WO2013131979A2 - A communication system for text messages - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an SMS/MMS or equivalent unenriched text communication system which can be used to perform enquiries and execute actions via SMS/MMS or equivalent unenriched text messaging in a uniquely user-friendly way. The system supports entity names which include spaces, allowing for more natural names and includes a flexible and intuitive method of identifying entities of interest with a minimum of effort. The system includes context sensitive error replies designed to guide the user through problems using the system, step by step, without the necessity to refer to any other source. The present invention provides detailed examples of the use of the system and methods for an advanced group messaging service and includes examples of how the same system and methods can be used for other purposes, for example placing bets, booking tickets and remotely setting a set top box to record a desired program.

Description

A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR TEXT MESSAGES

The present invention relates to a communication system for sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text messages and in particular to an improved communication system for increasing the accessibility and operability of an sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message based communication system.

SMS group messaging systems are known in the art. EP 05100738.3 discloses a command-based group text messaging system comprising an initiating mobile communication device that creates a message for subsequent broadcast to a recipient group and a communication server that analyzes the message received from the initiating mobile communication device and broadcasts the message to a recipient group. The invention is characterised by an artificial intelligence component in operable communication with the communication server for associating one or more words in the text message with at least one group and inferring the recipient group.

GB 2327571 discloses a method of transmitting a message to a group of recipients in a mobile communication system. A user of a mobile station has the possibility to send an SMS message to a short message centre (SMC), which interworks with a group list server (GLS). Group SMS messages may be sent to the SMC via an SMS message. For that purpose, the user addresses the message to a code including a group service code and a group list code. After the check for validity of the group list code, the SMC accesses the group list data to retrieve the list of the recipient’s numbers held for the originating subscriber of the SMS and copies the group SMS message to each of the intended recipients.

US 2002/0173319 A1 describes a system for running SMS conferences. The conference participants must enter a unique identifier of the conference to communicate with other participants. In order to establish an SMS conference, the initiating user has to enter at least the name or identification code of a stored conference group. US 2002/0173319 A1 does not mention a possibility of inferring a target conference from the content of a participant’s message or from the content of an initiator’s message.

US 5870454 discloses a system to convert voice messages into text messages, which can be transmitted to a plurality of types of receiving equipment. The message can be delivered to a single party or to a distribution list of called parties. US 5870454 also assumed that the calling party enters or selects identifiers of destination called parties or at least selects a distribution list rather than inferring the recipient. Whilst all of the above communication systems provide some form of group communication with sms based technology, each of the systems are limited in a general way to receiving as sms message and forwarding it on to a group through the communication system.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the problems of limited functionality of communication systems driven by sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message based technology.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a communication system for communicating with a target entity using sms or mms or equivalent unenriched text message functionality via an allocated number capable of receiving sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text messages for viewing/listing target entity information and/or achieving an outcome with the target entity and/or for adjusting settings of the target entity for effecting a change to a future outcome, the system comprising at least one mobile device having sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message functionality, a server having a memory for storing a plurality of entities, the server having an engine with interpreting means for interpreting information contained within an incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message, the interpreting means being capable of identifying the target entity from information in the incoming message containing only part of the target entity name sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.

Advantageously, the interpreting means of the engine allows a user to enter information in the sms/mms message which does not exactly match the specific target entity name and the communication system will find the target entity under its own power. This improves the functionality of the system by allowing all novice users to connect with the server and drive the server using a simple sms/mms enabled phone. The interpreting means is designed to allow users to use plain English short hand within the limits of the overall system to communicate with the server of the communication system. This means that the system can be used by people without any knowledge of any command language using typical sms type language. The communication system is designed so that entry level use of the system allows immediate access to the functionality of the system and ongoing use provides real time training by interacting with the communication system.

Where use of the term sms/mms is used in the following statements of invention and detailed description, it is to be understood that use of the term will also encompass the use of mms or equivalent unenriched text message technology. By unenriched text we mean plain unformatted text.

Ideally, the interpreting means being capable of identifying the target entity from information in the incoming message containing only part of the target entity name sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities accessible via the same allocated number capable of receiving sms/mms messages.

Preferably, the interpreting means has means for identifying specific target entities based on short form identifiers of the target entities provided by the user in the sms/mms message sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.

Ideally, the interpreting means is capable of performing text parsing using predetermined rules to uniquely identify a match target entity requested by the user. This improves the ease of use of the communication system for the end user and allows seamless transfer between normal sms/mms messaging to this more sophisticated system.

The simple principal is that each short form identifier in the sms/mms filter must match at least part of one of the entity names in the entity field being filtered.

Ideally, where the entity name has two or more words the interpreter is able to filter the target entity.

Preferably, the where the entity name has two or more words the short form filter has two or more components.

Preferably, the filtering of the two or more word entity name is achievable irrespective of the order of the short form identifiers in the message. Furthermore, the sms filter is not case sensitive. A target entity in a group of two or more entities is uniquely identifiable if there is a short form filter that can be applied to the group of entities which would produce one result being the target entity.

Ideally, the overall communication system is also context sensitive in that entities such as member names only require to be defined to a degree sufficient to distinguish them from any other entity such as a member name within that context.

Preferably, the engine has means for preventing the addition of an entity which would prevent the unique identification of existing entities and the recently added entity.

Ideally, the information in the incoming sms/mms message contains means for identifying the owner of the incoming sms/mms message. Advantageously, this allows the interpreting means of the server to determine initially whether the owner of the incoming message actually has access to the entity it is attempting to communicate with and secondly what level of privileges the owner of the incoming message has in relation to the entity.

Optionally, the combination of allocated number and owner identification can be used to identify a target entity from a set of entities which are in scope.

Preferably, the means for identifying the owner of the incoming message is provided by the mobile phone number contained in the information in the incoming sms/mms.

Preferably, the communication system has feedback means for generating a message in reply to each incoming message received at the server.

Ideally, the messages received from the communication system have indication means indicating that they are sent from the communication system the message was sent to. Advantageously, this allows the user to simply reply to the message without having to select the allocated number.

Ideally, the feedback means generates an error message and transmits the error message to the mobile number of the incoming sms/mms or equivalent text message if a target entity cannot be identified from the information content of the initiating sms/mms message.

Preferably, the feedback means generates a plain language user friendly text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the target entity required. Advantageously, when taken in combination with the short form filter identification of a target entity from a group of entities, this error message feedback further enhances the user friendliness of the communication system.

Preferably, the term entity refers to the name of something real such as a group of people, an event, a horse race, a horse, a place and/or a person storable on memory of the server.

Ideally, the entities can comprise data referring to television schedules, racehorse meeting schedules, travel timetables and/or other information content accessible via the server.

Ideally, the entities are provided in a database comprising a list of target entities.

Preferably, the entities can be any one of or any combination of group names, command keywords, event names and command specific argument names.

Preferably, the command specific argument contains at least “when“ information.

Ideally, the command specific argument contains at least “where and when” information.

Preferably, the command specific argument contains at least “what and when” information.

Preferably, the command specific argument contains at least “where, when and what” information.

Ideally, the engine has reserved words for use as commands in the text messaging communication system. These words would not be decipherable by the engine if provided in other parts of the text message. Advantageously, these command words provide a user with an increased level of functionality for operating the command driven communication system. This allows the communication system to have a range of user complexity. The basic operation is where a person can send a group text message to a single group of entities such as the names of the players in the Under 12 team they coach which is associated with the person’s mobile number. The other end of the scale of complexity of the system allows the user to drive the communication system to its fullest functional extent as outlined below based only on the design limitations of the system.

Preferably, the engine has means for identifying aliases/synonyms of command words which allow the engine to perform the same function as the main command word.

Ideally, the entities are identified by normal words.

Advantageously, this allows a user to use a word more easily identifiable by themselves as a natural language phrase corresponding to the function they are trying to perform and further improves the user friendliness and the technical function of the communication system.

Preferably, the reserved words allow a user to engage with the engine to cause the engine to perform predetermined functions.

Preferably, the engine has means for uniquely identifying future dated events on the same date. By future dated events we mean any event taking place ahead of the current clock time of the server.

Ideally, the engine has means for according privileges to a user at a variety of levels. Advantageously, the privileges allow the user various levels of access to the engine.

Preferably, the engine has means for according a user different group levels of access. If a member is in a sub group they must also be in the main group out of which the subgroup is divided.

Ideally, the engine also having feedback means for generating at least one reply message to an incoming message which contains at least one error, the at least one reply message containing information explaining the error and providing instructions to assist a user to remedy the at least one error in plain language allowing the engine to further process the text message, the feedback means providing the communication system with feedback and learning functionality.

Advantageously, the communication system allows a person to use shorthand syntax similar to everyday language in an sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message and the engine is designed to interpret the information content based on a set of predetermined rules. The benefit of the feedback is in providing user friendly reply help text messages relating to the content of the user’s initiating message. This will help to smooth over the initial learning phase which any user will go through when using the present more sophisticated system as compared to standard sms text messaging facilities. A large percentage of the mobile phone community have an acquaintance with the standard sms text messaging service. However, in order to utilize the present service for instructing an engine resident on a server to perform some basic functions it is inevitable that a person will have to become familiar with a few basic rules. The problem with existing group text messaging programs is that although some of them provide help commands which return a list of available commands, none of these systems provide real time interactive guidance on why your recent text message is unable to be processed by the engine. Without this feedback functionality, the person using the system must consult the error dictionary online if there is one available or try and work their way through the user manual, again if one is available. The present invention provides an interactive user friendly tool which will point the user in the right direction with specific guidance in the feedback help text message. In the event that the user continues to make errors, then the feedback means will continue to address the specific problem area until the user overcomes the problem. As the person solves one problem and other problems remain in the initiating text message, the feedback means will automatically move on to address the next problem. The error messages will be presented in plain English/Mandarin or the local language subject to the network operating conditions set on the handheld device such as the country code identifier of the mobile number. The technical effect is that the communication system is a much improved communication system with the benefit that it is more likely that the user will engage successfully with the system and reengage with the system as it provides a smooth transition between traditional text messaging and this slightly more sophisticated communication system control functionality.

Ideally, the server having a memory for storing data.

Preferably, the server comprises any one of or any combination of a personal computer, handheld device such as smart phone or laptop device, multiprocessor systems, multiprocessor based systems, programmable consumer electronics, network PC’s, minicomputers or mainframe computers.

Ideally, the engine comprises computer executable instructions such as program modules.

Preferably, the program modules comprise programs, routines, components, objects, data structures for performing predetermined functions or implementing particular data types.

Alternatively, the engine can be provided as a combination of hardware and software.

Preferably, the interpreting means of the engine has means for identifying command words forming part of an initiating text message.

Ideally, the feedback means generates an error message and transmits the error message to the mobile phone number of the initiating text message if command information cannot be identified from the information content of the initiating text message.

Preferably, the feedback means generates a user friendly text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the command information required.

Ideally, the interpreting means of the engine has means for identifying information prior to command information as an entity group identifier.

Preferably, the interpreting means of the engine is designed to parse the content of an incoming message in a predetermined order.

Ideally, the interpreting means of the engine analyses commands in the sequence group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.

Ideally, the interpreting means of the engine analyses commands in the sequence mobile security word; group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.

Preferably, the command specific argument contains at least when information.

Ideally, the command specific argument contains at least where and when information.

Ideally, the command specific argument contains at least what and when information.

Preferably, the command specific argument contains at least where, when and what information.

Ideally, the interpreting means of the engine has means for identifying a component of the text message to be called the “where” information.

Ideally, the feedback means generates an error message and transmits the error message to the mobile number of the incoming text message if “where” information cannot be identified from the information content of the incoming text message.

Preferably, the feedback means generates a user friendly text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the “where” information required.

Ideally, the interpreting means of the engine has means for identifying a component of the text message to be called the “what” information.

Preferably, the feedback means generates an error message and transmits the error message to the mobile number of the incoming text message if “what” information cannot be identified from the information content of the incoming text message.

Ideally, the feedback means generates a user friendly text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the “what” information required.

Preferably, the interpreting means of the engine has means for identifying a component of the text message to be called the “when” information.

Ideally, the feedback means generates an error message and transmits the error message to the mobile number of the incoming text message if “when” information cannot be identified from the information content of the incoming text message.

Preferably, the feedback means generates a user friendly text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the “when” information required.

Preferably, the interpreting means of the engine has means for identifying a predetermined number of configurations of time information corresponding to the “when” information and these configurations can be advised to the user in a feedback message.

Ideally, the entities comprise groups of people, sub groups of people such as members of sports clubs. A member’s mobile phone number is stored only once in the memory of the server when they are initially added as a member of a group. If the same member is added to one or more subgroups, then their mobile number can be retrieved from the memory by the interpreting means of the server if a user is contacting the member through the one or more sub group entities.

Preferably, the entities are provided in a database comprising a list of groups and sub groups of members of the groups and sub groups.

Preferably, the group, sub group, sub-sub group structure can be developed to any level of detail required by the organizer.

Ideally, the engine has means for preventing the addition of a member, group or subgroup which would prevent the unique identification of existing members, groups or subgroups and the recent addition by the engine. Advantageously, the functionality of the rules to allow short form identification of entities such as the members, groups or subgroups from short form filters provided by a user in a text message will determine the limits of the unique identification of the entities such as members, groups or subgroups and vice versa.

Ideally, the engine has means for uniquely identifying each member, group or subgroup.

Preferably, the means for uniquely identifying each member, group or subgroup is provided by a comparison of at least some of the characters in the member name, group name or sub group name provided by each member or an organizer of the group or subgroup.

Preferably, the engine has means for retrieving data from the memory of the server in response to the information content of the message.

Ideally, the engine has a transmitting means for transmitting a text message to a group or sub group identified from an initiating text message.

Ideally, the engine has means for uniquely identifying groups in the incoming message.

Ideally, the interpreting means scans the incoming text message for information corresponding to specific data to be retrieved from the memory of the server.

Ideally, the key interfaces to the communication system are via SMS/MMS or other wireless networks capable of transmitting unenriched text messages.

Preferably, the engine has means for allowing any user access to information in relation their own mobile phone number which is stored on the server.

Ideally, the system has means for uniquely identifying a user each time they access the system using a unique user identification means associated with a mobile number of a text message.

Preferably, the system has advanced text editing functionality to ease use of the system.

Ideally, the engine has means for identifying separators for dividing components of an initiating text message which serve different functions.

Preferably, the engine has means for identifying separators between any pair or more of group names, command words, and the what, where and when information content.

A method for communicating with a target entity via an allocated number using sms or mms or equivalent unenriched text message functionality for viewing/listing target entity information and/or achieving an outcome with the target entity and/or for adjusting settings of the target entity for effecting a change to a future outcome, the method comprising interpreting information contained within an incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message, identifying the target entity from information in the incoming message containing only part of the target entity name sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.

Advantageously, the method allows a user to enter information in the text message which does not exactly match the specific target entity name and the communication method will find the target entity under its own power. This improves the functionality of the method by allowing all novice users to employ the method using a simple sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message enabled phone. The method is designed to allow users to find and activate a range of target entities using plain language short hand filters. This means that the method can be used by people without any knowledge of any command language using typical text type language. The communication method is designed so that entry level use of the method allows immediate access to the functionality of the communication system and ongoing use provides real time training by interacting with the communication system.

Ideally, the method comprising identifying the target entity from other entities accessible via the allocated number.

Preferably, the method comprising identifying specific target entities based on short form identifiers of the target entities provided by the user in the text message sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.

Ideally, the method comprising performing text parsing using predetermined rules to uniquely identify a match target entity requested by the user. This improves the ease of use of the communication method for the end user and allows seamless transfer between normal text messaging to this more sophisticated system.

Preferably, the method comprising defining an entity by one or more words.

Ideally, the method comprising defining a short form filter with one or more short form words.

Preferably, the method comprising matching each short form identifier in the sms filter with at least part of each of the entity names in the entity field being filtered. Where the entity name has two or more words the method is able to filter the target entity irrespective of the order the short form identifiers appear in the message. Furthermore, the filter is not case sensitive.

Ideally, the method comprising the person creating a group of entities originally assigning entity names.

Ideally, the method comprising uniquely identifying a target entity in a group of two or more entities by applying a short form filter that can be applied to the group of entities which would produce one result being the target entity.

Ideally, the method comprising making the overall communication method context sensitive in that entities such as member names only require to be defined to a degree sufficient to distinguish them from any other entity such as a member name within that context.

Preferably, the method comprising preventing the addition of an entity which would prevent the unique identification of existing entities and the recently added entity.

Preferably, the method comprising generating a message in reply to each incoming message received at the server.

Ideally, the method comprising generating an error message and transmitting the error message to the mobile number of the incoming text message if a target entity cannot be identified from the information content of the initiating text message.

Preferably, the method comprising generating a plain language user friendly text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the target entity required. Advantageously, when taken in combination with the short form filter identification of a target entity from a group of entities, this error message feedback further enhances the user friendliness of the communication system.

Ideally, the method comprising providing entities in a database comprising a list of target entities.

Preferably, the method comprising defining the entities as any one of or any combination of group names, command keywords, event names and command specific arguments.

Preferably, the method comprising defining entities as more than one word.

Ideally, the method comprising defining entities as everyday words.

Ideally, the method comprising reserving words for use as commands in the text messaging communication method. These words would not be decipherable by the engine if provided in another part of the text message. Advantageously, these command words provide a user with an increased level of functionality for operating the command driven communication method.

Preferably, the method comprising identifying aliases/synonyms of command words. Advantageously, these allow the engine to perform the same function as the main command word.

Preferably, the method comprising uniquely identifying future dated events on the same date. By future dated events we mean any event taking place ahead of the current clock time of the server.

Ideally, the method comprising according privileges to a user at a variety of levels. Advantageously, the privileges allow the user various levels of access to the engine.

Preferably, the method comprising according a user different group levels of access. If a member is in a sub group they must also be in the main group out of which the subgroup is divided.

Preferably, the method comprising according a primary operator privileges in relation to a particular level of group, sub group, sub-sub group and according the primary operator the ability to accord a secondary operator privileges.

Ideally, the method comprising restricting the primary operator to according privileges of a lesser extent to a secondary operator at the same level in the group hierarchy.

Preferably, the method comprising allowing the primary operator to accord privileges of the same or a lesser extent to a secondary operator at a lower level in the group hierarchy.

Ideally, the method comprising identifying information prior to command words as an entity group identifier.

Preferably, the method comprising parsing the text content of an incoming message in a predetermined order.

Ideally, the method comprising analysing commands in the sequence group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.

Ideally, the method comprising analysing commands in the sequence mobile security word; group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.

Preferably, the method comprising identifying a date from a range of acceptable short form variations.

Ideally, the method comprising identifying a time from a range of acceptable short form variations.

Preferably, the method comprising specifying multiple target entities within the same context in a single command.

Ideally, the method comprising returning a list of valid entities where no target entity has been identified.

Preferably, the method comprising returning a list of all valid matching entities where more than one target entity has been identified.

A method for communicating with a target entity via an allocated number using sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message functionality for viewing/listing target entity information and/or achieving an outcome with the target entity or for adjusting settings of the target entity for effecting a change to a future outcome, the method comprising interpreting information contained within an incoming message and identifying the user from a specific mobile security entity.

It is possible to send an SMS or equivalent text message which looks like it came from whatever number you want to an allocated number belonging to this system (or any number for that matter). This means it would be possible for someone to send an allocated number a message that looked like it came from someone else, and e.g. send an offensive message to a group looking like it came from the victim or just use up their credits out of malice. It is equally possible to send someone a message that looks like it comes from an allocated number belonging to the system. In this way someone might send out misleading messages that appear to come from a legitimate source for some unsavoury motive. Setting a user’s account so that every message to and from an allocated number belonging to the system must start with a specific word, known as the Mobile Security Word, (like a password, but the typed content is visible) would mean that no-one would be able to “masquarade” under a false number unless they know the users Mobile Security Word.
This approach could also be used much more broadly for any SMS or equivalent messaging, e.g. if you get a text from your bank it could be a way to ensure you know it really is from your bank, or if you are sending a text to your bank it could provide them with an extra level of security to identify you are who you claim to be.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only one embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the invention. In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of the overall architecture of the communication system of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of the server of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the steps of the communication method for identifying errors in messages and replying to errors relating to various aspects of the message;

Whilst the following detailed description of the present invention describes the implementation of the present invention in relation to group text messaging, it will of course be appreciated that the communication system can be utilised for contacting a server of a set top box including digiboxes and Hybrid IPTV set top boxes to allow a user to communicate with these devices to program the recording of a television program for example from their sms or equivalent text enabled mobile phone. Another example of a field of use for the text based communication system would be for booking tickets from travel timetables such as train timetables, bus timetables, airline schedules using sms/mms or equivalent technology to interact with a server hosting a website for these service providers or placing bets using sms/mms or equivalent text enabled mobile phones.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown an example of the overall architecture of a communication system of the present invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The system 1 has a computer 2 a processor 3, system memory 4 and a bus arrangement 5. The bus arrangement 5 can be any type of bus arrangement comprising a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral or external bus, and/or a local bus using any combination of bus architecture. The computer 2 has volatile memory 6 and non volatile memory 7 with the BIOs stored in non volatile memory and including ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM or flash memory. The volatile memory is available as RAM, DRAM or SRAM although is not limited to these types. The computer 2 also has disk storage memory 9 comprising any of the types such as disk drive, Jaz drive, zip drive, flash memory card, optical disk drives such as CD-ROM device, CD-R drives, or DVD-Rom which are connected to the bus via an interface device 11. The computer 2 has software 14 including an operating system 15 for allocating and controlling resources of the overall computer 2. The operating system 15 can be stored on the disk storage memory 9. The software 15 has system applications 16 which can take advantage of the management of the computers resources by the operating system 15 using software control modules 17 and data 18 stored in either memory device 4, 9. The user can interact with the computer 2 through input devices 21 such as mouse, trackball, touch pad, touch screen, microphone cameras or any input device connectable to the computer 2. The input devices 21 connect to the processor 3 of the computer 2 through the system bus via the interface ports 23 such as serial, parallel or USB ports. Output devices 24 can be connected to the same ports whereas some devices such as monitors speakers and printers require special output adapters 25 such as sound cards, video cards. The computer 2 can obviously operate in a networked environment with remote computers 27 connected through network interface 28 such as LAN, WAN as examples to physically connect the remote computers to the processor 3 of the computer through communications interface 29. The communications interface 29 comprises hardware and software to couple the network interface 28 to the bus 5 and comprises modems, cable and DSL modems, ISDN adapters and Ethernet cards.

Referring to the drawings and now to Figure 2, the communication system 1 uses a Web Server 2 to host the website for processing initiating/incoming SMS/MMS or equivalent unenriched text messages to the mobile or other number associated with the website and to send SMS/MMS or equivalent unenriched text messages out from the website using a transmission arrangement 31. The Web Server 2 interfaces with an SMS or equivalent gateway service to send and receive the messages. The Web Server 2 sends outgoing messages to the gateway service for distribution and the gateway service is configured to re-route the details of incoming messages to the website web server 2. Gateway services are popular and have simple interfaces. An organiser carries a hand held device 33 which only requires to have sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text functionality and the organiser sends an initiating message to the server 2. The server 2 identifies the group that the message is intended for and accesses their mobile phone numbers from a database 34. The text message is transmitted by the transmission arrangement 31 to the recipient group 41 to 46 and the communication server awaits a Y/N reply from the group 41 to 46. The organiser can view the replies or modify the arrangements by sending a text message to the server using the command view or modify for example.

Information in the incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message contains information for identifying the owner of the incoming sms/mms message. Advantageously, this allows the interpreter of the server to determine initially whether the owner of the incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message actually has access to the entity it is attempting to communicate with and secondly what level of privileges the owner of the incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message has in relation to the entity. The information for identifying the owner of the incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message is provided by the mobile phone number contained in the information in the incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message.

To illustrate how the system might be implemented, one example of the function of the system 1 is that it provides SMS/MMS functionality to help clubs and interest groups organise meetings. A meeting could be for example a match, training, an administration meeting, a social gathering or anything else that requires more than 2 people to meet at the same place at the same time. The club is first created on the system by an organiser and members names and mobile numbers are added. When a new meeting is added by an organiser sending an sms text to the server with the text command add event, the members are sent a text message with the details (What, When and Where) of the meeting along with a request to reply Y or N to the text to accept or decline the invitation. The text message comes from a number owned by the website providing the service and replies to it are passed on to the server 2 for processing. The server 2 collates the responses and this is available to the organiser. Again, where the term SMS is used in the following detailed description, it will be understood to encompass MMS or equivalent unenriched text messaging technology as well.

The system consists of both an SMS send and an SMS receive capability.

A key principal is that organisers will be able to organise from their mobile phone 33 directly, by sending an SMS command to a mobile number which passes it on to the system server 2. The SMS commands are straightforward to use and the use of short hand filters in the initiating text message in combination with the feedback with the present invention is a major technical advantage for improved communication and provides a learning functionality for beginners. To introduce the overall concept of the technical advantages of the short from filters an example of using the system 1 is provided to aid in getting the general idea clear to assist with the understanding of what will follow.

For example a user could create a club called “CPN” by sending the following text to an allocated number:

Create club CPN

They could receive response:

System club CPN successfully created. You have been added as the Administrator member

To add another member to the club they could send the following text:

Add member john smith 07890 123456

They could receive response:

Member added successfully to CPN. Name: John Smith, Mobile: 44 7890 123 456

The user might then create another club called “Warrenpoint FC” by sending the following text to the same allocated number:

Create club Warrenpoint FC

And could receive response:

System club Warrenpoint FC successfully created. You have been added as the Administrator member.

If the user then wishes to add a member to Warrenpoint FC, since they access both clubs via the same allocated number, they will need to identify Warrenpoint FC within the text of the message. They could, for example, send the text:

war add member peter mc mahon 07123456789

And may receive reply:

Member added successfully to WARRENPOINT FC. Name: Peter Mc Mahon, Mobile: 44 7123 456 789

In this example, the target entity was an SMS group called “Warrenpoint FC” and the list of all entities accessible via the same allocated number was: “CPN”, “Warrenpoint FC”. Only part of the target entity name (“war”) was required in order to identify the target entity from the list of those available.

If the user were, at this point to send text:

add member peter mc mahon 07123456789

They could receive reply:

ERROR: Identify part of the group name at the start of your message. Valid groups are: CPN, Warrenpoint FC

This error illustrates an error message being sent to the mobile number of an incoming SMS text message if a target entity cannot be identified from the information content of the initiating SMS message. Furthermore it illustrates a list of available entity names being returned if no entity name filter is provided and more than one entity name is in scope.

If the user were then to be given administrator privileges to another club called “Newry Town FC”, via the same allocated number, and they wanted to send a message to that club they might send:

Fc send greetings from all at Warrenpoint FC and best wishes for the new year

They would then receive reply:

ERROR: More than 1 group matches your criteria (FC): Newry Town FC, Warrenpoint FC

This error illustrates a reply being sent to a user if the entity name filter provided matches more than 1 entity name that is in scope, and that the reply includes a list of said matching entity names.

If the user were to send the following message:

Foot add member peter mc mahon 07123456789

They could receive reply:

ERROR: FOOT is not a valid group. Valid groups are: CPN, Newry Town FC, Warrenpoint FC

This error message illustrates a reply being sent to a user if the entity name filter provided does not match any entity names that are in scope, and that the reply includes a list of available entity names.

If the user then wanted to grant Peter Mc Mahon access to send messages only, to club CPN, then they could send the following text to the allocated number:

Cpn grant priv sen peter

They could receive reply:

CPN: Privilege level for PETER MC MAHON changed from 0 – member to 2 – send

This example further illustrates the use of entity name filters to identify target entities within a given context. In addition to using this method to identify the target group that the command is to apply to, it also uses the same method to identify the command from a set of available commands. In this case the available commands would include “grant privilege”, “add member”, “send”, amongst others. The text “grant priv” would act as the entity name filter in this case on order to identify the entity name “grant privilege”. Furthermore the available privilege levels would also behave as entities available for selection within the context of specifying the target privilege level. In this case the available entity names could include “send”, “member”, “organiser”, “administrator”. The entity name filter “sen” in the incoming message would be compared to the available entities in the same context, resulting in selection of the “send” entity name. Furthermore the text “peter” within the message would act as an entity name filter to identify a member name from all member names associated with the club “CPN”. In this case the available entity names would include “Administrator”, “Peter Mc Mahon”, and any other members that have been added to club “CPN”. “peter” would thus act an entity name filter, causing the selection of entity name “Peter Mc Mahon”

Following on from this example, in addition to the reply received by the initiating user of this command, Peter Mc Mahon will also be sent the following message:

You have been granted SEND privileges for text group CPN. Add this number to your contacts as SYSTEM (or any name you like) and send messages to the group simply by sending them to this number

In the following examples we will build on this example for fictional character Peter Mc Mahon in order to illustrate how a user of the system can begin with the most simple of rules for using the system, and how this can develop over time, with the user learning and being guided through how to use the system for more advanced functionality as the sophistication of what that user uses the system for increases.

Peter Mc Mahon can then send a message to the club “CPN” simply by sending it to this allocated number. For example he could send the text:

All members please note the annual dinner is planned for a Friday evening in November. Details to follow.

As a result all members of “CPN”, including Peter Mc Mahon may receive the message:

Peter Mc Mahon to CPN: All members please note the annual dinner is planned for a Friday evening in November. Details to follow.

Let’s say the CPN Adminstrator user also adds Peter Mc Mahon to club “Newry Town FC” and grants him “send” privileges for that club via the same allocated number. Now if Peter Mc Mahon wants to send a message to either club, he will have to identify which club the message is intended for. If he were, for example to send the text:

Hello all

He would receive reply

ERROR: Identify part of the group name at the start of your message, followed by a full stop. Valid groups are: CPN, Newry Town FC

If he then sends message:

N fc. Good luck to the seniors in tonight’s cup final. Please come along and show your support!

This could result in the following message going to all members of “Newry Town FC”:

Peter Mc Mahon to Newry Town FC: Good luck to the seniors in tonight’s cup final. Please come along and show your support!

At this point, you may notice that Peter Mc Mahon does not need to use any command keywords, because the only command he has access to is the “send” command. If his privileges were then increased so that he had access to more commands he may then need to use command keywords to identify the commands.

Let’s say the administrator sends:

N f gra priv org mc mah

And receives reply:

NewryTown FC: Privilege level for PETER MC MAHON changed from 2 – send to 3 – organise

And Peter Mc Mahon would also receive message:

You have been granted ORGANISE privilege level for group NEWRY TOWN FC. To send invitations for a new event text ADD EVENT followed by what, when and where, separated by full-stops. To check replies to an event invitation text VIEW EVENT followed by part of the event name or date. To send a plain message text SEND followed by your message. For more help text MORE HELP

If Peter Mc Mahon wishes to generate invitations to a new event he might send:

N fc add event annual dinner 9th november 2012 in canal court hotel

He may get reply:

ERROR: Event must contain WHAT. WHEN. WHERE separated by full stop or @ e.g.: N FC ADD EVENT training. 730pm thu 17 dec. Home ground

If he then sends:

N fc add event annual dinner. 9th november 2012. canal court hotel

He may get reply:

ERROR: Must include TIME as part of: WHAT. TIME. WHERE seperated by full stop or @ e.g. N FC ADD EVENT training. 730pm thu 17 dec. Home ground

If he then sends

town add event annual dinner. 9th november 2012 8pm. canal court hotel

He and all members of the “Newry Town FC” club may receive message:

Newry Town FC invites you to: Annual dinner @ 8:00pm Fri 9 ^th Nov @ Canal court hotel. Please reply Y or N

Let’s say member “Administrator” later replies:

Y

And let’s say there is another member called “Niall O Hare” who replies:

N

Let’s say that there are other members in “Newry Town FC” as well, and that the following day Peter Mc Mahon sends text:

fc n view eve annual din

He may receive reply:

ANNUAL DINNER FRI 9 ^TH NOV: ACCEPTED(12) Administrator, John Smith, Patrick McIlroy, Damian Cameron, Jordan Foster, Mathew Pincent, Conor Quigley, Brian Fitzmaurice, Jonathan Kearns, Brendan O’Shea, David King, Peter Lonnigan. DECLINED(4) Ryan Maginn, Mathew Pedrosa, Brendan Jordan, Jordan Johnson. NO REPLY (6):Niall O Hare, Paul Mallon, Karl McKernan, Peter Mc Mahon, Jarleth O Connor, Philip Quinn. DELIVERY NOT CONFIRMED(2) Dermot Finnegan, Skippy Brannigan. FAILED 1: Marcus McTaggart

Note that this example uses “annual din” as a entity name filter to select from a number of available entity names in the same context, i.e. events planned for group “Newry Town FC”. In this case the entity names include “Annual Dinner Fri 9th Nov” and may include others if there are other events created for the same group.

Let’s now say member “Administrator” wants to create a subgroup for a committee, he may send text:

N fc help

He may receive reply:

Newry Town FC: You have ADMINISTRATOR privileges. To send invitations for a new event text ADD EVENT followed by what, when and where, separated by full stops. To check replies to an event invitation text VIEW EVENT followed by part of the event name or date. To send a plain message text SEND followed by your message. For more help text MORE HELP

He may then send text:

Newry more help

And may receive reply:

Newry Town FC: You have ADMINISTRATOR privileges. Use command keywords to identify what you want to do. The main keywords are add, event, grant, help, member, modify, more, privilege, remove, send, subgroup, view

Let’s say he then sends text:

Newry subgroup committee

He may receive reply:

ERROR: SUBGROUP needs to be combined with another valid keyword. The main ones are ADD, REMOVE

Let’s say he then sends:

Newry add subgroup committee

He may receive reply:

Subgroup COMMITTEE successfully created (full name NEWRY TOWN FC COMMITTEE). You have been added as a member

Let’s say he then sends:

Com add members peter, philip, paul, ryan, colin

He may receive reply:

NEWRY TOWN FC COMMITTEE: NO MATCHES(1): colin; MORE THAN 1 MATCH(1): peter; ADDED SUCCESFULLY(2): Philip Quinn, Ryan Maginn

Let’s say he then sends text:

Newry view mem peter

He may receive reply:

ERROR: more than 1 group matches your criteria (NEWRY): Newry Town FC ALL, Newry Town FC Committee

Let’s say he sends text:

Com add mem pet

He may receive reply:

ERROR: More than 1 member in NEWRY TOWN FC matches your filter (PET): Peter Lonnigan, Peter Mc Mahon

Let’s say he sends:

Comm add mem pet m

He may receive reply

PETER MC MAHON has been added successfully to group NEWRY TOWN FC COMMITTEE

1. Example 2

The coach of a football team has created a new team on a website hosting the interface to the communication system 1 which we will call system.com for ease of reference from this point forward. The football team are called LFC and all the team members are subsequently added to that team which involves adding their names and mobile number. The coach has been allocated the mobile number +44 7777 555555 as the system.com number to send SMS commands to. To invite members of the team to attend an event he could send the following SMS to
+44 7777 555555

Add event. league game vs St Pats. Sat 19 200 pm. Home ground

This will result in an SMS like the following being sent to all team members:

LFC invites you to: League game vs St Pats @ Sat 19th Mar 2:00 PM @ Home ground. Please reply Y or N

If a member receives this message and replies to it with a ‘Y’ (for Yes) then they are recorded as confirmed for the event. If they reply with a ‘N’ (for No) they are recorded as having declined the invitation. The organiser can query the responses provided by the members at any time up to 24 hours after the event time via the system.com web site or via another SMS command to the same number like the following:

View event. st pats

The following is an example of what the reply from the system 1 might look like:

CONFIRMED 4: James Quinn, John Smith, Patrick McIlroy, Damian Cameron. DECLINED 2 Ryan Maginn, Mathew Pedrosa. NO REPLY 2: Niall O Hare, Paul Mallon. Delivery not confirmed 1: Skippy Brannigan. FAILED 1: Marcus McTaggart

Filter text example

If a user has organiser privileges on more than 1 SMS group, then they require to provide a group name filter before the command keywords in the SMS command. E.g. an event could be targeted at the ‘CPN Sen Foot’ group by sending the following SMS to the system.com number:

S foot Add event league game vs St Pats. Sat 19 200 pm. Home ground

In this case ‘S foot’ is the group name filter. The filter can contain a number of filter words. The filter words do not need to be in the same order as the words in the SMS group name.

Uniquely Identifiable Group/Sub group names

In order that group names cannot be mistaken for each other the system 1 has to ensure that all of the groups that an organiser has access to remain uniquely identifiable from each other. Some examples of names that are NOT uniquely identifiable from each other are provided below:

‘CPN Foot Sen’ vs ‘CPN Senior Football’

‘CPN Sen Foot’ vs ‘CPN Foo’

Some words are reserved as command keywords, e.g. ‘add’ and ‘event’ therefore club names and subgroup names are not allowed to contain words that could be confused with these command keywords. Furthermore, club names that would not be uniquely identifiable (or cause another club name not to be) are not allowed.

Sub group names that would not be uniquely identifiable from other sub groups that have the same ‘parent group’ are not allowed.

Examples of uniquely identifiable Member name and Event name

Within a club all member names are an example of entity names which must be distinguishable from each. Event names for events on the same date are another exampe of entity names which must be distinguishable from each other.

The communication system provides sophisticated sms command driven functionality while allowing an operator to use short form filter identifiers.

Referring to the drawings and now to Figure 3, a fundamental principal of the present invention is that when an organiser sends an initiating SMS to the communication system 1, they will always get a reply. Note that ordinary (non-organising) members can only send replies to event invitations which are sent to them. The ordinary members will get an error if they send an indecipherable reply to an event invitation, but currently the ordinary member will not get any response if they send a valid reply to an invitation. The message they will get if they send an invalid reply is:

ERROR: Your reply is not the correct format for replying to an invitation. Please check your invitation and try again

If an organiser is successfully sending a group message and they are part of the group they will automatically receive the same message as all other members of the group. If the organiser is successfully sending a group message and they are not part of the group they will receive a copy that says "SENDERS COPY:" near the start of the sms message they receive.

If the organiser sends a message which has content that the system 1 cannot interpret they will receive a reply that starts "ERROR:". The communication system 1 of the present invention is designed so that Error messages will always endeavour to lead the user to the next step, at least, in completing a message which the engine 15, 16 will be able to interpret and be transmitted on to the group.

For organisers the first thing the system 1 will do with an initiating SMS is to look for a keyword in the text of the message at 301. Keywords are recorded on the memory 4, 9 of the server 2 accessible by the engine 15, 16 and include command words ADD, EVENT, GRANT, MEMBER, MODIFY, PRIVILEGE, REMOVE, SEND, SUBGROUP, VIEW. When the engine 15, 16 identifies a keyword it will search for and identify any text that comes before the keyword at 302 to identify the group or sub group the organiser intends the message to be sent to. If the engine 15, 16 does not find any keywords in the SMS it will provide the following error at 303:

ERROR: Your message is neither a valid event response nor contains any keywords. Try using a keyword or replying HELP. The main keywords are ADD, EVENT, GRANT, MEMBER, MODIFY, PRIVILEGE, REMOVE, SEND, SUBGROUP, VIEW

The error message generates the word "main" because the engine also has means for identifying other aliases or synonyms to some of the keywords which allows the engine to perform the same function, e.g. use of the word CREATE causes the engine to perform the same function as the word ADD; use of the word CANCEL & DELETE causes the engine to perform the same function as the word REMOVE; MEETING causes the engine to perform the same function as the word EVENT. It will of course be appreciated that these keywords are provided as exemplary only and in no way limit the functionality of the invention to these keywords.

When the engine 15, 16 does find a valid keyword or a short form filter for the keywords in the initiating SMS, it then looks at whether there is any text that precedes the keyword at 304. If there is text before the keyword, the engine 15, 16 applies this text as a filter to any group names that the organiser has privileges to. If the organiser has organiser privileges to one group only then the filter is unnecessary but allowed. At this point 305 the engine 15, 16 tries to identify a single group that the organiser’s SMS is intended to deal with. If the engine 15, 16 does so successfully it will continue, but if not the engine 15, 16 will respond with the appropriate error at 306 from the following:

- "ERROR: [filter text] is not a valid group. Valid groups are: [list of groups user has organiser privileges to]", e.g. "ERROR: [team] is not a valid group. Valid groups are CPN ALL, CPN U12 FOOT, FERMANAGH "

- "ERROR: More than 1 group matches your criteria ([filter text]): [list of matching groups]" e.g. "ERROR: More than 1 group matches your criteria (CPN): CPN ALL, CPN U12 FOOT"

If an organiser correctly adds the filter text and the keywords, the next technical hurdle to overcome with the communication system 1 is that some commands consist of 1 keyword only (SEND & HELP) whereas others require a keyword pair, e.g. "ADD EVENT" or "DELETE MEMBER". In the latter case the engine 15, 16 checks at 307 if the first keyword is followed by a second keyword which is an appropriate match with it. Again the engine can recognise short form filters for two word keywords. If not then the engine 15, 16 generates an error like the following example and transmits the error message to the mobile number of the organiser at 308:

ERROR: ADD GAME is not a valid command. ADD can only be followed by: MEMBER, EVENT, SUBGROUP

At this stage, the organiser has worked with the feedback function to overcome all of the error messages to date and they want to add an event and the engine has successfully identified the target group and the ADD EVENT command. At 309 the engine 15, 16 checks for separators to identify if there are one or more further sections which must be separated by a full stop or an "@" sign for example. If this is not the case the engine 15, 16 will return an error at 310 in response to an initiating message from an organiser:

fer add event match tomorrow at home

would result in reply:

ERROR: Event must contain WHAT.WHEN. WHERE separated by full stop or @ e.g. FER ADD EVENT match. Tomorrow 730pm thu 17 dec. Home ground

If the engine 15, 16 identifies that the 3 sections are present in the initiating sms message the engine then checks at 311 that either the second or third section contains a time of day within it. The priority set down in the engines rules is for the engine to check for a time format first and subsequently check for the date and/or day of the week also being identified in that section. If the engine cannot find the time format it will reply at 312 with the error message

ERROR: Must include TIME as part of: WHAT. TIME. WHERE separated by full stop or @ e.g.: FER ADD EVENT Training. 730pm thu 17 dec. Home ground

If the engine proceeds to this stage without errors or all of the errors are remedied by the organiser, then the engine focuses on the WHEN section. There are no format requirements for WHAT and WHERE other than that they are not empty.

e.g. if the initiating SMS is

u12 add event aaa. 7pm bbb. ccc

the response would be

ERROR: BBB is not a valid part of WHEN section (7PM BBB). Note that WHAT. WHEN. WHERE sections must be separated by full stops or @

The WHEN section should contain valid individual bits of date and time information, but the engine 15, 16 is capable of checking whether those bits make sense and are sufficient with respect to one another and in the context of the time and date now, at the moment the message has been received. Below are some examples of incorrect initiating messages and their corresponding error message:

FER ADD EVENT Training. 730pm 30 Feb 2011. Home ground

ERROR: 30 Feb is NOT in the calendar

FER ADD EVENT Training. 700pm 15 ^th feb. Home ground

ERROR: 7:00pm Wed 15th Feb has already passed

If all of the errors are overcome, then the server 2 will transmit the sms text message to the identified group of mobile phone numbers 41 to 46 at 313 and await a reply at 314.

The following section of the patent specification provides specific examples of all of the additional features of the system.

Examples of Identification of day and time in an SMS command

Taking an example of an SMS command to send SMS invitations for a new event:

Add event league game vs St Pats. Sat 19 200 pm. Home ground

‘add event’ represents the command.

An event consists of 3 key elements, namely What, When and Where

‘league game vs st pats’ is the What element in this case.

‘Sat 19 200 pm’ is the When

‘Home ground’ is the Where element

Elements are separated by the ‘.’ character or optionally by the ‘@’ character. The ‘What’ element must come first. ‘When’ and ‘Where’ elements come next but are allowed to be the other way round, i.e. ‘Where’ then ‘When’.

When an organiser specifies the ‘When’ element of the event they must specify:

A day, either a date of the month or/and a day of the week and a time of day

For a day of the week, either the full name of the day or any abbreviated match can be used, with as little as the first 2 characters can be used, e.g. ‘Saturday’ or ‘sa’. For the date either a number or number followed by postfix can be used, e.g. ‘19’ or ’19th’ If a month is specified it can be the full month name or an abbreviated match, e.g. ‘march’ or ‘mar’. If a year is specified it can use 4 digits, 2 digits or 2 digits preceded by an apostrophe, e.g. 2011, 11 or ’11. The Day of the week, Date, Month and year are all separated by spaces. It does not matter in what order they appear. If a month is not specified the current month is assumed. If a year is not specified the current year is assumed. If both date and day of week are specified the server checks with a calendar that they are consistent and replies with an appropriate error if not. If the day of the week is specified and the date of the month is not, the current day is not allowed and an appropriate error message is returned. Otherwise the date is taken to be the next date after today that this day occurs. If both year and date of month have been provided as 2 digits and cannot be identified from each other the user is sent an error asking them to use 4 digits for the year.

For clock time the 12 hour time can be used, followed by ‘AM’ or ‘PM’, with a space optional between the 12 hour time and the am/pm setting. The 12 hour time can be hours only, or hours followed by 2 digit minutes, optionally seperated by a ‘:’ e.g. ‘7pm’, ‘7:00 PM’ or ‘700 pm’

It does not matter what order the elements are provided except that the AM/PM must follow the 12 hour time. E.g. all the following result in identification of the same date and time:

Sat 26 Mar 2011 315 pm

315pm sat 26 mar 2011

Mar 26 315 pm sat 2011

The date and time specified must not be in the past. If it is, an appropriate error message is returned.

The system also supports 24 hour format as an alternative, without AM/PM. if the hour starts with a zero, e.g. 0900 it is taken to be 9AM, or 00:45 would be taken as 12:45 AM; if the digits representing the hour are between 13 and 23 it’s taken as e.g. 1pm and 11pm; if it’s 1000, 1100 or 1200 the system currently assumes 10am, 11am and 12pm – 24 hour only works when 2 digits are used for the hour AND 2 digits are used for the minutes as well.

Examples of times provided in SMS and engine response

If the current day, i.e. the day when a user is sending an SMS command to the system, is Thursday 3rd March 2011 at 1:13 pm, then the following SMS text would identify date and time as described:

Table 1

SMS text	Date and Time identified
Tu 7pm	Tue 8th March 2011, 7:00 pm
26th 315pm	Sat 26th March 2011, 3:15 pm
Sat 26 3:15pm	Sat 26th March 2011, 3:15 pm
Sun
24 315pm	Would return an error explaining 24 March 2011 is not a Sunday.
24 apr 11:15am	Sun 24th April 2011, 11:15 am
Sat
24 apr 11:15 am	Would return an error because 24th April 2011 is not a Saturday
Jan 5th 9am	Would return an error because the year has not been specified and this date has passed in the current year.
9am 5 jan 2012	Thu 5th January 2012, 9:00 am
Thur 1:30pm	Would return an error saying the date must be provided if the day of week is the same as today.
14th march 2:30	Would return an error because the time has not been followed by ‘am’ or ‘pm’
2nd 7pm	Would return an error because 2nd March 2011 has already passed when this is sent (3rd March 2011).
Thu 3 7pm	Thu 3rd March 2011, 7:00 pm
Thu
3 1pm	Would return an error because 1:00pm on 3rd March has already passed when the message is sent (1:13pm on 3rd March)

Example of providing secure web access to the mobile user only

To allow all users access to further functionality, specific to their mobile number, via the system.com web site (e.g. history of messages) it is necessary to restrict visibility of this information to that mobile user only. To achieve this a process of setting a web user password that depends on a ‘ Password Reset Code’ is used which is sent by SMS to the mobile. A user can request a Password Reset Code by going to system.com and entering their mobile number. Once they have received the code they can use it to set a web password for their number. Having done so they can log in using this password and using their mobile number as their username.

Example of Protecting against Masquer ading

It is possible to send SMS messages which look like they are from a mobile number that they are not from and hence masquerade as someone, or something else. This represents a potential risk to users of system.com: either that someone else could send messages that appear to have come from them when they did not, or that someone could send them a message that appears to have come from system.com when it did not. To protect against this system.com provides something called a ‘Mobile Security Word’. If used, this is a word specific to the user which both:

The user must put at the start of any message they send to system.com. Unless system.com receives the correct word at the start of the message it will not process it.

System.com will put this word at the start of text messages it sends to the user. When the user receives a text message that appears to have come from system.com they will be able to see whether the first word of the text matches their Mobile Security Word.

Example of Advanced Editing via SMS

System.com provides a method for editing data via SMS. This consists of the following steps:

The user sends an SMS command to a system.com number which identifies the record they want to edit. System.com sends the user a text that contains the current details of the record. The users sends a copy of this back, modifying only the bits they want to change

Specific Example

The user wants to edit member John Smith and correct their name to John Smyth (with a ‘y’). They could send the following text to their system.com number:

Edit member joh sm

They could receive the following response from system.com:

Edit member #6245 John Smith, 447777333444

To make the change, the user would then send the following text back to their system.com number:

Edit member #6245 John Smyth, 447777333444

Example of section separators to identify parameters in an SMS command

SMS commands can include more than one parameter. To distinguish the parameters one method used is ‘Section Separators’, whereby specific characters are identified as representing the end of one section and start of the next. More than one section separator can be specified, in which case the appearance of any of the specified characters is taken as a section separator.

Example

In order to add an event that both full stop ‘.’ and ‘@’ are defined as section separators and that ‘add event’ is the command for adding an event, the following text is sent to the system.com number:

Add event training @ wed 7pm @ home ground. Please come in full team kit for a team photo before training starts.

In this case the parameters would be taken as follows:

Training

wed 7pm

home ground

Please come in full team kit for a team photo before training starts.

Example of flexible entry of mobile numbers

System.com allows variations in the format used for entering mobile numbers to minimise the limitations on how users enter mobile numbers into the system. These are as follows:

Spaces are optional and ignored

‘+’, ‘-‘, ‘(‘, ‘)’ are optional and ignored

Having ‘00’ at the start of the entry is optional and ignored

A ‘0’ after the country code is optional and ignored.

Example of defaulting Country Code to Match Organiser

To simplify entry of members mobile numbers while adding members or editing member details, if the mobile number specified does not include an international country code, then the country code of the organiser entering the data is assumed.

Example

An organiser with mobile number 447777888888 adds a new member with mobile number 07777555666. A country code of 44 is assumed, matching that of the organiser, making the member’s mobile number 447777555666.

Examples of Subgroup Membership and Privileges

Members can only be in a Subgroup if they are also in the ‘parent’ group, whether it be the whole club, or another subgroup. A member can be given privileges at Subgroup level. Privileges granted at any level also apply automatically to any Subgroups beneath that level.

Exampl es of other aspects of the system

In order to provide a broader sense of the overall system a list of other features are included below:

A full log of all messages, available via the website showing, for members:

all system.com messages to and from their mobile number

for organisers:

all system.com messages relating to the SMS group they select

Child protection functionality whereby any or all of the following can be utilised:

Copies of children’s texts go to guardians

Can be configured by an organiser or by the guardian to go to the guardian only, child only or both. Texts to groups that include children are limited to a minimum group size, e.g. 5 children. A club monitor receives copies of all texts sent to children

Sub groups and sub groups of sub groups, down to any depth. When members have been added to a club they can then be added to a sub group by selection of name only (i.e. phone details or child protection details are not re-entered).

Privilege control to allow different levels of administrator access which can be applied at club level, or at subgroup level.

An audit log of changes to member data.

Example in relation to set top box functionality

A set top box is configured to accept commands from a mobile number. A user sends the following sms command message to the predetermined mobile number associated with their set top box

record bear g wed

and receives

Successfully set to record: Bear Grylls Born Survivor 7pm Wed 22 Feb on Discovery

Example in relation to online betting functionality

A person is reading a paper on a train and wants to place a bet on a horse before the end of the train journey. If there was a number set aside for onlinebetting.com and the user has it added to their phone they can send a text message to the number with the command “bet bl bea .kemp 2:30. £5 win” where bl bea refers to the name of the horse black beauty and provided the online website has some way of determining that the user has credit on their mobile phone their server can accept the bet. The same principal can be applied for booking tickets using the sms command functionality.

In relation to the detailed description of the different embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that one or more technical features of one embodiment can be used in combination with one or more technical features of any other embodiment where the transferred use of the one or more technical features would be immediately apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art to carry out a similar function in a similar way on the other embodiment.

In the preceding discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of the said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description or the following drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing a disclosed function, or a method or a process of attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may separately, or in any combination of such features be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (68)

1. A communication system for communicating with a target entity using sms or mms or equivalent unenriched text message functionality via an allocated number capable of receiving sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text messages for viewing/listing target entity information and/or achieving an outcome with the target entity and/or for adjusting settings of the target entity for effecting a change to a future outcome, the system comprising at least one mobile device having sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message functionality, a server having a memory for storing a plurality of entities, the server having an engine with interpreting means for interpreting information contained within an incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message, the interpreting means being capable of identifying the target entity from information in the incoming message containing only part of the target entity name sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.
2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interpreting means is capable of identifying the target entity from information in the incoming message containing only part of the target entity name sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities accessible via the same allocated number capable of receiving sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text messages.
3. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the interpreting means is capable of performing text parsing using predetermined rules to uniquely identify a match target entity requested by the user.
4. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interpreting means has means for identifying specific target entities based on short form identifiers of the target entities provided by the user in the sms/mms message sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.
5. A communication system as claimed in claim 4, wherein each short form identifier in the filter must match at least part of one of the entity names in the entity field being filtered.
6. A communication system as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein where the entity name has two or more words the interpreting means is able to filter the target entity.
7. A communication system as claimed in claim 6, wherein where the entity name has two or more words, the short form identifier has two or more components.
8. A communication system as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the filtering of the two or more word entity name is achievable irrespective of the order of the short form identifiers in the message.
9. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein a target entity in a group of two or more entities is uniquely identifiable where a short form filter is applied to a group of entities producing one result being the target entity.
10. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the overall communication system is also context sensitive in that entities such as member names only require to be defined to a degree sufficient to distinguish them from any other entity such as a member name within that context.
11. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has means for preventing the addition of an entity which would prevent the unique identification of existing entities and the recently added entity.
12. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feedback means generates an error message and transmits the error message to the mobile number of the incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message if a target entity cannot be identified from the information content of the initiating message.
13. A communication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the feedback means generates a plain language user friendly sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the target entity required, the feedback means providing the communication system with feedback and learning functionality.
14. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the term entity refers to the name of something real such as a group of people, an event, a horse race, a horse, a place and/or a person storable on memory of the server.
15. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the entities can comprise data referring to television schedules, racehorse meeting schedules, travel timetables and/or other information content accessible via the server.
16. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the entities are provided in a database comprising a list of target entities.
17. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the entities can be any one of or any combination of group names, command keywords, event names and command specific argument names.
18. A communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the command specific argument contains at least “when“ information.
19. A communication system as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the command specific argument contains at least “where and when” information.
20. A communication system as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the command specific argument contains at least “what and when” information.
21. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the command specific argument contains at least “where, when and what” information.
22. A communication system as claimed in any one of the claims 17 to 21, wherein the engine has reserved words for use as commands words in the sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text messaging communication system.
23. A communication system as claimed in any one of the claims 17 to 22, wherein the engine has means for identifying aliases/synonyms of command words which allow the engine to perform the same function as the main command word.
24. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the entities are identified by normal words allowing a user to use a word more easily identifiable by themselves as a natural language phrase corresponding to the function they are trying to perform further improving the user friendly functionality and technical function of the communication system.
25. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the reserved words allow a user to engage with the interpreting means to cause the interpreting means to perform predetermined functions.
26. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has means for according privileges to a user at a variety of levels.
27. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the interpreting means of the engine is designed to parse the content of an incoming message in a predetermined order.
28. A communication system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the interpreting means of the engine analyses commands in the sequence group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.
29. A communication system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the interpreting means of the engine analyses commands in the sequence mobile security word; group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.
30. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has means for uniquely identifying future dated events on the same date.
31. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the entities comprises groups of people, sub groups of people such as members of sports clubs.
32. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has means for preventing the addition of a member, group or subgroup which would prevent the unique identification of existing members, groups or subgroups and the recent addition by the engine.
33. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has means for uniquely identifying each member, group or subgroup.
34. A communication system as claimed in claim 35, wherein the means for uniquely identifying each member, group or subgroup is provided by a comparison of at least some of the characters in the member name, group name or sub group name provided by each member or an organizer of the group or subgroup.
35. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has means for retrieving data from the memory of the server in response to the information content of the text message.
36. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has a transmitting means for transmitting an sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message to a group or sub group identified from an initiating message.
37. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engine has means for identifying separators for dividing components of an initiating text message which serve different functions.
38. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system has means for uniquely identifying a user each time they access the system using a mobile security word.
39. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein system has advanced text editing functionality to ease use of the system.
40. A method for communicating with a target entity using sms, mms or equivalent unenriched text message functionality via an allocated number capable of receiving sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text messages for viewing/listing target entity information and/or for achieving an outcome with the target entity and/or for adjusting settings of the target entity for effecting a change to a future outcome, the method comprising interpreting information contained within an incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message, identifying the target entity from information in the incoming message containing only part of the target entity name sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.
41. A method as claimed in claim 40, wherein the method comprising identifying the target entity from other entities accessible via the allocated number capable of receiving sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text messages.
42. A method as claimed in claim 40 or claim 41, wherein the method comprising identifying specific target entities based on short form identifiers of the target entities provided by the user in the message sufficient to distinguish the target entity from the names of other entities.
43. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 42, wherein the method comprising performing text parsing using predetermined rules to uniquely identify a match target entity requested by the user.
44. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 43, wherein the method comprising defining an entity by one or more words.
45. A method as claimed in claim 44, wherein the method comprising defining a short form filter with one or more short form components.
46. A method as claimed in claim 45, wherein the method comprising matching each short form component in the filter with at least part of each of the entity names in the entity field being filtered.
47. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 46, wherein the method comprising creating a group of entities originally assigning entity names.
48. A method as claimed in claim 45 or 46, wherein the method comprising uniquely identifying a target entity in a group of two or more entities by applying a short form filter that can be applied to the group of entities which would produce one result being the target entity.
49. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 48, wherein the method comprising making the overall communication method context sensitive in that entities such as member names only require to be defined to a degree sufficient to distinguish them from any other entity such as a member name within that context.
50. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 49, wherein the method comprising preventing the addition of an entity which would prevent the unique identification of existing entities and the recently added entity.
51. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 50, wherein the method comprising generating an error message and transmitting the error message to the mobile number of the incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message if a target entity cannot be identified from the information content of the initiating message.
52. A method as claimed in claim 51, wherein the method comprising generating a plain language user friendly sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message prompting the user to provide further details to allow the interpreting means to identify the target entity required so that the combined effect of the short form filter identification of a target entity from a group of entities with the error message feedback further enhances the user friendliness of the communication system.
53. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 52, wherein the method comprising defining the entities as any one of or any combination of group names, command words, event names and command specific arguments.
54. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 53, wherein the method comprising defining entities as everyday words.
55. A method as claimed in claims 53 or 54 when dependent on 53, wherein the method comprising reserving words for use as command words in the text messaging communication method.
56. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 55, wherein the method comprising identifying aliases/synonyms of command words.
57. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 56, wherein the method comprising according privileges to a user at a variety of levels allowing the user various levels of access to a server.
58. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 57, wherein the method comprising according a user different group levels of access.
59. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 58, wherein the method comprising parsing the content of an incoming message in a predetermined order.
60. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the method comprising analysing commands in the sequence group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.
61. A method as claimed in claim 59, wherein the method comprising analysing sms/mms commands in the sequence mobile security word; group name filter; command keyword; command specific argument.
62. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 61, wherein the method comprising specifying multiple target entities within the same context in a single command.
63. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 62, wherein the method comprising returning a list of valid entities where no target entity has been identified.
64. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 63, wherein the method comprising returning a list of all valid matching entities where more than one target entity has been identified.
65. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 64, wherein the method comprising retrieving data from the memory of the server in response to the information content of the sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message.
66. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 65, wherein the method comprising transmitting an sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message to a group or sub group identified from an initiating message.
67. A method as claimed in any one of claims 40 to 66, wherein the method comprising identifying separators for dividing components of an initiating message which serve different functions.
68. A method for communicating with a target entity via an allocated number using sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text functionality for viewing/listing entity information and/or achieving an outcome with the target entity and/or for adjusting settings of the target entity for effecting a change to a future outcome, the method comprising interpreting information contained within an incoming sms/mms or equivalent unenriched text message and identifying the user from a specific mobile security entity.

Images