Conditional application invocation in a wireless device

• US 20040203955A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72484 wherein functions are triggered by incoming communication events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include a mobile communication device that automatically receives signals indicating predetermined events, and automatically takes actions in response to the events. The actions include executing one or more software applications on the device. The applications include native applications and downloaded applications that are individually configured.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system, comprising:

wireless communication provider equipment, comprising a storage device that stores provider software applications and data, including an event manager application and a short message service controller (SMSC) application;

a wireless communication device coupled to the provider equipment, comprising,

more than one software application, including native applications and downloaded applications, wherein the downloaded applications are individually configured by a wireless device user;

an event catalog that stores a list of user-specified events; and

an event registry that stores relationships between events and actions, wherein the wireless device receives notification of an event from the provider equipment and automatically performs one or more actions using one or more software applications based on predefined user preferences.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1 wherein:

the event manager is configured to recognize the occurrence of an event and send a message to the SMSC; and

the SMSC is configured to generate an encoded SMS message to the wireless device that indicates the event has occurred.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1 wherein the wireless device is configured to:

receive an encoded SMS message from the SMSC indicating an event has occurred;

determine from the event registry which applications should be executed in response to the event; and

execute the indicated applications.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is configured to communicate with a provider software application for allowing the user to define the user preferences, wherein communication includes communication via the Internet.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the native applications include a call controller application.

6. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein the native applications include a call controller application and the downloaded applications include an email application, an address book application, a custom ring application, a game application, and a media application.

7. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a wireless communication network administered by a carrier;

a wireless device that communicates with the carrier through a wireless network, wherein the wireless device comprises more than one software application, including at least one downloaded application, and wherein the wireless communication network notifies the wireless device of an event and the wireless device responds by executing one or more of the software applications according to previously configured user preferences.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 7, wherein the wireless device further comprises:

an event catalog that includes events recognized by the wireless device; and

an event registry that related events to actions to be taken by the wireless device, wherein the event catalog and the event registry are populated according to the user preferences.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 7, further comprising carrier-side equipment including a carrier application remotely accessed by the user to configure the user preferences.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 7, further comprising carrier-side equipment including an event manager configured to send a message to the wireless device when a predefined event occurs.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 7, further comprising carrier-side equipment, including:

an event manager configured to recognize an event and generate a message; and

a SMSC configured to receive the message and generate an encoded message to the wireless device indicating the occurrence of the predefined event.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 7, further comprising carrier-side equipment, including:

a carrier application remotely accessed by the user to configure the user preferences; and

a preferences database that stores the user preferences.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 7, wherein the event comprises:

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an on-peak rate to an off-peak rate;

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an off-peak rate to an on-peak rate;

the wireless device transitioning to roaming for service;

the wireless device transitioning from roaming for service;

a certain amount of time remaining in a current time increment bucket; and

a start of a new time increment bucket.

14. A wireless mobile device, comprising:

at least one software application;

a list of events recognized by the device;

a list of relationships between the events and actions to be taken by the device, wherein the device is configured to automatically receive an event notification from an external source and take actions according to the list of relationships, wherein the actions comprise executing at least one of the more than one applications.

15. The wireless mobile device of claim 14, wherein the at least one software application includes native applications and downloaded applications, and wherein the list of events and the list of relationships are stored in a Java application management service (JAMS).

16. The wireless mobile device of claim 14, wherein the device is configured to communicate with a wireless communication service provider to allow a device user to configure preferences regarding the actions taken by the device in response to events.

17. The wireless mobile device of claim 14, wherein the device is configured to:

communicate with a wireless communication service provider to allow a device user to configure preferences regarding the actions taken by the device in response to events;

receive a signal from the provider indicating that preferences have been changed;

in response to the signal, initiate communication with the provider; and

retrieve new configuration information from the provider, including changes to the list of relationships and changes to the list of events.

18. The wireless mobile device of claim 14, wherein the device is configured to:

receive an encoded message from a wireless communication service provider indicating that an event has occurred;

open a communication channel to the provider to retrieve the event; and

process the event using the list of events and the list of relationships.

19. The wireless mobile device of claim 17, wherein the signal is an encoded short message service (“

SMS”

) message, and wherein the new configuration information is retrieved via a general packet radio service (“

GPRS”

) connection.

20. The wireless mobile device of claim 17, wherein the encoded message is an encoded short message service (“

SMS”

) message, and wherein opening a communication channel includes establishing a connection chosen from a group comprising a hypertext transfer protocol (“

HTTP”

) connection and a wireless application protocol (“

WAP”

) connection.

21. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a wireless communication network means administered by a carrier;

a wireless device means that communicates with the carrier through a wireless network, wherein the wireless device means comprises more than one software application, including native applications and downloaded applications, and wherein the wireless communication network means notifies the wireless device means of an event and the wireless device means responds by executing one or more of the software applications according to previously configured user preferences.

22. The wireless communication system of claim 21, wherein the wireless device means further comprises:

an event catalog means that includes events recognized by the wireless device means; and

an event registry means that related events to actions to be taken by the wireless device means, wherein the event catalog means and the event registry means are populated according to the user preferences.

23. The wireless communication system of claim 21, further comprising carrier-side equipment means including a carrier application remotely accessed by the user to configure the user preferences.

24. The wireless communication system of claim 21, further comprising carrier-side equipment means including an event manager means configured to send a message to the wireless device means when a predefined event occurs.

25. The wireless communication system of claim 21, further comprising carrier-side equipment means, including:

an event manager means configured to recognize an event and generate a message; and

a message controller means configured to receive the message and generate an encoded message to the wireless device means indicating the occurrence of the predefined event.

26. The wireless communication system of claim 21, further comprising carrier-side equipment means, including:

a carrier application remotely accessed by the user to configure the user preferences; and

a storage means that stores the user preferences.

27. The wireless communication system of claim 21, wherein the event comprises:

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an on-peak rate to an off-peak rate;

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an off-peak rate to an on-peak rate;

the wireless device means transitioning to roaming for service;

the wireless device means transitioning from roaming for service;

a certain amount of time remaining in a current time increment bucket; and

a start of a new time increment bucket.

28. A method for configuring a wireless communication device to automatically perform actions in response to an event, the method comprising:

receiving user input including;

configuration information for at least one downloaded application; and

preference information including actions to be taken by the device in response to events;

receiving a message from a wireless communication service provider indicating a change in preference information;

initiating a data session with the provider;

retrieving preference information and updating data in the wireless device, wherein the data in the wireless device includes recognized events, and applications to be executed in response to the recognized events, wherein the applications include the at least one downloaded application.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the configuration information for the at least one downloaded application comprises different information for each of the downloaded applications, and wherein the user input has a plurality of sources that vary according to a particular downloaded application.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the user input is input through a user interface of the device.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the user input is input to the device through an Internet user interface.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the user input is input to the device via a data connection initiated by the provider.

33. A method for wireless communication, comprising:

at a wireless communication network, notifying a wireless device of an event; and

at the wireless device, responding by executing one or more software applications according to previously configured user preferences, wherein the one or more software applications includes one or more downloaded applications individually configured by a user after downloading to the wireless device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the device responding comprises:

accessing an event catalog that includes events recognized by the wireless device; and

accessing an event registry that related events to actions to be taken by the wireless device, wherein the event catalog and the event registry are populated according to the user preferences.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising the user remotely accessing a network provider application to configure the user preferences.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein notifying comprises a network provider event manager sending a message to the wireless device when the event occurs.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein notifying comprises:

a network provider event manager recognizing an event and generating a message to a message controller; and

the message controller generating an encoded message to the wireless device indicating the occurrence of the event.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

the user remotely accessing a network provider application to configure the user preferences; and

the provider storing the user preferences in a user preferences database.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the event comprises:

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an on-peak rate to an off-peak rate;

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an off-peak rate to an on-peak rate;

the wireless device transitioning to roaming for service;

the wireless device transitioning from roaming for service;

a certain amount of time remaining in a current time increment bucket; and

a start of a new time increment bucket.

40. A device-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the method comprising:

notify a wireless device of an event; and

in response to the notification, execute one or more software applications on the wireless device according to previously configured user preferences, wherein the one or more software applications includes one or more downloaded applications individually configured by a user.

41. The device-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the responding to the notification comprises:

accessing an event catalog that includes events recognized by the wireless device; and

accessing an event registry that relates events to actions to be taken by the wireless device, wherein the event catalog and the event registry are populated according to the user preferences.

42. The device-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising receiving data inputs from the user remotely accessing a network provider application to configure the user preferences.

43. The device-readable medium of claim 40, wherein notifying comprises sending a message to the wireless device when the event occurs.

44. The device-readable medium of claim 40, wherein notifying comprises:

a network provider event manager recognizing an event and generating a message to a message controller; and

the message controller generating an encoded message to the wireless device indicating the occurrence of the event.

45. The device-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving data input from the user remotely accessing a network provider application to configure the user preferences; and

storing the user preferences in a user preferences database.

46. The device-readable medium of claim 40, wherein the event comprises:

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an on-peak rate to an off-peak rate;

the user'"'"'s billing rate transitioning from an off-peak rate to an on-peak rate;

the wireless device transitioning to roaming for service;

the wireless device transitioning from roaming for service;

a certain amount of time remaining in a current time increment bucket; and

a start of a new time increment bucket.