CZ300363B6 - Method for updating system address database by making use of message sending - Google Patents

Abstract

The invented method for updating system address database by making use of messages is characterized in that administrator of terminal address database selects at least one address and then a control message containing information about address verification is sent to each so selected address. Subsequently, acknowledgement of the selected address validity is awaited for a predefined time limit through an acknowledgement message being sent from the address to be verified back to the address of the control message sender. If the acknowledgement message is sent within the defined time limit t, the verification process automatically terminates and the address being verified is left in the list as valid. Otherwise, the address being verified automatically deactivates in the address database.

Description

The invention relates to a method of updating the address database of a messaging system that enables an operator to effectively validate these addresses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Communication networks (eg GSM, ICQ, e-mail, etc.), which enable sending and receiving messages to the user's terminal (eg mobile phone), can be built with additional mass communication services.

The add-on services for mass communication are solved by software means according to specific needs of users and they contain a database (list) of addresses of customers terminals, to which information that is subject of mass communication is delivered. The address database can be acquired in different ways and for different destinations. The mass communication service user thus has a list of 20 addresses of the terminals of his subscribers, but some of these addresses may become invalid over time - subscribers may lose their address (eg loss or theft of a mobile phone, etc.) or switch to another operator's services so a new address. In this case, the original Subscriber Address Database becomes outdated and needs to be updated.

For a larger number of subscribers, the problem lies in the efficient management of the managed addresses by the service user so that the list does not contain outdated terminal addresses. If the nature of the provided information service does not strictly require verification of the customer's identity (eg financial reports of a personal nature, etc.), then the solution should not burden the service user and its customers with unnecessary administration.

It is an object of the invention to provide an implementation of a method of updating a system address database using messaging to a computer program. This program allows you to run an automatic scan process and eventually deactivate the scanned terminal address in the address database according to the proposed method of updating the system address database using messages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aforementioned shortcomings are eliminated by the method of updating the system address database using messaging, which is based on the fact that the address database manager selects at least one address from the database and then sends a control message with address verification information to each address selected, after a predefined time t is waited for confirmation of the validity of the selected address via a confirmation message sent from the examined address back to the address of the sender of the control message, if the confirmation message is sent within the defined time limit t, list is kept valid. Otherwise, the address being scanned from the address database is automatically deactivated.

This procedure can be implemented in any programming language, which then represents it in the form of an application. The application is controlled by the user or pre-configured for self-contained operation without user intervention. In case of stand-alone operation, the application is activated and the required group of subscriber addresses is checked according to pre-configured parameters.

-1 CZ 300363 B6

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the operation of an application for mass SMS communication within a GSM network; FIG.

Application for mass SMS communication, Fig. 3 describes the process of updating the system address database using messaging, eg phone number in the application database within the GSM network, Fig. 4a, b contains a flow chart of implementation of the method of updating the system telephone number database using Sending SMS messages in the form of a computer program and Fig. 5 also contains a general flow chart of how to update the system address database using messages,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 15

The method of updating the system address database using messaging will be illustrated by several advantageous examples.

The basic arrangement of the mass SMS communication system with the implemented method of updating the system address database using messaging to a computer program, eg for updating the telephone number database, is shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, where Fig. 1 describes the operation of application I for bulk SMS communication within the GSM network. Application 1 for mass SMS communication is connected to SMS gate 2. Sent SMS messages from application 1 via SMS gate 2 are addressed to the terminals 3 of the recipients in the GSM network.

Giant. 2 describes the basic parts of general application 1 for mass SMS communication. The user interface 6 allows the user to control the SMS 10 mass messaging system and possibly interact with the implemented telephone number database updating system 9. The telephone number updating system uses the telephone number database 5 via a database access block 8 and communicates with the bi-directional SMS processing subsystem 7. This sub30 system uses SMS Gateway 2 to send and receive SMS messages to / from GSM network 4. FIG. 3 discloses a method of updating a system address database using messaging, e.g., verification of a phone number in the application database J within the GSM network 4. First, a control message is sent to a specific SMS terminal 3. If no response is received at time t, the telephone number from the database is deactivated.

Generally, the method of updating the system address database, such as phone numbers, which is part of the application for mass communication, consists of the following steps: First, the phone number (s) to be scanned is selected and this starts the verification process. A control text message (SMS) with a pre-set text is sent to the telephone number to be scanned, informing the user of the SMS terminal 3 that his telephone number is being checked. If the owner does not reply within a predetermined period of time by sending an SMS to the sender's number, the examined telephone number is automatically deactivated from the subscriber database. If the owner responds to the control text message with an SMS message with any text or even a blank message, the scanning process is automatically terminated and the number is kept as valid in the list.

The method of updating the system address database can be done manually without a computer program (pencil, paper, mobile phone), or using a computer program with an implemented procedure.

Implementation of the method in a computer program created for this purpose enables the automatic process of screening and possibly subsequent deactivation of the telephone number in the telephone number database according to the described method. During the screening process, the phone number to be scanned is marked with information in the sense of the screening, etc.

-2GB 300363 B6

The text of the verification report to be sent and the time interval t of the verification period may either be preset without the need for operator intervention, or may be allowed by the service provider to change them.

You can check either one specific phone number, group of phone numbers, or all phone numbers listed in the phone number database or in the list. The phone numbers to be scanned can be entered either manually or by selecting from the list.

An example described in the flowchart of implementing a method of updating the telephony database of text message system (SMS) numbers in a computer program is shown in Fig. 4a, b and consists of the following steps: the first program initiation step. The second step is to input the scanned phone number from either the user interface or another process.

Step three is decision making: if it is a single phone number, go to step 6. Step four is decision making: if it is a group of phone numbers, go to 6. Step 15 is decision making: if all phone numbers are then go to 6. Step six is deciding: is there a text for the sent SMS review message? If not, go to step 7, otherwise go to step 8. Step seven is to input the text message of the sent SMS scanned message either from the user interface or from another process. Step eight is deciding: is there an assignment for time-out? If no, continue to step 9, otherwise go to step J_0. Step nine is inputting the value for time-out sent out SMS scans from either the user interface or another process. Step 10 sends a verification SMS to the selected phone numbers with defined text and time-out to the SMS gateway to the networks of the corresponding telephone operators. Step 11 - the system now waits until the time-out value of the confirmation SMS message from individual phone numbers to which the verification SMS has been sent expires. Step 12 - if the confirmation (any, even empty, SMS) message was received by the time-out, the corresponding phone number in the list of phone numbers is marked as active and is left. Step thirteenth - if no SMS message was received by the time out, the corresponding phone number in the list of phone numbers is marked as inactive and is subsequently deactivated according to the user's preferences.

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A description of a general flowchart for implementing a method of updating a system address database using messages in a computer program is shown in Figure 5 and consists of the following steps: step one - start the program. The second step is to input the address to be scanned either from the user interface or from another process. The third step is to send the verification message to the selected addresses with defined text and time-out. Step Four - The system now waits for the time-out confirmation message from each address to which the verification message was sent to expire. Step Five - If the confirmation message (any or empty) has been received by the time-out, the corresponding address is marked as active and is kept in the database. Step six - if no message has been received by the time out, the corresponding address is marked inactive and is subsequently deactivated in the database according to the user's preferences.

Industrial Applicability

The method of updating the system address database is intended for communication networks that allow sending and receiving messages to the user's terminal (eg a mobile phone). The message is delivered within the communication network via the technical system given by the specification of the communication network, so the method of updating can be used for any messaging-based system. For example, SMS,

1CQ, MMS, email, etc.

Claims (1)

5 1. A method of updating a system address database using messages, characterized in that the terminal address database manager selects at least one address, and then a control message with address verification information is sent to each address so selected and then for a predetermined timeout t waits for the selected address to be validated via a confirmation message sent from the scanned address back to the control message sender address; if the confirmation message is sent within a defined time limit t, the scans are automatically terminated and the scanned address is kept in the list the address being scanned from the address database is automatically deactivated.