Message diffusion between mobile devices

• US 20010021638A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 09/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Squibbs, Robert Francis, Spratt, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,859,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Information with local relevance is diffused locally using mobile devices (10) equipped with non-wired short-range communication means, the information being propagated from an originating point (12) in messages passed from device to device in an unstructured way. To encourage users of the mobile devices (10) to participate in the propagation method, the presentation of a message received at a device to the device user is inhibited unless the device is enabled to propagate on the message.

Claims

1. A method of locally diffusing information for presentation to users of mobile devices, the method involving propagating the information from an originating point in messages passed from device to device by non-wired short-range communication means of the devices, presentation of a message received at a device to a user of the device being inhibited unless the device is enabled to propagate on the message.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein propagation enablement of the device is pre-specified by the user for at least a subset of the messages.

3. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein propagation enablement of the device is effected on a per message basis, the user being presented with a brief indication about the message and being given the choice whether or not to access the message in full, choosing to do so enabling the device for propagation of the message.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the device, when enabled to propagate a message, does so without regard to any message life limit set on the message.

5. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein each message includes a message class indicator indicating whether the message is one that requires a device to be enabled for propagation of the message before the message can be presented to the device user.

6. A mobile device for locally diffusing information in messages to other devices for presentation to their users, the mobile device comprising:

a message store;

a short-range wireless transceiver for receiving messages and storing them to said store, and for transmitting messages retrieved from the store;

a user interface for presenting received messages to the device user;

a controller for controlling onward transmission of received messages and operative, at least in respect of certain received messages, to inhibit presentation of a received message to the user unless the device is enabled to transmit on the message.

7. A device according to

claim 6

, wherein the controller is pre-configured by the user to enable onward transmission for at least a subset of the messages received by the device.

8. A device according to

claim 6

, wherein the user interface permits a user to indicate to the controller, on a per message basis, that a particular message which would not otherwise be presented to the user by the controller, can be transmitted on, the controller thereupon permitting presentation of the message to the user.

9. A device according to

claim 8

, wherein without the controller is operative to present to the user, via the user interface, a brief indication about said particular message in advance of the user having indicated whether onward transmission of the message is to be enabled, whereby to enable the user to make an informed choice regarding onward transmission.

10. A device according to

claim 6

, wherein the device, when enabled to propagate a message, does so without regard to any message life limit set on the message.

11. A device according to

claim 6

, wherein each message includes a message class indicator indicating whether the message is one that requires the device to be enabled for propagation of the message before the message can be presented to a device user, the device controller being operative to check this indication to determine whether message propagation enablement is a requirement for presenting the message to the user.