Intelligent Delivery Agent for Short Message Distribution Center

Abstract

A message distribution center (MDC) and Intelligent Delivery Agent are implemented in a wireless Internet gateway interposed between content providers and a wireless carrier to subjectively examine and direct messages via SMTP based on desired rules (e.g., non-peak hours, paying subscribers only, etc.) using standard SMTP Gateway and other well known protocols. The MDC includes an individual queue for each subscriber, and the provider is informed through conventional SMTP protocol messages that the short message has been accepted. If the carrier has specifically disallowed service for a particular MIN (e.g., in the case of churning), then the content provider is informed through an SMTP interchange that the recipient is invalid. An MDC provides a single mechanism for interacting with subscribers of multiple carriers, regardless of each carrier's underlying infrastructure.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A message server comprising one or more computing devices comprising:
 a memory to store machine-executable instructions; and   one or more processors to execute the machine-executable instructions causing the message server to at least:
 receive a short message from a source wireless device, wherein the short message is directed to an intended recipient wireless device in a wireless network; 
 select a subscriber queue from a plurality of subscriber queues based on the intended recipient wireless device, each of the plurality of subscriber queues corresponding to a different subscriber in the wireless network; and 
 insert the short message into the selected subscriber queue to delay delivery to the recipient wireless device in response to determining that the recipient wireless device is unavailable. 
   
     
     
         3 . The message server of  claim 2 , wherein the processor executes the computer-executable instructions to:
 determine a presence state of the recipient wireless device; and   send the short message stored in the selected subscriber queue to the wireless network for delivery to the recipient wireless device in response to the presence state indicating that the recipient wireless device is powered on.   
     
     
         4 . The message server of  claim 3 , wherein the short message is sent to the recipient wireless device through the wireless network in response to the presence state indicating that the recipient wireless device is powered on. 
     
     
         5 . The message server of  claim 4 , wherein the subscriber queue comprises at least one other short message,
 wherein the at least one other short message in the subscriber queue is sent to the recipient with the short message through the wireless network in response to the presence state indicating that the recipient wireless device is powered on.   
     
     
         6 . The message server of  claim 2 , wherein the short message is received according to a simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) protocol communication channel. 
     
     
         7 . The message server of  claim 2 , wherein the selected subscriber queue follows a first in first out model. 
     
     
         8 . The message server of  claim 7 , wherein an oldest short message in the selected subscriber queue is deleted in response to the insertion of the short message according to the first in first out model. 
     
     
         9 . The message server of  claim 7 , wherein the selected subscriber queue is subject to a queue threshold establishing a maximum number of outstanding short messages for the associated subscriber to be held in the chosen subscriber queue,
 wherein an oldest message is deleted in response to the queue threshold being exceeded according to the first in first out model.   
     
     
         10 . The message server of  claim 2 , wherein the short message is stored within the selected subscriber queue for a given time period before deletion. 
     
     
         11 . The message server of  claim 2 , wherein the short message is formatted according to a short message service (SMS) protocol, a remote method invocation (RMI) protocol, or a short message peer-to-peer protocol. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a message distribution center, a short message from a source wireless device, wherein the short message is directed to an intended recipient wireless device in a wireless network;   selecting, by the message distribution center, a subscriber queue from a plurality of subscriber queues based on the intended recipient wireless device, each of the plurality of subscriber queues corresponding to a different subscriber in the wireless network; and   inserting, by the message distribution center, the short message in the selected subscriber queue to delay delivery to the recipient wireless device in response to determining that the recipient wireless device is unavailable.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining, by the message distribution center, a presence state of the recipient wireless device; and   sending, by the message distribution center, the short message stored in the chosen subscriber queue to the wireless network for delivery to the recipient wireless device in response to the presence state indicating that the recipient wireless device is powered on.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the selected subscriber queue follows a first in first out model. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 deleting, by the message distribution center, an oldest short message in the selected subscriber queue in response to inserting the short message according to the first in first out model.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the selected subscriber queue is subject to a queue threshold establishing a maximum number of outstanding short messages for the associated subscriber to be held in the chosen subscriber queue,
 further comprising deleting, by the message distribution center, an oldest message in response to the queue threshold being exceeded according to the first in first out model.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the short message comprises packetized content addressed to the recipient wireless device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the subscriber queue comprises at least one other short message,
 further comprising sending, by the message distribution center, the at least one other short message in the subscriber queue to the recipient with the short message through the wireless network in response to a presence state indicating that the recipient wireless device is powered on.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a short message from a source wireless device, wherein the short message is directed to an intended recipient wireless device in a wireless network;   selecting a subscriber queue from a plurality of subscriber queues based on the intended recipient wireless device, each of the plurality of subscriber queues corresponding to a different subscriber in the wireless network; and   inserting the short message in the chosen subscriber queue to delay delivery to the recipient wireless device in response to determining that the recipient wireless device is unavailable.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the selected subscriber queue follows a first in first out model. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining a presence state of the recipient wireless device; and   sending the short message stored in the chosen subscriber queue to the wireless network for delivery to the recipient wireless device in response to the presence state indicating that the recipient wireless device is powered on.