Method and system for short message service (SMS) transactions for wireless devices

An SMS transaction system, comprising:

• an application server having an application with a handler, said application having active online sessions for performing a transaction;
• an SMS surrogate communicating with at least one SMS wireless device by transmitting and receiving SMS messages including an original SMS message transmitted from said SMS surrogate to said SMS wireless device and a reply SMS message from said SMS wireless device to said SMS surrogate, said original SMS message including a request for transaction user data, and said reply SMS message including said transaction user data, said SMS surrogate transmitting an HTTP-URL query communications including said transaction user data to said handler;
• and
• a database accessible by said application, said handler and said SMS surrogate for storing and retrieving said transaction user data from said database,
• wherein said transaction is performed online by said application on behalf of said user by obtaining said transaction user data from said database.

A short message transaction system, comprising:

• a computer that communicates in an online internet protocol that forms active sessions;
• a wireless device that communicates in a protocol that transmits and receives messages that have a maximum size limit of a predetermined number of alphanumeric characters substantially smaller than the number of alphanumeric characters transmitted in a communication of said computer;
• a database;
• and
• a surrogate that communicates with said wireless device and said computer, said surrogate collecting data from a plurality of messages from said wireless device and providing said data for storage in said database,
• wherein said computer runs online sessions with said stored data.

A method of transacting with an online transaction server from an SMS wireless device, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request to perform an online transaction;
• determining what data is needed from a user of an SMS wireless device;
• transmitting original SMS messages to said SMS wireless device requesting missing data;
• receiving reply SMS messages from said SMS wireless device including said missing data;
• forwarding said missing data to a computer having an application that conducts online transactions;
• storing said missing data in a database;
• and
• performing an online transaction using said missing data.

A short message surrogate, comprising:

• means for receiving text messages from users' wireless devices communicating with short text messages limited to a certain number of alphanumeric characters per message;
• means for collecting data from a plurality of said short messages;
• means for forming a single HTTP message that includes said data from said plurality of said short messages;
• and
• means for transmitting said HTTP to a computer that communicates on online active sessions,
• wherein said computer performs a said active session on behalf of said user by using said data.