WO2003071819A2

WO2003071819A2 - Telecommunications services apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2003071819A2
Application number: PCT/GB2003/000717
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeffrey Wilson
Original assignee: Intellprop Limited
Priority date: 2002-02-19
Filing date: 2003-02-19
Publication date: 2003-08-28
Also published as: GB0418678D0; GB0203888D0; WO2003071819A3; GB2401514A; GB2401514B; AU2003208420A1

Abstract

A mobile terminal (1) of a mobile telephone system may administer an event, such as televoting or a competition, by sending and/or receiving text messages to/from a telecommunications services apparatus. An event equipment (6) in the apparatus can identify a received text message as being either in a first category originating from the event administrator's mobile terminal, or in a second category originating from a different mobile terminal acting as participant in the event. When a text message is identified as being in the first category, the apparatus allows an event to be set up and administered. When a text message is identified as being in the second category, the apparatus accepts information relating to participation in the event.

Description

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES APPARATUS

This invention concerns the field of telecommunications and, in particular, relates to telecommunications services apparatus for use with a mobile telephone system, specifically involving techniques for text messaging within mobile telephone networks.

A prevalent implementation of a text messaging service is the set of GSM services known as SMS (Short Message Services.) Text messaging allows users of mobile telecommunications terminals to exchange Short Messages with other terminals or with entities in a network known as applications or hosts. Text messaging exchanges between users and hosts may have many uses, for example subscription services, competitions, voting or other types of event.

The GSM Short Message service defines Mobile Originated (MO) and Mobile Terminated (MT) Short Messages, which are respectively sent to and from a Short Message Service Centre (SMSC). The SMSC used is normally one belonging to the network on which the sending user is registered. The address of the SMSC (or logical address of an SMSC group) is programmed into the user's terminal or Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). Using this address, GSM mobile networks are able to route a Short Message to an appropriate SMSC, even if the message was initiated on another network. The establishment of a text message application, for example a televote or a competition and hereafter called an "event", that is to be run without network operator or host intervention could previously only be done by using a mobile telephone (or group of mobile telephones) to receive the SMS traffic generated by the event. This was typically done by using a mobile telephone connected to a computer via a data link. The number of the mobile telephone was then typically advertised as the number for the event as part of a television or radio program. Participants would send a text message to the advertised number, and these messages from any network would be directed to the mobile telephone. However, due to the limited capacity of a single telephone to receive short messages, this technique is not applicable to medium to high volume events. The store and forward nature of the SMSC together with the GSM specifications restricting the delivery rate to a single destination can cause large backlogs to build up in the SMSC if this approach is used.

The GSM specifications predicted a need for SMS divert, and defined supplementary service commands for this purpose. For example GSM 02.30 (ETS 300 511) July 1995 Annexes B and C provide user input information for handling of defined supplementary services. These include codes that allow functions such as call forwarding to be applied specifically to SMS. For example the MMI operation *21*07123456789*16# performed from a mobile telephone specifies that all SMS destined for that telephone should be unconditionally forwarded to the number 07123 456789. Most networks do not implement this particular feature, but the need was foreseen and published in the GSM specifications.

The traditional Intelligent Network (IN) for voice calls is well known and is described in a body of standards by both the ITU and ETSI. The IN provides for centralised control logic that can respond to queries from switching devices in the network. Some functions of the switching devices are provided with 'IN Triggers', such that when this function of the switch is performed, the switch is caused to generate a query to an external controller known as a Service Control Point (SCP). In this way certain functions of the switch are controlled by the response from the external service logic in the SCP. The intelligence of the service is maintained in the SCPs that are external to the switching devices.

Application of IN techniques to text messaging in mobile telephone networks is described in UK Patent Application No. 0302110.2.

Although a relatively recent concept, the transaction convertor has been described in International Patent Applications Nos. PCT/GB02/01724 and PCT/GB02/05378, and in UK Patent Applications Nos. 0125416.8 and 0228953.6. The transaction convertor provides a bridge between the SS7 world of MAP and INAP and the TCP/IP world (also supporting alternative transport protocols where appropriate such as X.25) and the data protocols that run on top such as SMPP, OIS and others. Devices known as SMS Routers are being introduced in some networks in order to allow more intelligent control of message handling. In conjunction with local or centralised intelligence, SMS Routers are capable of providing a wide range of services for Short Messages, including for example, load balancing across SMSCs, network protection against overload, blacklisting and many others.

Other enhancements to the GSM model for SMS have been introduced. A technique known as 'Virtual Mobile' (VM) or 'Any Network Access' (ANA) overcomes previous limitations with regard to delivery of messages to hosts from other networks, permitting medium to high volumes of traffic to be received on one or more destination numbers by their network hosts, from senders in any network. However, this removes the one benefit of the simple mobile phone approach, which was that event organisers could run events that were independent of any network or host involvement. Before the advent of VM techniques, messages could not be sent to hosts from any network. Hosts were normally only accessible to subscribers of the network to which the host was attached. VM allows applications or hosts to be addressed by using one or more virtual mobile telephone numbers, which fit into the numbering plan of the GSM system. Use of a standardised telephone number allows hosts to be reached in the same way as a mobile telephone, with the voice call or text message being routable from any network. However, the message does not terminate at a mobile terminal, but at a special equipment, referred to here as the VM equipment, which appears to the network to behave as a network node with multiple virtual mobile telephones attached. Calls or messages sent to one of these virtual telephone numbers are routed to the VM equipment. A VM technique is described in International Patent Application No. WO 00/47004. However that patent application describes the use of a virtual telephone number for the VM function, hence requiring steps to be taken to permit the network to recognise that number.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided telecommunications services apparatus for use with a mobile telephone system and operable to allow a mobile terminal of the mobile telephone system to administer an event supported by the telecommunications services apparatus in response to text messages sent between the mobile terminal and the telecommunications services apparatus, the apparatus comprising: means for identifying a received text message as being either in a first category originating from the mobile terminal acting as event administrator, or in a second category originating from a different mobile terminal acting as responder to the event; means for responding to a received text message in the first category so as to allow an event to be set up and administered; and means for responding to a received text message in the second category so as to accept information relating to participation in the event. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of administering an event supported by telecommunications services apparatus by the use of a mobile terminal of a mobile telephone system, in response to text messages sent between the mobile terminal and the telecommunications services apparatus, the method comprising: identifying a received text message as being either in a first category originating from the mobile terminal acting as event administrator, or in a second category originating from a different mobile terminal acting as responder to the event; responding to a received text message in the first category so as to allow an event to be set up and administered; and responding to a received text message in the second category so as to accept information relating to participation in the event.

Further aspects of the invention provide a computer program for carrying out the above method, and a storage medium on which such computer program is stored.

A preferred embodiment of this invention provides a means for setting up and administering an SMS application (event), for example a televote or a competition running on a network host or application platform, without the necessity for the intervention of the host administrator or any network operator. The event may be set up and managed using only a mobile telephone.

The preferred embodiment allows event organisers to regain control over their events, while making use of the high capacity for event traffic that is available to networks and hosts.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts are referred to by like references, and in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of telecommunications services apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of telecommunications services apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 3 is a block diagram of event equipment which may be used in the apparatus of Figure 1 or Figure 2. Existing systems for provisioning of SMS events that use hosts or applications within a mobile network require that the administrator for the host be involved in the set-up of the event. For example, a network operator may have a number, or range of numbers, that is allocated to a particular host on his network. All SMS messages for those numbers are routed by the network to the host. If a service provider wishes to run a televote on a single telephone number, then it is necessary to involve the host in the planning and administration of the event. The overhead consequent in setting up and managing the event dictates that it may only be commercially viable to run events which are expected to receive more than a certain level of traffic and revenue.

Using embodiments of the present invention it is possible for a host to offer a service, at very low cost and with minimal administrative overhead, whereby a standard mobile telephone is used to administer events. This mobile telephone, hereafter called an 'event telephone', preferably has sole authorisation to access and modify parameters of an event, whereas any telephone may be used to respond to an event, such as for casting votes or entering a competition. A range or ranges of telephone numbers are set aside by the network for event purposes. These numbers may be utilised as destination numbers for text messages by subscribers of any network, provided that the host network implements a VM or other technique to ensure that the messages can be received. It is arranged that the network diverts Short Messages sent to the event MSISDN to a host, preferably via Virtual Mobile (VM) equipment. The diversion of SMS in this way may be implemented using the same techniques that are commonly in use for VM, or by other techniques. MSISDNs of telephones used for this purpose would preferably be allocated in a block to simplify the network routing. The host may then enter into a commercial arrangement with any third party, whereby the MSISDN of an event telephone, and the event telephone itself, is allocated to the third party. The third party may then organise and run events, using the MSISDN of the event telephone as the event number. The host will collect and log messages sent to this and other MSISDN numbers. This function is an integral part of a host's business and as such does not form any additional overhead for the host.

A further key attribute of embodiments of the invention is that the third party organiser of the event may interrogate the host's data regarding his own event by using SMS from the event telephone. Provisioning of event parameters, and recovery of counts or statistics may all be implemented via SMS, thereby requiring little or no intervention by the host. The host system recognises Short Messages with an originating address (CLI) matching the event number as coming from the event telephone. These short messages may either be sent to the event number itself, or to another defined number which may be referred to as a portal number. Having a single defined number can have advantages, since the number could be memorable, and would also allow the event organiser to participate in the event using the event telephone, for example for testing purposes. In either case, these messages may be treated by the host as commands from the event organiser, and interpreted according to a defined syntax. Messages sent to the event number from other telephones are treated as responses to the event, for example votes.

In this way the host can offer a self-provisioned service to anyone who wishes to run a vote, or competition or any other kind of event. At one extreme, an individual may wish to ask his friends to vote on a Friday night for which venue they should meet up at, while on a larger scale, a radio station may wish to organise ad hoc votes or polls at very short notice for their listeners. In both of these examples, the 'event' may be set up instantly by the holder of the event telephone, without any intervention or reference to the host. Categorisation data that allows the host to interpret the messages sent to the event by other users may preferably be done by means of a defined syntax in the content of messages sent by the event organiser. These classifications may be specified at provisioning time, and may optionally be modifiable during the event. Matching to a given classification may either be done literally as an exact match, or may employ some form of tolerance to non-exact matches.

A key differentiator between embodiments of this invention and other proposed implementations of Virtual Mobile that use virtual telephone numbers as event numbers, is that embodiments of the present invention use a real telephone to provide the event telephone number. The physical telephone (in practice the SIM card) is the key that gives the holder automated access to provisioning and interrogation facilities for events. Additional security could be provided if desired by use of an optional PIN entry.

Commercially it would be possible for hosts to offer this service to users in a number of different ways. For example the right to set up events could be purchased as part of an 'event telephone' package. This method could be attractive to individuals who wish to use event organisation as a social activity. Alternatively, event telephones could be hired or leased to event organisers. In any case it would be possible to set traffic throttles, not only to limit the amount of usage by the event organiser, but particularly to limit traffic levels accepted from users responding to the event.

A preferred embodiment of this invention uses a modification to a VM system, whereby an application running on the VM system detects messages sent to an event from the event telephone by means of matching the CLI and destination number. These messages are treated differently from normal event traffic and are interpreted as commands from the event organiser according to a predefined syntax.

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the invention in which a mobile telephone 1 communicates via a mobile switching centre (MSC) 2 with a short message service centre (SMSC) 3. The SMSC 3 is connected to a virtual mobile (VM) equipment 4 which communicates with other networks' SMSCs 5 and with event equipment 6. The event equipment 6 is connected to a database 7.

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the invention, similar to that of Figure 1, except that message routing can bypass the SMSC 3 by the provision of an SMS router 8 connected to the MSC 2 and the event equipment 6. The SMS router 8 may, for example, be a Telsis (RTM) SMS Router, manufactured by Telsis Limited. This equipment is capable of connection to mobile telephone networks using known and standardised signalling protocols including SS7 and TCP/IP. Using known signalling routing techniques, the mobile network can arrange for SMS messages directed to the network's SMSCs to be routed via the SMS router, enabling direct connection to host systems, service providers, or in the present case, to the event equipment 6. Figure 3 shows an implementation of the event equipment 6. A switch 12 and a CLI and destination number pair detector 14 are connected to the VM equipment 4 and, in the embodiment of Figure 2, to the SMS router 8. The detector 14 is connected to a number store 16 which includes a look-up table matching destination numbers with respective CLIs. Depending on the result of the CLI and destination number pair detection, the switch 12 connects either to an event administration means 18 or to an event participation means 20, both of which communicate with the database 7. The resulting messages from the event administration/participation are sent to the VM 4 for onward transmission to the event organiser/participants.

The system may be configured in one of at least the following two ways. In the first preferred method, the event telephone may be any mobile telephone with a subscription to the network hosting the service. The MSISDN number of the event telephone is registered for event administration with the network, and is consequently allocated and associated with a different MSISDN known as the event number. The event number is the destination number to be used by participants in the event. The event number is preferably a virtual telephone number that may be used by a subscriber of any network to send a message to the event system. The VM techniques previously mentioned may be used for this purpose, in which case the event number allocated to the event telephone should be one of the numbers in that network's VM number ranges. With this method, no changes are required to network routing beyond those normally involved in implementing a VM type solution. The event organiser may administer his own events by sending administration messages to the event number from the event telephone. Other users sending messages to the event number are treated as event participants. The security for event organisers is provided by the event equipment matching the CLI of messages sent to the event equipment against the MSISDN of the event telephone that is associated with the event number. If the two match, the message is treated as an administration message. In Figure 3, this function is performed by the detector 14 which controls the switch 12 to enable either the event administration means 18 or the event participation means 20.

In the second preferred method, the event number and the MSISDN of the event telephone are one and the same. In this case, an event telephone is preferably supplied to users of the system, such that the MSISDN of the event telephone is one of the numbers in the network's VM number ranges. In this case, the event system distinguishes between messages sent from the event telephone and messages sent by other subscribers by checking the CLI of the sender. If the CLI matches the destination number, then the message has been sent by the holder of the event telephone, and is treated as an administration message, by virtue of the switch 12 being set by the detector 14. Other messages are treated as normal event traffic, the switch 12 being then set to the event participation means 20. With this method, additional changes in network routing are required in order that the event system can be arranged to send messages to the event telephone, whilst the event organiser and other participants are able to send messages to the same number but which are directed to the host. One way to do this is for mobile originated (MO) messages from the event organiser to be groomed prior to receipt by the SMSC. This allows these messages to be directed to the event equipment 6. Messages sent from other participants to the event number use an SRI aliasing technique, such as that described in International Application No. PCT/GB02/05378, to direct the event messages to the event equipment. Messages sent by the event equipment back to the event telephone use the normal home location register (HLR) lookup to identify the real location of the event telephone, and to deliver the message accordingly. Use of the same number as the event number and the MSISDN of the event telephone provides additional simplicity of use on the part of the event organiser, but additional complexity for the network configuration.

A simple example of a provisioning and monitoring syntax is given in this section to show one way in which this could be implemented. This is for proof of concept illustrative purposes only and in no way restricts the scope of the invention. The event organiser in this example is permitted only one active event at a time per event telephone that he holds, although more complex implementations are possible. The following commands are recognised by the hosts system, and one or more commands may be sent in a single message to the host system separated by a delimiter character. In this example a # is defined as the delimiter. Items in o brackets are variable input, while items in italics are literal keywords. [] indicates optional fields. Event <name>

Start [<ddhhmm>] (where dd is day of month, hh is hour and mm is minute) Stop [<ddhhmm>] Category <item> [<item>[<item>] ... ]

Status (request status report)

Reset (resets the counts)

Using this syntax, the event organiser could set up an event using the following short message:

EVENT WHICH PUB TONIGHT?#START#STOP 172100#CATEGORY LION PARROT KINGS

The organiser may then inform his friends that the vote is active and of the category names, and then periodically check the status.

The message:

STATUS

could return a response such as:

WHICH PUB TONIGHT? LION 2

PARROT 1 KINGS 4

indicating the current vote status. It would be possible to allow an event organiser to run several concurrent events, and a provisioning syntax could easily be defined to support this.

In so far as the embodiments of the invention described above may be implemented, at least in part, using software-controlled processing apparatus, it will be appreciated that a computer program providing such software control and a storage medium by which such a computer program is stored are envisaged as aspects of the invention.

GLOSSARY

Claims

1. Telecommumcations services apparatus for use with a mobile telephone system and operable to allow a mobile terminal of the mobile telephone system to administer an event supported by the telecommunications services apparatus in response to text messages sent between the mobile terminal and the telecommunications services apparatus, the apparatus comprising: means for identifying a received text message as being either in a first category originating from the mobile terminal acting as event administrator, or in a second category originating from a different mobile terminal acting as responder to the event; means for responding to a received text message in the first category so as to allow an event to be set up and administered; and means for responding to a received text message in the second category so as to accept information relating to participation in the event.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a text message in the first category and a text message in the second category are both sent to the same telephone number.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the identifying means comprises a calling line identity (CLI) detector for distinguishing between a received text message as being either an administration message or a participation message.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the identifying means includes a number store providing correspondence between destination numbers and respective CLIs.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the identifying means is operable to identify a received text message as being in the first category when the destination number and the CLI are the same.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a text message in the first category and a text message in the second category are sent to different telephone numbers.

7. A method of administering an event supported by telecommunications services apparatus by the use of a mobile terminal of a mobile telephone system, in response to text messages sent between the mobile terminal and the telecommunications services apparatus, the method comprising: identifying a received text message as being either in a first category originating from the mobile terminal acting as event administrator, or in a second category originating from a different mobile terminal acting as responder to the event; responding to a received text message in the first category so as to allow an event to be set up and administered; and responding to a received text message in the second category so as to accept information relating to participation in the event.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein a text message in the first category and a text message in the second category are both sent to the same telephone number.

9. A method according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the identifying step comprises detecting the calling line identity (CLI) so as to distinguish between a received text message as being either an administration message or a participation message.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the identifying step includes determining correspondence between destination numbers and respective CLIs in a number store.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the identifying step identifies a received text message as being in the first category when the destination number and the CLI are the same.

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein a text message in the first category and a text message in the second category are sent to different telephone numbers.

13. A computer program for implementing a method according to any one of claims 7 to 12.

14. A storage medium storing a computer program according to claim 13.