Method and System For Processing Queries Initiated by Users of Mobile Devices

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for processing queries initiated by users of mobile devices includes receiving an incoming message containing a query initiated by a user of a mobile device, and extracting the query from the received message. The message further includes obtaining a result of the query and creating an outgoing message with the result of the query for delivery to the mobile device.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, by a mobile device, data indicating one or more entered, textual query terms;   determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection;   in response to determining, by the mobile device, that the connection is available to the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection, transmitting, by the mobile device, the query terms over a network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection;   receiving, by the mobile device, a response over the network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection; and   providing, for output by the mobile device, the response.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a Short Messaging Service (SMS) network.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) network.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving, by a mobile device, data indicating one or more entered, textual query terms comprises:
 receiving textual input from a user, wherein the textual input reflects the textual query terms.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein transmitting, by the mobile device, the query terms over a network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 transmitting the query terms to a query response server.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving, by the mobile device, a response over the network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 receiving a response that is responsive to the query terms.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein providing, for output by the mobile device, the response comprises:
 rendering the response on a display of the mobile device.   
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:   receiving, by a mobile device, data indicating one or more entered, textual query terms;   determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection;   in response to determining, by the mobile device, that the connection is available to the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection, transmitting, by the mobile device, the query terms over a network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection;   receiving, by the mobile device, a response over the network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection; and   providing, for output by the mobile device, the response.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a Short Messaging Service (SMS) network.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) network.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein receiving, by a mobile device, data indicating one or more entered, textual query terms comprises:
 receiving textual input from a user, wherein the textual input reflects the textual query terms.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein transmitting, by the mobile device, the query terms over a network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 transmitting the query terms to a query response server.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein receiving, by the mobile device, a response over the network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 receiving a response that is responsive to the query terms.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein providing, for output by the mobile device, the response comprises:
 rendering the response on a display of the mobile device.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software comprising instructions executable by one or more computers which, upon such execution, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by a mobile device, data indicating one or more entered, textual query terms;   determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection;   in response to determining, by the mobile device, that the connection is available to the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection, transmitting, by the mobile device, the query terms over a network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection;   receiving, by the mobile device, a response over the network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection; and   providing, for output by the mobile device, the response.   
     
     
         17 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a Short Messaging Service (SMS) network.   
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 determining, by the mobile device, that a connection is available to a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) network.   
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein receiving, by a mobile device, data indicating one or more entered, textual query terms comprises:
 receiving textual input from a user, wherein the textual input reflects the textual query terms.   
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein transmitting, by the mobile device, the query terms over a network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 transmitting the query terms to a query response server.   
     
     
         21 . The medium of  claim 16 , wherein receiving, by the mobile device, a response over the network using the network-based messaging service that does not utilize a mobile broadband data connection comprises:
 receiving a response that is responsive to the query terms.