Messaging system utilizing proximate communications with portable units
First Claim
1. A messaging system means comprising a plurality of messaging nodes, a plurality of user accounts with distinct messaging address identifiers, and a plurality of portable messaging units including a) storage means for the storage of messages;
- b) composition means for the composition of messages;
c) display means for the display of messages;
d) associative means for associating at least one of said portable messaging units with at least one of said user accounts, and e) communications means for conducting a data exchange with a messaging node, when in an immediate proximity of said messaging node;
where a plurality of said portable messaging units are each capable of conducting said data exchange at a plurality of said messaging nodes, when within said immediate proximity, whereby a plurality of said portable messaging units may conduct two-way messaging via said messaging system when in said immediate proximity to at least one messaging node of said messaging system, and conduct user interface functions irrespective of location.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a messaging system (10) comprising a plurality of messaging nodes (14) at geographically distributed and publicly accessible locations, and a plurality of portable messaging units (16) configured to specific user accounts and including message composition, display and storage means. Communication between these portable messaging units (16) and the messaging system, including messaging with Internet addresses, requires that a portable messaging unit (40) be brought to the immediate physical proximity of a messaging node (20), so that a data exchange (90) may be conducted using simple communications equipment such as an infrared link. Messaging nodes (14) preferably include a plurality of docking ports (26) for conducting data exchanges (90) simultaneously with multiple portable messaging units (16). The messaging system (10) includes multiple layers of parallelization, including the separation of user interface activity from the messaging nodes (14), and the inclusion of multiple docking ports (26) on each messaging node (20).
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A messaging system means comprising a plurality of messaging nodes, a plurality of user accounts with distinct messaging address identifiers, and a plurality of portable messaging units including
a) storage means for the storage of messages; -
b) composition means for the composition of messages;
c) display means for the display of messages;
d) associative means for associating at least one of said portable messaging units with at least one of said user accounts, and e) communications means for conducting a data exchange with a messaging node, when in an immediate proximity of said messaging node;
where a plurality of said portable messaging units are each capable of conducting said data exchange at a plurality of said messaging nodes, when within said immediate proximity, whereby a plurality of said portable messaging units may conduct two-way messaging via said messaging system when in said immediate proximity to at least one messaging node of said messaging system, and conduct user interface functions irrespective of location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for the transfer of data between a portable messaging unit and a messaging node, where said messaging node
a) detects the presence of a portable messaging unit in an immediate proximity; -
b) automatically enters a data exchange with said portable messaging unit;
c) identifies at least one user account associated with said portable messaging unit;
d) triggers the delivery of outgoing messages from said portable messaging unit;
e) identifies incoming messages addressed to user accounts associated with said portable messaging unit;
f) delivers said incoming messages to said portable messaging unit, within a messaging system comprising a plurality of messaging nodes and a plurality of portable messaging units, where a plurality of said portable messaging units are each capable of conducting said data exchange at a plurality of said messaging nodes, when within said immediate proximity. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification