System, computer product and method for interfacing with a private communication portal from a wireless device

• US 20020174195A1
• Filed: 09/18/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 01 Communique Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 01 Communique Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Cheung, Andrew, Meyer, Steven P., Nascimento, Pedro P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,938,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A system for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless device comprising a first computer comprising a communication facility adapted to communicate information to remote computers and the wireless device; a second computer comprising a locating facility for locating the first computer; and a wireless device comprising a microprocessor and a mobile communication facility; wherein the first computer, the second computer and the wireless device are connected to the Internet; wherein the locating facility is adapted to facilitate communication between the first computer and the wireless device; and wherein the first computer and the wireless device are adapted to permit a user of the wireless device to access information at the first computer from the wireless device.

Claims

1. ) A system for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless device comprising:

a) a first computer comprising a communication facility adapted to communicate information to remote computers and the wireless device;

b) a second computer comprising a locating facility for locating the first computer; and

c) a wireless device comprising a microprocessor and a mobile communication facility;

wherein the first computer, the second computer and the wireless device are connected to the Internet;

wherein the locating facility is adapted to facilitate communication between the first computer and the wireless device; and

wherein the first computer and the wireless device are adapted to permit a user of the wireless device to access information at the first computer from the wireless device.

2. ) A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile communication facility is adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to send commands to the first computer.

3. ) A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless device further comprises a display facility for displaying information communicated to the wireless device by the first computer.

4. ) A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the information communicated by the first computer comprises event notifications.

5. ) A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mobile communication facility comprises a command operation facility adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on the event notifications by sending commands to the first computer.

6. ) A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the commands sent by the wireless device to the first computer comprise commands for selecting information available at the first computer and commands to the first computer to procure information accessible at the first computer, and to communicate such information to the wireless device.

7. ) A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the communication facility is adapted to interface with a plurality of information generating facilities, wherein the information generating facilities are adapted to generate information, and the communication facility is adapted to communicate the information to the wireless device.

8. ) A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the information generating facilities comprise messaging facilities, monitoring facilities and database facilities.

9. ) A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first computer further comprises a unified messaging and monitoring facility that is adapted in response to predetermined settings to initiate the communication facility to communicate information to the wireless device upon the occurrence of specific events.

10. ) A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the unified messaging and monitoring facility is adapted to create event notifications and communicate the event notifications in a form comprehensible from the wireless device.

11. ) A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the unified messaging and monitoring facility is adapted to process requests communicated by the wireless device, and act on the requests so as to communicate information requested from the wireless device.

12. ) A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first computer further comprises an information management facility operably associated with a database and the unified messaging and monitoring facility, wherein the information management facility is adapted to retrieve information from the database in response to a request processed by the unified messaging and monitoring facility.

13. ) A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the unified messaging and monitoring facility is adapted to communicate information retrieved by the information management facility to the wireless device in response to a request communicated by the wireless device to the first computer, in a form comprehensible from the wireless device.

14. ) A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information communicated to the wireless device in response to the requests comprises messages, contact information, data files and video images.

15. ) A system as claimed in claim 5 or 14 wherein the event notifications are adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on the event notification by means of the command operation facility so as locate the second computer and thereby the location facility, and send a request to communicate with the first computer.

16. ) A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the wireless device provides means for the user of the wireless device acting on the event notification by converting the event notification into a request.

17. ) A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the locating facility comprises a directory service program.

18. ) A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the directory service program comprises a dynamic directory and the contents thereof, and the dynamic directory is adapted for dynamic modification of the contents.

19. ) A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the wireless device is adapted to run a browser application, and the mobile communication facility is adapted to support an interface to point the browser application to the second computer.

20. ) A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mobile communication facility is adapted to convert an event notification into a Universal Resource Locator.

21. ) A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first computer comprises a web server, and wherein the web server is adapted to process requests received from the wireless device and provide such requests to the unified messaging and monitoring facility for processing.

22. ) A system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mobile communication facility comprises a smart client application comprising a notification display facility for displaying the event notifications received by the wireless device, a data display facility for displaying data received by the wireless device from the second computer and first computer, and a command operation facility adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on event notifications or data received by the wireless device from the second computer and first computer.

23. ) A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the mobile communication facility is adapted to access information from the first computer via the unified messaging and monitoring facility.

24. ) A system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the mobile communication facility further comprises a preferences management facility for managing the preferences of the user of the wireless device in regard to provisioning and operation from the wireless device.

25. ) A system as claimed in claims 21 or 24, wherein the first computer is adapted to obtain login data from the user of the wireless devices and/or the wireless device so as to authorize the user of the wireless devices and/or the wireless device for communication of information from the first computer.

26. ) A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the information sent, received and processed by the communication facility of the first computer comprise e-mail, facsimiles, electronic voice mails, images, video data, executable program code, audio data, formatted data or raw binary data.

27. ) A system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the directory service program is provided using the DNS protocol.

28. ) A system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the communication facility comprises a Message Transfer Agent connected to a wireless network via a wireless gateway.

29. ) A system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the event notification comprises a structured notification comprising a plurality of fields characterized by:

a) a first message identifier identifying the beginning of a message;

b) an event reference identifying the nature of the event precipitating the event notification;

c) a login name identifying the user of the wireless device;

d) a computer name identifying the first computer;

e) a locator name identifying the location of the second computer; and

f) a second message identifier identifying the end of the message,

wherein the plurality of fields are adapted to be comprehensible;

to the wireless device to communicate information to the wireless device;

to the second computer to locate the first computer and redirect the wireless device to the first computer; and

to the first computer to access information requested by the user.

45. ) An information push/pull architecture comprising the system described in claim 1.

30. ) A computer product for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless device having a microprocessor, said computer product being associated with the wireless device, the wireless device being connected to a first computer and a second computer via the Internet through a wireless interface, said second computer comprising a locating facility for locating the first computer on the Internet, the computer product comprising:

a) a communication interface adapted to provide communication to the Internet through the wireless interface; and

b) a mobile communication facility operably connected to the communication interface and adapted to;

i) communicate with the second computer to determine the location of the first computer; and

ii) permit a user of the wireless device to access information at the first computer from the wireless device.

31. ) A computer product as claimed in claim 30, wherein the computer product further comprises a display facility for displaying information communicated to the wireless device by the first computer.

32. ) A computer product as claimed in c!aim 31, wherein the information communicated by the first computer comprises event notifications.

33. ) A computer product as claimed in claim 32, wherein the mobile communication facility comprises a command operation facility adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on the event notifications by sending commands to the first computer.

34. ) A computer product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the mobile communication facility provides means for converting the event notifications into a request, wherein the request is adapted to initiate a response from the first computer upon communication of the request to the first computer.

35. ) A computer product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the computer product comprises a browser application, and the mobile communication facility is adapted to support an interface to point the browser application to the second computer.

36. ) A computer product as claimed in claim 34, wherein the mobile communication facility comprises a smart client application comprising a notification display facility for displaying the event notifications received by the wireless device, a data display facility for displaying data received by the wireless device from the second computer and first computer, and a command operation facility adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on event notifications or data received by the wireless device from the second computer and first computer.

38. ) A server computer product as claimed in claim 37, wherein the location facility comprises a directory service program.

39. ) A server computer product as claimed in claim 38, wherein the directory service program comprises a dynamic directory and the contents thereof, and the dynamic directory is adapted for dynamic modification of the contents.

37. ) A server computer product for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless device in association with a remote computer, the wireless device having a microprocessor, the server computer product being associated with a server computer connected to the Internet and being adapted to communicate with the wireless device, the server computer product comprising:

a) a locating facility adapted in response to a request received from the wireless device to locate the remote computer and communicate the request to the wireless device.

40. ) A computer product for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless device having a microprocessor, said computer product being associated with a computer remote from the wireless device, said remote computer being connected to a second computer via the Internet and being adapted to communicate with the wireless device, the computer product comprising a communication facility, the communication facility being adapted to:

a) communicate with the wireless device and the second computer;

b) interface with a plurality of information generating facilities, wherein the information generating facilities define a plurality of events;

c) provide event notifications based on said plurality of events;

d) communicate the event notifications to the wireless device;

e) process requests communicated by the wireless device based on the event notifications; and

f) act on the requests by communicating information to the wireless device specified in the requests.

41. ) A method of providing provisioning and operation at a wireless device:

a) providing a first computer comprising a communication facility adapted to send, receive and process information;

b) connecting the first computer with the Internet;

c) providing a second computer comprising a locating facility for locating the first computer wherein the second computer is connected to the Internet; and

d) providing a mobile communication facility to the wireless device, the mobile communication being adapted to locate the second computer, and by means of the locating facility, access the first computer so as to obtain information from the first computer.

42. ) A method of providing provisioning at a wireless device, the wireless device being connected to a first computer and a second computer via the Internet through a wireless interface, said second computer comprising a locating facility for locating the first computer on the Internet, the method of providing provisioning at the wireless device comprising the steps of:

a) accessing the locating facility;

b) providing the name of the first computer to the locating facility;

c) in response to (b), the locating facility redirecting the wireless device to the first computer;

d) a user of the wireless device providing login information to the first computer;

e) the user selecting the wireless service to be provisioned; and

f) the user selecting the events for which notifications are required.

43. ) A method of providing provisioning at a wireless device as claimed in claim 42, the method comprising the further step of the user entering the notification address of the wireless device.

44. ) A method of providing operation at the wireless device provisioned in accordance with the method disclosed in claim 42, comprising the following steps:

a) the first computer detecting an event for which notification is requested by the wireless device;

b) the first computer communicating an event notification to the wireless device provisioned for the event;

c) the wireless device receiving the event notification;

d) the user of the wireless device acting on the event notification using a command operation facility at the wireless device adapted to convert event notifications into requests; and

e) the user of the wireless device accessing the locating facility and the locating facility redirecting the wireless device to the first computer;

f) the user of the wireless device providing login information to the first computer;

g) the user of the wireless device accessing information associated with the event; and

h) the user of the wireless device interacting with the first computer to act on the event.