Firmware portable messaging units utilizing proximate communications
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 firmware for controlling messaging operations;
- b) storage means for the storage of messages;
c) composition means for the composition of messages;
d) display means for the display of messages;
e) associative means for associating at least one of said portable messaging units with at least one of said user accounts, and f) communications means for conducting a data exchange with a messaging node, when in an immediate proximity of said messaging node;
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.
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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 firmware-controlled 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 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).
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Citations
34 Claims
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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 firmware for controlling messaging operations; -
b) storage means for the storage of messages;
c) composition means for the composition of messages;
d) display means for the display of messages;
e) associative means for associating at least one of said portable messaging units with at least one of said user accounts, and f) communications means for conducting a data exchange with a messaging node, when in an immediate proximity of said messaging node;
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, 25, 26)
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13. A method for the delivery of an incoming message in a messaging system comprising a plurality of messaging nodes, a plurality of user accounts with distinct messaging address identifiers, and a plurality of portable messaging units with firmware for controlling messaging operations, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) transporting a portable messaging unit to the immediate proximity of a messaging node;
b) identifying at least one user account, associated with said portable messaging unit, to said messaging node;
c) delivering incoming messages for said user account from said messaging node to said portable messaging unit;
d) storing said incoming message within said portable messaging unit;
whereby incoming messages are delivered to said portable messaging unit with firmware for controlling messaging operations. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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27. A method for the delivery of an outgoing message in a messaging system comprising a plurality of messaging nodes, a plurality of user accounts with distinct messaging address identifiers, and a plurality of portable messaging units with firmware controlling messaging operations, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) composing said outgoing message on a portable messaging unit;
b) storing said outgoing message within said portable messaging unit;
c) transporting said portable messaging unit to the immediate proximity of a messaging node;
d) delivering said outgoing message from said portable messaging unit to said messaging node, e) storing said outgoing message within said messaging node;
f) relaying said outgoing message from said messaging node to a delivery address. whereby outgoing messages are composed and sent from a portable messaging unit with firmware for controlling messaging operations. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. 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 node;
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 with firmware for controlling messaging operations.
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Specification