Electronic message forwarding control

The present invention relates to the field of communication networks and, in particular, to provide systems and methods for controlling whether recipients of electronic messages are allowed to transfer electronic messages to third parties.

<p> Wireless service providers typically provide text message services, such as Short Message Service (SMS), to their subscribers. SMS is a service available on digital mobile phones that allows you to send and receive short text messages. Many service providers also offer multimedia messaging services, such as the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), which can send and receive a variety of multimedia content such as images, audio clips, video clips as well as text.</p><p> To send an SMS message, the subscriber first enters the text into a mobile phone or other text-enabled device. The subscriber enters one or more phone numbers of the recipients of the SMS message and sends the SMS message. The Short Message Service Center (SMSC) receives and stores SMS messages. The SMSC then attempts to forward the SMS message to the recipient when the recipient is available.</p><p> Subscribers can also send SMS messages from websites that offer SMS capabilities (mostly service provider websites). The subscriber enters the recipient's number and the website creates a customized text for the SMS message. The subscriber then clicks "Send" or a similar button to send an SMS message to the recipient.</p><p> Many professional or non-professional message authors generate special SMS messages in addition to customized text messages created by subscribers. Special SMS messages are poems, quotes, jokes, holiday messages, etc. Such special SMS messages are often sold on content servers, such as through websites. When a subscriber enters a content server website with a special text message, the subscriber purchases a special SMS message and sends the special SMS message to one or more recipients via the website. Message creators and content providers (content server owners) share the benefits of purchasing special SMS messages. There are similar websites that sell special MMS messages.</p><p> One problem with SMS and MMS message services is that recipients of SMS or MMS messages can forward messages to third parties without restriction. The subscriber may create a customized SMS message that he / she wants only certain recipients to receive, such as private or personal messages. Currently, the recipient can forward the SMS message to multiple third parties against the will of the subscriber. The subscriber also purchases a special SMS message and sends the special SMS message to the recipient. Here, the recipient may forward the special SMS message to one or more third parties, who may forward the message to another person, and so on. Content providers offering special SMS messages miss potential revenue because only the original sender pays for the special SMS message.</p><p> There is a similar problem with email messages. The recipient of an email message may forward the email message to one or more third parties without the permission of the sender. There is an email blocking mechanism that allows recipients to block email from a particular sender, but for email message senders, the recipient of the email message then sends the email message. There is currently no ability to control whether or not it is allowed to be transferred to another person.</p>

<p> The present invention presents the above and other problems with a system that controls whether a recipient of an electronic message is allowed to transfer an electronic message (eg, a text message, a multimedia message, an email message, etc.) to a third party. Regarding providing a method. The systems and methods described herein have many beneficial effects. For example, a content provider and message creator who sells a special text message or a special multimedia message can prevent the recipient of the special text / multimedia message from forwarding the message to a third party. Recipients will have to purchase special text / multimedia messages in order to send the message to third parties, which will increase the revenue of content providers and message creators. In addition, senders of text messages, multimedia messages, e-mail messages, etc. can prevent recipients from forwarding private or personal messages to third parties.</p><p> An embodiment of the present invention comprises a method of transmitting an electronic message. One step of the method includes allowing the sender of the electronic message to compose the electronic message or select the electronic message from the content server. Other steps of the method include inserting or including a transfer control indicator for electronic messages. The transfer control indicator consists of some bit sequence, flag, or other indicator as to whether or not this electronic message is allowed to be transferred by one or more subsequent recipients. Other steps of the method include sending an electronic message with a transfer control indicator to the message center for subsequent transmission to the recipient or recipients. This method may be performed in the sender's access device, in the content server that provides the electronic message, or in another intermediate server that is responsible for sending the electronic message to the recipient.</p><p> Another embodiment of the present invention is a method in which the transfer of an electronic message is controlled by a receiver. One step of the method includes processing a transfer control indicator in an electronic message to determine if the electronic message is allowed to be transferred. If it is determined that the electronic message is not permitted to be transferred to a third party, another step includes a step of preventing the electronic message from being transferred. If it is determined that the electronic message is permitted to be transferred to a third party, another step includes a step of permitting the electronic message to be transferred. This method may be performed at the recipient's access device, at the message center, or at another intermediate server between the recipient's access device and a third party. The present invention includes the following other examples. In all drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.</p>

FIGS. 1-5 and the following description show specific examples of the present invention and teach those skilled in the art how to utilize the present invention. For the purposes of teaching progressive principles, some conventional aspects of the invention have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that variations of those examples are within the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the following configurations can be combined in various ways to form numerous variations of the invention. As a result, the present invention is not limited to the specific examples below, but is limited by the scope of claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1 in an embodiment of the present invention shows a communication network 100. The communication network 100 may be a wired network, an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) network, a packet network (IP network), a wireless network, or the like. The communication network 100 is illustrated as including a message system 102, a sender 111 operating the access device 121, a receiver 112 operating the access device 122, and a third party 113 operating the access device 123. Each access device 121-123 comprises a device configured to appropriately transmit and receive electronic messages via the message system 102. Access devices 121-123 can be wired phones, wireless (mobile) phones, PDA, PCs, VoIP phones, SIP phones, or some other type of access device. A content server 104 that is connected to the message system 102 and accessible by the access device 121 is also shown. A large number of intermediate systems, servers, networks, etc. may exist between the access devices 121-123 and the message system 102, but are not shown for convenience of explanation.

The message system 102 consists of any device, server, or other system adapted for exchanging electronic messages between access devices 121-123. Electronic messages consist of all types of messages exchanged via electronically mediated communications. The electronic message can be a text message (eg, SMS message), a multimedia message (eg, MMS message), an email message, or any other type of message. The message system 102 may take different forms depending on the type of electronic message being sent. For example, if the electronic message consists of an SMS message, the message system 102 is adapted to receive the SMS message, determine the current status of the recipient 112, or remember the SMS message for later transmission. Consists of SMSC. If the electronic message consists of an MMS message, the message system 102 receives the MMS message, determines the current status of the recipient 112, and forwards the MMS message to the recipient 112, or sends the MMS message later. Consists of MMSC adapted to remember for. If the electronic message consists of an email message, the message system 102 consists of an email server such as an SMTP and / or POP3 server adapted to control the distribution and storage of the email message.

The content server 104 consists of any server adapted to the sender 111 to store special electronic messages available for free or for a fee. As mentioned above, there are many professional or non-professional message creators whose content providers generate special electronic messages to be posted on content servers such as content server 104. Special electronic messages are provided to consumers, such as sender 111, via websites or other means.

For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the communication network 100 is operated by a conventional method. The sender 111 operates the access device 121 to send an electronic message to the receiver 112 via the message system 102. The receiver 112 receives the electronic message via the access device 112. Here, the receiver 112 may transfer the electronic message to the third party 113 via the message system 102 without limitation.

According to the configurations and features described herein, whether the communication network 100 allows the recipient 112 to transfer the electronic message to a third party 113 (if desired by the sender 111 or another party). It is adapted to control the network. Again, assume that sender 111 wants to send an electronic message to recipient 112. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method 200 for transmitting an electronic message according to an embodiment of the present invention. The steps of method 200 are described with reference to the communication network 100 of FIG. The steps in the flowchart of FIG. 2 are not all-encompassing and may include other steps not shown.

In step 202, the access device 121 allows the sender 111 to compose or select an electronic message. For example, the access device 121 can provide a message editing screen that allows the user to compose an electronic message. Alternatively, the access device 121 may be able to access the previously created content server 104 that provides the plurality of special electronic messages. The access device 121 can also allow the sender 111 to select one of the special electronic messages from the content server 104 and download the selected electronic message.

In step 204, the access device 121 includes a transfer control indicator in the electronic message. The transfer control indicator indicates to the subsequent system or device whether the electronic message is allowed to be transferred by one or more subsequent recipients of the electronic message. For example, the transfer control indicator can indicate that the electronic message cannot be transferred at all, that it may be transferred only once, that it may be transferred twice, and so on. The transfer control indicator may consist of a bit string, a flag, or another type of indicator. The transfer control indicator may be included in the header of the electronic message, such as in the header field designated for transfer control.

The access device 121 asks the sender 111 whether the sender 111 wants to prevent the transfer of the electronic message by the receiver 112. If the sender 111 responds positively, the access device 121 includes a transfer control indicator in the electronic message. Alternatively, the access device 121 automatically includes the transfer control indicator in this electronic message and other electronic messages, such as by the global settings specified by the sender 111.

In step 206, the access device 121 sends an electronic message with a transfer control indicator to the message system 102. The message system 102 then forwards the electronic message with the forwarding control indicator to the access device 122 of the receiver 112.

In another alternative embodiment, method 200 is performed by content server 104. The sender 111 accesses the content server 104 via the access device 121 and can see the special electronic message provided by the content server 104. Content server 104 allows sender 111 to select one of the electronic messages, such as through a website listing available electronic messages. Then, the content server 104 includes the transfer control indicator in the selected electronic message, and transmits the electronic message with the transfer control indicator to the message system 102. The content server 104 may automatically include the forwarding control indicator in the electronic message, especially when the sender pays for the electronic message.

Method 200 may be performed by a software product consisting of applications stored on a storage medium. The application may consist of instructions that can be executed by an access device 121, a content server 104, or a processing system provided in another system operating as described above. Examples of instructions include software, program code, and firmware. Instructions are capable of operating to cause the processing system to operate in accordance with the present invention when executed by the processing system. The term "processing system" shall mean a single processing device or a group of interactive processing devices. Examples of processors are computers, integrated circuits and logic circuits.

In FIG. 1, it is assumed that the access device 122 of the receiver 112 currently receives an electronic message from the sender 111. Recipient 112 also attempts to transfer the electronic message to a third party 113 via the message system 102. According to the configuration and features here, recipient 112 may not be allowed to transfer electronic messages as follows:

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method 300 for controlling the transfer of electronic messages by the receiver 112 in the embodiment of the present invention. Each step of the method is described with reference to the communication network 100 of FIG. The steps in the flowchart in FIG. 3 are not all-encompassing and may include other steps not shown. Method 300 may be performed by an application running on the access device 122 of the receiver 112 in response to the recipient 112 attempting to transfer an electronic message. Alternatively, method 300 may be performed by an application running on message system 102 or another intermediate server in response to the received electronic message being forwarded by access device 122 of recipient 112.

Step 302 of method 300 includes processing a transfer control indicator in the electronic message to determine if the electronic message is allowed to be transferred. If the transfer control indicator is included in the message header, the transfer control indicator is first identified in the message header and then processed to determine if the electronic message is allowed to be transferred.

If it is determined that the electronic message is not allowed to be forwarded, step 304 of method 300 includes a step of preventing the electronic message from being forwarded to a third party 113. The steps to prevent the electronic message from being forwarded to a third party 113 are to block the electronic message on the access device 122, block the electronic message on the message system 102, or 1 on another intermediate server. The electronic message is blocked by the above desired blocking method. If the electronic message is blocked from being forwarded, Method 300 may further include step 306 sending a notification message to the recipient 112 indicating that the electronic message has been blocked from being forwarded to a third party 13. ..

If it is determined that the electronic message is allowed to be forwarded, step 308 of method 300 includes a step of allowing the electronic message to be forwarded to a third party 113. If Method 300 is performed on Access Device 122, Access Device 122 will forward the electronic message to Message System 102 in step 308. If the message system 102 is properly equipped, the message system 102 will perform method 300 at a second time of receiving the forwarded electronic message. If the method 300 is performed on the message system 102, the message system 102 will transfer the electronic message to the access device 123 of the third party 113 in step 308.

Method 300 can be performed by a software product consisting of applications stored on a storage medium. The application may consist of instructions executed by an access device 112, a message system 102 or a processing system provided on another system operating as described above.

FIG. 4 shows another communication network 400 that provides text messaging and multimedia messaging according to an embodiment of the present invention. Communication network 400 is illustrated to include content servers 402, SMSC404, and MMSC406 adapted to store special SMS or MMS messages. The communication network 400 is further illustrated as including a sender 411 operating a mobile device 421 and a PC 422. Each of the mobile devices 421 and PC422 is connected to the content server 402, SMSC404, and MMSC406 via the access network 407. The communication network 400 is further illustrated as including a receiver 413 operating a mobile device 423 connected to the SMSC 404 and MMSC 406 via the access network 408. The communication network 400 is further illustrated as including a third party 414 operating a mobile device 424 connected to the SMSC 404 and MMSC 406 via the access network 409. The access network 407-409 may consist of an SS7 network, an IP network, or another type of network.

Suppose sender 411 wants to send an SMS message to recipient 413. To send an SMS message, sender 411 accesses content server 402 via access network 407 by PC422 (or mobile device 421). Content server 402 provides a website that offers a number of special SMS messages that can be purchased. Sender 411 views the special SMS message and purchases one of the SMS messages to send to recipient 413. The content server 402 completes the transaction for purchasing the SMS message by receiving the payment from the sender 411 by credit card, prepaid, or the like.

According to the configurations and features described herein, the content server 402 includes a forwarding control indicator in the SMS message before sending the SMS message to the recipient 413. As an example, the content server 402 may set the forwarding control bit in the header of the SMS message. When the transfer control bit is set, SMS messages are transfer restricted. The content server 402 forwards the SMS delivery request to the SMSC404 via the SMPP protocol along with the message body and header. SMSC404 sends an SMS message to recipient 413's mobile device 423 over access network 408. If the access network 408 consists of an SS7 network, the SMSC404 sends an SMS message by the MAP protocol, or if the access network 408 consists of an IP network, it sends an SMS message by the SMPP protocol.

The mobile device 423 of the recipient 413 receives an SMS message from the SMSC404. Recipient 413 attempts to forward an SMS message to a third party 414. Before forwarding the SMS message to the SMSC404, the mobile device 423 runs the application to process the forwarding control bits in the header of the SMS message to determine if the SMS message is allowed to be forwarded. If it is determined that the SMS message is not allowed to be forwarded to a third party (as assumed in this example), the mobile device 423 will send the SMS message to a third party. Prevents being transferred to 414.

If the mobile device 423 does not have an application embedded, the mobile device 423 forwards SMS messages to the SMSC404 over the access network 408. To determine if an SMS message is allowed to be forwarded, the SMSC404 runs an application to process the forwarding control bits in the header of the SMS message. If it is determined that the SMS message is not allowed to be forwarded to the third party 414, the SMSC440 will prevent the SMS message from being forwarded to the third party 414.

If the SMS message is blocked by the mobile device 423 or SMSC404, a notification message will be sent to recipient 413 indicating that the electronic message was blocked from being forwarded to the third party 414. May be good.

For another embodiment again, suppose sender 411 wants to send an SMS message to recipient 413. Instead of selecting a special SMS message from the content server 402, the sender creates a custom SMS message on the mobile device 421 (or PC422). According to the configurations and features described herein, the mobile device 421 includes a forwarding control indicator in the SMS message before sending the SMS message to the recipient 413. As an example, the mobile device 421 may set the transfer control bit in the header of the SMS message. Mobile device 421 asks sender 411 if sender 411 wants to prevent SMS messages from being forwarded. If the sender 411 responds positively, the mobile device 421 sets the transfer control bit accordingly. Alternatively, the mobile device 421 automatically sets the transfer control bit and blocks the transfer of the SMS message by a global setting or the like specified by the sender 411.

When the transfer control bit is set, SMS messages are transfer restricted. The mobile device 411 forwards the SMS delivery request to the SMSC404 over the access network 407 along with the message body and header. SMSC404 sends an SMS message to recipient 413's mobile device 423 over access network 408. Therefore, as described in the above embodiment, the receiver 413 is prevented from forwarding the message based on the setting of the forwarding control bit of the SMS message.

MMS messages are forward-restricted in the same manner as described for SMS messages.

The transfer control bits described above may be added as an extension of the standard MAP MO / MT message format. The MAP-MO-FORWARD-SHORT-MESSAGE service is a service used between the serving MSC or SGSN and the gateway MSC to forward short messages originating from the mobile. The MAP-MT-FORWARD-SHORT-MESSAGE service is a service used between the gateway MSC and the serving MSC or SGSN to forward short messages that terminate to mobile. Those skilled in the art should know how serving MSCs, SGSNs and gateway MSCs fit into access networks 407-409.

A new field called the SM_Forward_Restricted field is added to the MAP-MO-Forward-SMS message. The SM_Forward_Restricted field is the forwarding restriction sent by mobile device 421 or content server 402 in the "Message Type" field (CP-Data) of the control protocol message or the "Message Type Indicator" field (RP-Data) of the relay protocol message. Represents a field. The transfer control bit will be included in the SM_Forward_Restricted field. The transfer control bit indicates whether the SMS message can be transferred. The transfer control bit may also indicate whether the SMS message can be transferred once or twice, and so on. For example, a value "00" in the transfer control bit indicates that SMS messages are not allowed to be transferred at all. A value "01" in the transfer control bit indicates that the SMS message can be transferred only once. A value "10" in the transfer control bit indicates that the SMS message can be transferred only twice.

The transfer control bits described above may also be added as an extension of the standard SMPP message format. The transfer limit can be controlled by the "service_type" parameter used in SMPP messages such as "submit_sm", "data_sm", "deliver_sm", "broadcast_sm", "cancel_sm", and "cancel_broadcast". The "service_type" parameter may be used to indicate the SMS application service associated with the message in the SMPP protocol for IP network based SMS / MMS. The transfer control bit may be set as described in the previous paragraph to control the transfer of SMS / MMS messages.

FIG. 5 shows another communication network 500 that provides email messaging in an embodiment of the present invention. The communication network 500 is illustrated as including a sender 511 operating a PC 521 (or any other device (not shown)). PC 521 is connected to email server 502 via IP network 507. The communication network 500 is further illustrated as including a receiver 512 operating a PC 522 (or any other device (not shown)). PC522 is connected to another email server 504 by IP network 508. The communication network 500 is further illustrated as including a third party 513 operating a PC 523 (or any other device (not shown)). PC523 is connected to another email server 506 by IP network 509. PC521-523 may be another type of device that is enabled for email. The e-mail servers 502, 504 and 506 include an SMTP server, a POP3 server and the like.

Suppose sender 511 wants to send an email message to recipient 512. To send an email message, sender 511 composes an email message with an email application running on PC521. According to the configuration and features described herein, the email application includes a forwarding control indicator in the email message before sending the email message to the email server 502. As an example, the email application sets the forwarding control bit in the email header, such as in the SMTP header field. The email application asks the sender 511 if the sender 511 allows the email message to be forwarded. If the sender 511 responds positively, the email application sets the forwarding control bit accordingly. Alternatively, the email application automatically sets the forwarding control bit to prevent the forwarding of that email message or other email message by a global setting or the like specified by the sender 511.

The email application sends an email message to the email server 502 over IP network 507 via the SMTP protocol or other protocol. Based on the network address specified in the email header, email server 502 routes the email message to recipient 512's email server 504. The e-mail server 504 stores the relevant and other e-mails for the recipient 512. The e-mail application running on PC522 retrieves e-mail messages from e-mail server 504 on IP network 508 by POP3 or other protocols.

Recipient 512 attempts to forward the email message to a third party 513. Before forwarding an email message to the email server 504, the email application running on PC522 has a forwarding control bit in the email header to determine if the email message is allowed to be forwarded. To process. If it is determined that the email message is not allowed to be forwarded to a third party 513 (as is often the case in this example), the email application will have a third email message. Prevents being transferred to person 513.

If the email application is not enabled to provide forwarding restrictions, the email application forwards the email message to the email server 504 over IP network 508. Email server 504 or another email server runs an application to process forwarding control bits in the email header to determine if an email message is allowed to be forwarded. If it is determined that the e-mail message is not allowed to be forwarded to the third party 513, the e-mail server 504 prevents the e-mail message from being forwarded to the third party 513.

If an email message is blocked by an email application running on PC522 or by mail server 504, a notification message will be displayed indicating that the email message was blocked from being forwarded to a third party 513. Sent to recipient 512.

Although specific examples have been described herein, the scope of the invention is not limited to those specific examples. The scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of claims and their equivalents.

<figref num="1">It is a figure which shows the communication network in the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is a flowchart which shows the method of transmitting an electronic message in an Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="3">It is a flowchart which shows the method of controlling the transfer of an electronic message by a receiver in the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="4">It is a figure which shows the other communication network which provides text messaging and multimedia messaging in the Example of this invention.</figref><figref num="5">It is a figure which shows the other communication network which provides the e-mail message in the Example of this invention.</figref>