ORDERING SYSTEM AND ANCILLARY SERVICE CONTROL THROUGH TEXT MESSAGING

摘要

A system allows control of an ancillary server function through a text messaging protocol. The text message allows a connected user to obtain goods or services through a network controller that selectively routes a self-addressed text message to a remote networked server that instantiates the server function based on content in the text message. The self-addressed electronic message (e.g., SMS message) is interpreted by a network component as needing invocation of a specified ordering service and, accordingly, is routed to a server that is tasked with administering, for example, order and delivery of a product or access to an account. The server, upon receipt of the self-addressed electronic message, may interact with the buyer using messaging to confirm the scope of the order and to fulfil the order. The system augments cellular phone functionality with a mechanism for placing orders using a looped text-yourself approach that engenders trust with users.

主权项

1. A method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function via a network controller of a text messaging system, the server-administered function running on a server functionally distinct to the network controller and wherein the server-administered function provides a user with a service when the user communicates a registered identity, the method comprising:
at the network controller, receiving over a communications network multiple text messages that each contain at least one address; using control logic to make an assessment about each of said received text messages to identify:
i) as a relevant message, a text message that includes a self-addressed routing direction used as the registered identity; andii) other messages that do not contain any self-addressed routing direction and are messages that are unrelated to control of the server-administered function; based on the assessment, causing the network controller to select each relevant message and communicate at least part of each relevant message to said server, otherwise causing the network controller to route over the communications network each of said other messages to said at least one address identified in that other message; deriving an instruction from the relevant message, the instruction relating to the service; and at the server, invoking the server-administered function based at least in part on the instruction derived from the relevant message to support access of the user to the service through the user device.