Peer-to-peer mobile instant messaging method and device

• US 20050220045A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,764,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A technique is provided for establishing peer-to-peer session-based instant messaging between mobile devices without the need for using an instant messaging registration or log-in server to provide presence information. Session-based instant messaging communications between mobile devices are established by embedding necessary address information in the telephony ringing signal between mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method of establishing session-based instant messaging communications between mobile devices that support a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, the method comprising:

opening a listening port on an initiating mobile device to receive communications through the data packet-based communications service;

embedding an invitation message containing the address and the listening port of the initiating mobile device in a telephony ringing signal transmitted to a target mobile device.

receiving a response from the target mobile device at the listening port on the initiating mobile device through the data packet-based communications service; and

establishing a virtual connection through the data packet-based communications service for the session-based instant messaging session between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein FSK is utilized to embed the address and the listening port of the initiating mobile device into the telephone ringing signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data packet-based communications service is GPRS and the digital mobile network system is GSM.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device include QWERTY keyboards.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address and the listening port is a TCP port.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual reliable connection is a TCP connection.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein instant messaging communications through the virtual connection utilizes MSRP.

14. A computer program for establishing a session-based instant messaging communications between mobile devices that supports a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, the computer program comprising program code means for performing all the steps of claim 1 when the program is run on a computer.

15. The computer program of claim 14 wherein FSK is utilized to embed the address and the listening port of the initiating mobile device into the telephony ringing signal.

16. The computer program of claim 14 wherein the data packet-based communications service is GPRS and the digital mobile network system is GSM.

17. The computer program of claim 14 wherein the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device include QWERTY keyboards.

18. The computer program of claim 14 wherein the address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address and the listening port is a TCP port.

19. The computer program of claim 14 wherein the virtual connection is a TCP connection.

20. The computer program of claim 14 wherein the program code is distributed between the initiating mobile device and its supporting telephone company.

8. A mobile device enabled to establish session-based instant messaging communications with other mobile devices in a digital mobile network system, the mobile device comprising:

programming means to support a data packet-based communications service over the digital mobile network system;

programming means to extract an invitation message embedded in a telephony ringing signal initiated by the an initiating mobile device, the invitation message containing the address and a listening port of the initiating mobile device;

programming means to send a response through the data packet-based communications service to the address and listening port of the initiating mobile device; and

programming means to establish a virtual connection through the data packet-based communications service for session-based instant messaging communications between the mobile device and the initiating mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the invitation message is embedded in the telephony ringing signal using FSK.

10. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the data packet-based communications service is GPRS and the digital mobile network system is GSM.

11. The mobile device of claim 8 further comprising a QWERTY keyboard.

12. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address and the listening port is TCP port.

13. The mobile device of claim 8 wherein the virtual connection is a TCP connection.