Ordering system and ancillary service control through text messaging

Abstract

A system allows control of an ancillary server function through a text messaging protocol. The text message allows a connected user to obtain goods or services through a network controller that selectively routes a self-addressed text message to a remote networked server that instantiates the server function based on content in the text message. The self-addressed electronic message (e.g., SMS message) is interpreted by a network component as needing invocation of a specified ordering service and, accordingly, is routed to a server that is tasked with administering, for example, order and delivery of a product or access to an account. The server, upon receipt of the self-addressed electronic message, may interact with the buyer using messaging to confirm the scope of the order and to fulfil the order. The system augments cellular phone functionality with a mechanism for placing orders using a looped text-yourself approach that engenders trust with users.

1 . A method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function via a network controller for a text messaging system, the server-administered function running on a server functionally distinct to the network controller and wherein the server-administered function provides a user with a service following a user-initiated action, the method comprising:
 at the network controller, receiving over a communications network multiple text messages that each contain a recipient address and a sender address;   using control logic to make an assessment about each of said received text messages to identify, as a relevant message, a text message that includes a self-addressed routing direction that includes common recipient and sender addresses, wherein presence of the self-addressed routing direction in the text message establishes access to the service and wherein the recipient address includes at least a unique identifying number associated with the sender address, the text message related to a server instruction relevant to control of the service;   based on the assessment, causing the network controller to select each relevant message and communicate at least part of each relevant message to said server;   deriving the instruction from the relevant message; and   at the server, invoking the server-administered function based at least in part on the instruction derived from the relevant message, and through a user device that was used to send the self-addressed routing direction, controlling execution of the service on the server, wherein information relating to the service provided by the server is returned to the user device via the network controller.   
     
     
         2 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 1 , wherein deriving the instruction from the relevant message occurs at the server. 
     
     
         3 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 1 , wherein the control logic for making the assessment is located with one of:
 the network controller; and   the server.   
     
     
         4 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of invoking the server-administered function establishes text messaging dialogue between said server and the device that communicated the self-addressed routing direction. 
     
     
         5 . A method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function on a server located remotely from a network controller of a messaging system, the server connected to the network controller through a communications network and wherein the server-administered function provides a user with a service when the user communicates a registered identity associated with either the user or a device used by the user to compile a text message, the method comprising:
 at the network controller, receiving over the communications network multiple text messages that each contain a recipient address and a sender address;   using control logic to make an assessment about each of said received text messages to identify a relevant message that refers to the registered identity, said relevant message being a text message that includes a self-addressed routing direction that includes common recipient and sender addresses, wherein presence of the self-addressed routing direction in the text message confirms the registered identity and wherein the recipient address includes the mobile identity of the sender address;   causing the network controller to communicate at least part of the relevant message-to said remotely located server;   deriving an instruction from each relevant message, the instruction relating to the service that is desired; and   at the server, invoking the server-administered function for said desired service based at least in part on the instruction derived from the relevant message; and   through the device used to compile the text message with the self-addressed routing direction, controlling execution of the desired service on the server, wherein information relating to the desired service provided by the server is returned to said device via the network controller and the relevant message relates to a server instruction required for at least one of access to and control of the service.   
     
     
         6 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , wherein selective communication of the relevant message is based at least in part of a trigger word or trigger phrase included in the received text message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , wherein the instruction derived from the relevant message is content contained within a body portion of the text message. 
     
     
         8 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 routing the text message to another address in the event that the assessment identifies that the registered identity is not present.   
     
     
         9 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , wherein the assessment step is conducted at the network controller. 
     
     
         10 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , wherein access to the server tasked with exercising the server-administered function occurs via an administrator server positioned in a communications path between the network controller and the server. 
     
     
         11 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 at the network controller, routing the received text message to another address in the event that a determination identifies that:
 registration is not sought from a device used to compile the text message; or 
 registration of the device for the service has not previously occurred; or 
 an address header of the text message does not contain a looped routing direction. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 following said receipt of at least part of the relevant message at said remotely located server, assessing completeness of the instruction received in the relevant message; and   based on the assessment of completeness, establishing an interactive dialogue between the server and the user, the interactive dialogue seeking or providing additional detail concerning the instruction.   
     
     
         13 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , wherein the text message is one of:
 an SMS message; and   a text message that at least partially uses a proprietary text messaging protocol.   
     
     
         14 . The method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function according to  claim 5 , wherein the server-administered function permits a function selected from the group comprising:
 i) sending a picture;   ii) pay for a vending machine item;   iii) voting on a live TV or radio show;   v) paying for car parking;   v) paying for a mobile phone top-up;   vi) checking-in at an airport;   vii) obtaining a digital key for a hotel or car;   viii) obtaining a bank balance;   ix) settling a debt to someone by authorising payment;   x) sending money;   xi) sending an email;   xii) accessing and controlling a personal social networking site;   xiii) adding an event to an electronic calendar;   xiv) booking a dental or doctor's appointment;   xv) paying for a product or service;   xvi) publishing text on a digital billboard;   xvii) ordering and/or paying for food at a restaurant or takeaway;   xviii) paying for tickets at the cinema or elsewhere;   xix) paying a bill for a utility charge;   xx) entering a competition;   xxi) bidding on an on-line auction site;   xxii) exercising an electoral register vote;   xxiii) managing a bank account;   xxiv) ordering goods for pickup and authenticating proof using a returned order number code;   xxv) purchasing an app or ringtone for a smart phone;   xxvi) donating money to a registered charity;   xxvii) ordering a courier   xxviii) tracking a package;   xxix) qualifying an order for a product or service; and   xxx) sending a scanned QR code.   
     
     
         15 . A system supporting remote control of a server-administered function, the system comprising:
 a network controller for a text messaging system, the network controller configured to receive multiple text messages;   a server supporting the server-administered function and configured to provide a user with a service in response to a user-initiated action communicated from a user device having a mobile number;   a communications network supporting at least transmission of multiple text messages, each text message including a recipient address and a sender address;   control logic configured to make an assessment about each of said received messages to identify: as a relevant message, a text message that includes a self-addressed routing direction that includes common recipient and sender addresses, wherein presence of the self-addressed routing direction in the text message establishes access to the service and wherein the recipient address includes the mobile number of the sender address, and wherein said text message relates to a server instruction to control the service;   wherein the network controller, responsive to the assessment, is configured to select each relevant message and to communicate at least part of each relevant message to said server; and   the server is configured to derive the instruction relating to the service supported by the server from a received relevant message and the server is further configured to support access to the service through the user device that was used to send the self-addressed routing direction by invoking the server-administered function based at least in part on the instruction derived from the relevant message thereby to support access of the user to the service, and the service executing on the server is operationally responsive to the user device used to send the self-addressed routing direction and wherein information relating to the service provided by the server is returned to the user device via the network controller.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the server is configured to establish a text messaging dialogue between said server and the device that communicated the self-addressed routing direction to support said server-administered function, and wherein the server function supports purchase of at least one of a product and a service. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the server is remotely located from the network controller and communication of at least part of each relevant message to said server is over the communications network. 
     
     
         18 . A system supporting remote control of a server-administered function, the system comprising:
 a server supporting the server-administered function to provide a user with a service in response to the user communicating a registered identity associated with either the user or a device used by the user to compile a text message;   a network controller of a text messaging system, the network controller located remotely from the server and arranged to receive multiple text messages that each contain a recipient address and a sender address;   a communications network connecting the network controller to the server, the communication network supporting at least transmission of text messages:   control logic configured to make an assessment about each of said received messages to identify a relevant message that refers to the registered identity, said relevant message being a text message that includes a self-addressed routing direction that includes common recipient and sender addresses, wherein presence of the self-addressed routing direction in the text message confirms the registered identity and wherein the recipient address includes a subscriber identity associated with the sender address;   wherein the network controller, in response to the assessment of the control logic, is configured to communicate at least part of the relevant message-to said remotely located server; and   the server is configured to support access of the user to the service through a user device by invoking the server-administered function based at least in part on an instruction derived from the relevant message, wherein the instruction relates to the service supported by the server,   the server is configured to derive an instruction from each relevant message, the instruction relating to the service that is desired; and   the server is configured to invoked the server-administered function for said desired service based at least in part on the instruction derived from the relevant message; and   wherein the device used to compile the text message with the self-addressed routing direction controls execution of the desired service on the server, wherein information relating to the desired service provided by the server is returned to said device via the network controller and the relevant message relates to a server instruction required for at least one of access to and control of the service.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein invoking the server-administered function is based on the nature of addressing of the text message as received at the network controller. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein selective communication of the relevant message is based at least in part of a trigger word or trigger phrase included in the received text message. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the network controller is configured to route the text message to another address in the event that the assessment identifies that the registered identity is not present. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the network controller includes the control logic configured to identify the relevant message that references the registered identity. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control logic is remote to and external from the network controller, the control logic arranged to reference to a look-up table networked within the system, the look-up table preferably in the network controller. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising an administrator server positioned in a communications path between the network controller and the server, and wherein access to the server invoking the server-administered function occurs via the administrator server. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the network controller is configured to route the received text message to another address in the event that a determination identifies that:
 registration is not sought from the device used to compile the text message; or   registration of the device for the service has not previously occurred; or   an address header of the text message does not contain a looped routing direction.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the server is configured:
 following receipt of said at least part of the relevant message, to assess completeness of the instruction received in the relevant message; and   based on the assessment of completeness, establish an interactive dialogue between the server and the user, the interactive dialogue seeking or providing additional detail concerning the instruction.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the network controller is an SMSc. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the assessment of access to the service is based on at least one of:
 i) an address of the device used to compile the text message;   ii) a user identity of the user of the device;   iii) a mobile telephone number; and   iv) a digital fingerprint realizing a device identity unique to the device used to compile the text message.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the control logic for making the assessment is located with one of the group of:
 the network controller; and   the server.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the subscriber identity is a mobile number of the device used to compile the text message.