Methods for user-interface over SMS messages based on a reusable stream model

摘要

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.

主权项

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.