Method and system for transmission and display of rich-media alerts

• US 8,565,796 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Weinrib, Jeremy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US13/246,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 4554121-4144, 455/566, 709206-207
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/181 Transcoding devices; Rate adaptation devices

Abstract

There is provided a method and system of generating a rich-media message using a short message service (SMS) message. In one aspect, the method comprises encoding data and rich-media content information to generate an encoded rich-media message, and formatting the encoded rich-media message into a rich-media SMS message. In one aspect, the method includes transmitting the rich-media SMS over a network. In another aspect, the method includes receiving the rich-media SMS by a mobile device, decoding the SMS, and displaying the message. The method may include obtaining rich-media content from a server. In one embodiment, a system for communicating a rich-media message to a mobile device comprises an alerts generator configured to encode a rich-media message and format the message into a rich-media SMS, a content server configured to provide rich-media content to a mobile device configured to decode and display the rich-media SMS.

Claims

1. A method of providing a rich-media message to a mobile device using a short message service (SMS) message, said method comprising:

receiving data and rich-media content information;

encoding data and rich-media content information to generate an encoded rich-media message;

formatting said encoded rich-media message into a rich-media SMS message including a tracking character corresponding to the status of said rich-media message;

transmitting said rich-media SMS message;

receiving said rich-media SMS message by said mobile device;

decoding said rich-media SMS message to retrieve said encoded rich-media message;

obtaining, by said mobile device, a rich-media content based on said rich-media content information within said encoded rich-media message, wherein said mobile device is capable of obtaining said rich-media content without accessing a content server; and

displaying said rich-media SMS message by said mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said rich-media content is obtained without accessing said content server by accessing elements previously loaded on said mobile device as part of a software application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said rich-media content is obtained without accessing said content server by accessing elements previously cached on said mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said rich-media message comprises a rich-media alert.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said rich-media alert includes a sports alert, a weather alert, a news alert, or a medical alert.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting said rich-media SMS message over a network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining said rich-media content is from said content server.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said rich-media content includes at least one element including a video clip, an audio clip, or an inline graphic.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said rich-media message further includes a type and category character corresponding to said type and category of said rich-media message.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said rich-media message further includes a reference time information corresponding to a time of generation of said rich-media message.

9. A system for communicating a rich-media short message service (SMS) message to a mobile device, said system comprising:

a rich-media message generator configured to encode a rich-media message, including a tracking character corresponding to the status of said rich-media message, and format said rich-media message into said rich-media SMS message;

said mobile device configured to decode said rich-media SMS message and obtain a rich-media content for displaying said rich-media SMS message, said mobile device further capable of obtaining said rich-media content without accessing a content server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said mobile device is further configured to obtain said rich-media content without accessing said content server by accessing elements previously loaded on said mobile device as part of a software application.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said mobile device is further configured to obtain said rich-media content without accessing said content server by accessing elements previously cached on said mobile device.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein said rich-media message comprises a rich-media alert.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said rich-media alert includes a sports alert, a weather alert, a news alert, or a medical alert.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said rich-media message generator is further configured to transmit said rich-media SMS message to said mobile device over a network.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising a content server for providing said rich-media content.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said rich-media content includes at least one element including a video clip, an audio clip, or an inline graphic.

19. The system of claim 9, wherein said rich-media message further includes a type and category character corresponding to said type and category of said rich-media message.

20. The system of claim 9, wherein said rich-media message further includes a reference time information corresponding to a time of generation of said rich-media message.