Method and system for remotely operating and viewing a wireless telephone device

• US 20060229066A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Herman Rodriguez, Spinac, Clifford Jay, Smith, Newton James Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method, system, and program product enable a user of one wireless telephone device to remotely view or operate another wireless telephone device. The method includes a first wireless device that receives a remote control command from a second wireless device, wherein the remote control command requests authorization for the second wireless device to operate the first wireless device. If the first wireless device authorizes the second wireless device to operate the first wireless device, both enter a remote control mode, wherein operations entered on the second wireless device are transmitted to the first wireless device for operation by the first wireless device. Also, if the first wireless device authorizes the second wireless device to view the operations of first wireless device, both enter a remote viewing mode, wherein operations entered on the first wireless device are transmitted to the second wireless device for viewing by the second wireless device.

Claims

1. In a wireless telecommunications network, a method for operating a first wireless device by a second wireless device, comprising:

receiving a remote control message by the first wireless device; and

entering by the first and second wireless devices a remote control mode, wherein operations entered on the second wireless device are transmitted to the first wireless device for operation by the first wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control message requests authorization for the second wireless device to operate the first wireless device, and the first and second wireless devices enter the remote control mode in response to the first wireless device authorizing the second wireless device to operate the first wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step further comprises

receiving by the first wireless device the remote control message from one of the second wireless device or a computer;

and

wherein entering the remote control mode further comprises locking out, by the first wireless device and second wireless device, respectively, substantially all new local operations.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the remote control message comprises a SMS message having a delimiter to indicate a beginning of the remote control message and one or more of a hardware identification of the second wireless device and a minimum software version.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

comparing by the first wireless device at least one of the hardware identification of the second wireless device and the minimum software version with a hardware identification list and software version of the first wireless device, respectively; and

in response to locating the hardware identification in the list and determining that the software version of the first wireless device is equal to or greater than the minimum software version, authorizing by the first wireless device the second wireless device to operate the first wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote control message comprises a turn-on code, wherein the first wireless device turns on if in an off state in response to processing the turn-on code.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the first wireless device determines if the second wireless device is authorized by comparing an identification of the second wireless device contained in the remote control message with an authorization list.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the first wireless device being busy, sending by the first wireless device a busy command to the second wireless device; and

in response to receiving the busy command, selectively overriding by the second wireless device the busy command to operate the first wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving by the first wireless device a message having two or more fields from the second wireless device;

determining by the first wireless device if the message includes a set feature code in a first field;

in response to receiving the set feature code, setting a function associated with the set feature code to a value in the next field or performing the function;

determining by the first wireless device if the message includes a telephone number to be dialed; and

in response to the message including a telephone number to be dialed, dialing by the first wireless device the telephone number.

10. In a wireless telecommunications network, a method for observing operations entered on a first wireless device by a second wireless device, comprising:

receiving a remote viewing message by the first wireless device, wherein the remote viewing message requests authorization for the second wireless device to observe operations of the first wireless device; and

in response to the first wireless device authorizing the second wireless device, entering by the first and second wireless devices a remote viewing mode, wherein operations entered on the first wireless device are transmitted to the second wireless device for displaying or playing by the second wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving by the first wireless device the remote viewing message from one of the second wireless device or a computer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote viewing message comprises a SMS message having a delimiter to indicate a beginning of the remote viewing message and one or more of a hardware identification of the second wireless device and a minimum software version.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing by the first wireless device the hardware identification of the second wireless device and minimum software version with a hardware identification list and software version of the first wireless device, respectively;

in response to locating the hardware identification on the list and determining that the software version of the first wireless device is equal to or greater than the minimum software version, authorizing by the first wireless device the second wireless device to view or play operations on the first wireless device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote viewing message comprises a turn-on code, wherein the first wireless device turns on in response to processing the turn-on code.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first wireless device determines if the second wireless device is authorized by comparing an identification of the second wireless device contained in the remote viewing message with an authorization list stored in the first wireless device.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving by the second wireless device a message having two or more fields from the first wireless device;

determining by the second wireless device if the message includes a set feature code in a first field;

in response to receiving the set feature code, displaying or playing a feature associated with the set feature code;

in response to a value being received in the second field that is associated with the set feature code, displaying or playing the value in the next field;

determining by the second wireless device if the message includes a telephone number to be dialed; and

in response to the message including a telephone number to be dialed, displaying or playing by the second wireless device the telephone number.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless telecommunications network is cellular.

18. In a telecommunications network having at least one base station, central office for directing telephone traffic, and a plurality of wireless devices, a system for operating a first wireless device by a second wireless device, comprising:

the first wireless device for receiving a remote control message from the network; and

the second wireless device for transmitting operations of the second wireless device to the first wireless device via the network for operation by the first wireless device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote control message requests authorization for the second wireless device to operate the first wireless device and the first wireless device enters a remote control mode in response to the first wireless device authorizing the second wireless device to operate the first wireless device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first wireless device receives the remote control message from one of the second wireless device or a computer.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote control message comprises a SMS message having a delimiter to indicate a beginning of the remote control message and one or more of a hardware identification and software version of the second wireless device.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

the first wireless device for comparing at lease one of the hardware identification and software version of the second wireless device with a hardware identification and software version of the first device; and

in response to a match, the first wireless device for determining that the first wireless device and second wireless device are compatible.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the remote control message comprises a turn-on code, wherein the first wireless device turns on in response to processing the turn-on code.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the first wireless device determines if the second wireless device is authorized by looking up an identification of the second wireless device contained in the remote control message with an authorization list.

25. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

in response to the first wireless device being busy, the first wireless device for sending a busy command to the second wireless device; and

in response to receiving the busy command, the second wireless device for selectively overriding the busy command to operate the first wireless device.

26. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

the first wireless device for receiving a message having two or more fields from the second wireless device;

the first wireless device for determining if the message includes a set feature code in a first field;

in response to receiving the set feature code, the first wireless device for setting a function associated with the set feature code to a value in the next field or performing the function;

the first wireless device for determining if the message includes a telephone number to be dialed; and

in response to the message including a telephone number to be dialed, the first wireless device for dialing the telephone number.

27. In a telecommunications network having at least one base station, central office for directing telephone traffic, and a plurality of wireless devices, a system for viewing operations entered on a first wireless device by a second wireless device, comprising:

the first wireless device for receiving a remote viewing message, wherein the remote viewing message requests authorization for the second wireless device to view operations of the first wireless device; and

in response to the first wireless device authorizing the second wireless device, the first and second wireless devices for entering a remote viewing mode, wherein operations entered on the first wireless device are transmitted to the second wireless device for displaying or playing by the second wireless device.