Abstract:
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing a first delivery attempt (FDA) for short message peer-to-peer messages are disclosed. One method includes receiving, in a first network, a short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) message from second communications network external to the first communications network. The SMPP message is converted into a mobile originated SMS message. The method also includes forwarding the mobile originated SMS message to a first delivery attempt (FDA) device, wherein the FDA device converts the mobile originated SMS message into a mobile terminated SMS message. The mobile terminated SMS message is delivered to a device in the local communications network.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/117,940, filed Nov. 25, 2008; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The subject matter described herein relates to providing first delivery attempt (FDA) services for short message service (SMS) messages originating from an external communications network. More specifically, the subject matter relates to methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing first delivery attempt service for short message peer-to-peer (SMPP) messages. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A mobile communication network is presently able to send SMS messages to and receive SMS messages from a plurality of different external communication networks. The communication of SMS messages between different mobile communications networks is made possible by utilizing the short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) and SMPP gateway(s). However, due to the proliferation of SMS message use in communication networks, short message service centers (SMSCs) that exist in these networks frequently become overloaded. An SMSC is responsible for storing and forwarding SMS messages, conducting a prepaid/post paid analysis of the sender and/or recipient, generating queries of the home location register (HLR) to determine the mobile service center (MSC) serving the recipient party, and delivering SMS messages from external networks, for example as mobile terminated forward SM (MT_Forward_SM) messages. As an ever increasing number of subscribers begins to use SMS communications, the load on these SMSCs similarly increases. 
         [0004]    To reduce the growing SMSC workload, some networks have tried to employ a first delivery attempt (FDA) service to alleviate a portion of the SMS traffic that is originated within the local network. FDA service involves delivering SMS messages to destinations without providing store and forward services where the message is stored until the destination is available and then delivered. FDA service can be implemented for SMS messages transmitted to or from machine destinations. For example, FDA service may be provided for SMS messages sent to voting applications or SMS messages transmitted from ad servers. Existing FDA services in telecommunication networks are configured (i.e., with software and hardware architectures) to process mobile originated forward short message (MO_Forward_SM or MO_FSM) messages that are generated by local MSCs that receive SMS messages from local network subscribers and to attempt to deliver those messages immediately without store and forward service. 
         [0005]    In some networks, the FDA service is normally conducted by a server that is configured to receive and process mobile originated SMS (MO_SMS) messages. For each received MO_SMS message, the server normally accesses an HLR to determine if the intended recipient is a subscriber in the local network. If so, the server delivers the SMS message to the intended recipient without sending the message to the SMSC. By delivering the SMS messages to local recipients using FDA, the local SMSC is not accessed, and thus the SMSC workload is decreased. However, due to certain differences that exist in signaling protocols (e.g., SMPP vs. SS7), only mobile originated SMS messages are capable of having the FDA service applied. This network limitation poses problems because a considerable number of SMS messages processed within a local network are generated by external networks and are not mobile originated SMS messages. Therefore, SMS messages (e.g., contained in SMPP messages) received from external networks to be delivered to subscribers in the local network present a significant burden to the local network&#39;s SMSC. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, a need exists for improved methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing a first delivery attempt for SMPP messages. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing a first delivery attempt (FDA) for short message peer-to-peer messages are disclosed. One method includes receiving, in a first network, a short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) message from second communications network external to the first communications network. The SMPP message is converted into a mobile originated SMS message. The method also includes forwarding the mobile originated SMS message to a first delivery attempt (FDA) device, wherein the FDA device converts the mobile originated SMS message into a mobile terminated SMS message. The mobile terminated SMS message is delivered to a device in the local communications network. 
         [0008]    The subject matter described herein for providing first delivery attempt service for short message peer-to-peer messages may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. As such, the terms “function” or “module” as used herein refer to hardware, software, and/or firmware for implementing the feature being described. 
         [0009]    In one exemplary implementation, the subject matter described herein may be implemented using a computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps. Exemplary computer readable media suitable for implementing the subject matter described herein include disk memory devices, chip memory devices, programmable logic devices, application specific integrated circuits, and other non-transitory storage media. In one implementation, the computer readable medium may include a memory accessible by a processor of a computer or other like device. The memory may include instructions executable by the processor for implementing any of the methods for providing a first delivery attempt (FDA) for short message peer-to-peer messages described herein. In addition, a computer readable medium that implements the subject matter described herein may be located on a single device or computing platform or may be distributed across multiple physical devices and/or computing platforms. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The subject matter described herein will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a network diagram of a short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) originated message path delivery; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a network diagram of a SMPP originated message delivery path where the SMPP gateway performs prepaid/postpaid analysis; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a network structured to apply a first delivery attempt (FDA) solution via an SMPP gateway that converts SMPP messages according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a network structured to apply a first delivery attempt (FDA) solution via a signal transfer point (STP) that converts SMPP messages according to an embodiment of the subject matter described herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  depicts a network diagram illustrating short message peer-to-peer protocol (SMPP) message path without first delivery attempt service. Referring to  FIG. 1 , an SMPP gateway node  102  receives an SMPP message, which includes an SMS message, from an application server  114  or other network element in an external network (e.g., interconnect (I/C) gateway  118  and message server  120 ). SMPP gateway node  102  responds by generating an SMPP submit-SM message that is forwarded to a short message service center (SMSC)  104 . In order to deliver the associated SMS message to the proper receiving endpoint device (e.g., mobile device  116 ), SMSC  104  sends an SRI_SM message to a network home location register (HLR)  110 . In response, HLR  110  sends an SRI_SM acknowledgement message that contains mobile service center (MSC) information, such as the “B number” of the MSC serving the recipient mobile device  116 . SMSC  104  then generates a mobile terminated SMS (MT-SMS) message, which is sent over the SS7 network to the serving MSC (e.g., MSC  106 ). As the MT-SMS message traverses the SS7 network, the message may be routed by one or more signal transfer points (STPs)  112 . In the illustrated example, an STP routes the MT-SMS message to MSC  106  serving the intended mobile device  116 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  depicts a network diagram of an SMPP FDA path solution. Namely, an SMPP gateway  202  performs most of the processing and delivery tasks conducted by the SMSC shown in  FIG. 1 . SMPP gateway node  202  initially receives an SMPP message, which includes an SMS message, from an application server  214  or some other network element located in a foreign network. SMPP gateway node  202  responds by generating an SMPP submit-SM message. Instead of forwarding the submit-SM message to an SMSC  204 , SMPP gateway node  202  functions as a first delivery attempt service. Namely, SMPP gateway node  202  generates and sends an SRI_SM message to HLR  210  in order to determine the proper receiving endpoint device (e.g., mobile device  216 ) to deliver the SMS message. In response, HLR  210  sends an SRI_SM acknowledgement message that contains mobile service center information, such as the “B number” of the MSC (e.g., MSC  206 ) serving the recipient endpoint device (e.g., mobile phone device  216 ). SMPP gateway node  202  then generates a mobile terminated SMS (MT-SMS) message, which is sent over the SS7 network to MSC  206 . As the MT-SMS message traverses the SS7 network, the message may be routed by one or more STPs  212  and is delivered to MSC  206  serving mobile device  216 . Notably, in this scenario, the SMPP gateway node  202  processes the SMS message and performs an FDA before SMSC  204  conducts any processing. 
         [0017]      FIG. 3  depicts a network diagram of an SMPP originated first delivery attempt path solution in accordance to one embodiment of the present subject matter. An SMPP gateway node  302  initially receives an SMPP submit-SM message from an application server  314  or other network element in an external network. SMPP gateway node  302  then converts the SMPP submit message into a mobile originated (MO) Forward_SM message and forwards the message to or towards an STP  312  associated with the SS7 network. The MO_Forward_SM message is received at STP  312  for routing and/or processing. The MO_Forward_SM message may be MTP-routed or GTT-routed. Once the original SMS message has been converted to a MO_Forward_SM message, an existing FDA device or network element may be utilized. More specifically, the network&#39;s existing software logic and hardware for processing MO_SMS messages may be used to process the converted foreign SMPP messages. Thus, the workload of SMSC  304  is reduced. 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  depicts a network for providing FDA services to SMPP messages (which include SMS messages) originating from an external network. In one embodiment, an SMPP submit-SM message originating from an external network (e.g., a message from a mobile device or software application in network  401 ) is received at SMPP gateway  402 . In one embodiment, SMPP gateway  402  forwards the SMPP message, which contains the SMS message, to an STP  414 . Instead of converting the message into an MT_SMS message, STP  414  converts the SMPP message into a mobile originated (MO) SMS message (e.g., a MO_Forward_ShortMessage). After the conversion process is conducted, the MO_SMS message is routed. In one embodiment, the MO_SMS message may either be MTP-routed or GTT-routed. For example, when the SMPP message is received at a conversion module  420  integrated in STP  414  (or alternatively, a standalone conversion module/device outside the STP), conversion module  420  may send an acknowledgement message to SMPP gateway  402 , which in turn notifies the sending network that the original SMS message was received. Conversion module  420  may then generate the MO_SMS message in addition to starting a timer (e.g., a time limit) in order to record the amount of time that transpires before an acknowledgement of the notification message is received. In one embodiment, conversion module  420  in STP  414  may be adapted to perform the functions typically handled by an MSC (when an SMS message is received from a mobile device subscribed to local network  400 ). The converted MO_SMS message is then delivered to a FDA server  410  or other network element configured for providing FDA services. FDA server  410  is typically adapted to process MO_SMS messages that originate within network  400 . However, because the original SMS message from external network  401  has been converted into an MO_SMS message by STP  414  (or SMSC  404 ), tech media server  410  may process the converted MO_SMS message normally since the message is in the proper format. If there is no FDA service or FDA server  410 , then the message is delivered to SMSC  404 . 
         [0019]    In order to convert SMPP messages into mobile originated messages that the FDA server  410  can utilize, STP  414  (or SMSC  404 ) has default SS7 parameters that STP  414  inserts in the mobile originated SMS message. For example, conversion module  420  in STP  414  may include default parameters which allow conversion module  420  to function as an SS7 SMSC node that is separate from host STP  414 . Thus, conversion module  420  is able to generate a mobile originated SMS message and receive an acknowledgement to the mobile originated SMS message, independent of STP  414 . The SMPP message initially received by STP  414  includes the information needed to generate a converted mobile originated SMS message, such as the originator of SMS (e.g., the entity identified by the A party identifier), the recipient of SMS message (e.g., the entity identified by the B party identifier), and the content to be delivered (e.g., the SMS text). Conversion module  420  may convert this information contained in the SMPP message into an SS7 mobile originated SMS message, such as a GSM mobile originated forward short message message or the corresponding IS-41 message, that includes the same information. In one embodiment, the SMPP message information may be mapped to a short message service delivery point-to-point (SMDPP) message if the local network utilizes an IS-41 protocol. 
         [0020]    In yet another embodiment, an STP may be configured to perform additional tasks such as conducting a prepaid/postpaid analysis, querying an HLR, and the like. For example, an SMS screening module associated with STP  414  may check the calling party and called party identifiers (i.e., A and B party identifiers) in the SMS message to determine if either party has a prepaid or postpaid SMS subscription. If either the A or B party identifier is a prepaid subscriber, then the short message is forwarded to SMSC  404 . Namely, SMSC  404  is already equipped to perform the necessary prepaid account balance queries. If neither the A nor B party identifiers are associated with prepaid subscribers, then the SMS message is forwarded to a FDA processor or device. In an alternate embodiment, SMSC  404  only receives the short message if the B party identifier is a prepaid subscriber (i.e., the A-party status is immaterial). In yet another alternate embodiment, STP  414  may also screen the A and/or B party identifiers to determine if further message delivery processing is necessary. For example, STP  414  may screen the short message in a similar manner to determine if the B party has a zero balance, and if so then the message is not forwarded to the FDA server for delivery. STP  414  may screen the short message to determine if the A or B party has had their service suspended or blacklisted. If so, then the message is not forwarded to the FDA server for delivery. 
         [0021]    It will be understood that various details of the subject matter described herein may be changed without departing from the scope of the subject matter described herein. Furthermore, the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation, as the subject matter described herein is defined by the claims as set forth hereinafter.