Patent ID: 8929932
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A machine-implemented method for releasing a phone number assigned to an active user session for an interactive system communicating over a Short Message Service (SMS), the method comprising: for a first phone number assigned to a first user session, determining whether the first phone number is inactive during a first period of time; changing the status of the first phone number from a busy status to a stale status if the first phone number is inactive during the first period of time; changing the status of the first phone number from the stale status to a free status after a second period of time has elapsed; after changing the status of the first phone number to the stale status, receiving a first SMS message over the first phone number from a communication device corresponding to the user session; and transmitting a second SMS message over the first phone number to the communication device, wherein the second SMS message includes data indicating that the first user session is expired.