System and method for providing user-selected information to a paging-capable device

• US 20030197596A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ameritech Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lund, Arnold M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,998,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/7.48
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/027 providing paging services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/185 Selective call encoders for paging networks, e.g. paging centre devices

Abstract

A system and method for providing user-selected information to a paging-capable device. An enhanced paging system responsive to information sources and a selection device transmits information to a paging-capable device. The enhanced paging system comprises a storing means, a selecting means, a storage device, and a transmitter. Such a system can provide user-selected information to a paging-capable device, allowing the user to control what information will be sent and when the information will be sent. Intelligent-agent software can automatically search for and store information that would be of interest to the user and can alert the user that more detailed information is available. It can also send critical information to the user without user request.

Claims

1. A method of providing user selected information to a wireless device, the method comprising:

automatically storing information in a storage device;

transmitting selection choices regarding the information automatically stored in the storage device to a selection device different from the wireless device;

receiving user selected information, the user selected information including at least a portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device; and

transmitting the user selected information to the wireless device.

2. A method of communicating user selected information over a wireless channel, the method comprising:

automatically storing a first set of information in a storage device;

providing user selection choices at an information selection device, the user selection choices including the first set of information automatically stored in the storage device;

receiving user selected information, the user selected information including at least a portion of the user selection choices; and

transmitting the user selected information over the wireless channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first set of information includes at least one of email, internet data, telephone network data, news headlines summaries for subscriber service information, and voice mail.

4. A method of managing delivery of user-selected information, the method comprising:

automatically storing information received from an information source;

receiving a designation of a selected device from a computer;

presenting a plurality of different categories of information to a user of the computer via a web page displaying a menu of the different categories of information;

receiving a first user selection from the computer, the first user selection comprising at least one of the plurality of different categories of information, the first user selection indicating a selected portion of the stored information, the selected portion comprising an alert;

receiving a second user selection comprising a selected delivery time; and

transmitting the selected portion to the selected device over a radio channel at a time based on the selected delivery time.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting a second portion of the stored information, the second portion associated with the selected portion, the second portion including further detailed information with respect to the selected portion.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of different categories includes business articles and email.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected delivery time includes a range of available delivery times.

8. A method of providing user-selected information to a wireless device, the method comprising:

automatically storing information in a storage device;

facilitating selection of at least a portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device;

receiving a selection from a system other than the wireless device indicating a selected portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device to be sent over a wireless channel to the wireless device; and

transmitting the selected portion to the wireless device over the wireless channel.

9. A method of providing user-selected information to a device capable of radio communication, the method comprising:

automatically storing information in a storage device;

facilitating selection of at least a portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device;

receiving a selection from a system other than the device indicating a selected portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device to be sent over a radio channel to the device; and

transmitting the selected portion to the device over the radio channel.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selection of at least a portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device is based on at least one of content, time, and a source of the information.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising formatting the selected portion of the information to produce formatted information and transmitting the formatted information to the device over the radio channel.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving source information from an external information source and using intelligent agent software to generate the information automatically stored in the storage device based on the source information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the intelligent agent software is instructed by a user to search for a particular information category.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the intelligent agent software automatically seeks out information based on inferences from a user'"'"'s past conduct.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the intelligent agent software identifies a subset of information as critical information and wherein the critical information is transmitted to the device in real-time and without user request.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the intelligent agent software is programmed to identify critical information based on a source of the information.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the intelligent agent software is programmed to identify critical information based on an inference related to a user'"'"'s past conduct.

18. A method of providing user-selected information to a device capable of radio communication, the method comprising:

receiving source information;

using intelligent agent software to generate information to be automatically stored in a storage device, the stored information derived from the source information;

receiving a selection from a selection device indicating a selected portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device to be sent over a radio channel to the device; and

transmitting the selected portion to the device over a radio channel.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the selected portion is a summary and wherein the selected portion provides an indication that further information associated with the selected portion is available.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the summary is a price quote of a stock of a company and wherein the further information is additional information associated with the company.

21. A method of managing delivery of user-selected information, the method comprising:

receiving source information from an information source;

automatically storing information derived from the source information into a storage device;

receiving a selection from a selection system indicating a selected portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device;

receiving a designation of a selected device to receive the selected portion of the information; and

transmitting the selected portion to the selected device over a radio channel.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected portion is electronic mail and the selected device is a personal digital assistant.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving a second selection indicating a second selected portion and receiving a second designation of a second selected device and transmitting the second selected portion to the second selected device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second selected device is a pager and wherein the system is a computer access to a web page.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the selection is provided in response to a plurality of selection choices presented by an interactive voice response system.

26. A method of managing delivery of user-selected information, the method comprising:

storing information derived from an information source;

receiving a designation of a selected device from a system other than the selected device;

presenting a plurality of selection options to a user of the system;

receiving a user selection from the system, the selection comprising at least one of the plurality of selection options, the user selection indicating a selected portion of the stored information; and

transmitting the selected portion to the selected device over a radio channel.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the selected portion comprises a mobile alert.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the system is a computer.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the system is a computer displaying a web page.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the system is an interactive voice response system.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the selected portion is a summary and further comprising transmitting a second portion of the stored information, the second portion associated with the selected portion.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of selection options comprises a series of menus.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the plurality of selection options comprises a list of different categories of information.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the list of different categories includes business articles and email.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the user is presented with a series of interactive prompts.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein the user selection further identifies a selected time of transmitting the selected portion to the selected device.

37. The method of claim 26, further comprising displaying contents of a storage device including the stored information.

38. An information storage and communication system to manage delivery of user-selected information, the system comprising:

a storage device to store information derived from an information source;

a computer network interface responsive to the storage device, the computer network interface to receive a designation of a selected messaging device from a remote computer system other than the selected messaging device, to present a plurality of selection options to a user of the remote computer system, and to receive a user selection from the remote computer system, the user selection comprising at least one of the plurality of selection options and the user selection indicating a selected portion of the information stored in the storage device; and

a wireless transmitter responsive to the computer network interface.

39. An information storage and communication system comprising:

a storage device to automatically store received information;

means to facilitate selection of at least a portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device;

a selecting device to receive a selection from a system indicating a selected portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device to be sent over a radio channel to the device; and

a transmitter to communicate the selected portion to the device over the radio channel.

40. The information storage and communication system of claim 39, wherein the means to facilitate selection comprises an interactive voice response system.

41. The information storage and communication system of claim 39, wherein the means to facilitate selection comprises a computer network interface.

42. A method of providing user-selected information to a device capable of radio communication, the method comprising:

receiving source information;

using intelligent agent software to generate information derived from the source information;

automatically storing the generated information in a storage device;

receiving a selection indicating a selected portion of the information automatically stored in the storage device to be sent over a radio channel to the device; and

transmitting the selected portion to the device over the radio channel.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the selected portion is a summary and wherein the selected portion provides an indication that further information associated with the selected portion is available.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the summary is a price quote of a stock of a company and wherein the further information is additional information associated with the company.

45. A method of communicating user selected information over a wireless channel, the method comprising:

automatically storing a first set of information in a storage device;

providing user selection choices at an information selection device, the user selection choices including the first set of information automatically stored in the storage device;

receiving user selected information, the user selected information responsive to at least a portion of the user selection choices;

formatting the user selected information for transmission to produce formatted data; and

transmitting the formatted data over the wireless channel.

46. A method of communicating formatted data over a wireless channel, the method comprising:

automatically storing a first set of information in a storage device;

providing user selection choices at an internet web page, the web page including a plurality of selection options, the plurality of selection options including the first set of information automatically stored in the storage device;

receiving user selected information, the user selected information including information based on at least one of the plurality of selection options;

formatting the user selected information for transmission to produce formatted data; and

transmitting the formatted data over the wireless channel.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the web page provides a plurality of interactive prompts.

48. A method of communicating formatted data over a wireless channel, the method comprising:

automatically storing a first set of information and a second set of information received from an information source in a storage device;

displaying an internet web page, the internet web page including a plurality of information selection options, at least one of the plurality of information selection options including the first set of information automatically stored in the storage device;

receiving user selected information in response to displaying the internet web page, the user selected information including information responsive to at least one of the plurality of information selection options;

formatting the user selected information to produce formatted data suitable for wireless transmission; and

transmitting the formatted data over a wireless channel.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the user selected information includes the first set of information and further comprising receiving a user request for further information and transmitting the second set of information in response to receiving the user request.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the first set of information is a headline and the second set of information is one of a business article and a news article identified by the headline.