FORM 2
The Patent Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2005

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SEE SECTION 10 AND RULE 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

“MT-SMS personalization System”

APPLICANTS:
Name : TeleDNA Communications Pvt. Ltd.
Address : No 23 & 24, 2nd Floor, AMR Tech Park, Hosur Road
Bangalore. PIN 560068

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:-

FIELD OF INVENTION
[001]This invention relates to mobile communications, and more particularly to Short messaging Service in mobile communications.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[002]Short Messaging Service has been around for long and there has been tremendous increase in the usage of the SMS technology. As such SMS is a very discrete service and does not compel the subscribers to attend to the received SMSs immediately. But with the increased proliferation of the SMS services, usage patterns have been changed dramatically. Subscribers are forced to attend to the SMS instantly as lot of useful and important messages are disseminated using SMS. With the increased usage and efficacy of the SMS way of distribution, lot of marketing and advertising companies have started using the SMS technology to send promotional SMSs. This has seen phenomenal growth as this constitutes a major income stream for the operators as well. With increased services which are SMS based, the traffic on this particular channel of communication has gone up considerably. Such a large volume of SMS is an inconvenience to the user. Users are not able to differentiate the junk from the useful messages.
[003]Users are bound to receive the SMS as SMS only. They are not able to receive the SMS as per their personal preferences.

OBJECT OF INVENTION
[004]The principal object of this invention is to facilitate MT-SMS personalization services to the subscribers.
[005]Another object of the invention is to allow subscribers to receive MT-SMS deliver in a configured time period only, forward the MT-SMS to email IDs, etc.
[006] The MT-SMS Personalization Module will personalize the MT-SMS message based on the preference configured for the end mobile subscriber. The need is to have ‘MT-SMS Personalization service’ which enables Telecom Mobile Operators to provide ‘Personalized MT-SMS delivery’ for Mobile Subscribers.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION
[007] Accordingly the invention provides a system comprising of a MT-SMS personalization module which is characterized to receive all the MT-SMS destined towards the subscribers of MT-SMS Personalization. The received MT-SMS are delivered to mobile destination subscriber as per the subscriber preferences.
[008] The MT-SMS Personalization Module provides allows the MT-SMS Personalization feature based on subscription. Subscription of the service is done via SMS/Email/Call or any other means.
[009] On the MT-SMS Personalization Module the subscriber can set the MT-SMS Delivery preferences or Admin can set the preferences on behalf of subscriber. MT SMS delivery profile could be from the following choices
a. Set the subscriber status DND (Do Not Disturb) or Available. If the status is set to DND, then the SMS will be stored the on the MT-SMS Personalizer until the subscriber sets the status as Available.
b. Forward the SMS to a single or list of emails
c. Forward the SMS to another configured mobile
d. Receive the SMS as Voice Call. MT-SMS Personalization Module establishes a voice call to subscriber mobile and plays the voice.
e. Receive the SMS as Voice Mail. MT-SMS Personalization Module establishes a voice call to Voice Mail Server. The Voice Mail Server notifies the subscriber and the subscriber could retrieve the Voice Mail.
[0010] The ‘MT-SMS Personalization Module’ is interchangeably called as ‘MT-SMS Personalizer’.
[0011]The ‘MT-SMS Personalization Module’ applies business logic to exclude some of the SMSs before applying the personalization.These SMSs include Non Text SMS such as binary messages etc. The ‘MT-SMS Personalization Module’ provides a mechanism to configure source addresses and personalization can be restricted for the messages received from the configured source addresses.
[0012]These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0013]This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0014]FIG. 1 illustrates a MT-SMS Personalizer and communication network components, according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0015]FIG. 2 illustrates system components of MT-SMS Personalizer, according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0016]FIGs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the flow charts depicting sequence of steps in MT-SMS Personalizer, according to embodiments as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0017]The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0018] The embodiments herein achieve MT-SMS personalization among mobile device users by incorporating systems and methods thereof. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 5, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures.
[0019]A Mobile Terminated – Short Messaging Service (MT-SMS) personalization module receives the MT-SMS message from the foreign network or home network Short Messaging Service Center (SMSC) via GwMSC/STP. When the short message delivery preference of the end mobile user is on Email Id or list of email ids, the MT-SMS personalization module sends the SMS to the email list. When the short message delivery preference of the end mobile user is on Voice-Call, then the MT-SMS personalization module performs a Voice Call to the mobile and plays the message which is converted from received SMS text. When the short message delivery preference of the end mobile user is on Voice-Mail, then the MT-SMS personalization module performs a Voice Call to the Destination Mobile’s Voice Mail Server and plays the text to speech. When the short message delivery preference is to forward to a different mobile number then MT-SMS Personalizer forwards the SMS to configured mobile using SMPP interface with SMSC. When the short message delivery preference of the end mobile is DND, then the MT-SMS personalization module stores the messages until user sets the status as AVAILABLE. When the end user is NOT having the short message delivery preference then MT-SMS personalization module has logic to let the SMS deliver by SMSC directly to the mobile via MSC. If a special criterion is met on the properties (source address, data coding scheme e.t.c.) of the received SMS then MT-SMS personalization module delivers the message to the end mobile user via MSC and same MSC confirms the MT-SMS response to SMSC. The MT-SMS personalization service can be subscribed by sending an SMS/Email or any other means.
[0020]FIG. 1 illustrates mobile network components with which of MT-SMS Personalizer interacts to deliver the MT-SMS personalization service to mobile device. The system comprises a MT-SMS Personalizer 101, operators CRM/provisioning System 102, a Mobile Switching Center 103, an HLR 104, a Short Message Service Center (SMSC) 105, an email server 106, a STP 107, network 108 and a plurality of mobile device users i.e., user 109 and user 110.
[0021]Several users 109 and 110 can employ MT-SMS Personalization services by subscribing for this service on their mobile device. Users 109,110 can be provisioned by the network operator on the MT-SMS Personalizer. The MT-SMS Personalizer 101 is responsible for organizing, maintaining the user preferences and handling the MT-SMSs destined for users 109 and 110.
[0022] The network 108 acts as a medium for communication between users 109, 100 and the MT-SMS Personalizer 101. The network 108 also sends the SMS messages from users 109, 110 to the MT-SMS Personalizer 101. This service is not just limited two users, this can used for licensed number of subscribers.
[0023]The IN server 111 is a mobile network server that is responsible for maintaining the account settings of the user 109. On the request of the MT-SMS personalization module, the IN server 111 checks the account details of the user 109, to know if the user is a pre-paid user. In case user 109 is registered for pre-paid service, IN server 111 determines if the user 109 has sufficient balance for him to access the MT-SMS personalization service. If the user 109 has sufficient balance, the IN server 111 deducts the subscription amount and responds with a confirmation to the MT-SMS Personalizer 101 to activate the MT-SMS personalization service. On receiving the confirmation from the IN server 111, the MT-SMS Personalizer 101 activates the MT-SMS personalization services. If the user 109 does not have sufficient balance for the service, the IN server responds accordingly to the ‘MT-SMS Personalizer’ and the ‘MT-SMS Personalizer’ informs the user that his account balance is low and his request to subscribe to the MT-SMS personalization services has been rejected.
[0024] The SMSC 105 is mobile network and is responsible to receive the SMS from mobile users 108 and store the message and deliver it to the destination mobile user 109. SMSC 105 interfaces with sub modules of MT-SMS Personalizer 101 (i.e., subscription profile module 201 and Forward Controller modules 204). In an embodiment, the SMSC 105 may employ Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) V3.4 protocol to interface the SMSC 105 to the MT-SMS Personalizer 101.
[0025]The HLR (Home Location Register) 104 is a network server that is responsible for maintaining the mobile user services. MT-SMS Personalizer sends SRI-SM (GSM-MAP-Message) to the HLR 104, and the HLR 104 responds with serving-MSC address for the mobile user 109.
[0026]The operator’s CRM / Provisioning System 102 interfaces with the MT-SMS Personalizer module 101. MT-SMS Personalizer module 101 gets the subscription details of the user 109 from CRM / Provisioning System 102.
[0027] The STP (Signaling Transfer Point) 107 is a mobile network element that is responsible for maintaining SS7/Sigtran traffic routing. STP 107 is populated with the following routing table to ensure that any MT-SMS destined current mobile network’s (The mobile network where the MT-SMS Personalizer is installed) mobile user 109 is forwarded to the MT-SMS Personalizer.
[0028]STP is configured to do the following routing. If the SCCP Source Address is not MT-SMS Personalizer GT and TCAP OP Code is the SRI-SM-Request (GSM) or SMSRequest (IS41) then forward the SRI-SM towards the MT-SMS Personalizer. This configuration ensures that the Foreign/Home SMSC 105, when delivered an SMS to a mobile then the SMS is deposited in MT-SMS Personalizer 101.
[0029] The MSC 103 is Mobile Switching Centre and it’s a mobile network element. MT-SMS Personalizer and MSC is connected using E1/T1/IP for voice path. MT-SMS Personalizer 101 initiates the voice mail or out dialed call via MSC 103.
[0030] The Voice Mail Server 112 is a mobile network element which provides voice mail service to the mobile users 108,109. MT-SMS Personalizer connects to the Voice Mail server via MSC and deposits the Voice Mails.
[0031]The Email Server 106 hosts emails of one or more domains. MT-SMS Personalizer forwards the emails to the Email Server via Internet. The Email Server intern delivers the emails to the users email inbox.
[0032]FIG. 2 illustrates a MT-SMS Personalizer, and internal subsystems, according to embodiments as disclosed herein. The MT-SMS personalization module 101 comprises of four sub modules: a subscription profile module 201, a MT-SMS Controller module 202, State Machine 203 to apply the configured profile on the received SMS and the controllers to interface with Voice Mail, Email, Forward SMS, Out-Dialed Call, Voice Notes and other personalized services. The subscription profile module 201 integrates with the operators provisioning system for mobile device users 109 who have subscribed for the MT-SMS Personalizer service and integrates with the operator’s SMSC 105. The subscription profile module 201 stores subscription details of the user such as where and how to forward the message as per the preferences set by the user 109 and if the user 109 is a pre-paid subscriber or post paid subscriber.
[0033] MT-SMS Controller module 202 interfaces with STP 107 to receive the MT-SMSs destined to the mobile users 108, 109 who subscribed for MT-SMS personalization.
[0034]MT-SMS State Machine 203 which applies the business logic to determine the mobile user 109 preferences on the MT-SMS Personalizer 101. Based on the preference the service is delivered .In order to deliver the service Message forward controllers are used 204. There will be different message forward controllers (Voice Mail, Email, SMS-Forward, DND, Voice Notes and Out dialed call controller)
[0035]FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting sequence of MT-SMS personalization process, according to embodiments as disclosed herein. The user receives (301) a promotional message, word-of-mouth or an advertisement from print or electronic media or by any other means, indicating the availability of the MT-SMS personalization service. The promotional message (SMS or Email or Call) may be sent by the network operator. If the user 109 is interested in subscribing to the MT-SMS personalization service, he/she sends (302) a response message (SMS or Email or Call) to the MT-SMS personalization module requesting for subscription. The response message sent by the user may be in the form of a (SMS or Email or Call). Further, on receiving the subscription request, the MT-SMS personalization module 101 interfaces with the IN server 111 to check for account details of the user 109. The IN server 111 makes a check (303) if the user is a pre-paid user. If the user 109 is a pre-paid user, the IN server 111 checks (304) his account balance to determine if the user 109 has sufficient balance in his account to access MT-SMS personalization service. If user 109 does not have sufficient balance, the user 109 is informed (309) that the subscription request could not be granted. On the other hand, if the user 109 is a post-paid user or a pre-paid user with sufficient balance in his account, the user 105 is charged (305) for the subscription to the MT-SMS personalization service. If the user is a pre-paid user with sufficient balance in his account, then the fees for the subscription to the MT-SMS personalization service is deducted from the account of the user 109. If the user is a post-paid user, then the fees for the MT-SMS personalization service is incorporated into his monthly billing statement. Once the user has been charged, the MT-SMS personalization module 101 creates (306) a user profile for the user 109 and informs the user of the successful subscription for the MT-SMS personalization service by sending (307) a confirmation message. Post that the user 109 could start using the MT-SMS personalization service as per his/her preferences. The various actions in method 300 may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some actions listed in FIG. 3 may be omitted.
[0036] FIG.4 is a flowchart depicting sequence of steps by which the MT-SMS reaches the MT-SMS Personalizer. SMSC 105 generally stores the received SMS and forwards the SMS towards the destination mobile user 109. To forward the SMS, the SMSC sends (401) a SRI-SM Request (for GSM) or SMS Request (for IS41) forwarded to STP. This message final destination is HLR. STP receives (402) the SRI-SM Request (for GSM) or SMS Request (for IS41) and performs routing analysis as mentioned in step 403. STP does the routing analysis (403), if the SOURCE SCCP GT(Global Title) is SMSC 105 GT (Global Title) and TCAP operation code is SRI-SM Request (for GSM) SMS Request (for IS41), message will be routed to MT-SMS Personalizer. MT-SMS Personalizer receives the SRI-SM Request (for GSM) or SMS Request (for IS41), stores the details of the subscriber, source SMSC-GT and other routing information (404). MT-SMS Personalizer initiates a SRI-SM Request for GSM or SMS Request for IS41 (405) towards HLR 104 via STP 107. STP does the routing analysis, on received SRI-SM Request for GSM or SMS Request for IS41 and the STP routes the message to the destination network element (HLR 104). HLR sends a response (406) to MT-SMS Personalizer via STP. HLR may send the valid Serving MSC address or any other error information in case if the mobile is unreachable or switched off (407). If a success response then MT-SMS Personalizer stores the Serving MSC address of the destination mobile user 109 and sends the SRI-SM Response for GSM or SMS Request Response for IS41 to SMSC 105 (408). The response carries the Serving-MSC address as MT-SMS Personalizer’s GT. In case if the negative response is received from HLR, MT-SMS Personalizer relays (409) the SRI-SM Response for GSM or SMSRequest response for IS41 towards the SMSC 105 via STP 107. SMSC 105 receives the SRI-SM Response for GSM or SMSRequest response for IS41 and forwards the MT-SMS. The MT-SMS is forwarded using the message Forward-SM Request (for GSM) or SMDPP Invoke (for IS41) towards the MT-SMS Personalizer (410). STP 107 receives the requests and performs the standard SCCP routing and forwards the request to the MT-SMS Personalizer (411). MT-SMS Personalizer receives the MT-SMS destined to a mobile user 109 who subscribed for MT-SMS Personalization service. MT-SMS Personalizer sends a positive response towards the SMSC (412). The various actions in method 400 may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some actions listed in FIG. 4 may be omitted.
[0037] FIG.5 is a flowchart depicting sequence of MT-SMS personalization process for an MT-SMS deposited in the MT-Personalizer. The call flow is applicable for user who is subscribed for MT-SMS Personalization service and also the user has a valid preference being set. When there is a MT-SMS in the network for the user 109, as explained in FIG5 the MT-SMS is forwarded to MT-SMS Personalizer (501). After doing the authorization check in order to verify that the user is subscribed for the MT-SMS personalization service, MT-SMS personalization checks the delivery preferences as laid out by the user. If the user 109 has specified that he/she does not want to receive any message by enrolling for DND(502), MT-SMS Personalizer stores the message till the subscriber changes his/her preference to Available(503). If the subscriber is not subscribed for DND, MT-SMS Personalizer checks if the delivery preference is set to SMS Forward (504) to a different mobile then MT-SMS Personalizer forwards the SMS to the configured mobile via SMSC 105 (505). If the user 109 has not chosen to receive MT-SMS as SMS Forward, then his/her delivery preference is checked again. If the user 109 has opted for delivery preference as to receive the MT-SMS on Voice-Mail (506), then MT-SMS Personalizer confirms a success MT-SMS response to SMSC and MT-SMS Personalizer makes a Voice Call Out to the Destination Mobile’s Voice Mail Server and the SMS is converted as voice, the same voice is played to store the voicemail in the subscriber’s voicemail box (507). If the user 109 has not opted to receive MT-SMS on Voice-mail, then again the delivery preference is checked to ensure if the user has chosen forward to mail ID/ or email Ids as his/her delivery option (508), then MT-SMS Personalizer sends the SMS to email list (509). If the user 109 has not opted to receive MT-SMS on Email, then again the delivery preference is checked to ensure if the user has chosen to receive as a call option (510), then MT-SMS Personalizer confirms a success MT-SMS response to SMSC and MT-SMS Personalizer dials the user 109 and plays sms as voice(converted to speech) (511). The various actions in method 500 may be performed in the order presented, in a different order or simultaneously. Further, in some embodiments, some actions listed in FIG. 5 may be omitted.
[0038] In an embodiment, the MT-SMS personalization module may be implemented to enhance the utilization of the SMSC functionalities with network operators. In an example, network operators providing Global System for Mobile communication (GSM Network), Code Division Multiple Access (IS41 Network) services can offer the MT-SMS personalization as a value added service for their customers.
[0039]The embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented through at least one software program running on at least one hardware device. The hard device can be a simple computer to a powerful server having the network interface, signaling interface (SS7/SIGTRAN), basic components of a computer such as CPU, Memory. MT-SMS Personalizer internal components were described in the FIG2. Each of the components is a software runs a on a server. The embodiment disclosed herein describes a method, network integration for a MT-SMS personalization for a mobile user. Therefore, it is understood that the scope of the protection is extended to the software and these software program runs on a server or mobile device or any suitable programmable device. The hardware device can be any kind of portable device that can be programmed. The method embodiments described herein could be implemented partly in hardware and partly in software. Alternatively, the invention may be implemented on different hardware devices, e.g. using a plurality of CPUs.
[0040]The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

STATEMENT OF CLAIMS

What is claimed is:
1. A system for MT-SMS personalization in a mobile network, said system comprising at least one means configured for
receiving a MT-SMS destined to current operator’s network mobile from a SMSC;
checking if said mobile is subscribed for MT-SMS Personalization; and
performing actions as per preferences of user of said mobile, if said user is subscribed for MT-SMS Personalization.

2. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is configured to enable said user to set at least one of the following preference to receive said SMS
To set the availability status as DND or available;
Forwarding SMS to a different mobile;
Forward the SMS to a single or group of email;
Forward the SMS as Voice Mail; and
Forward the SMS as Voice Call.

3. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is configured to send an acknowledgement for the received MT-SMS to the SMSC.

4. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is configured to interface with an Intelligent Network (IN) server to check user’s account details.

5. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is configured to connect to STP to send and receive messages to and from HLR, MSC and SMSC using at least one of
SS7 interface; or
Sigtran Interface.

6. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is configured to connect to MSC/Gw-MSC over E1/T1/ISDN-PRI.

7. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is configured to connect to the SMSC over SMPP interface.

8. The system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is configured to use SMTP as interface to forward the SMS as emails.

9. A method for personalizing MT-SMS in a mobile network, said method comprising steps of
receiving a MT-SMS destined to current operator’s network mobile from a SMSC;
checking if said mobile is subscribed for MT-SMS Personalization; and
performing actions as per preferences of user of said mobile, if said user is subscribed for MT-SMS Personalization.

10. The method, as claimed in claim9, wherein said user can set at least one of the following preference to receive said SMS
To set the availability status as DND or available;
Forwarding SMS to a different mobile;
Forward the SMS to a single or group of email;
Forward the SMS as Voice Mail; and
Forward the SMS as Voice Call.

11. The method, as claimed in claim 9, wherein an acknowledgement for the received MT-SMS is sent to the SMSC.

12. The method, as claimed in claim 9, wherein an Intelligent Network (IN) server is used to check user’s account details.

13. The method, as claimed in claim 9, wherein STP sends and receives messages to and from HLR, MSC and SMSC using at least one of
SS7 interface; or
Sigtran Interface.

14. A method substantially as herein above described in the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A system substantially as herein above described in the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Dated this 5th January 2010
Mr. Nishant Kewalramani
Patent Agent