Methods for user-interface over SMS messages based on a reusable stream model
View Patent ↗Configurations providing a reusable stream model for a user interface over SMS for interacting with one or more interactive systems in a parallel manner are described. An SMS server can implement the reusable stream model in which an available number from a sequence of numbers (e.g., a block of numbers) is assigned to a user session upon receiving an SMS message to initiate the user session from a communication device. The user session corresponds with a message stream for the interactive system. In one aspect, the SMS server places each number from the sequence of numbers in a respective status to indicate whether the number is currently assigned to a user session. When a subsequent SMS message is received that requests to initiate an additional user session for another interactive system, the SMS can assign the next available number from the sequence to the additional user session.
1. A machine-implemented method for releasing a phone number assigned to an active user session for an interactive system communicating over a Short Message Service (SMS), the method comprising:
for a first phone number assigned to a first user session, determining whether the first phone number is inactive during a first period of time;
changing the status of the first phone number from a busy status to a stale status if the first phone number is inactive during the first period of time;
changing the status of the first phone number from the stale status to a free status after a second period of time has elapsed;
after changing the status of the first phone number to the stale status, receiving a first SMS message over the first phone number from a communication device corresponding to the user session; and
transmitting a second SMS message over the first phone number to the communication device, wherein the second SMS message includes data indicating that the first user session is expired.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first phone number is inactive during the first period of time comprises determining whether an SMS message is not transmitted or received over the first phone number during the first period of time.
3. A system for providing a user-interface over a Short Message Service (SMS) to enable functionality in an interactive system, the system comprising:
a session module configured to assign a first available number from a sequence of phone numbers to a first user session and to assign a second available number from the sequence of phone numbers to a second user session, wherein the session module is further configured to:
for the first available number from the sequence of phone numbers, determine whether the first available number is inactive during a first period of time;
change the status of the first available number from a busy status to a stale status if the first available number is inactive during the first period of time; and
change the status of the first available number from the stale status to a free status after a second period of time has elapsed;
a reception module configured to receive one or more SMS messages from a communication device for interacting with the first and second user sessions, wherein the reception module is further configured to:
after changing the status of the first available number to the stale status, receive a first SMS message over the first available number from the communication device corresponding to the first user session; and
a transmission module configured to transmit one or more SMS messages to the communication device responsive to the received SMS messages, wherein the transmission module is further configured to:
transmit a second SMS message over the first available number to the communication device, wherein the second SMS message includes data indicating that the user session is expired.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the session module is further configured to change a status of the first and second available phone numbers to a busy status.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the transmission module transmits the one or more SMS messages to the communication device over the first and second phone numbers assigned to the first and second user sessions.
6. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
an aggregator server configured to provide an interface to a plurality of services.
7. The system of claim 3 , wherein determining whether the first available number is inactive during the first period of time comprises determining whether an SMS message is not transmitted or received over the first available number during the first period of time.
8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
for a first phone number assigned to a first user session, determining whether the first phone number is inactive during a first period of time;
changing the status of the first phone number from a busy status to a stale status if the first phone number is inactive during the first period of time;
changing the status of the first phone number from the stale status to a free status after a second period of time has elapsed;
after changing the status of the first phone number to the stale status, receiving a first SMS message over the first hone number from a communication device corresponding to the user session; and
transmitting a second SMS message over the first phone number to the communication device, wherein the second SMS message includes data indicating that the first user session is expired.
9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the first phone number is inactive during the first period of time comprises determining whether an SMS message is not transmitted or received over the first phone number during the first period of time.
10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the busy status indicates that a corresponding phone number is currently assigned to a user session.
11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the stale status indicates that a corresponding phone number is inactive.