WO2007003004A1 - Randomized sending of a message from a terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal, the method including the steps of: producing a message in the sending terminal; selecting to send the message from the sending terminal; obtaining a clock time from a clock indicative of the select to send time; generating a random number and using the random number to calculate a random delay time; and, sending the message and the clock time after the random delay time has elapsed.

Description

RANDOMIZED SENDING OF A MESSAGE FROM A TERMINAL

Technical Field [001] The present invention generally relates to the sending of data or information from terminals, and more particularly to a method, system, apparatus and/or medium of instructions for delaying the sending of one or more messages from a terminal.

Background Art Definitions

[002] "Message" as used herein refers to any form of data or information adapted to be sent from a sending terminal, via a network infrastructure, to a receiving terminal.

[003] "Terminal" as used herein refers to any type of processing system, computer or computerised device, personal computer (PC), mobile, cellular or satellite telephone, mobile data terminal, portable computer, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), pager or any other similar type of digital electronic device.

[004] In the emerging field of interactive television, due to significant technical obstacles, the television industry has not greatly utilised the Short Message Service (SMS) telecommunications system for the purpose of fully enabling live interactive television, an interactive event whereby the results of all viewer/participant input are able to be displayed within the time parameters set by the event, the event being for example a television show.

[005] As an illustrative example, consider an interactive television show, with approximate ratings of 2 million viewers/participants. It can reasonably be assumed that all viewers/participants that engage in interactivity with the television show conceivably have an activity time frame whereby the overwhelming majority would send some form of message (eg. using SMS) within the first 30 seconds of the interactive television show calling for a response from viewers/participants. The limiting factor in this scenario is the SMS network capacity. Even with the next generation of network routers, which purport to support up to 600 messages per second, this level of viewer/participant activity could not be supported using current SMS network technologies. [006] Even if a router with a capacity of 500 messages per second was scaled up so that a total of 20 routers were used, this would still only provide a capacity of 10 000 messages per second. If it was anticipated that only 75 % of viewers/participants, that is 1.5 million people, actually participated in the interactive television show and sent a message within 10 seconds of the interactive television show calling for a response (as would typically be the case with an interactive game show), this equates to 150 000 messages per second, which cannot be handled even with the number of routers scaled by a factor of 20.

[007] Even if the routers were scaled by a factor of the necessary 3000 the radio bandwidth limitations, of radio access networks, could not viably or plausibly support or be made to support such data volume or loading.

[008] When it is also considered that other television networks or stations may simultaneously be offering an interactive television show this further increases the burden on an SMS network.

[009] Currently anticipated and projected participation in interactive television shows would exceed current message handling capacities and possibly also exceed available mobile or cellular telephone radio bandwidth. The response time for a viewer/participant to send a message from a terminal, for example a mobile or cellular telephone, cannot be simply be increased as this would allow viewers/participants to cheat, for example by resorting to using an Internet search engine to obtain and then send answers for an interactive television quiz show.

[010] Simply scaling any or all of the network hardware does not provide a practical or cost effective solution.

[011] This identifies a need for a method, system, apparatus and/or medium of instructions, which addresses or at least ameliorates problems inherent in the prior art.

[012] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

SUBSTITUf E SHEET (RULE 26) RO/AU Disclosure Of Invention

[013] The present application, according to various embodiments, provides a method, system, apparatus and/or medium of instructions for delaying the sending of one or more messages from a terminal, which can be used to effectively spread the frequency of sent messages over a given time period. In a preferred form, delaying the sending of one or more messages from a terminal can still maintain a chronological hierarchy, effectively buffering or regulating dataflow and thus maximising the amount of data or information that can be received by any network over any given period of time.

[014] In a particular form, the present invention seeks to reduce the frequency of messages received at a server during high use periods of time. Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a graph of the frequency of messages sent from a plurality of terminals versus time, which might be expected during a typical interactive television gaming show. Curve 100 shows an indicative response wherein the frequency of messages at particular events t] and t₂, corresponding to events in the interactive television gaming show, exceeds the capacity 130 of servers. For example, participants may send SMS messages from a mobile or cellular telephone. In a particular illustrative example, that should not be taken to be limiting to the present invention and should not be read as being specifically required by the present invention, curve 120 indicates an outcome of an embodiment of the present invention wherein the frequency of messages is effectively "averaged" over a preset time period Δt. By using this averaging process messages that are required to be sent at or near time t] or t₂ can be selected to be sent by a viewer/participant, but not actually sent, until some subsequent time so that the frequency of messages in response to events at ti and t₂ does not exceed capacity 130.

[015] Thus, in a specific non-limiting form, the present invention can be viewed as an enhanced or improved SMS operating system. Such a SMS operating system can be provided as a platform for third party applications.

[016] According to a first broad form, the present invention provides a method of delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal, the method including the steps of:

(1) producing a message in the sending terminal;

(2) selecting to send the message from the sending terminal; (3) obtaining a clock time from a clock indicative of the select to send time;

(4) generating a random number and using the random number to calculate a random delay time; and,

(5) sending the message and the clock time after the random delay time has elapsed.

[017] According to a second broad form, the present invention provides a method of determining, at a receiving terminal, when a delayed message from a sending terminal was sent, the method including the steps of: (1) receiving the message and a clock time at the receiving terminal, the message having been produced in the sending terminal, the clock time having been obtained from a clock indicative of a select to send time at the sending terminal, the sending of the message from the sending terminal having been delayed by a random delay time calculated using a generated random number; and, (2) using the received clock time to determine when the select to send the message at the sending terminal actually occurred.

[018] According to a third broad form, the present invention provides a system for reducing the frequency of messages sent within a given time period, the system including: (1) a sending terminal adapted to produce a message;

(2) a receiving terminal to receive the message;

(3) means in the sending terminal to allow a user to select to send the message;

(4) a clock associated with the sending terminal to provide a clock time indicative of the select to send time; (5) a random number generator associated with the sending terminal to generate a random number; and,

(6) at least one processor associated with the sending terminal to calculate a random delay time using the random number and to initiate sending the message and the clock time after the random delay time has elapsed.

[019] According to a fourth broad form, the present invention provides apparatus for delaying the sending of one or more messages from the apparatus, the apparatus including:

(1) message producing means;

(2) means to allow a user to select to send the message; (3) a clock to provide a clock time indicative of the select to send time;

(4) a random number generator to generate a random number; and,

(5) at least one processor to calculate a random delay time using the random number and to initiate sending the message and the clock time after the random delay time has elapsed.

[020] According to a fifth broad form, the present invention provides a terminal readable medium of instructions for delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal, the terminal readable medium of instructions adapted to: (1) allow a user to select to send a message from the sending terminal;

(2) obtain a clock time from a clock indicative of the select to send time;

(3) generate a random number and use the random number to calculate a random delay time; and,

(4) send the message and the clock time after the random delay time has elapsed.

[021] In further particular, but non-limiting, forms the sending terminal is a mobile or cellular telephone, the message is an SMS message, the message cannot be altered after the step of selecting to send, the clock time is obtained when the select to send is initiated, the random delay time is normalised to a preset maximum delay time, and/or the clock time is appended to the actual message.

[022] In yet another particular example form, the sending terminal can be a mobile or cellular telephone and the message is sent to an SMS network router that recognises/associates at least one receiving telephone number using an alias entered at the sending terminal.

Brief Description Of Figures

[023] An example embodiment of the present invention should become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only, of a preferred but non- limiting embodiment, described in connection with the accompanying figures. [024] Fig. 1 shows an illustrative graph of the frequency of messages versus time in the known SMS system (graph 100) compared to that provided by an example embodiment of the present invention (graph 120);

[025] Fig. 2 illustrates an example flow diagram of a method of delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal;

[026] Fig. 3 illustrates an overview of an example system for delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal;

[027] Fig. 4 illustrates an overview of an example apparatus that can be utilised to embody or give effect to a particular embodiment;

[028] Fig. 5 illustrates a more detailed flow diagram of a method of delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal;

[029] Fig. 6 illustrates an example functional block diagram of a server that can be utilised to embody or give effect to a particular embodiment; and,

[030] Fig. 7 illustrates an example network infrastructure that can be utilised to embody or give effect to a particular embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out The Invention

[031] The following modes, given by way of example only, are described in order to provide a more precise understanding of the subject matter of a preferred embodiment or embodiments.

[032] In the figures, incorporated to illustrate features of an example embodiment, like reference numerals are used to identify like parts throughout the figures.

[033] Referring to Fig. 2, there is illustrated a method 200 of delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal. Method 200 includes the steps of producing 210 a message in the sending terminal, selecting 220 to send the message from the sending terminal, obtaining 230 a clock time from a clock indicative of the select to send time, generating 240 a random number and using the random number to calculate 250 a random delay time, and if the delay time has elapsed 260 then sending 270 the message and the clock time.

[034] In a particular embodiment, the sending terminal is preferably a mobile or cellular telephone. Preferably, but not necessarily, the message is an SMS message or other form of message that may be sent from a mobile or cellular telephone. Normally, the message would not be able to altered after step 220 of selecting to send the message. The clock time is obtained when the select to send step 220 is initiated, although it is possible to introduce a fixed or variable period of time delay to the obtained clock time if desired. The calculated delay time is preferably normalised to a preset maximum delay time, for example a delay time of 10 minutes may be suitable to effectively average the frequency of messages so that network capacity is not reached.

[035] Also preferably, the clock time is appended to the message when the message is sent. The clock time may be obtained from a clock which is part of the sending terminal. In another form, to prevent tampering with a clock of a sending terminal, it might be desirable that the clock time is retrieved from a device remote from the sending terminal. For example, a mobile or cellular telephone might be required to retrieve the clock time from a broadcast clock time signal or remote device, not an internal clock of the mobile or cellular telephone.

[036] As a further illustrative example, following from the example provided in the "Background Art" section, if 2 million viewers/participants were to engage interactively with an interactive television show by sending an SMS message every 10 minutes, then the frequency of SMS messages could be averaged over the 10 minutes which would provide an approximate message frequency of 3333 messages per second, which is less than the 10 000 messages per second capacity which 20 SMS routers can handle. This provides significant scope for increased capacity to be available for other television networks or increased interactive television show ratings, etc.. Additionally, this spreading of message frequency reduces the load on the radio bandwidth used for mobile or cellular telephone communications. [037] Hence, by requiring a viewer/participant to select to send a message from the sending terminal within a required time, as determined by an interactive television show, for example within 10 seconds of a question being asked on the interactive television show, all viewers/participants can be required to select to send the message within such a 10 second timeframe. Yet the message is not actually sent from an individual sending terminal until the random delay time has elapsed. By appending the clock time when a viewer/participant initiated the select to send the message this allows a receiving terminal to confirm that the select to send time was within the required time period, for example the 10 second time period, as required by a particular interactive television show.

[038] Referring to Fig. 3, there is illustrated a system 300 for reducing the frequency of messages sent within a given time period. System 300 includes a sending terminal 310 and a receiving terminal 320. Sending terminal 310 is able to produce a message 330, for example an SMS message using the alpha-numeric keypad of sending terminal 310. There is provided means in sending terminal 310 to allow a user of sending terminal 310 to send message 330, for example the means may be send button 340 of sending terminal 310.

[039] Sending terminal 310 also includes a clock 350, or means to receive a clock signal external to sending terminal 310. Clock 350, or clock signal receiving means, provides clock time 360 which is indicative of the select to send time, for example when the user pressed a send button 340. A random number generator 370 is also associated with sending terminal 310 and is used to generate a random number 380. Processor 385, or more than one processor, is also associated with sending terminal 310 and is used to calculate a random delay time 390 using random number 380. When delay time 390 has elapsed processor 385 initiates sending message 330 and clock time 360 to receiving terminal 320. Receiving terminal 320 can then use message 330 and clock time 360 for any desired purpose. For example, if message 330 includes an answer to a question, then checking that answer, and also checking that clock time 360 is earlier than the latest time that a message 330 was required to be sent from sending terminal 310.

[040] Referring to Fig. 4, there is illustrated apparatus 400 for delaying the sending of one or more messages from apparatus 400. In one example apparatus 400 could be a mobile or cellular telephone. In this example, message producing means 410 could be an alpha-numeric keypad of apparatus 400. Message producing means 410 can be used to produce message 330 which a user can select to send by pressing send button 340. Send button 340 provides the user with a means to select to send message 330. Clock 350 provides a clock time 360 when the select to send means 340 is activated. Clock 350 may thus be in communication with select to send means 340. Select to send means 340 may also initiate random number generator 370 to produce random number 380 that is passed to processor 385 to calculate delay time 390. Message 330 and clock time 360 can be held in memory 420 of processor 385 until delay time 390 has elapsed. For example, delay time 390 may be provided as a countdown timer which has been normalised to a preset time period. Transmission means 430 of apparatus 400, for example an antenna, can then produce signal 440 including message 330 and clock time 360 information.

Further Detailed Example

[041] The following example provides a more detailed discussion of a particular embodiment. The example is intended to be merely illustrative and not limiting to the scope of the present invention.

[042] The frequency of sent SMS messages in a given time period can be reduced or averaged by utilising an application program installed on a mobile or cellular telephone handset. The use of a random function to determine the time to actually send the SMS message effectively spreads the number of messages sent over any designated time period. In so far as this example relates to interactive television shows, a user could answer a question or questions and press send on the user's mobile or cellular telephone. The application program could then immediately, or otherwise, start a clock or sample a clock time from the clock. Substantially instantaneously, or after a predetermined amount of time, the application program can then assign a random delay time, within given parameters, after which to actually send the SMS message.

[043] When received at a server the actual time that the user pressed send could then be calculated or retrieved. This provides the ability to set relatively low time periods for all viewers/participants of an interactive television show to respond to questions. The application program could be written for specific telephones, or generally, and users (that is viewers/participants) could preferably download the application program to their mobile or cellular telephone, use of which could be licensed to, for example, a telephone manufacturer or telecommunications service provider. [044] In another embodiment, it is also possible to provide an enhancement to the receiving terminal, for example an SMS network router, that provides the capability to recognise or associate telephone numbers by a dedicated alias. For example, by allowing a user to insert text and/or symbol indicia into the "send to" field of an intended message, as opposed to simply inserting a numerical telephone number, a user could send a message to an alias which could be an easy to remember name. For example, company XYZ might buy a dedicated alias for Australia of au.xyz, which would allow a user to insert "au.xyz" into the "send to" field of a message. This does not require the user to remember or insert a telephone number for company XYZ as server or network router would recognise the alias au.xyz and appropriately direct the message. This provides the opportunity sell or license aliases to various users, organisations, companies, etc..

[045] With reference to Fig. 5, there is depicted a detailed flowchart diagram of a method 500 which describes the aforementioned technique of lessening the burden on SMS servers when a high influx of SMS messages are in progress of delivery. Method 500 can be implemented on any architecture which provides a SMS delivery mechanism. At a SMS menu section step 502 the user decides to send the SMS message, either through standard existing channels or through a SMS message sending system herein termed Customized Live Interactive Protocol or "CLIP".

[046] At step 503, the user types in a SMS message in either a standard or CLIP based text entry screen. Depending on the user's previous choice at step 502, the recipient mobile telephone number entry step 504 will present either a standard screen or the CLIP based screen. The CLIP based option allows the user to enter either a standard mobile telephone number or an alias (alpha-numeric) which corresponds to a standard mobile telephone number.

[047] Following the standard SMS message sending system, the user enters a valid recipient mobile telephone number. The SMS message is sent at step 505 to the SMS server 506. The SMS server checks to see if the message recipient mobile telephone number is an alias at step 507. If it is an alias the SMS server transforms the alias to the corresponding actual mobile telephone number at step 508. Through this route in the algorithm there is no use of the alias option in the CLIP SMS system. The server does not know beforehand what type of mobile telephone number has been used by the client. The SMS message is then attempted to be sent to the valid recipient at step 509. If, at step 510 the SMS message has failed to be sent to the valid recipient, there is a check to see if the failure was based on a valid congestion based reason (i.e. the SMS message failed to be sent because of a SMS server error or a bandwidth congestion issue). If the failure was not due to a valid reason then the algorithm ends at step 511. When the SMS message sending failure is due to a valid reason, the SMS server then notifies the client of the SMS message delivery failure.

[048] If the user had decided to use the CLIP SMS sending system a timer step 512 is started to track when the user has actually entered or selected to send the SMS message. This is useful for any third party service which utilises the CLIP SMS sending system. The time of the SMS message entry is sent as an appendage to the SMS message.

[049] The SMS message is saved in non- volatile memory at step 513. The method then generates a random number seed value at step 514 which is unique to each SMS client user. The random number seed can be generated depending on the time, date, country of use, or any other unique identification numbers allocated to the SMS delivery architecture.

[050] The random number seed guarantees generation of a unique random number for each SMS client. A unique random number seed for each SMS client is important as a uniform distribution of the random numbers is required to distribute the SMS message delivery moments across a specified period of time, hence reducing any peaks in the number of SMS messages to be delivered at any one time. A random number is generated using the unique random number seed from the random number generator at step 515. The random number generator should have uniform distribution across available numbers. Preferably, no peaks in the distribution should be present as this may cause peaks in the number of SMS messages being delivered at specific times.

[051] The timer length is the allowed maximum length of time until the SMS message is attempted to be re-delivered to a valid recipient. The timer length is used with the generated random number to calculate a countdown time until the SMS message is to be re-delivered. If the client has used the CLIP SMS system, that may be checked or selected at step 516, then the timer length is the length associated with the CLIP SMS system as illustrated at step 517, being either a pre-programmed timer length or a downloaded timer length. If not, then a default timer length is used. If the client is not using the CLIP SMS system then the default timer at step 518 can be used. The countdown timer length is calculated at step 519 by normalising the random number with the timer length. At this stage the countdown is set at step 520. Once the countdown timer has counted down to zero time, the previously stored SMS message (at step 513) is deleted and the timer time is appended the SMS message if the user used the CLIP SMS system. The SMS message is then delivered at step 505. The process repeats itself until the SMS message is delivered or the user decides to stop the process for the current SMS message.

[052] A particular embodiment of the present invention can be realised using one or more SMS servers, an example of which is shown in Fig. 6. In particular, server 600 generally includes at least one processor 602, or processing unit or plurality of processors, memory 604 and at least one input device 606 coupled together via a bus or group of buses 610. An interface 612 can also be provided for coupling server 600 to one or more peripheral devices. At least one storage device 614 which houses at least one database 616 can also be provided. The memory 604 can be any form of memory device, for example, volatile or non-volatile memory, solid state storage devices, magnetic devices, etc. The processor 602 could include more than one distinct processing device, for example to handle different functions within server 600. Input device 606 receives input data 618 being, or being derived from, the message (eg. SMS message) from the sending terminal.

[053] Server 600 may be part of a networked communications system 700, as shown in Fig. 7. Server 600 could connect to network 702, for example the Internet or a WAN. Input data 618 could be communicated to other devices via network 702. Other terminals, for example, thin client 704, further processing systems 706 and 708, notebook computer 710, mainframe computer 712, PDA 714, pen-based computer 716, server 718, etc., can be connected to network 702. A large variety of other types of terminals or configurations could be utilised. The transfer of information and/or data over network 702 can be achieved using wired communications means 720 or wireless communications means 722. Server 718 can facilitate the transfer of data between network 702 and one or more databases 724. Server 718 and one or more databases 724 provide an example of an information source. [054] Other networks may also communicate with network 702. For example, telecommunications network 730 could facilitate the transfer of data between network 702 and mobile or cellular telephone 732 or a PDA-type device 734, by utilising wireless communication means 736 and receiving/transmitting station 738. Receiving/transmitting station 738 could communicate directly with receiving/transmitting station 737, via wireless means 739, which could be associated with server 600. Hence, in one form, mobile or cellular telephone 732 could submit SMS messages directly to an SMS server 600, or alternatively via networks 730, 702.

[055] Satellite communications network 740 could communicate with satellite signal receiver 742 which receives data signals from satellite 744 which in turn is in remote communication with satellite signal transmitter 746. Terminals, for example further processing system 748, notebook computer 750 or satellite telephone 752, can thereby communicate with network 702 and thus server 600.

[056] Server 600 is adapted to communicate with other terminals, for example further processing systems 706, 708, by sending and receiving data, 718, 720, to and from the network 702, thereby facilitating possible communication with other components of the networked communications system 700.

[057] Thus, for example, the networks 702, 730, 740 may form part of, or be connected to, the Internet, in which case, the terminals 706, 712, 718, for example, may be web servers, Internet terminals or the like. The networks 702, 730, 740 may be or form part of other communication networks, such as LAN, WAN, ethernet, token ring, FDDI ring, star, etc., networks, or mobile telephone networks, such as GSM, CDMA or 3G, etc., networks, and may be wholly or partially wired, including for example optical fibre, or wireless networks, depending on a particular implementation.

[058] Thus, there has been provided a method, system, apparatus and/or medium of instructions for delaying the sending of one or more messages from a sending terminal.

[059] Optional embodiments of the present invention may also be said to broadly consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated herein, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more of the parts, elements or features, and wherein specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which the invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

[060] Although a preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows

1. A communications system consisting of; a terminal consisting essentially of: A) a functionality for a user to initiate or execute a send message instruction: B) a random number generator to designate a random time to actually send said message: C) a functionality to append and make amendments to or adapt said message: D) a transmitting apparatus to transmit said message to a server: a server and server application program comprising essentially of; A) A method and apparatus to receive said message and a plurality of like messages: B) a function to calculate the initiation time of said message and the said plurality of like messages: B) a computer system to process message contents.

2. A method an apparatus to regulate communications infrastructure load from an influx of messages by the implementation of client software at terminals that can randomly send messages over a predetermined time that will result in a throughput of messages within selected ranges.

3. Method of validating a message initiation time by setting a random delay time and appending said random delay time to said message; the receiving server then calculating the message initiation time by the deduction of the message delay time from the message receive time.

4. A computer system according to claim one, wherein the message transmitted from said terminal is via a short message service (SMS) such as that of mobile telephone networks;

5. A computer system according to claim four consisting of client software with a graphic user interface to define the contents of SMS messages to be sent by the terminal.

6. A method and apparatus according to claim four comprising of a terminal having a function for the user to request a number of copies of the message to be sent; The terminal appending said number to the message to be sent: A server processing the user request.

7. A communications system that will receive information in a predetermined medium of communications, these include but are not limited to WAP₅ GPRS, MMS, SMS, Bluetooth, Infra-red or wi-fi and transmit in another different predetermined medium.

8. A method and apparatus to assign alpha aliases as the destination of an SMS

9. A Communications system substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1- 7 of the accompanying diagrams.