SMS Polling for Mobile Address Book Population
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Solution Overview
Problem
Populating missing data in mobile device address books is a time-consuming and error-prone manual process, with existing automated solutions failing to directly address the issue of obtaining address information on a user's own device.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses SMS polling to asynchronously and transparently retrieve and populate missing address book attributes on mobile devices by sending and receiving SMS messages, parsing requests, and loading received data into the address book.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual process is used to populate address book attributes, then data accuracy can be maintained, but time consumption and error probability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables contacts to automatically provide their own address book attributes by receiving and responding to SMS polling requests. The mobile device autonomously sends requests to contacts and processes the returned information, eliminating the need for manual data entry while maintaining data accuracy through direct source verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where SMS requests are sent to contacts and their responses are automatically received and processed. This closed-loop feedback system allows the mobile device to retrieve accurate attribute information directly from contacts and update the address book automatically, resolving the contradiction between speed and accuracy.
2Extent of automation
If automated push mode synchronization is used, then address book population can be automated, but the solution fails to directly obtain address information at the user's own device
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pushing address book data from a central server or other devices to the user's device (traditional synchronization approach), the system inverts the approach by having the user's device actively poll and request attribute information directly from contacts via SMS. This allows automated population while ensuring the data is obtained directly at the user's own device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses SMS messages as an intermediary communication channel between the mobile device and contacts. The SMS polling mechanism serves as a mediator that enables automated information exchange, allowing the device to directly obtain address information from contacts without requiring complex synchronization infrastructure.
3Productivity
If SMS polling is used to retrieve address book attributes, then automated population can be achieved, but additional communication overhead is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages the universal SMS messaging capability that already exists on all mobile devices to perform address book population. By using the existing SMS infrastructure for a new polling function, the system achieves automated address book population without introducing complex proprietary communication protocols or additional hardware requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing SMS message format and protocol as a template for the polling mechanism. By copying and adapting the familiar SMS communication paradigm for address book attribute retrieval, the system maintains simplicity while enabling automated population, avoiding the need to design and implement a complex new communication system.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method and program product that automatically populates address book fields. A system is described that includes: a system for sending and receiving SMS messages; an address book that includes an entry for an owner and entries for contacts associated with the owner, wherein each entry includes a set attributes and at least one piece of attribute data; a system for parsing an incoming SMS message to identify a request for attribute data of the owner and for generating a responsive SMS message with attribute data of the owner; and a system for issuing SMS messages to contacts in the address book requesting additional attribute data and for loading received attribute data into the address book.