Enabling structured interactions between third party mobile applications and the user terminal

The use of text messaging—short message service (SMS)—for communicating with automated services and applications is increasing. However, since SMS was designed as a simple person-to-person channel, it includes no support for imposing any structure on the messages sent; it is entirely free-form and all messages and their contents are treated equally. While the channel provides users with great freedom of expression in person-to-person communications (e.g., “c u I8r:)”), the lack of ability to place any constraints or special measures on user input limits the sophistication and security of the automated services it can support. For example, users are provided with no assistance in conforming to required command syntax. In addition, any personal identification numbers (PINs) or passwords sent are stored in clear text in the outbox, as are the contents of all other messages—a clear compromise of security. These limitations lead to service providers' implementing elaborate countermeasures which impact the user experience (e.g., the call-back for transaction authorization used by PayPal in its SMS-based payment offering). Bell Labs and BT are creating a channel between third party service providers and an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) mobile client to permit the easy execution of zero∗∗∗installation services and applications on a user's terminal. Using a very thin client integrated into the IMS software, a service provider can specify structured interactions with its customers and conduct them securely. In addition to exploring the ergonomic and intuitive management of machine-to-person (M2P) interactions, the collaboration is studying how to exploit this channel to increase user adoption of other new services, such as providing a convenient user evolution path from thin M2P interactions to rich, full-featured terminal software and promoting these services within the user's contact community.