# US 9,882,857 B2 · Group messaging system

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- Number: US 9,882,857 B2
- Document ID: US9882857B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/004,707
- Filed: 2016-01-22
- Published: 2016-08-25
- Granted: 2018-01-30
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-19
- Assignees: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
- Applicants: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
- Inventors: Jakub Nowicki; Phillip Carter; Oscar Gallego Gomez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882857B2

## CPC

- H04L 51/224: providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
- H04L 12/1425: {involving dedicated fields in the data packet for billing purposes}
- H04L 12/1446: {inter-operator billing}
- H04M 15/41: {Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]}
- H04M 15/53: {using mediation}
- H04M 15/57: {for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]}
- H04M 15/62: {based on trigger specification}
- H04M 15/765: {Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices}
- H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
- H04W 4/12: Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
- H04W 4/24: Accounting or billing
- H04L 51/58: Message adaptation for wireless communication
- H04M 2215/01: Details of billing arrangements
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A data processing method performed in a group messaging server of a mobile telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of receiving an incoming message at the group messaging server from a remote user terminal, the message being for distribution to a group of users; storing details of the incoming message in a messaging log, the details comprising a message identifier received with the incoming message; identifying at least one recipient from the group of users to which the incoming message should be transmitted; transmitting an outgoing message to each of the at least one recipient, wherein the outgoing message comprises at least part of the incoming message and the message identifier; storing details of each outgoing message in the message log, the details comprising the message identifier; and processing the message log to identify groups of messages, wherein the groups of messages are identified by having a common message identifier, and generating charging data based on the groups of messages.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A data processing method performed in a group messaging server of a mobile telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving an incoming message at the group messaging server from a remote user terminal, the message being for distribution to a group of users;
storing details of the incoming message in a messaging log, the details comprising a message identifier received with the incoming message;
identifying at least one recipient from the group of users to which the incoming message should be transmitted;
transmitting an outgoing message to each of the at least one recipient, wherein the outgoing message comprises at least part of the incoming message and the message identifier;
storing details of each outgoing message in the message log, the details comprising the message identifier; and
processing the message log to identify groups of messages, wherein the groups of messages are identified by having a common message identifier, and generating charging data based on the groups of messages.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the group of users is identified by data stored in the group messaging server.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the group of users is a user of a different mobile telecommunications network to the mobile telecommunications network in which the group messaging server is located.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the charging data is dependent on the balance of incoming and outgoing messages between the mobile telecommunications network in which the group messaging server is located and another mobile telecommunications network.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A group messaging server in communication with a mobile telecommunications network, the group messaging server comprising a computer processor configured to execute instructions to perform the method according to claim 1.