SMS Subscription Routing for Broadcast Content and Private Replies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing online interactive platforms face challenges in managing user interactions due to the sheer volume of posts, making it unlikely for content sources to respond to all user queries, and require users to repeatedly check multiple mobile applications for new content.
Innovation Solution
An SMS-based dual mode content subscription system that allows subscribers to receive content via SMS broadcasts from a single sender address, with replies directed only to the sender, enabling 1:1 communication between hosts and subscribers without broadcasting to others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users check multiple mobile applications intermittently to see new content, then users can access content from multiple sources, but users experience time consumption and inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an SMS gateway as an intermediary between content sources and users. Instead of users actively checking multiple applications, the SMS gateway passively receives content notifications from sources and delivers them to users' mobile devices via SMS messages, eliminating the need for users to intermittently check applications while maintaining content access capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of users manually opening and checking multiple mobile applications with an automated SMS-based notification system. Content sources send notifications through the SMS gateway, which automatically delivers them to users' phones, substituting the manual checking process with an automated message delivery mechanism
2Ease of operation
If users post questions on online interactive platforms, then users can seek information and dialogue with content sources, but content sources cannot respond to all posts due to the sheer number of posts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication flow into two distinct modes: broadcast mode for content distribution and unidirectional notification, and point-to-point mode for targeted Q&A interactions. This segmentation allows content sources to efficiently distribute content to all subscribers while maintaining the ability to have private, targeted conversations with individual users who send questions, thereby improving response rate without sacrificing interaction capability
Solution Approach 2:
The SMS gateway acts as an intermediary that manages the communication burden. It handles the broadcast distribution of content to all subscribers automatically, while individual user questions are routed through the gateway to the content source. This intermediary system filters and organizes communications, allowing content sources to respond more effectively to user questions without being overwhelmed by the volume of posts
3Productivity
If a broadcast SMS message is sent to multiple subscribers using a same sender address, then efficient content distribution is achieved, but reply messages from subscribers would be broadcast to all recipients if not properly controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the reply message delivery address dynamic and subscriber-specific. While the broadcast message uses a common sender address for efficient distribution, the reply message system identifies the specific subscriber who sent the reply and delivers the response only to that subscriber's device. This is achieved by embedding subscriber identification information in the SMS message routing parameters, so that the local quality of reply delivery is personalized to each subscriber while maintaining the efficiency of broadcast distribution
Data Source
AI summary
An SMS-based dual mode content subscription system is disclosed. A first broadcast message associated with a subscription content source is received. A set of destination SMS addresses is determined, each destination SMS address associated with a different subscription to the subscription content source and corresponding to a different mobile device. An SMS message that includes the first broadcast message is sent to each destination SMS address, the SMS message identifying a same first sender SMS address. A reply SMS message is received from a first mobile device of a plurality of mobile devices, the reply SMS message being directed to the first sender SMS address and not being distributed to any other mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices. In response to the reply SMS message, a second SMS message that includes a first subscriber message is sent to only the first mobile device.