Client aware notification in a wireless portal server

• US 20030191819A1
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Belissent, Jacques, Tran, Luu
• Application Number:
  US10/116,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191819A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus for communicating using a wireless portal server. The wireless portal server is communicatively coupled with at least one wireless network for sending and receiving communications over the wireless network. The wireless portal server is also communicatively coupled to service providers for providing content to wireless-network users over channels of the wireless portal server. The wireless portal server is operable upon receiving a communication from a client device that indicates a wireless-network user that is to receive the communication to automatically couple the communication to the wireless-network user according to preferences indicated by the wireless-network user.

Claims

1. A portal server communicatively coupled with at least one wireless network, said portal server communicatively coupled to a plurality of service providers for providing content over channels of said portal server, said portal server, in response to receiving a communication from a client device that indicates a wireless-network user that is to receive said communication, for automatically coupling said communication to said wireless-network user according to preferences indicated by said wireless-network user.

2. The portal server of claim 1 wherein said portal server is a wireless portal server that only provides services to wireless-device users.

3. The portal server of claim 2 wherein said portal server is coupled to a data storage device, said portal server comprising provision for said wireless-network user to enter data identifying communication devices that can be used to couple communications to said wireless-network user, said portal server operable to store said data identifying communication devices in said data storage device.

4. The portal server of claim 1 wherein said portal server is coupled to a data storage device, said portal server further comprising provision for said wireless-network user to enter said preferences and comprising provision for said wireless-network user to change said preferences, said preferences stored in said data storage device.

5. The portal server of claim 4 wherein said portal server comprises a software program that is operable to automatically determine how to couple said communication to said wireless-network user by selecting between said data identifying communication devices according to said preferences to determine a communication device to be used for coupling said communication to said wireless-network user.

6. The portal server of claim 5 wherein said communication device is selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a radiotelephone, a cellular radiotelephone and a pager.

7. The portal server of claim 5 wherein said communication device is selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a radiotelephone, a cellular radiotelephone, a pager, a telephone, a computer system and a facsimile machine.

8. The portal server of claim 3 wherein said communication devices that can be used to couple communications to said user comprise at least one communication device that is coupled to said portal server over said at least one wireless network.

9. A method for communicating using a portal server that is coupled to at least one wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving a communication that indicates a wireless-network user that is to receive said communication;

automatically determining a protocol for sending said communication to said wireless-network user; and

sending said communication to said wireless-network user.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein said portal server is a wireless portal server, said method further comprising:

receiving data at said portal server identifying one or more communication devices that can be used to couple communications to said wireless-network user;

storing said data identifying said one or more communication devices;

receiving data from said wireless-network user indicating preferences between said one or more communication devices; and

storing said preferences when said wireless-network user indicates preferences between said one or more communication devices.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said step of automatically determining a protocol for sending said communication to said wireless-network user further comprises using said data identifying said one or more communication devices and using said preferences to automatically determine said protocol for sending said communication to said wireless-network user.

12. A method as described in claim 11 wherein said communication is coupled to said portal server over said wireless network.

13. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said communication is sent from a client device selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a radiotelephone, a cellular radiotelephone and a pager.

14. A method as described in claim 11 wherein said communication is coupled from said network server to said wireless-network user over said wireless network.

15. In a computer system including a processor coupled to a bus, and a memory unit coupled to the bus for storing information, a computer-implemented method for communicating using an portal server that is coupled to at least one wireless network, said computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving data at said portal server that identifies one or more communication devices that can be used to couple communications to a wireless-network user;

storing said data identifying said one or more communication devices;

receiving data from said wireless-network user that indicates preferences between said one or more communication devices;

storing said preferences when said wireless-network user indicates preferences between said one or more communication devices;

receiving a communication at said portal server that indicates a wireless-network user that is to receive said communication;

automatically determining a protocol for sending said communication to said user using said data identifying said one or more communication devices and using said preferences; and

sending said communication to said wireless-network user.

16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 15 wherein said portal server is a wireless portal server and wherein said sending said communication to said wireless-network user further comprises sending said communication to a communication device using said wireless network.

17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 15 further comprising:

providing channels for said wireless-network user to access data from service providers.

18. A computer readable medium having stored therein a computer program that when executed implements a method for communicating using a portal server comprising:

upon receiving data identifying one or more communication devices that can be used to couple communications to a wireless-network user, storing said data;

upon receiving preferences between said one or more communication devices, storing said preferences; and

upon receiving a communication that indicates a wireless-network user that is to receive said communication, automatically determining a protocol for sending said communication to said wireless-network user and sending said communication to said wireless-network user, said determination made using said data identifying said one or more communication devices and using said preferences.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 wherein said method further comprises providing channels for said wireless-network user to access data from service providers.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein sending said communication to said wireless-network user further comprises sending said communication to a communication device using said wireless network.