Transparent SMS Router for Concatenated Messages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current SMS routing technologies are unable to transparently handle concatenated messages, leading to issues with billing accuracy and compliance with delivery confirmation requirements, as they interrupt the original message flow and cause non-transparent handling of SMS messages, which affects billing and legal obligations.
Innovation Solution
An SMS router with state database management, service logic, and routing engine to handle concatenated messages transparently by relaying or proxying MAP messages, allowing services to be applied without altering the original message flow, and maintaining accurate billing and delivery reports.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If concatenated messages are stored temporarily to apply services, then service functionality is enabled, but billing accuracy and delivery report transparency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the handling of concatenated messages by processing each segment individually through the service router while maintaining state information. This allows services to be applied to each segment without requiring complete message assembly, thereby maintaining billing accuracy for each segment while enabling service functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The service router acts as an intermediary between the SMSC and the service application. It intercepts individual message segments, applies services transparently, and forwards segments to the service center without disrupting the original message flow. This intermediary role enables service functionality while preserving billing accuracy and delivery report transparency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If non-transparent handling is used to apply services, then service control is enabled, but compliance with delivery confirmation requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the service router monitors delivery status of each message segment and maintains state information about message flow. This feedback enables the router to apply services control while ensuring that delivery confirmations are properly tracked and reported, maintaining compliance with legal requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The service router serves as a transparent intermediary that applies service control to concatenated messages without breaking the original message flow. It maintains state information to track delivery status and ensures that delivery confirmations are properly reported to the originating operator, thereby maintaining compliance while enabling service control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If message flow is interrupted to apply services, then service application capability is improved, but message processing transparency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the service application functionality from the main message flow path. The service router intercepts message segments, applies services in a separate processing path, and then forwards segments back to the original message flow. This extraction enables service application capability while maintaining message processing transparency by not disrupting the original flow sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The service router acts as a transparent intermediary that applies services without interrupting the message flow. It receives segments, applies services, and forwards them along the original message path, maintaining the sequence and structure of the concatenated message while enabling service application capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A message router comprises a message controller with service logic functions, and a state database. It receives and processes message segments, maintains state of single and concatenated messages, and applies services to the messages. A routing and discrimination engine accesses a selected state database among an associated database and distributed state databases. The controller operates in a transparent-relay mode in which a message is relayed to a network element and the response from the network element is returned directly to an originator. The relaying may be performed using SCCP relaying. The controller can operate in a transparent- proxy mode in which it generates a fresh message and sends it to a network element and receives the response from the network element, and in turn returns a response to the originator.