WO2011031240A1

WO2011031240A1 - A method of charging sms messages

Info

Publication number: WO2011031240A1
Application number: PCT/SG2010/000334
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dennis Mendiola
Original assignee: Voxp Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2009-09-11
Filing date: 2010-09-09
Publication date: 2011-03-17

Abstract

A method of charging SMS messages with a facilitator for per character charging of SMS messages, a mobile operator providing an SMS enabled mobile service, a first subscriber of the mobile operator, a second subscriber of the mobile operator, an SMS message submitted by the first subscriber for delivery to the second subscriber, a program for counting the characters in the SMS message and determining a tariff on the SMS message based on the number of characters in the SMS message, and a facility for charging the first subscriber the tariff determined by the program. A preferred embodiment includes a facility for redirecting the SMS message to the facilitator prior to delivery to the third subscriber, and a facility for delivering the SMS message to the second subscriber.

Description

A METHOD OF CHARGING SMS MESSAGES

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of mobile telephony and more specifically to a method of charging SMS messages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the application.

Since its humble beginnings as a mere add-on service to the GSM mobile telephony specification, the Short Message Service or "SMS" has emerged as an integral and even indispensable component of GSM and non-GSM based mobile telephony services. Indeed, in some subscriber demographics, usage of SMS far exceeds usage of voice services.

SMS messaging allows a subscriber to use his mobile phone to compose and send a text-based message to another subscriber's mobile phone. Present specifications for SMS allow a maximum of 160 characters in a single message using the default GSM character set. Alternative character sets can be employed to accommodate characters used in non-Latin based languages (e.g., Chinese or Russian). These alternative character sets, when used, reduce the maximum number of characters to either 140 or 70, depending on the alternative character set used. Whichever character set is used, SMS messages are typically charged a fixed rate per single message, regardless of the actual length of the message. That is, when using the default GSM character set, there is a unit charge on a message whether this message contains zero characters, 160 characters, or any number in between. This unit charge is set by the mobile operator.

Present day implementation of SMS by mobile operators and supporting mobile phone devices allows concatenation of SMS messages to enable the composition and display of messages beyond the maximum limits discussed above. In this case, the unit charge is applied per single SMS message comprising the long message. Hence, using the default GSM character set, a long message having anywhere between 161 and 320 characters is charged twice the unit charge for a single message.

Billing of SMS messages is typically done using switch billing, rather than at the short message service center (SMSC). It is technically possible to effect alternative billing models through the mobile operator's intelligent network or IN. It is likewise technically possible to introduce probes into the signal path of the SMS message as it is transmitted from a sending subscriber's phone through the network before it reaches the receiving subscriber's phone, to determine various properties such as message length prior to delivery.

However, the above-mentioned alternative methods of billing SMS are by nature intrusive into the configured network elements and systems of the mobile operator. As such, resorting to these methods will result in complex changes and potentially high costs to the operator. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is to provide a means of charging SMS on a per character basis that does not require any changes to the typical mobile operator's billing systems or network but rather takes advantage of the established and already existing value added service (VAS) charging method.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a method of charging SMS messages comprising: a facilitator for per character charging of SMS messages, a mobile operator providing an SMS enabled mobile service, said mobile operator having a value added service (VAS) charging platform, a first subscriber of said mobile operator, a second subscriber of said mobile operator, an SMS message submitted by said first subscriber for delivery to said second subscriber, a short code through which said SMS message is submitted and redirected to said facilitator, means for specifying the recipient of said SMS message, means for counting the characters in said SMS message, said means operated by said facilitator, means for determining a tariff on said SMS message based on the number of characters in said SMS message, and means for charging said first subscriber the tariff determined by said means for determining a tariff. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the present charging method used by typical mobile operators.

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the per character SMS charging method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

Turning first to Fig 1 there is shown a typical arrangement for sending and charging an SMS message. A first subscriber 10 uses his mobile phone 11 to compose an SMS message 20 destined for mobile phone 16 of a second subscriber 15. The SMS message 20 is transmitted by the mobile phone 11 to the SMSC 31 of the mobile operator 30. The mobile operator performs a billing operation based on per SMS unit charging using its billing system 32, and transmits the SMS message 20 to the mobile phone 16 of the second subscriber 15. In accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 shows a per character SMS charging method. A first subscriber 50 uses his mobile phone 51 to compose an SMS message 60 destined for the mobile phone 56 of a second subscriber 55. The SMS message 60 is transmitted by the mobile phone 51 to the SMSC 71 of the mobile operator 70. The mobile operator 70 then sends the SMS message 60 to a per character SMS charging facilitator 80, that uses a program 81 to count the characters in the SMS message 60. The per character SMS charging facilitator 80 looks up a tariff in a rate table 82 that contains tariffs associated with the number of characters in an SMS message. The per character SMS charging facilitator 80 then instructs the value added service billing system 73 of the mobile operator 70 to bill or debit the first subscriber 50 the determined tariff. Upon successful billing, the mobile operator 70 transmits the SMS message 60 to the mobile phone 56 of the second subscriber 55.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a per character SMS charging facilitator, a program for counting the characters in an SMS message operated by said per character SMS charging facilitator, a rate table associating preset tariffs for the number of characters in an SMS message, a mobile operator, a short code operated by the mobile operator through which said SMS message is submitted and redirected to said facilitator, means for specifying the recipient of said SMS message, a value added service charging facility used by said mobile operator capable of charging the preset tariffs in said rate table, a first subscriber of said mobile operator, a second subscriber of said mobile operator, and an SMS message sent by said first subscriber to said second subscriber.

In the preferred embodiment when the first subscriber sends the SMS message through said short code and in some manner specifies the recipient such as by including the recipients mobile number in the message, the mobile operator upon receipt of the SMS message redirects said SMS message to the per character SMS charging facilitator. The program for counting the characters in an SMS message processes the SMS message and calculates the character count of the said SMS message. The per character SMS charging facilitator looks up the tariff associated with the calculated character count from the said rate table. The per character SMS charging facilitator then instructs the mobile operator's value added service charging facility to bill or debit the first subscriber the appropriate amount determined by the per character SMS charging facilitator. After having successfully billed or debited the first subscriber by the tariff determined, the mobile operator transmits the SMS message to the second subscriber.

Provision is made for said per character SMS charging facilitator to keep track of the amount to be billed or debited the first subscriber and report and settle the same with the mobile operator at a later time, instead of instructing the mobile operator's value added service charging facility to do the billing or debiting in real time.

Provision is made for a second mobile operator and a third subscriber subscribing to the services of said second mobile operator. When a second SMS message is sent by the first subscriber to the third subscriber, instead of transmitting said second SMS message directly to the second subscriber, the first mobile operator may transmit said second SMS message via the network of the second mobile operator.

Provision is made for the per character SMS charging facilitator to be connected to the second mobile operator, in which case upon instructing the first mobile operator's value added service charging facility to bill or debit the first subscriber the determined tariff, said facilitator may take charge of transmitting said second SMS message to the second mobile operator for delivery to the third subscriber.

Provision is made for a mathematical formula to be used to compute a tariff based on the number of characters in said SMS message, instead of or in connection with said rate table.

Provision is made for the program to count characters in an SMS message to be configurable to be able to count the characters or other such unit (including but not limited to bytes, double bytes, bits) comprising an SMS message, multimedia message service (MMS) message, electronic mail (email) message, binary file, or other such collection of data representing a communication sent via the mobile network from a first subscriber using his mobile phone to the mobile phone of a second subscriber. Provision is further made for the rate table to include associated tariffs per number of units or tiered units, such that the facilitator is able to charge, using the method described herein, an SMS message, MMS message, email message, binary file, or other such collection of data sent by the first subscriber to the second subscriber, on a per-character, per-unit, tiered-character or tiered-unit basis.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1. A method of charging SMS messages comprising:

a facilitator for per character charging of SMS messages; a mobile operator providing an SMS enabled mobile service, said mobile operator having a value added service charging platform;

a value added service charging platform operated by said mobile operator;

a first subscriber of said mobile operator;

a second subscriber of said mobile operator;

an SMS message submitted by said first subscriber for delivery to said second subscriber;

means for counting the characters in said SMS message, said means operated by said facilitator;

means for determining a tariff on said SMS message based on the number of characters in said SMS message;

means for charging said first subscriber the tariff determined by said means for determining a tariff; and

means for charging said first subscriber the tariff determined by said means for a determining a tariff, using said value added service charging platform of said mobile operator.

2. A method of charging SMS messages as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

means for redirecting said SMS message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said second subscriber; and

means for delivering said SMS message to said second subscriber.

3. A method of charging SMS messages as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a second mobile operator providing an SMS enabled mobile service; and

a third subscriber of said second mobile operator.

4. A method of charging SMS messages as claimed in claim 3 wherein said SMS message is submitted by said first subscriber for delivery to said third subscriber.

5. A method of charging SMS messages as claimed in claim 4 further comprising:

means for redirecting said SMS message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said third subscriber; and

means for delivering said SMS message to said third subscriber.

6. A method of charging SMS messages as claimed in claims 2 and 5 where said means for redirecting said SMS message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said second and third subscribers is through the use of a short code and messaging keywords.

7. A method of charging SMS messages as claimed in claims 2 and 5 where said means for redirecting said SMS message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said second and third subscribers is through the use of a short code with or without suffixing of said short code.-

8. A method of charging MMS messages, email messages, binary file transmittals or other messages sent from one mobile phone to another comprising:

a facilitator for per unit charging of MMS messages, email messages, binary file transmittals or other messages sent from one mobile phone to another;

a mobile operator providing a mobile service capable of transmitting MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages, said mobile operator having a value added service charging platform;

a first subscriber of said mobile operator;

a second subscriber of said mobile operator;

an MMS message, email message, binary file or other message submitted by said first subscriber for delivery to said second subscriber;

means for counting the units of data in said SMS message, said means operated by said facilitator;

means for determining a tariff on said MMS message, email message, binary file or other message based on the number of data units in said message; and means for charging said first subscriber the tariff determined by said means for determining a tariff.

9. A method of charging MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

means for redirecting said MMS message, email message, binary file or other message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said second subscriber; and means for delivering said MMS message, email message, binary file or other message to said second subscriber.

10. A method of charging MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages as claimed in claim 6 further comprising: a second mobile operator providing a mobile service capable of transmitting MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages; and a third subscriber of said second mobile operator.

11. A method of charging MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages as claimed in claim 8 wherein said MMS message, email message, binary file or other message is submitted by said first subscriber for delivery to said third subscriber.

12. A method of charging MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages as claimed in claim 9 further comprising:

means for redirecting said MMS message, email message, binary file or other message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said third subscriber; and

means for delivering said MMS message, email message, binary file or other message Jo said third subscriber.

13. A method of charging MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages as claimed in claims 9 and 12 where said means for redirecting said SMS message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said second and third subscribers is through the use of a short code and messaging keywords.

14. A method of charging MMS messages, email messages, binary files or other messages as claimed in claims 9 and 12 where said means for redirecting said SMS message to said facilitator prior to delivery to said second and third subscribers is through the use of a short code with or without suffixing of said short code.