Interactive Text Messaging System for Direct User Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Text messaging systems lack an attendant function that allows users to establish a direct two-way text communication link with a specific individual, similar to IVR systems in voice telecommunication.
Innovation Solution
A text messaging system that receives a first message addressed to a general corporate address, sends a second message to identify individual users, and upon selection, establishes a text messaging session between the user and the selected individual using a text messaging attendant that manages routing and filtering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a general text messaging address is used for corporate communication, then users can send messages to the corporation, but the system cannot establish direct two-way communication links with specific individual users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an Interactive Text Messaging System (ITMS) that acts as an intermediary between users and corporate employees. The ITMS receives messages at a general corporate address, processes them through menu-driven interfaces, and routes them to specific individuals. This mediator enables direct two-way communication without requiring users to know individual employee addresses, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ITMS serves multiple functions: it acts as a message router, a user interface provider (presenting menus and options), a session manager (establishing and terminating communications), and a privacy protector. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single universal system, the patent enables direct two-way communication while managing the underlying complexity centrally rather than distributing it across multiple components.
2Ease of operation
If individual user addresses are disclosed to enable direct communication, then users can contact specific individuals, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The ITMS serves as a privacy-protecting intermediary that hides individual user addresses. When a user wants to contact a specific employee, they interact with the ITMS which presents employee names and identifiers through menus. The ITMS then routes the message to the intended recipient using their private address without the sender ever seeing it. This intermediary mechanism enables direct communication while protecting user privacy from exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication process is segmented into distinct phases: message composition by the user, intermediate processing by the ITMS (including menu presentation and address lookup), and final delivery to the recipient. This segmentation separates the privacy-sensitive address information from the user's direct interaction, allowing communication to proceed while keeping address data concealed within the intermediate processing stage.
3Measurement precision
If a menu-driven interface is implemented for user selection, then specific individuals can be identified, but additional messaging steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The ITMS performs preliminary actions by pre-organizing employee information into structured menus with names, titles, and identifiers before user interaction. When a user wants to contact someone, the relevant options are already prepared and presented immediately. The system also pre-establishes routing rules and address mappings, so that once a user makes their selection from the menu, the message can be rapidly routed without additional lookup delays. This preliminary preparation reduces the time penalty associated with menu-driven interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A first text message is received from a first user communication endpoint. In one embodiment, the first text message is addressed to a general text messaging address for a corporation. In response to receiving the first text message from the first user communication endpoint, a second text message is sent to the first user communication endpoint. The second text message is used to identify a way to select an individual user of the plurality users. For example, the second text message may have a menu with a list of users. A third text message is received from the first user communication endpoint. The third text message identifies the individual user of the plurality of users. A fourth text message is sent that allows the first user communication endpoint and a user communication endpoint of the selected individual user to establish a text messaging session.