System and Method for SMS Private Number Routing
A system and method of sending a message to a cellular device having a non-dialable number is described. The system and method can use a standard cellular short code, and by associating the consumer handset with one or more M2M cellular subscriptions/devices enable communications between handsets and private M2M devices. The consumer handset sends an SMS to a short code which is delivered to an SMS Private Routing mechanism which then uses a pre-assigned association between the handset and the M2M device to route the SMS to the M2M cellular device using the private phone number.
1 . A method of sending a message to a remote cellular device having a non-dialable number, the method comprising:
associating a user handset with one or more remote cellular devices having a non-dialable number;
receiving a message from the handset intended for one of the remote cellular devices at a private routing mechanism;
verifying the association between handset and the intended one of the remote cellular devices; and
routing the message to the intended one of the remote cellular devices using the association between the handset and the remote cellular device using the private phone number.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the handset uses a standard cellular short code to send a message to the intended remote cellular device.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the message uses a Short Message Service (SMS) protocol.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein messages from unverified devices are discarded.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising translating the message into a protocol used by the remote cellular device.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a return message from the intended remote cellular device; and sending the return message to the handset.
7 . The method of claim 6 further comprising translating the message into a protocol used by the user handset.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein communication with the remote cellular devices uses a Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the private routing mechanism includes a device mapping database used to store the association between the user handset and the one or more remote cellular devices.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein private routing mechanism includes a translation database to translate the message into the protocol used by the intended remote cellular device.
11 . A private routing mechanism for sending a message to a remote cellular device having a non-dialable number, the private routing mechanism comprising:
a device mapping database storing associations between a user handset and one or more remote cellular devices each having a non-dialable number;
wherein the private routing mechanism receives a message from the handset intended for one of the remote cellular devices at a private routing mechanism; verifies the handset for the intended one of the remote cellular devices; and routes the message to the intended one of the remote cellular devices using the association between the handset and the remote cellular device using the private phone number.
12 . The private routing mechanism of claim 11 wherein the handset uses a standard cellular short code to send a message to the intended remote cellular device.
13 . The private routing mechanism of claim 11 wherein the message uses a Short Message Service (SMS) protocol.
14 . The private routing mechanism of claim 11 wherein messages from unverified devices are discarded.
15 . The private routing mechanism of claim 11 further comprising a message translation function that translates the message into a protocol used by the remote cellular device.
16 . The private routing mechanism of claim 11 wherein the private routing mechanism is further operable to receive a return message from the intended remote cellular device; and to send the return message to the handset.
17 . The private routing mechanism of claim 16 wherein the private routing mechanism is further operable to translate the message into a protocol used by the user handset.
18 . The private routing mechanism of claim 11 wherein communication with the remote cellular devices uses a Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol.