Optimized MMS architecture for application-to-person and person-to-application messaging

A system for providing Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) to mobile stations through a wireless communication network, the network comprising:

• a plurality of first Multimedia Messaging Service Centers (MMSCs) coupled to the wireless communication network, wherein each first MMSC provides MMS communication between a first mobile station and a second mobile station and supports MMS communication between mobile stations and one or more applications;
• a second MMSC coupled to the wireless communication network, wherein the second MMSC provides MMS communications between mobile stations and one or more applications, wherein:
• (a) the second MMSC is coupled to the first MMSCs;
• (b) the second MMSC is dedicated to application-specific MMS traffic;
• (c) in a mobile origination mode, the second MMSC concentrates traffic by:
• receiving MMS data intended for the one or more applications from the mobile stations via the first plurality of MMSCs, and forwarding the received MMS data to the one or more applications, and
• receiving MMS data from the one or more applications, and forwarding the received MMS data to the first plurality of MMSCs;
• (d) in a mobile termination mode, the second MMSC receives MMS data from the one or more applications and delivers the MMS data to a destination mobile station without forwarding the MMS data to any of the first MMSCs;
• and
• at least one database containing subscriber records for mobile stations of subscribers to MMS service, wherein the first MMSCs and the second MMSC communicate with the at least one database to obtain relevant data from a subscriber record associated with the mobile stations.

A Multimedia Messaging Service Center (MMSC), wherein the MMSC is dedicated to application-specific traffic, the MMSC comprising:

• an interface for packet communication via a wireless communication network, for Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) communications with mobile stations served by the wireless communication network;
• an interface for packet communication with application servers;
• a service center processor having message and program storage, coupled to the interfaces,
• wherein execution of a program causes the service center processor to operate the MMSC to provide functions of:
• concentrating MMS communications with the application servers, in a mobile origination mode, by:
• receiving MMS messages intended for the application servers from the mobile stations via a plurality of other MMSCs not dedicated to application-specific MMS traffic, and forwarding the received MMS messages to the application servers, and
• receiving responsive MMS messages from the servers, and forwarding the received responsive MMS messages to the other MMSCs;
• and
• receiving MMS messages, in a mobile termination mode, from the application servers and delivering each of the MMS messages to a destination mobile station without forwarding the MMS messages to any of the other MMSCs.

A Multimedia Messaging Service Center (MMSC), wherein the MMSC is dedicated to application-specific traffic, the MMSC comprising:

• an interface for packet communication via a wireless communication network, for Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) communications with mobile stations served by the wireless communication network;
• an interface for packet communication with one or more applications;
• a service center processor having message and program storage, coupled to the interfaces,
• wherein execution of a program causes the service center processor to operate the MMSC to provide functions of:
• concentrating MMS communications with the one or more applications, in a mobile origination mode, by:
• receiving MMS data intended for the one or more applications from the mobile stations via a plurality of other MMSCs not dedicated to application-specific MMS traffic, and forwarding the received MMS data to the one or more applications, and
• receiving MMS data from the one or more applications, and forwarding the received MMS data to the other MMSCs;
• and
• receiving MMS data, in a mobile termination mode, from the one or more applications and delivering the MMS data to a destination mobile station without forwarding the MMS data to any of the other MMSCs,
• wherein the MMSC communicates with at least one database to obtain relevant data from a subscriber record of the mobile stations, the database containing subscriber records for mobile stations of subscribers to MMS service.

A computer program product, comprising at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium and executable code transported by the at least one tangible machine readable storage medium, wherein execution of the code by at least one programmable processor of a Multimedia Messaging Service Center (MMSC) dedicated to application-specific MMS traffic in a wireless communication system causes the at least one programmable processor to perform functions in support of providing Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) communications with mobile stations served by the wireless communication system, the functions comprising:

• a function which concentrates MMS communications with application servers, in a mobile origination mode, by:
• receiving MMS messages intended for the application servers from the mobile stations via a plurality of other MMSCs not dedicated to application-specific MMS traffic, and forwarding the received MMS messages to the application servers, and
• receiving responsive MMS messages from application servers, and forwarding the received responsive MMS messages to the plurality of other MMSCs;
• and
• a function which receives MMS messages, in a mobile termination mode, from the application servers and delivers each of the MMS messages to a destination mobile station without forwarding the MMS messages to any of the other MMSCs.

A computer program product, comprising at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium and executable code transported by the at least one tangible machine readable storage medium, wherein execution of the code by at least one programmable processor of a Multimedia Messaging Service Center (MMSC) dedicated to application-specific MMS traffic in a wireless communication system causes the at least one programmable processor to perform functions in support of providing Multimedia Messaging Service MMS communications with mobile stations served by the wireless communication system, the functions comprising:

• a function which concentrates MMS communications with the one or more applications, in a mobile origination mode, by:
• receiving MMS data intended for one or more applications from the mobile stations via a plurality of other MMSCs not dedicated to application-specific MMS traffic, and forwarding the received MMS data to the one or more applications, and
• receiving MMS data from the one or more applications, and forwarding the received MMS data to the plurality of other MMSCs;
• a function which receives MMS data, in a mobile termination mode, from the one or more applications and delivers the MMS data to a destination mobile station without forwarding the MMS data to any of the other MMSCs;
• and
• a function which communicates with at least one database to obtain relevant data from a subscriber record of the mobile stations, the database containing subscriber records for mobile stations of subscribers to MMS service.