Patent ID: 8055283

Claim:
A method for providing message-based interactive services, comprising: receiving, at an intercarrier vendor, a short message service (SMS) message from a mobile subscriber relating to service desired by the mobile subscriber from an interactive service device, the SMS message being addressed to a short code and including in a body thereof an identification of the interactive service device, wherein the short code is different from the identification of the interactive service device; routing the SMS message for processing such that the interactive service device is caused to operate to effect the service desired by the mobile subscriber; receiving, at the intercarrier vendor, an SMS message addressed to a mobile device of the mobile subscriber indicating that the interactive service device has completed the service desired by the mobile subscriber; and routing the SMS message addressed to the mobile device of the mobile subscriber for delivery to the mobile subscriber, wherein the interactive service device does not communicate via SMS for purposes of being caused to operate to effect the service desired by the mobile subscriber, wherein the interactive service device resides at an Internet Protocol (IP) address that is accessed to cause the interactive service device to operate.