Granted Patent B1

US 8,649,486 · App. 13/492,816 · Granted Feb 11, 2014

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. A method for providing confirmation of a request for a target communicated using text messaging, the method comprising:

receiving, by a sending system, a request for a target;

selecting, by the sending system, a telephone number from a list of telephone numbers, wherein a mapping is created between the request, the selected telephone number, the target, and a target contact;

sending, by the sending system to the target contact using the selected telephone number, a text message indicating the request for the target;

receiving a reply message from the target contact using the selected telephone number; and

determining that the reply message comprises a reply to the request for the target by comparing the target contact and the selected telephone number for the reply message to the mapping.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request for the target comprises receiving a showing request for a real estate listing, and the target contact comprises a listing contact.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the request for the target comprises receiving a buyer lead for a real estate listing, and the target contact comprises a buyer lead recipient.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the target comprises an offer or a request for a different time for a showing of a real estate listing.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a type of the reply message based on content of the reply message.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining that the type of the reply message is a confirmation of the request for the target.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the request for the target comprises an inquiry for a status of a showing of a real estate listing.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising sending at least one of an e-mail, a voice message, a telephone call, or a separate text message to the target contact indicating that the request for the target is confirmed.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reply message comprises a reply text message.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reply message comprises a reply telephone call made to the selected telephone number.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising directing the telephone call to a call center, wherein the call center determines that the reply message comprises the reply to the request for the target.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the list of telephone numbers comprises a prioritized list of telephone numbers; and selecting the telephone number comprises determining a highest priority available telephone number on the prioritized list of telephone numbers.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the prioritized list of telephone numbers comprises a numerically ordered list of telephone numbers.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mapping comprises an end time, and the method further comprising expiring the mapping after a fixed amount of time from the end time.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mapping comprises an end time, and the method further comprising expiring the mapping before the end time.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving a subsequent request for the target;

determining that there is an absence of available telephone numbers in the list of telephone numbers to select a telephone number;

determining that the mapping has an oldest request time, and selecting the telephone number of the mapping, wherein the mapping is expired before the end time and a new mapping is created between the subsequent request, the selected telephone number, the target, and the target contact; and

sending, to the target contact using the selected telephone number, a text message indicating the subsequent request for the target.

17. A method for providing confirmation of a showing request communicated using text messaging, the method comprising:

receiving, by a real estate showing appointment scheduling system, a showing request for a real estate listing;

determining, by the real estate showing appointment scheduling system, a listing contact for the real estate listing;

selecting, by the real estate showing appointment scheduling system, a text messaging number from a list of text messaging numbers, wherein a mapping is created between the showing request, the selected text messaging number, the real estate listing, and the listing contact;

sending, by the real estate showing appointment scheduling system to the listing contact using the selected text messaging number, a text message indicating the showing request;

receiving a reply message from the listing contact using the selected text messaging number; and

comparing the listing contact and the selected text messaging number for the reply message to the mapping to match the reply message to the showing request for the real estate listing.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the reply message comprises one of a reply text message or a reply telephone call made to the selected text messaging number.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the text messaging number comprises a telephone number.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining, based on content of the reply message, that the reply message comprises a confirmation of the showing request for the real estate listing.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising sending at least one of an e-mail, a voice message, a telephone call, or a separate text message to the listing contact indicating the confirmation of the showing request for the real estate listing.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining that there is a lack of available text messaging numbers in the list of text messaging numbers;

determining a mapping having an oldest appointment time, wherein selecting the text messaging number comprises selecting a text messaging number associated with the mapping having the oldest appointment time; and

expiring the mapping having the oldest appointment time prior to an end time.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the list of text messaging numbers comprises a prioritized list of text messaging numbers, and selecting the text messaging number comprises determining a highest priority available text messaging number on the prioritized list of text messaging numbers.

Assignments (11)