Method and system for short message service exchange and teleconferencing

Abstract

In a short message service (SMS) wireline/wireless message system, a separate SMS exchange subsystem implements value-added service capability. The value addition service may range, for example, from simple data insertion in the SMS message to the more complex initiation of a teleconference call using inter-exchanged SMS messages.

1 . A method, executing in cooperation with a conventional Short Message Service (SMS) system, for operating on a SMS message prepared by an originator of the SMS message, the SMS message being destined for a receiver, the method comprising 
 configuring a SMS exchange to augment the SMS system, the SMS exchange system including an originator database for storing originator-specific data supplied by the originator prior to the generation of the SMS message,    embedding a value-added field in the SMS message by the originator, the value-added field being indicative of a value-added service requested by the originator,    redirecting the SMS message from the SMS system to the SMS exchange,    instantiating the value-added service in the SMS exchange system from the combination of the value-added field in the SMS message and the originator-specific data stored in the database,    converting the SMS message to a modified SMS message in correspondence to the value-added service, the modified SMS message having a standard short message format amenable to standard processing in the receiver, and    redirecting the modified SMS message from the SMS exchange system to the SMS system for delivery to the receiver.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the instantiating is converting an alias name conveyed by the value-added field to an actual identifier as stored in the originator-specific database.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further executing in a conventional public network composed of, for example: the public switched telephone network; public wireless cellular network; public but proprietary networks, and wherein the instantiating is the sequence of scheduling, initiating and finally terminating a teleconference call based upon information supplied by the value-added field.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the originator is identified by a member identifier, the embedding includes adding a member field in the SMS message to associate the member identifier with information about the originator stored in the database, and the instantiating includes substituting information about the originator into the modified SMS message based upon the member field and with reference to the originator database.  
   
   
       5 . A method, operating in conjunction with a conventional public network composed of, for example: the public switched telephone network; public wireless cellular network; public but proprietary networks; and a conventional Short Message Service Center, for instantiating a teleconference call among participants based upon a Short Message Service (SMS) message communicated over the conventional public network by one of the participants referred to as a call initiator, the method comprising 
 configuring a SMS exchange coupled to the conventional public network,    configuring a teleconference server coupled to the SMS exchange and the conventional public network,    configuring a teleconference bridge coupled to the teleconference server,    storing participant-specific data supplied by the participants in the SMS exchange prior to the generation of the SMS message,    embedding a value-added field in the SMS message by the initiator, the value-added field providing information to schedule the teleconference call,    redirecting the SMS message from the conventional public network to the SMS exchange,    generating a processed SMS message in the SMS exchange based upon the provided information and with reference to the participant-specific data to enable scheduling of the teleconference call among the participants at a scheduled time,    sending the processed SMS message to the teleconference server, and    initiating, at the scheduled time, telephone calls to the participants via the teleconference server over the conventional public network and bridging the placed calls via the teleconference bridge to connect the participants.    
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 5  wherein the value-added field includes an identifier of the initiator, and wherein the generating includes adding the initiator's name to the processed SMS message with reference to participant-specific data which associates the initiator's name with the identifier.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 5  further including, after the initiating, terminating the teleconference call as signaled by the initiator.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 7  further including, after the terminating, billing the initiator for the teleconference call based upon credit card information conveyed in the value-added field as supplied by the initiator.  
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 5  wherein the value-added fields includes participant identifiers, and the generating includes adding participant telephone numbers based upon the participant identifiers with reference to the participant-specific data.  
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 5  further including, after the generating, sending a confirmation message to the initiator to confirm scheduling of the teleconference call.  
   
   
       11 . The method as recited in  claim 5  further including, after the initiating, sending another SMS message by one of the participants to at least one of the other participants during the teleconference call.  
   
   
       12 . A method, operating in conjunction with a conventional public network composed of, for example: the public switched telephone network; public wireless cellular network; public but proprietary networks; a conventional Short Message Service Center; and the Internet, for instantiating a teleconference call among participants based upon an Internet message communicated over the conventional public network by a call initiator, the method comprising 
 configuring a Short Message Service (SMS) exchange coupled to the conventional public network and the Internet,    configuring a teleconference server coupled to the SMS exchange and the conventional public network and the Internet,    configuring a teleconference bridge coupled to the teleconference server,    storing participant-specific data supplied by the participants in the SMS exchange prior to the generation of the Internet message,    embedding a value-added field in the Internet message by the initiator, the value-added field providing information to schedule the teleconference call,    redirecting the Internet message from the conventional public network to the SMS exchange,    generating a processed SMS message in the SMS exchange based upon the provided information and with reference to the participant-specific data to enable scheduling of the teleconference call among the participants at a scheduled time,    sending the processed SMS message to the teleconference server, and    initiating, at the scheduled time, telephone calls to the participants via the teleconference server over the conventional public network and bridging the placed calls via the teleconference bridge to connect the participants.    
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein the value-added field includes an identifier of the initiator, and wherein the generating includes adding the initiator's name to the processed SMS message with reference to participant-specific data which associates the initiator's name with the identifier.  
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 12  further including, after the initiating, terminating the teleconference call as signaled by the initiator.  
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 14  further including, after the terminating, billing the initiator for the teleconference call based upon credit card information conveyed in the value-added field as supplied by the initiator.  
   
   
       16 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein the value-added fields includes participant identifiers, and the generating includes adding participant telephone numbers based upon the participant identifiers with reference to the participant-specific data.  
   
   
       17 . The method as recited in  claim 12  further including, after the generating, sending a confirmation message to the initiator to confirm scheduling of the teleconference call.  
   
   
       18 . The method as recited in  claim 12  further including, after the initiating, sending another SMS message by one of the participants to at least one of the other participants during the teleconference call.  
   
   
       19 . A system, arranged in cooperation with a conventional Short Message Service (SMS) system, for delivering a SMS message over the system to a receiver, the SMS message having an embedded value-added field as supplied by an originator of the SMS message and being indicative of a value-added service, the system comprising 
 an originator database for storing originator-specific data supplied by the originator prior to the generation of the SMS message,    an input gateway, coupled to the SMS system, for receiving the SMS message from the SMS system,    a processor, coupled to the input gateway and the originator database, for instantiating the value-added service from the combination of the value-added field in the SMS message and the originator-specific data stored in the database, and for converting the SMS message to a modified SMS message in correspondence to the value-added service, the modified SMS message having a standard short message format amenable to standard processing in the receiver, and    an output gateway, coupled to the processor, for redirecting the modified SMS message from the processor to the SMS system for delivery to the receiver.    
   
   
       20 . A system, arranged to operate in conjunction with a conventional public network composed of, for example: the public switched telephone network; public wireless cellular network; public but proprietary networks; and a conventional Short Message Service Center, for instantiating a teleconference call among participants based upon a Short Message Service (SMS) message communicated over the conventional public network by one of the participants referred to as a call initiator, the SMS message including a value-added field supplied by the initiator that provides information to schedule the teleconference call, the system comprising 
 a SMS exchange coupled to the conventional public network, the SMS exchange including data storage means for storing participant-specific data supplied by the participants in the SMS exchange prior to the generation of the SMS message,    a teleconference server coupled to the SMS exchange and the conventional public network,    the SMS exchange further including    an input gateway for redirecting the SMS message from the conventional public network to the SMS exchange, 
 a processor, coupled to the input gateway and the means for storing, for generating a processed SMS message in the SMS exchange based upon the provided information and with reference to the participant-specific data to enable scheduling of the teleconference call among the participants at a scheduled time, and  
 an output gateway, coupled to the processor, for sending the processed SMS message to the teleconference server, and  
   a teleconference bridge, coupled to the teleconference server, for initiating at the scheduled time, telephone calls to the participants via the teleconference server over the conventional public network and bridging the placed calls via the teleconference bridge to connect the participants.