WO2005025155A1

WO2005025155A1 - Reply recognition in communications

Info

Publication number: WO2005025155A1
Application number: PCT/CA2003/001363
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petr Hejl
Original assignee: Petr Hejl
Priority date: 2003-09-05
Filing date: 2003-09-05
Publication date: 2005-03-17
Also published as: AU2003273654A1

Abstract

A communication method of sending and receiving messages via n communication lines. For each sending line there is corresponding receiving line with the same identification (e.g. mobile phone number). The first message to a receiver is sent via the first communication line, the second message to this receiver is sent via the second communication line,... the n-th message to this receiver is sent via the n-th communication line. When a reply from this receiver comes back via the i-th communication line, it is assigned to the i-th message sent. For each sent message the communication system (center) remembers the sender, so that the reply can be delivered to this sender.

Description

REPLY RECOGNITION IN COMMUNICATIONS

FIELD

The present invention relates to a method of identifying reply messages in communications.

BACKGROUND

Present status

In communications, in which messages are sent and received, it is often necessary to assign the received messages to the original sent messages. For example, one may send the following question "How are you today?" and get the answer "Good. " . But if one sends many questions to many people at one time and receives answers from them, it is necessary to associate the questions and the answers to understand the answer .

EKXsting solutions

The existing relationship between sent and received messages may currently be achieved in the following three ways :

1. Fixed connection There is a fixed connection between the sending and receiving point. For example, one's computer is firmly connected with the keyboard and with the display via cables.

2. Temporary connection

A temporary connection is made between the sending and receiving point. For example, if one speaks to a person by telephone, a temporary connection between the sender's telephone and the receiver's telephone is made and this connection is removed after the communication is finished.

3. Message identification

Message identification is included into the sent message and the same or a modified identification is included into the received message. For example, if one sends an email, one writes the body (the text) of this email and, in addition, writes a subject reference in front of the text. The reference to the subject matter is returned to the original sender in the reply, which usually starts with "Re:".

Problem

The problem is what to do in the situations when sent and received messages are to be associated with each other and it is not possible or desirable to use one of the solutions 1, 2, or 3 above. A typical example of the problem occurs in mobile phone SMS messaging. In SMS messaging it is not possible to make any connection between the sending and receiving mobile phones and it is also not technologically possible to add any information to the existing SMS message format .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

New solution to be patented

Messages are sent and received via different identified communication lines. For each sent message, the communication line over which the message was sent is also used for the reply, so that the reply can be assigned to the original message. According to the invention there is provided a method of sending messages and receiving and recognizing replies, which comprises:

(a) sending messages via n sending communication lines, wherein each communication line has an identification; (b) providing for each sending communication line a corresponding receiving communication line with the same identification; (c) sending an i-th message to a receiver via an i-th communication line, where i takes on the integer values of 1 to n in succession; and (d) assigning a reply received from the receiver via an i-th communication line to an i-th one of the messages sent wherein i takes on integer values of 1 to n in succession.

The method may include a plurality of senders and a plurality of receivers coupled to the n communication lines . The identification may be, for example, a mobile phone number of a sender, and/or of a receiver, and/or of a communication line.

The communication system (center) interfaces between sender and receiver and stores the identification of each sender of sent messages and later on associates this sender with a reply from a receiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of example, of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication scheme with two senders and one receiver communicating through an intermediary communication system (center) X; Fig. 2 is a reply recognition table for one receiver;

Fig. 3 is a reply recognition table for potential and/or actual receivers; and

Fig. 4 is a database file for potential and/or actual receivers .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

Terminology Remarks

Concerning the Communication System (Center) : .

In the text of this invention, the term "communication system (center)" is used. This means, that in fact, alternatively the term "communication system" and/or "communication center" can be used, with the same meaning.

Concerning the Communication Lines :

In the text of this invention, the terms "communication line" and "line" are used, in the second case the word "communication" being omitted. Both these terms have the same meaning, i.e. the semantics of "communication line" and "line" is in this invention the same.

Description of Communication

A message is an information, which can be / is sent, received, saved, stored and/or processed. Messaging are messages together with the processes, which realize sending, receiving, saving, storing, processing... of the messages. Sender (s) send the message and receiver (s) receive the message. There is usually one sender, who sends the message, and one receiver, who receives this message. However there can be several senders of the message as well as several receivers of the message, e.g. in group messaging. A sender as well as a receiver can be can be e.g. a user (person) , a system (corporation) , a computer (server) , a box (like email box) and/or an application (software, computer program, Internet program, mobile phone program, process...) . The message basically consists of the message identification and of the body. The message identification defines basically the sender and the receiver. The sender is defined by his/her/its (communication) identifier. The receiver is defined by his/her/its (communication identifier). The sender's (communication) identifier (FROM) defines the original location within the communication network, from which the message is to be sent (is sent, was sent) and where usually the reply (if any) is to be delivered. The receiver's (communication) identifier (TO) defines the destination,, where the message is to be sent (is sent, was sent) . A communication identifier can be a user name or identifier, a login name or identifier, an Internet IP address (number), a WWW address, a WAP address, an EMAIL address, a mobile phone number, an ICQ number, an unified communications identifier, a computer or server identifier or number (within a network) , a (communication) device identifier, a third or further generation mobile network device identifier, a card identifier or number (of a payment card, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a phone card, a mobile phone card, a SMS card etc.), a voucher identifier or number, a personal identity identifier (e.g. a passport number, a driving license number) and a personal financial or bank identifier (e.g. an account number) . There can still be another part(s) of the message identification, e.g. the message number. The message body can be any text, data in binary format (logos, pictures, ringtones) and the like. There may be still other parts of the message, e.g. date and time when the message was sent, date and time when the message was received, attachments like data files etc.) . The date and time, when the message was sent as well as the date and time, when the message was received, can be part of the message identification. The senders send messages and the receivers receive messages. There are some interfaces between the senders and the receivers, which realize the sending and receiving. The senders are connected via some communication interface (s) to the communication system (center). The communication lines connect the communication system (center) with the communication centers of the communication gateways and/or operators. Each communication line has a communication identifier. The receivers are connected to these communication gateways and/or operators, again by some communication interface (s) .

Algorithm Referring to Figure 1, a sender A sends a message to the receiver C through a communication system (center) X; the latter forwards the message to the receiver C via the line 1. When the receiver C replies to this message, the communication system (center) receives this reply on line 1. Because the reply was received on the same line as the original sent message, the communication system (center) recognizes that the reply belongs to the sender A. For a sender B, who sends a message to the receiver C, the procedure is identical to that for the sender A except that the communication between X and C is on line 2. This system can be conveyed algorithmically as follows: Scheme (-> means message transfer here) : Sending person or computer -> communication system -> replying person or computer -> communication system -> sending person or computer.

Sending:

There are available n communication lines, connecting the communication system (center) X and the receivers, via which messages can be sent and/or received. Each of these communication lines does have its own identification. The identification can be e.g. mobile phone number. There may be also a (n+l)-th universal communication line. The first message to a receiver is sent via the first line. The second message to this receiver is sent via the second line. The n-th message to this receiver is sent via the n- th line.

Receiving:

When a reply from the (replying) receiver comes back to the communication system (center) via the first line, it is assigned to the first message sent. When a reply from the (replying) receiver comes back to the communication system (center) via the second line, it is assigned to the second message sent... When a reply from the O 2005/025155

(replying) receiver comes back to the communication system (center) via the n-th line, it is assigned to the n-th message sent.

Detailed Description of the Figures 2 - 4 Referring to Figure 2 , the reply recognition table (matrix) for one receiver contains in each row information concerning one (to send, sent) message. This information includes data about the sender, there may be other data inside the row, e.g. date and time when the message was sent .

Referring to Figure 3 , the reply recognition table (matrix) for potential and/or actual receivers contains in each row information concerning one receiver and in each column^' information concerning one communication line. Each cell of this table (matrix) , which is situated at the intersection of one receiver and one communication line, contains information concerning one (to send, sent) message. This information includes data about the sender, there may be other data inside the cell, e.g. date and time when the message was sent.

The reply recognition part of the communication system (center) can be represented by this schematic table of Figure 3 in which receivers (C, D...) are represented by horizontal rows and lines 1, 2,... n are represented by vertical columns. At the intersection of each horizontal row with each vertical column there is a cell (memory location) in which information can be stored. If a message is to be sent to the receiver C and the cell or memory location corresponding to the intersection of the receiver C and line 1 is empty, then the information corresponding to the sender A is written into this cell (memory location) and the message is sent via line 1. For the next message to send to the receiver C the cell at the intersection of the receiver C and line 2 is checked and, if empty, information corresponding to the sender B is written there and the message is sent via line 2.

When a reply from the receiver C is received via line 1 (receiver C and line 1 of the reply are obtained from the interface of the communication system) , then the sender A is picked up from the corresponding cell (memory location) and the reply is delivered to this sender A, who sent the original message via line 1. When a reply from the receiver C is received via line 2 (receiver C and line 2 of the reply are obtained from the interface of the communication system) , then the sender B is picked up from the corresponding cell (memory location) and the reply is delivered to this sender B, who sent the original message via line 2. The reply recognition table (matrix) for potential and/or actual receivers, which was described here, can be realized as a database file as well, which will be described next .

Referring to Figure 4, the database file for potential and/or actual receivers contains in each record information concerning one (to send, sent) message. This information includes data about the sender (e.g. identification) , about the receiver (e.g. identification) and about the communication line (e.g. communication line identifier) . There may be other data inside the record, e.g. date and time when the message was sent. Part of the information in the record is used to determine the communication line via which the message will be sent and/or to clear the record later.

Basically it can be said, that the triple (sender, receiver, line) is written into one record of the reply recognition database file when the message is sent and that this triple is read from the record when the reply is received and it is to be recognized. In the reply recognition database file, the pair (receiver, line) forms the primary key of this file, as there are not two records in this database file containing the same receiver and the same line at one time.

Complements The following complements do not change the method of this invention, which is reply recognition by sending and receiving messages via n communication lines. However they describe and explain various situations in realizing this method.

Identification of Communication Lines

Each communication line has an identification, which is a communication identifier, e.g. a user name or identifier, a login name or identifier, an Internet IP address (number) , a WWW address, a WAP address, an EMAIL address, a mobile phone number, an ICQ number, an unified communications identifier, a computer or server identifier or number (within a network) , a (communication) device identifier, a third or further generation mobile network device identifier, a card identifier or number (of a payment card, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a phone card, a mobile phone card, a SMS card etc.), a voucher identifier or number, a personal identity identifier (e.g. a passport number, a driving license number) and a personal financial or bank identifier (e.g. an account number).

Realization of Communication Lines

Communication lines, for example, may be realized in the following two ways: (a) by connecting n communication devices (mobile phones, mobile terminals, SMS terminals, modems, terminals etc.) to the communication system (center) , where each of these devices has its own identification (communication identifier) ; or

(b) by connecting the communication system (center) to the gateway or mobile phone operator SMS center using n different (virtual) communication lines; each of these communication lines being identified by a communication identifier (e.g. by a mobile phone number) ; these communication lines can be / are realized e.g. by interface protocol software and data parameters, i.e. with each message to send (sent) from the communication system (center) to the gateway or mobile phone operator SMS center there is defined, via which communication line this message is to be sent (delivered) to the receiver, in the sense, e.g. "send this message to the receiver via this communication line", where the definition of the communication line is made by explicitly stating its communication identifier. Connection

For the realization of the communication lines, mobile phones, connected to the communication system (center) , can be used. Instead of mobile phones, other communication devices can be used as well, like mobile terminals, SMS terminals, modems, terminals or other communication devices can be used. For direct connection of the communication system (center) to the gateway or operator, various communication devices, environments, platforms, protocols, connections and the like can be used, e.g. modems, fixed phone lines, Internet environments, platforms, protocols, connections (HTTP, TCP/IP, SMPP, SOAP, XML, UCP...) etc.

Channel

The n communication lines can be also realized using one communication channel, e.g. connecting the communication system (center) with the sending/receiving gateway (network of operators) or with the operator, concretely with the gateway or mobile phone operator SMS center. In this case, each communication line is identified by its communication identifier, e.g. by a mobile phone number. This communication identifier is sent to the gateway or operator together with each message, in the sense "send this message to the receiver via the communication line, the communication identifier of which is written" . These communica ion identifiers of the communication lines are also called (communication) line(s) identifiers. In the case that these communication identifiers are mobile phone numbers, then they are also called more specifically, like (mobile) originator numbers or MSISDN numbers. In this case, each of these originator numbers can be real (assigned to a mobile phone, to a SIM card and the like) or virtual (assigned to a computer interface part, to a server interface part, to an Internet interface, part, to a software interface part, and the like) .

Different Realization of Sending and Receiving Lines

The receiving lines can be realized differently from the sending lines. For example, the sending lines can be realized by connecting the communication system (center) directly to the mobile phone operator SMS center while the receiving lines can be realized by connecting n mobile phones or modems to the communication system (center) . The correspondence between the sending and receiving communication lines is reached by identical identification of corresponding lines, i.e. the i-th sending communication line has the same mobile phone number as the i-th receiving communication line. When sending from the communication system (center) to the gateway or mobile phone operator SMS center, the corresponding i-th mobile phone number is sent together with the message and it is this mobile phone number via which the message is to be sent to the receiver. When receiving using connected mobile phones or modems, the connected i-th mobile phone has the same mobile phone number as the sending i-th communication line, so that the reply to the message, which was sent via the i-th direct sending line, is received via the i-th connected mobile phone or mode .

Different Identification of Sending Lines and of Receiving Lines

The communication line, via which the message is sent, and the communication line, via which the reply to this message is received, may not only have different realization from each other, as indicated in the previous text, but they may even have different identification from each other (communication identifier) . An example of such an identification (communication identifier) of a communication line is a mobile phone number; further examples can be a WWW address, a WAP address, an EMAIL address, an ICQ number, an i unified communications identifier etc. (list of such possible communication identifiers of a communication line is written above in the text) . The only thing, which connects in this case the sending line with the corresponding receiving line, with respect to reply recognition, can be a list, table (matrix) , database file and/or algorithm, and the like, where it is written which pairs of sending and receiving lines belong to each other (are associated with each other for sending, receiving a reply recognition) .

Handling the Rows, Columns, Cells of Reply Recognition Tables and Records of Reply Recognition Database Files

For filling and clearing the rows, columns and cells of the reply recognition tables (matrices) as well as for creating, writing, reading and deleting the records in the reply recognition database files, and the like, various algorithms can be used some being indicated below. But all of these algorithms, without limits and exceptions, are using the subject of this invention, which is sending and receiving messages using n communication lines.

Random Choice When for each receiver the first message would be sent via the first communication line, the second message via the second communication line, ... the n-the message via the n-the communication line, then the first communication line would be by far the most used of the communication lines, followed by the second communication line, and so on. The n-th communication line would probably be used rarely. For the purpose of speeding up the sending process, a random selection of the communication lines can be used. For one receiver, the available communication lines are found. These are lines via which no message was yet sent, via which the reply was received, and/or which were cleared for sending. From these available communication lines one line is chosen at random. The message is sent via this line and sending via this line is remembered by the communication system (center) .

Insufficient Number of Communication Lines

The number of communication lines is always limited, even in the case when a large number of communication lines can be or is available. For example, for SMS messages, sent from one operator to another operator, each mobile phone number must usually have some physical destination (like a SIM card) for receiving, which limits the number of communication lines used for some situations in reply recognition. Concerning direct connection between mobile operators (interoperator capabilities) there are already available the so called originator (MSISDN) mobile phone numbers, which is the same as communication line identifier, already mentioned in this invention. These originator mobile phone numbers can be accessed from a group of interconnected mobile operators, either via one of them, or via an external gateway, or via any one of them (within a heterogeneous network) . This is especially the case within the GSM mobile phone network, located mostly in Europe and Asia, where within some big operator groups large amounts of originator mobile phone numbers are available and such numbers are thus relatively cheap. On the contrary, such generally accessible originator mobile phone numbers are still rare in the CDMA and TDMA mobile phone networks (located mostly on the American continent) and thus such numbers are expensive there.

So the situation can occur, that all available n communication lines were already used, such as for example, if messages to one receiver were already sent via all these lines and no replies in response were received yet. In this case none of these lines could/would be free for sending messages . This situation can be basically solved by seven methods, which are described below, either individually or in combination. There can still be other methods, how to solve the problem of insufficient number of communication lines for reply recognition; however all of these methods, without limits and exceptions, are using the subject of this invention, which is sending and receiving messages using n communication lines. Especially the first one of these methods, which is the basis of the present invention, enables to reduce the amount of originator mobile phone numbers, needed to set up the two-way mobile phone traffic, from e.g. 1,000-10,000 such numbers to e.g. 30 such numbers, and thus reduces the monthly costs of renting originator mobile phone numbers - from app. 500,000 - 5,000,000 USD to app. 15,000 USD. If several gateways are used by the communication system (center) for sending and receiving SMS messages, not mutually interconnected and so not sharing the same originator mobile phone numbers, then for each such gateway it is necessary to use a different (separate) set of originator mobile phone numbers. The costs in this case can be like 5 x 15,000 = 75,000 USD per month, when five such gateways are used.

The reply recognition method replaces the old method, in which a different originator mobile phone number^' is assigned to every message. In the reply recognition method, the communication lines (originator mobile phone numbers) are assigned to the messages (which are to be sent) with respect to the receivers.

Communication Lines for each Receiver

This point is the basis of the present invention. For each receiver a table of n communication lines can be created, or a table for potential and/or actual receivers can be created, or a database file for potential and/or actual receivers can be created, in which the sender of each message is listed for each communication line used. In this table the identification (e.g. user name or mobile phone number) of the first sender is written to the field (row, column, cell) of the first communication line, the identification of the second sender is written to the field (row, column, cell) of the second communication line, ... and the identification of the n-th sender is written to the field (row,^' column, cell) of the n-th communication line. So for each receiver all the communication lines can be available, which for the purpose of reply recognition multiplies the number of n communication lines by the number of receivers, to get the virtual total number of lines available for reply recognition.

Clearing after Receiving Reply

When a reply is received to a message sent originally from a receiver via the i-th communication line the i-th communication line can be made free for sending to this receiver. Moreover, all the communication lines along which the messages to the same receiver were sent prior to the message can be made free for sending (with some time reserve, greater than the maximum time difference between receiving two messages, sent at same time; this time reserve should be subtracted from the time, at which the latest reply arrived) . Waiting

When all the n communication lines were already used to send messages to a receiver, then the communication system (center) does not send the (n+l)-th message to this receiver, but waits till at least one reply from this receiver arrives .

Universal (n+l)-th Communication Line

When all the n communication lines have already been used to send messages to a receiver, then the universal (n+l)-th communication line is used- to send the (n+l)-th message to this receiver. Some formula such as "(start Reply with Rj ) " , where j is some number, is included into the text of the message and the receiver must start the reply with this formula. The communication system (center) remembers for each such sent message the sender, the sending (n+l)-th communication line and the formula. When the reply arrives, the communication system (center) derives the sender from the facts, that the reply was received via the (n+l)-th communication line and that the text of the reply starts with the formula.

Large Number of Communication Lines Large number of communication lines (also 1,000 or even 1,000,000 etc.) can be available when the communication lines are realized by connecting the communication system (center) directly to the gateway or operator. When a large number of communication lines are used separately for each receiver, then this makes the total available number of communication lines for reply recognition practically inexhaustible.

Clearing Old Messages

All communication lines, via which the messages were sent some time ago, e.g. three days ago, can be cleared. Alternatively, these communication lines need not be cleared. They can still wait for replies, however, they are marked as being available for sending, i.e. they can be used for sending when no free lines are available for given receiver.

Round Method

The round-robin (cyclic) method for sending messages means, that for sending (to one receiver) consecutively the 1^st, 2^nd, ... n-th communications lines are used and after the n-th communication line again the 1^st communication line is then used, i.e. this line usage is repeated in the same order again and again. The reply recognition method, which is the basis of this invention, makes pairs between sent messages and received replies, i.e., assigns replies to the original sent messages, i.e. returns replies to users, systems, computers, boxes and applications.

Accordingly, while this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope of the invention .

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A method of sending messages and receiving and recognizing replies, comprising: (a) sending messages via n sending communication lines, wherein each said sending communication line has an identification; (b) providing for each sending communication line a corresponding receiving communication line; either said receiving communication line has the same identification as its corresponding sending communication line, or the identification of said receiving line is associated with the identification of its corresponding sending communication line; (c) from any sender, sending an i-th message to a receiver via an. i-th communication line, where i takes on the integer values of 1 to n in succession; and (d) assigning a reply, received from said receiver via an i-th communication line, to an i-th one of said n messages sent, wherein i takes on integer values of 1 to n in succession.

2. The method of claim 1, including a plurality of senders and a plurality of receivers coupled to said n communication lines.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a communication system (center) interfaces between said sender and said receiver, stores the identification of said sender of each said sent message, associates said sender with said reply from said receiver, and delivers said reply from said receiver to said sender.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of said sender and/or of said receiver is selected from the group consisting of a user name or identifier, a login name or identifier, an Internet IP address (number) , a WWW address, a WAP address, an EMAIL address, a mobile phone number, an ICQ number, an unified communications identifier, a computer or server identifier or number (within a network) , a (communication) device identifier, a third or 'further generation mobile network device identifier, a card identifier or number (of a payment card, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a phone card, a mobile phone card, a SMS card etc.), a voucher identifier or number, a personal identity identifier (e.g. a passport number, a driving license number) , and a personal financial or bank identifier (e.g. an account number) .

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of a communication line is selected from the group consisting of a user name or identifier, a login name or identifier, an Internet IP address (number), a WWW address, a WAP address, an EMAIL address, a mobile phone number, an ICQ number, an unified communications identifier, a computer or server identifier or number (within a network) , a (communication) device identifier, a third or further generation mobile network device identifier, a card identifier or number (of a payment card, a credit card, a debit card, a smart card, a phone card, a mobile phone card, a SMS card etc.) , a voucher identifier or number, a personal identity identifier (e.g. a passport number, a driving license number) , and a personal financial or bank identifier (e.g. an account number) .

6. A method of sending messages from senders to receivers, receiving and recognizing replies from said receivers, and delivering said replies to said senders, comprising:

(a) creating a reply recognition table (matrix) for a receiver; said reply recognition table (matrix) having rows and columns, and containing in each of said rows information about a message, either to be sent or already sent from a sender to said receiver; (b) choosing one communication line from a plurality of communication lines to send said message from said sender to said receiver; (c) recording ^' information concerning said message, including information about said sender, into one of said rows of said reply recognition table (matrix) ; (d) sending said message via said one communication line to said receiver; (e) receiving a reply from said receiver via said one communication line; (f) obtaining said information, concerning said message, stored in said one row of said reply recognition table (matrix) ; and (g) delivering said reply to said sender.

7. A method of sending messages from senders to receivers, receiving and recognizing replies from said receivers, and delivering said replies to said senders, comprising:

(a) creating a reply recognition table (matrix) for potential and/or actual receivers; said reply recognition table (matrix) having rows and columns and cells, each said cell being at an intersection between one of said rows and one of said columns, and containing in each of said rows information about a receiver, and containing in each of said columns information about a communication line, and containing in each of said cells information about a message, either to be sent or already sent from a sender to said receiver; (b) choosing one communication line from a plurality of communication lines to send said message from said sender to said receiver; (c) recording information concerning said message, including information about said sender, into one of said cells of said reply recognition table (matrix) , which is at an intersection between said one row of said receiver and said one column of said communication line; (d) sending said message via said one communication line to said receiver; (e) receiving a reply from said receiver via said one communication line; (f) obtaining said information, concerning said message, stored in said one cell of said reply recognition table (matrix) ; and (g) delivering said reply to said sender.

8. A method of sending messages from senders to receivers, receiving and recognizing replies from said receivers, and delivering said replies to said senders, comprising:

(a) creating a reply recognition database file for potential and/or actual receivers; said reply recognition database file having records and containing in each of said records information about a message, either to be sent or already sent from a sender to a receiver;

(b) choosing one communication line from a plurality of communication lines to send said message from said sender to said receiver;

(c) recording information concerning said message, including information about said sender and about said receiver and about said one communication line, into one of said records of said reply recognition database file;

(d) sending said message via said one communication line to said receiver;

(e) receiving a reply from said receiver via said one communication line; (f) obtaining said information, concerning said message, stored in said one record of said reply recognition database file; and (g) delivering said reply to said sender.