Abstract:
A method for transmitting SMS messages to a subscriber GSM telephone after a call is ended and authenticating the source of the delivered text message with a logo or other graphic not forwardable by mobile phone subscribers is provided. In the present invention, audio advertisements are selected based on a mobile phone subscriber&#39;s profile, and accompanying SMS messages or m-coupons are further transmitted to the subscriber only upon their request. A check will be carried out on the eligibility of the subscriber to receive the SMS message they had requested for. This check limits the number of times the subscriber receives a same SMS message. If the subscriber is eligible to receive the message, an authenticating symbol is included in the SMS message before transmission so that retransmission to other users will delete the graphic and render the SMS message invalid for business transactions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to GSM telephone communications that use short message service (SMS) text messaging, and more particularly to the delivery of any SMS text after a call is ended and authenticating the source of the delivered text message with a logo or other graphic not forwardable by mobile phone subscribers. 
   2. Description of Background Information 
   The Short Message Service (SMS) defines sending and receiving mobile telephone text messages. SMS is part of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) digital standard. An SMS text can comprise of words or numbers or an alphanumeric combination for up to 160 characters of text in length using default GSM alphabet coding. SMS has become extremely popular because it can be used when voice is not the easiest or best communications medium. For example, it may be difficult or troublesome to listen to a voice call, jot down information at the same time and enter the information into the memory of the mobile phone. SMS provides an easy way to send information to a mobile phone subscriber and retrieve it later from the mobile telephone&#39;s local memory. 
   Apart from transmission of simple information, SMS is increasingly used as an advertising channel such as with a “Sponsored Call” service application. The Sponsored Call service provides a mobile phone subscriber an option to listen to a pre-recorded audio advertisement provided by a sponsor and to receive a portion of their call paid for by the sponsor. When the mobile phone subscriber chooses to listen to an audio message—typically an advertisement message, they may also simultaneously receive an SMS message relating to the audio message for future access to the same information. The SMS text message is displayed on the mobile phone and stored in the local phone memory. 
   The conventional Sponsored Call service has a few disadvantages. Although the Sponsored Call service integrates audio and SMS advertising, the accompanying SMS text message is automatically sent to the subscriber simultaneous with the audio advertisement message. Subscribers may be bothered by these unwanted SMS messages, and the advertising effect may therefore be reduced. Some of these SMS messages may contain discounts to products and services, e.g., electronic or mobile coupons (“m-coupons”). But offering m-coupons through SMS messages to every subscriber listening to the audio message, and allowing the SMS message to be easily forwarded to other subscribers, reduces the appeal and apparent worth of the m-coupons. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a method and a system for transmitting audio and SMS messages to a mobile phone subscriber in a mobile telecommunications network and authenticating the source of the SMS message. 
   According to a method embodiment of the present invention, a Sponsor Call service is initiated by a mobile phone subscriber. The subscriber is identified and appropriate audio advertisement messages and/or SMS messages are selected according to the subscriber profile information maintained in a database. The audio message is transmitted and played to the subscriber. If the subscriber wants to receive an associated SMS message or m-coupon, they are prompted to press a particular request key. A test is made to see if the subscriber is eligible to receive such SMS message. If not, an alternative message is sent. An authenticating symbol may be included in a User Data Header of the SMS message so that if the subscriber tries to forward the message to another mobile phone user, the authenticating symbol will be missing and thus indicate the source is not the sponsor. 
   An advantage of the present invention is a system is provided that always delivers SMS messages non-intrusively and timely, each SMS message is transmitted only on subscriber request and only after the underlying telephone call has ended. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is a method is provided for using an authenticating symbol in each message that helps prevent the impersonation of advertisers and limit the duplication of message. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a GSM-SMS phone embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart diagram of a method embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  represents a system embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  100 . The system  100  comprises an OpenCall Media Platform  102  (OCMP), a Call Media Server  104  (CMS) as part of the OCMP  102 , an SMS gateway module  106 , an advertisement (ad) delivery system  108 , an operator&#39;s SMS center  110  (SMSC), a wireless telecommunications network  112 , and a mobile phone unit  114 . For example, the OpenCall Media Platform  102  can be implemented with a voice service platform that enables rapid development, and secure deployment of next generation unified communications, portals and enhanced voice-enabled interactive services, directly into service provider networks. See Hewlett-Packard OpenCall platforms described at www.hp.com/communications/opencall. HP OpenCall is a suite of comprehensive, carrier-grade platforms for developing and deploying next-generation voice, data and converged services. HP OpenCall platforms connect to any network and enable people to use phones to communicate, access information, and conduct transactions in an always-on infrastructure. 
   The Call Media Server  104  (CMS) is preferably implemented with a Java service that runs on the OCMP  102 . It deals with call progression of mobile telephone subscribers and includes a call state machine to handle a sponsored call. The CMS  104  connects incoming calls to destination numbers, updates remaining free airtime, interfaces with the Ad Delivery system  108  to play audio messages, and transmits DTMF tone requests for SMS text messages to the SMS gateway module  106 . The Call Media Server  104  connects an incoming call to a specified destination party, disconnects the call parties at the end of a call and disconnects a trunk leg to play advertisements and messages. Further, the CMS  104  plays an initial audio message and audio advertisement message for sponsored calls, detects a change from a sponsored to a non-sponsored mode, interfaces with an advertisement management system of the Ad Delivery system  108  for retrieving a list of advertisements, and transmits the DTMF tones from a subscriber to the SMS gateway module  106 . 
   The SMS Gateway module  106  transmits SMS messages and m-coupons to subscriber requesting them by pressing a predetermined DTMF key while listening to an audio advertisement during a sponsored call. Prior to transmitting the SMS message to the subscriber, the SMS gateway  106  fetches the requested SMS message from the Ad Delivery System  108 . The SMS gateway  106  also decides whether to transmit the m-coupon to the subscriber, and if it decides to transmit then it automatically inserts an authenticating symbol into the coupons to guard against source impersonation and fraud. 
   The Ad Delivery system  108  includes a database for advertisement and subscriber profile management. The advertisement management function associates the audio advertisements with corresponding SMS m-coupons. It tracks which SMS m-coupons have already been offered to the subscriber to prevent duplications. The subscriber profile management function associates subscribers and their profiles to find an appropriate set of audio advertisement messages to deliver during a sponsored call. 
     FIG. 2  represents a method embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral  200 . The method  200  starts in a SUBSCRIBER INITIATES SPONSORED CALL step  202 , where a mobile phone subscriber initiates a call and selects the Sponsor Call service. Such Sponsor Call service provides a subsidy by a sponsor in return for accepting an advertisement message from the sponsor. The call is lodged, for example, with the OCMP  102  ( FIG. 1 ) and received by the Call Media Server  104 . 
   The Call Media Server  104  queries the Ad Delivery System  108  to select pre-recorded audio advertisement messages based on the subscriber&#39;s profile in a SELECT MESSAGE BASED ON SUBSCRIBER&#39;S PROFILE step  204 . Such messages are targeted to the preferences of the particular subscribers. Subscriber preferences and areas of interest are stored in a database in the Ad Delivery System  108 , e.g., a subscriber database  116 . A process in the Ad Delivery system  108  matches the subscriber to a corresponding subscriber profile in the subscriber database  116  and accesses the database contents in a SELECT MESSAGE BASED ON SUBSCRIBER&#39;S PROFILE step  204 . The subscriber is identified by a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). In step  204 , audio advertising messages are selected and SMS messages are pre-associated with each audio message. Alternatively, step  204  may extend to support the selection of both audio and SMS messages. The purpose in selecting advertisements based on a subscriber&#39;s profile is to increase the effectiveness of the advertising. An example of a subscriber&#39;s profile may be a location-based factor. A location server may be integrated with the OpenCall Media Platform  102  so that the location of the subscriber at the time of initiating the call cal be one determinant in selecting appropriate audio advertisement messages. The current location of the subscriber may be determined using GSM technology, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, etc. 
   In a PLAY AUDIO ADVERTISEMENT MESSAGE step  206 , the appropriate audio messages are transmitted through wireless telecommunication network  112  and played to the subscriber. 
   During or after the audio advertisement message, the subscriber can choose, e.g., to receive an m-coupon for “30% discount on all GOR-MAY products”. The choices are lodged by the user by pressing the Dual Tone Multi Frequency (DTMF) keys on the handset keypad. An IS DTMF KEY PRESSED? decision step  208  looks for the subscriber&#39;s response. If the subscriber does not wish to receive the associated SMS message, they may press another key as instructed, disconnect the call, etc. The method  200  will then proceed to an END step  210 . If the subscriber wants the m-coupon, they press the specified key to generate a DTMF tone. Such DTMF tone is transmitted to the Open Call Media Platform  102  and requests the associated SMS message via SMS gateway  106  in a TRANSMIT REQUEST TO SMS GATEWAY step  212 . 
   The SMS gateway  106  interacts with the Ad Delivery system  108  to get the requested SMS message in a GET SMS MESSAGE step  214 . The SMS gateway  106  also checks whether the subscriber is eligible to receive the SMS message in an IS SUBSCRIBER ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS SMS MESSAGE? decision step  216 . If the subscriber is not eligible to receive this SMS message, the method  200  then proceeds to a TRANSMIT ALTERNATIVE MESSAGE step  218 , where the subscriber may receive an alternative SMS message. If the subscriber is eligible to receive the SMS message, the method  200  proceeds to an EMBED LOGO step  220 . 
   Subscriber message eligibility may be pre-defined by the relevant sponsor. One objective for defining eligibility is to limit the number of m-coupons or SMS messages with the same content. Some examples of eligibility conditions include: “Is subscriber receiving this SMS message for the first time?”, “Is subscriber receiving this SMS message for less than ‘X’ times?, where ‘X’ is predetermined by the sponsor” and “Is subscriber receiving this SMS message for less than ‘X’ times during ‘Y’ time period?, where ‘Y’ is also predetermined by the sponsor”. 
   Existing m-coupons or SMS messages can be forwarded from a subscriber to another mobile phone user. A subscriber that did not subscribe to the Sponsor Call service or listen to the audio message can also benefit from the associated SMS messages or m-coupons. But to prevent other users from benefiting, an authenticating symbol is embedded in the SMS message. If the subscriber forwards the SMS message to another mobile phone user, the logo will be automatically and unavoidably deleted while the remaining portion of the SMS message is forwarded intact. Retailers can thus be warned not to accept any m-coupons or SMS messages lacking the authenticating symbol, such as the sponsor&#39;s logo. Such logo is preferably placed in a prominent position. For example, by displaying it in the background or foreground of the message, to prevent unauthorized and indiscriminate distribution of the m-coupons. The logo may be embedded in an encoded format in a User Data Header of the SMS message. For example, see the GSM standards and provided by the ETSI organization, especially GSM 03.40 and GSM 03.38. 
   After the EMBED LOGO step  220 , the SMS message is transmitted to the subscriber via the telecommunication operator&#39;s SMS center  110  and the wireless network  112  in a TRANSMIT SMS MESSAGE step  222 . The SMS message is transmitted to the subscriber only after the call initiated by the subscriber ends to ensure the SMS message is not sent in the midst of the call but after it concludes. 
   When the SMS message is successfully transmitted, the transmission status is updated in the Ad Delivery system  108  in an UPDATE STATUS step  224 . The transmission count to subscribers for each type of SMS message is stored in a database for use in a feedback mechanism. The feedback mechanism is incorporated in the IS SUBSCRIBER ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS SMS MESSAGE? decision step  216  for (1) measuring effectiveness of the advertising efforts and (2) for preventing an excessive number of m-coupons or SMS messages from being sent to the same subscriber. In the former purpose, such data may be collated for enabling the sponsors to assess and refine their advertising strategies. In the latter purpose, the collated data is used to ascertain whether a subscriber is eligible to receive a particular m-coupon or SMS message to limit the number of times a same SMS message or m-coupons can be transmitted to a particular subscriber. 
   Although the present invention has been described in terms of the present embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alterations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alterations and modifications as fall within the “true” spirit and scope of the invention.