Inter-carrier management of messaging groups
View Patent ↗A system and method to enable the efficient distribution of group messages sent from a mobile device that receives service from one telecommunications carrier, to groups of mobile devices that receive service from one or more other telecommunications carriers. A mobile device user or system operator generates a group distribution list for messages that are to be sent to two or more other users. The group distribution list is provided to a message distribution system that is comprised of distribution agents that are associated with each telecommunications carrier. Each distribution agent is responsible for routing a group message to those mobile devices that receive service from the associated telecommunications carrier.
1. A distribution system for the delivery of a message received from a sending mobile device and intended to be distributed to a plurality of recipient mobile devices, the sending mobile device and at least one of the plurality of recipient mobile devices receiving service from different telecommunications service providers, the distribution system comprising:
a home distribution agent associated with a first telecommunications service provider, the home distribution agent configured to:
receive from a sending mobile device a message that is intended for distribution to a plurality of recipient mobile devices;
maintain a master routing record that comprises addressing information necessary to route the message to all of the plurality of recipient mobile devices;
based on the master routing record, identify one or more other telecommunications service providers that provide service to the plurality of recipient mobile devices; and
transmit one message per identified other telecommunications service provider to initiate the sending of the message to recipient mobile devices that receive service from the identified other telecommunications service provider; and
one or more remote distribution agents each associated with a different telecommunications service provider and each configured to:
maintain a partial routing record that comprises addressing information necessary to route a message to a subset of the plurality of recipient mobile devices that receive service from the associated telecommunications service provider; and
receive the one message from the home distribution agent and based on the partial routing record cause the message to be routed to the subset of the plurality of recipient mobile devices;
wherein the home distribution agent is further configured to modify routing information by:
receiving a modification to the plurality of recipient mobile devices;
identifying a telecommunications service provider that provides service to a recipient mobile device associated with the modification; and
transmitting an indication of the modification to the remote distribution agent associated with the identified telecommunications service provider; and
the one or more remote distribution agents are each further configured to receive an indication of a modification and update the partial routing record to reflect the modification.
2. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of recipient mobile devices is defined by a user of the sending mobile device.
3. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of recipient mobile devices is defined by an operator of the distribution system.
4. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the message is formatted in accordance with a messaging standard.
5. The distribution system of claim 4 , wherein the messaging standard is a Short Message Service (SMS) standard, a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) standard, or an Instant Messaging standard.
6. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the modification is an addition of a recipient mobile device.
7. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the modification is a deletion of a recipient mobile device.
8. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the modification is a change to a recipient mobile device.
9. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the home distribution agent further causes the received message to be routed to a subset of the plurality of recipient mobile devices that receive service from the first telecommunications service provider.
10. A method of routing a message from a sending mobile device to two or more recipient mobile devices, at least one of the recipient mobile devices receiving service from a different telecommunications carrier than the telecommunications carrier that provides service to the sending mobile device, the method comprising:
receiving an identification of a group of recipient mobile devices, the group of recipient mobile devices receiving service from two or more telecommunications carriers;
distributing addressing information associated with the group of recipient mobile devices to a plurality of distribution agents, each of the plurality of distribution agents associated with one of the two or more telecommunications carriers, and each of the plurality of distribution agents receiving addressing information associated with recipient mobile devices that receive service from the associated telecommunications carrier;
receiving a message from a sending mobile device, the message being intended for delivery to the group of recipient mobile devices; and
routing the message for delivery to the group of recipient mobile devices by:
for recipient mobile devices that receive service from the telecommunications carrier associated with the sending mobile device, distributing the message to the recipient mobile devices in accordance with the received addressing information; and
for recipient mobile devices that do not receive service from the telecommunications carrier associated with the sending mobile device, transmitting a single message to the distribution agent associated with each telecommunications carrier, the single message causing the distribution agent to distribute the message to the recipient mobile devices that receive service from the associated telecommunications carrier in accordance with the received addressing information; and
in the event of the receipt of a modification to the group of recipient mobile devices:
identifying one of the plurality of distribution agents associated with the modification; and
transmitting an indication of the modification to the identified distribution agent, wherein the identified distribution agent receives the indication of the modification and updates the received addressing information.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the group of recipient mobile devices is received from a user of a sending mobile device.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the group of recipient mobile devices is received from an operator of a telecommunications carrier.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the message is formatted in accordance with a messaging standard.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the messaging standard is a Short Message Service (SMS) standard, a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) standard, or an Instant Messaging standard.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the modification is an addition of a recipient mobile device.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the modification is a deletion of a recipient mobile device.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the modification is a change to a recipient mobile device.