminal occurs as part of delivery of the current message to the second mobile terminal.

63. The system of claim 51, wherein the previous message is a Short Messaging Service message.

64. The system of claim 51, wherein the previous message is a Multi-Media Service message.

65. The system of claim 51, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

transmit the selected information content and the current message to an intended recipient.

66. The system of claim 51, wherein determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on a time period occurring between the previous message and the current message.

67. The system of claim 51, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

generate call detail records for the previous message and the current message; and

store the generated call detail records.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on an analysis of the call detail records.

69. The system of claim 51, wherein selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on the at least one keyword of the previous message and at least one keyword identified in the current message.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the one keyword of the current message is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the current message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

71. The system of claim 51, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is also based on one keyword of the current message.

72. The system of claim 51, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on keywords identified in a plurality of messages determined to be part of the first communication dialog.

73. The system of claim 51, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the one keyword is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the current message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

74. The system of claim 51, wherein information content includes one of data, text, pictures, audio, video, links to web-sites, location information, telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses, HyperText Markup Language data, eXtensible Markup Language data, eXtensible HyperText Markup Language or downloadable files.

75. The system of claim 51, wherein the information content is advertising content.

76. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instruction that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

select a previous message to a current message;

identify at least one keyword in the previous message;

determine that the current message and the previous message belong to a first communication dialog upon a determination that the content of the current message and the previous message relate to each other

select information content for transmission in connection with the current message based on the at least one keyword in the previous message when the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog; and

determine that the first communication dialog concludes with the current message when the content of the current message includes an affirmative response, wherein a subsequent message to the current message is part of a second communication dialog different than the first communication dialog and the current message is not part of the second communication dialog.

77. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the previous message is sent by a receiver of the current message.

78. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 77, wherein the previous message is a message sent to a sender of the current message.

79. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the previous message is a message sent by a sender of the current message.

80. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the previous message is a message received by a receiver of the current message.

81. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the information content is added to the current message.

82. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the information content is transmitted as a separate message than the current message.

83. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a second mobile terminal.

84. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the previous message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a content service provider.

85. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the current message is sent from a content service provider to a first mobile terminal.

86. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the current message is sent from a first mobile terminal to a plurality of second mobile terminals.

87. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

append the selected information content to the current message prior to transmitting the information content to a second mobile terminal wherein the transmission of the information content to the second mobile terminal occurs as part of delivery of the current message to the second mobile terminal.

88. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the previous message is a Short Messaging Service message.

89. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the previous message is a Multi-Media Service message.

90. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

transmit the selected information content and the current message to an intended recipient.

91. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on a time period occurring between the previous message and the current message.

92. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

generate call detail records for the previous message and the current message; and

store the generated call detail records.

93. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 92, wherein determining that the current message and the previous message belong to the first communication dialog is based on an analysis of the call detail records.

94. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on the at least one keyword of the previous message and one keyword identified in the current message.

95. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 94, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the at least one keyword of the current message is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the current message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

96. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is also based on at least one keyword of the current message.

97. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message is based on keywords identified in a plurality of messages determined to be part of the first communication dialog.

98. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the selecting information content for transmission with the current message based on the at least one keyword is based on a plurality of rules indicating probabilistic assumptions regarding subject matter of the current message based on the presence of one or more keywords.

99. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein information content includes one of data, text, pictures, audio, video, links to web-sites, location information, telephone numbers, electronic mail addresses, HyperText Markup Language data, eXtensible Markup Language data, eXtensible HyperText Markup Language or downloadable files.

100. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 76, wherein the information content is advertising content.