Patent Publication Number: US-2023155976-A1

Title: System for communicating among end-user devices having different message channel formats and associated methods

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of communications, and, more particularly, to a communications system that receives and transmits messages among end-user devices and related methods. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There is often the need to communicate among different end-user devices that each may use a different infrastructure, device application, communications medium, or communications backbone network. Some communication systems integrate disparate systems and applications by 1:1 automated protocol translation of messages between two disparate communication devices or by employing a manual forwarding process. In other systems, an intermediate processor may be customized for a dedicated, fixed integration with constrained bridging capability. To accommodate differing applications or communications environments, other communications systems incorporate a media gateway as a translation service that converts media streams between different telecommunications formats and enables multimedia communications across packet networks. The media gateway converts between different encoding techniques, and may include echo cancellation and DTMF and tone sender functions. 
     For example, a media gateway may connect a public land mobile network to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) using an IP network. Although there is some translation from an end-user device on the PSTN to an end-user device on the IP network, the media gateway is still limited in providing communications among different end-user devices because a media gateway usually translates the physical or data link layer for interoperability. Some protocol translators use media CODECS to interoperate among end-user devices, for example, protocols that are software installed on routers, which convert the data format, data rate, and protocols of one network into the data format, data rate, and protocols of the other network where the data is transmitted. 
     Other communications systems use fixed data protocol translation tables for 1:1 import/export operations, including database schema look-up tables. None of these systems, however, provide a virtual message channel for real-time heterogeneous communications between different end-user devices that may use different message channel formats. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general, a communications system may include a plurality of end-user devices (EUDs) and a communications network for the plurality of EUDs. A message processor may be coupled with the communications network and may comprise a message parser configured to determine, from a received message, a message originator EUD with an associated originator message channel format, and at least one intended message recipient EUD with an associated recipient message channel format. The message processor may further comprise a message channel database of respective different message channel formats for different EUDs, and a message recaster cooperating with the message parser and message channel database and configured to transmit at least one recast message based upon the received message and having a corresponding recipient message channel format with a corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) address for the at least one intended recipient EUD. 
     The message recaster may be configured to select at least one message channel through the communications network. The message processor may comprise a communications network channel monitor cooperating with the message recaster to select the at least one message channel through the communications network. In an example, the message recaster may be operable based upon at least one trigger event. In yet another example, the message recaster may be operable based upon a determined position of the originator EUD. 
     The at least one intended recipient EUD may comprise a plurality of intended recipient EUDs. The message recaster may be operable based upon a determined position of the at least one recipient EUD. The received message may comprise at least one of a formatted text message, and a chat message. 
     Another aspect is directed to a method of operating a communications system that may comprise a plurality of end-user devices (EUDs) and a communications network therefor. The method includes operating a message parser to determine, from a received message, a message originator EUD with an associated originator message channel format, and at least one intended message recipient EUD with an associated recipient message channel format, and operating a message channel database of respective different message channel formats for different EUDs. The method further includes operating a message recaster cooperating with the message parser and message channel database to transmit at least one recast message based upon the received message and having a corresponding recipient message channel format with a corresponding Internet Protocol (IP) address for the at least one intended recipient EUD. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows, when considered in light of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram of the communications system showing different end-user devices and the message processor that receives and transmits recast messages to one or more end-user devices in a different message channel format in accordance with a non-limiting example. 
         FIG.  2    is a flowchart illustrating a functional message flow in the communications system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic block diagram showing the factors that impact the message channel format in the communications system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a high-level flowchart showing a method of operating the communications system of  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. However, many different embodiments may be used, and thus, the description should not be construed as limited to the particular embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
     Referring initially to  FIG.  1   , a communications system is illustrated generally at  20  and shows a plurality of end-user devices (EUDs) indicated generally at  24 . A communications network  26  for the plurality of EUDs  24  allows communication from a message originator EUD  24   a  that includes an associated originator message channel format to intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  that each may include an associated recipient message channel format. A plurality of intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  are illustrated and numbered 1 to “n.” The intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  may be the same or different EUDs, such as an Iridium NAL Shout, an iPhone SMS user, and a device employing a mIRC channel as non-limiting examples. 
     A message processor  30  is coupled to the communications network  26  and includes a message parser  32  configured to determine, from a received message, the message originator EUD  24   a  with the associated originator message channel format, and at least one intended message recipient EUD  24   b  with its associated recipient message channel format. 
     The message processor  30  also includes a message channel database  36  that stores respective different message channel formats for different EUDs  24 . A message recaster  38  cooperates with the message parser  32  and message channel database  36  and is configured to transmit at least one recast message based upon the received message, and having a corresponding recipient message channel format with a corresponding internet protocol (IP) address for the at least one intended message recipient EUD  24   b.  The message recaster  38  may be configured to select at least one message channel through the communications network  26 . The message recaster  38  may be operable based upon at least one trigger event and based upon a determined position of the message originator EUD  24   a.  It may also be operable based upon the determined position of the at least one intended message recipient EUD  24   b.  The received message from the message originator EUD  24   a  may include at least one of a formatted text message and a chat message as non-limiting examples. As illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the at least one intended message recipient EUD  24   b  includes a plurality of intended message recipient EUDs as noted above and illustrated as EUD No. 1 to EUD “n.” 
     In an example, the message processor  30  includes a communications network channel monitor  40  cooperating with the message recaster  38  to select the at least one message channel through the communications network  26 . It is possible to monitor the message channel based upon changing channel conditions, and switch to a different message channel when conditions deteriorate in the original message channel. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  2   , a flowchart indicated generally at  44  illustrates a functional message flow and the recasting of at least one recast message based upon the received message for a message channel within the communications network  26 . A message originator EUD  24   a  transmits a message labeled as Msg 1 (Block  46 ) from a native application into the communications network  26  via a message channel. The message parser  32  at the message processor  30  receives the message (Block  48 ). Each message payload may be defined as a Core Information Element (CIE) that is processed by the message processor  30  at its message parser  32 , which directly or indirectly discerns the CIE identifier and a message ID (Block  50 ) as metadata for the message channel and maps the content to a proper message channel template (Block  52 ) with the aid of a message channel look-up table (Block  54 ) as part of the message channel database  36 . 
     At this point, the message recaster  38  permutes the message into all registered endpoint formats (Block  56 ) for the message channel and simultaneously writes to an output message channel queue (MCQ) (Block  58 ) and into the message channel database  36  (Block  60 ). The message processor  30  via its message recaster  38  monitors different trigger events within the communications data payload and any metadata (Block  62 ) to execute a corresponding action. Different message channel endpoints as intended message recipient end-user devices  24   b  may have endpoint message variances that are distributed (Block  64 ) to respective transport connectors (Block  66 ) and then evaluated by a Transport Aggregation Gateway (TAG) pool (Block  68 ) that operate as a gateway for routing data to the various intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  as the endpoints indicated by the message 1A ( 70   a ), message 1B ( 70   b ), and message 1C ( 70   c ) that include the different message channels. The intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  may have multiple application endpoints that are well defined, and all may be targeted in the message recaster  38  and may be prioritized, with only the highest priority messages reaching an intended message recipient EUD  24   b.    
     At the message processor  30 , the message payload and its CIE identifier may be dynamically replicated as a message payload into an endpoint format and allocation based upon the channel member data stored in the message channel database  36 , which includes channel member user definitions. It is possible that a recipient message channel format and its corresponding IP address may be reassigned on an active channel, and each of the intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  can simultaneously receive the message on multiple communication paths each having different message channel formats. Different trigger events on which the message recaster  38  operates and cooperates with the message parser  32  and message channel database  36  may transmit the different recast messages and may include a combination of different application types used by the different intended message recipient EUDs  24   b.  Any data elements may be filtered and include different data formatting for each intended message recipient EUD  24   b.    
     The message processor  30  operates as a message channel intermediary between the message originator EUD  24   a  and any intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  and may process data from the message originator EUD based upon various triggers and associated processing rules, including geo-fencing, event-driven events, data rate changes, message channel conditions, and similar events that may affect the condition of a message channel. The message processor  30  may look at the enumerated triggers and rules for originating the Core Information Elements (CIE) for gathering data and meta-data for analysis/evaluation against rules under which the message processor may synthesize organic messages, thus, adding new content beyond originators and EUD source data. The message processor  30  may be part of a cloud-based communications network  26  and include artificial intelligence and machine learning traffic processing to implement quicker and more responsive selection and changes to recipient message channel formats. The message processor  30  may provide data integrity checks with transaction histories stored in the message channel database  36 . In an example, the message channel database  36  may be a structured query language (SQL) or non-structured query language (NOSQL) message channel database. 
     The message processor  30  creates a message channel between the message originator EUD  24   a  and any intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  and integrates the EUDs into a single virtual communications network, regardless of the communications medium among the different EUDs or the endpoint type. The message processor  30  modifies and translates data content to a native format for one or more of the intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  and may initiate or supplement event-driven or interpolated data content to the message channel. The message processor  30  allows the message originator EUD  24   a  to communicate with the intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  whether the EUDs are operating across the same or different communication platforms, different operating systems, and even varying, incompatible transport mechanisms. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  3   , a schematic block diagram shows the factors that impact the message channel format in the communications system  20  of  FIG.  1   . The message channels (Block  80 ) include a message channel ID and message channel descriptor that may be defined and stored in the message channel database  36 . For example, the message channel descriptor (Block  82 ) may include a message channel application type, which includes the specific software application, the application platform, any application metadata associated with the application, the schema, the TAG transport type, and any specific type of filtering for trusted applications or data (Block  84 ). The schema (Block  86 ) associated with the message channel application type (Block  84 ) may include a message channel application type and a mapping to the metadata, any cryptographic data definitions, including trust levels for encryption, and the TAG transport type. 
     The message channel ID (Block  88 ) may include data regarding the message channel endpoints pertaining to specific intended message recipient EUDs  24   b.  The message channel endpoints (Block  90 ) may include data regarding the message channel, user, the tag transport type, the message channel application type, and any message channel application priorities, where different intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  may be prioritized. The message channel user (Block  92 ) corresponding to the specific intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  may include any active roles (Block  94 ) such as trust levels and data filters. 
     The message channel application type (Block  84 ) may drive the data formatting and delivery where membership in different message channels may depend on a role of an intended message recipient EUD  24   b  within any prioritized end-user applications. The message channel may be optimized for an intended message recipient EUD  24   b  type, role, and bandwidth with different plug-ins and “out-of-the-box” end-user device support. Message channels may be defined by the intended message recipient EUD  24   b  and its application data type and any protocol support and capability. The bandwidth of the source and destination channel may be taken into consideration. Further filtering or element customization or permissions may be used. Priority may include any hierarchical path configurations that may include less capable but accessible message channel paths and CIE types. The message processor  30  via its message recaster  38  make supplement content with richer CIE format for more capable communication message channels. The communications network channel monitor  40  may manually or automatically adjust the message channel data type selection and the different intended message recipient EUDs  24   b  may receive status metrics from the message processor  30  related to the infrastructure of the communications network  26  and dynamically select a destination path for an intended message recipient EUD. 
     The message processor  30  may be a cloud-based message processor operating on a cloud-based service, such as the Amazon Web Service (AWS), in order to expand data capabilities and communications than more traditional direct communications or translation gateways. The message processor  30  may integrate redundant communications paths as part of the Transport Agnostic Gateway (TAG) and provide the most cost-effective and available transport to different intended message recipient EUDs  24   b,  which can be prioritized in order with alternate message channels operating for different intended message recipient EUDs as other channels become available. 
     The message processor  30  may also operate similar to a proxy and virtual server that includes filtering of data elements for size, trust, or role adaptation and reformat and transcode the supported formats for an intended message recipient EUD  24   b.  Different conditional triggers and rules may be defined for the message processor  30 , such as the data rate and content-based or event-driven multi-message parameter processing. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  4   , a high-level flowchart of a method of operating the communications system  20  of  FIG.  1    is illustrated generally at  100 . The process starts (Block  102 ) and the message parser  32  is operated to determine from a received message a message originator EUD  24   a  with an originator message channel format and at least one intended message recipient EUD  24   b  with an associated recipient message channel format (Block  104 ). The message channel database  36  is operated for the respective different message channel formats with different EUDs  24  (Block  106 ). The message recaster  38  is operated and cooperates with the message parser  32  and message channel database  36  to transmit at least one recast message based upon the received message and includes a corresponding recipient message channel format with a corresponding internet protocol (IP) address for the intended recipient EUD (Block  108 ). The process ends (Block  110 ). 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.