System and method for identifying SMS messages from multiple originators using a shared shortcode
View Patent ↗To enable multiple message originators to share an SMS shortcode, originator identifying codes can be added to outbound SMS messages that prompt recipients to respond with response messages that include the originator identifying codes. The originator identifying codes can be added by a service provider that administers the SMS shortcode. When a response message is received on the SMS shortcode number, the service provider processes the response message content to extract the originator identifying code. The code and, optionally, a recipient ID can be used as a lookup to determine the intended originator that the response message is for. The response message can then be associated by the service provider with the correct originator for subsequent processing.
1. A method for communicating between a plurality of message originators and a plurality of recipients by Short Message Service (SMS) using a shared SMS shortcode, the method comprising:
adding an originator identifying code to message content of an outbound message, the message content prompting a recipient to respond with response message content that includes the originator identifying code;
transmitting the outbound message to at least one of the plurality of recipients, a sender identity of the outbound message comprising the shared SMS shortcode;
receiving an inbound response message from a recipient on the shared SMS shortcode;
processing content of the inbound response message to extract an originator identifying code; and
determining an intended originator for the inbound response message from the originator identifying code.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the outbound message prompts the recipient to respond with an open response content message comprising the originator identifying code as a prefix.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the outbound message comprises:
providing an outbound message request from the originator to a service provider;
compiling the outbound message by the service provider in response to the outbound message request, compiling the outbound message comprising adding the originator identifying code to message content by the service provider; and
transmitting the outbound message to the at least one of the recipients in an SMS message from the service provider.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the service provider processes a message template code of the outbound message request to determine if the outbound message solicits a response and adds the originator identifying code to the message content if the outbound message solicits a response.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the service provider adds the originator identifying code as a suffix to a solicited response included in the message content of the outbound message.
6. The method of claim 4 comprising storing an association between the originator identifying code and a recipient of the outbound message in a message table.
7. The method of claim 6 comprising using the extracted originator identifying code and a recipient ID of a response message as a lookup to the message table to determine an originator to be associated with the response message.
8. The method of claim 7 comprising storing, by the service provider, at least a portion of the response message content in association with the determined originator.
9. The method of claim 6 comprising:
determining if a recipient has an existing association stored in the message table; and
adding an originator identifying code to the message content of the outbound message to the respective recipient only if the recipient has an existing association stored in the message table.
10. The method of claim 3 comprising generating the originator identifying code for a recipient to uniquely identify outbound messages to the respective recipient.
11. A system comprising:
a service provider that provides outbound SMS messaging services for a plurality of originators using a shared shortcode; and
one or more originator computer systems programmed to provide an outbound message request to the service provider, the outbound message request comprising a message template identifier;
wherein the service provider comprises one or more computer systems programmed to:
receive an outbound SMS message request from one or more of the originators;
compile an outbound SMS message using a message template associated with the message template identifier of the outbound SMS message request;
determine from the message template identifier of the outbound message request whether the outbound SMS message associated with the message template identifier solicits a response;
when the outbound SMS message associated with the message template identifier solicits a response, add an originator identifying code to message content of the outbound SMS message such that the message content prompts a recipient to respond with response message content that includes the originator identifying code; and
transmitting the outbound message to at least one recipient identified in the outbound message request, wherein a sending identity of a transmitted outbound SMS message is the shared shortcode.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more computer systems of the service provider are programmed to:
receive an inbound response message from a recipient on the shared SMS shortcode;
process content of the inbound response message to extract an originator identifying code; and
determine an intended originator for the inbound response message from the originator identifying code.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the one or more computer systems of the service provider are programmed to store an association between the originator identifying code and a recipient of the outbound message in a message table.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more computer systems of the service provider are programmed to use the extracted originator identifying code and a recipient ID of a response message as a lookup to the message table to determine an originator to be associated with the response message.
15. The system of claim 13 wherein the one or more computer systems of the service provider are programmed to:
determine if a recipient has an existing association stored in the message table; and
add an originator identifying code to the message content of the outbound message to the respective recipient only if the recipient has an existing association stored in the message table.
16. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more computer systems of the service provider are programmed to store at least a portion of the response message content in association with the determined originator.
17. The system of claim 11 wherein the one or more computer systems of the service provider are programmed to compile the outbound SMS message using variable content provided in the outbound SMS message request.