Message Center Appending Device Data to SMS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often request content via SMS that is not compatible with their devices, leading to frustration and unnecessary charges, especially when location-specific content is not tailored correctly, necessitating a method to append device and location information to SMS messages for ensuring compatibility and relevance.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to append device information, location information, and presence information to mobile-originated short messages by querying subscriber directories, mobile location centers, and presence servers, which then send this data as optional Tag Length Values within SMPP protocol data units to content providers, ensuring content is compatible and relevant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If device information and location information are appended to SMS messages, then content compatibility and relevance are improved, but message complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a message center as an intermediary component that automatically extracts device information from subscriber profiles and appends it to SMS messages. This mediator handles the complexity of information gathering and message modification, allowing the mobile station to send simple messages while still receiving compatible content. The message center acts as a bridge between the simple SMS protocol and the need for device-specific information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-gathering device information from subscriber directories before content delivery. The message center queries the subscriber directory in advance to obtain device characteristics, then incorporates this information into the message routing process. This preliminary preparation ensures that content providers receive necessary device information without requiring the mobile station to collect or manage such data.
2Reliability
If device information is queried from subscriber directories, then content compatibility is ensured, but network processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Device information is retrieved from subscriber directories in advance and stored in the message center's database. When an SMS is sent, the message center quickly accesses pre-stored device information rather than querying external directories in real-time. This preliminary caching of subscriber data significantly reduces processing time while ensuring accurate device information is available for content compatibility verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The message center autonomously manages the collection, storage, and retrieval of device information without requiring manual intervention or real-time external queries. The system serves itself by maintaining local copies of subscriber device profiles, enabling rapid message processing while ensuring content compatibility through automatic device information matching.
3Adaptability or versatility
If optional Tag Length Values are appended to SMPP PDUs, then content provider compatibility is maintained, but message data size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements optional Tag Length Values (TLVs) in the SMPP protocol that are conditionally appended to messages based on content provider requirements. Not all messages include these additional fields - only those where content compatibility verification is needed. This partial application of the data appending approach maintains backward compatibility with content providers that do not require device information while providing enhanced compatibility where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The message structure is dynamically modified by changing parameters such as the inclusion of device information fields based on the specific content provider and content type. The system adjusts the message parameters (adding or omitting TLVs) to match the requirements of the destination, optimizing the balance between message size and compatibility requirements for each individual transaction.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for appending additional device, location, and/or presence information to a mobile-originated (MO) short message are taught herein. One such method for appending additional device information includes receiving a MO short message at a message center. The MO short message includes a content request. The message center sends a query to a subscriber directory for device information corresponding to the device of the requesting subscriber. The subscriber directory searches for the device information and generates a response to be sent to the message center, the response including the device information. The subscriber directory sends the response to the message center, which appends the device information to the MO short message. The message center then sends the short message to the destination, for example, a content provider. Methods for appending location and/or presence information are also taught.