Ordering system and ancillary service control through text messaging

A method of accessing and controlling a server-administered function on a server located remotely from a network controller of a text messaging system, the server connected to the network controller through a communications network and wherein the server-administered function provides a user with a service when the user communicates a registered identity associated with either the user or a device used by the user to compile a text message, the method comprising:

• at the network controller, receiving over the communications network multiple text messages;
• using control logic to make an assessment about each of said received text messages to identify a relevant message that refers to the registered identity;
• causing the network controller to communicate at least part of the relevant message—to said remotely located server;
• 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.

A system supporting remote control of a server-administered function, the system comprising:

• a network controller of a text messaging system, the network controller configured to receive multiple text messages;
• a server supporting the server-administered function and configured to provide a user with a service in response to the user communicating a registered identity, the server functionally distinct to the network controller;
• a communications network supporting at least transmission of multiple text messages, each text message including an address;
• control logic configured to make an assessment about each of said received messages to identify:
• i) as a relevant message, a text message that includes a self-addressed routing direction used as the registered identity;
• and
• ii) other messages that do not contain any self-addressed routing direction and are messages that are unrelated to control of the server-administered function;
• wherein the network controller, responsive to the assessment, is configured to select each relevant message and to communicate at least part of each relevant message to said server, otherwise to cause 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;
• and
• the server is configured to derive an instruction from any received relevant message and is further configured to support access of the user to the service through the user device by invoking the server-administered function based at least in part on the instruction derived from the relevant message, thereby to support access of the user to the service and wherein the instruction relates to the service supported by the server.

A system supporting remote control of a server-administered function, the system comprising:

• a server supporting the server-administered function thereby to provide a user with a service in response to the user communicating a registered identity associated with either the user or a device used by the user to compile a text message;
• a network controller of a text messaging system, the network controller located remotely from the server and arranged to receive multiple text messages;
• a communications network connecting the network controller to the server, the communication network supporting at least transmission of text messages:
• control logic configured to make an assessment about each of said received messages to identify a relevant message that refers to the registered identity;
• wherein the network controller, in response to the assessment of the control logic, is configured to communicate at least part of the relevant message—to said remotely located server;
• and
• the server is configured to support access of the user to the service through the user device by invoking the server-administered function based at least in part on an instruction derived from the relevant message, wherein the instruction relates to the service supported by the server.