Method and apparatus for accessing network isolated devices

• US 20070274241A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Brothers, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A first communication device without direct network access sends a message to a second communication device connected to a remote network by relaying the message through one or more mobile communication devices. In one embodiment, a mobile communication device comprises a wireless communication circuit configured to establish a temporary wireless communication connection with the network isolated device and to receive data transferred via the temporary wireless communication connection. Further, the wireless communication circuit is configured to terminate the temporary wireless communication connection, to establish a subsequent communication connection with a communication device and to transfer the data to the communication device via the subsequent communication connection. According to some embodiments, a user of the device is offered an incentive to enable the device to transfer the data.

Claims

1. In a mobile communication device, a method of relaying data originated from a network isolated device, comprising:

establishing a temporary wireless communication connection with the network isolated device;

storing data received from the network isolated device via the temporary wireless communication connection;

terminating the temporary wireless communication connection;

establishing a subsequent communication connection with a communication device; and

transferring the data to the communication device via the subsequent communication connection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising deleting the stored data in response to a data transfer extinction parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to an amount of time elapsed before establishing the subsequent communication connection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a number of mobile communication devices that previously transferred the data.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a received data transfer cancellation message.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a decay statistic indicating dispersion of the data.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a timestamp.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring to the communication device an identifier uniquely associated with the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a subsequent communication connection with a communication device comprises establishing a subsequent communication connection with a number of mobile communication devices corresponding to a data transfer distribution parameter.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises one of a different mobile communication device and a network access point.

11. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless communication circuit configured to establish a temporary wireless communication connection with a network isolated device, to receive data transferred via the temporary wireless communication connection, to terminate the temporary wireless communication connection, to establish a subsequent communication connection with a communication device, and to transfer the data to the communication device via the subsequent communication connection.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the mobile communication device further comprises a control circuit configured to direct deletion of the data in response to a data transfer extinction parameter.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 12, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to an amount of time elapsed before establishing the subsequent communication connection.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 12, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a number of mobile communication devices that previously transferred the data.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 12, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a received data transfer cancellation message.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 12, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a decay statistic indicating dispersion of the data.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 12, wherein the data transfer extinction parameter corresponds to a timestamp.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication circuit is further configured to transfer to the communication device an identifier uniquely associated with the mobile communication device.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to establish a subsequent communication connection with a communication device by establishing a subsequent communication connection with a number of mobile communication devices corresponding to a data transfer distribution parameter.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the communication device comprises one of a different mobile communication device and a network access point.

21. A method of transferring data by a network isolated device, comprising:

generating data for reporting to a remote device;

establishing a temporary wireless communication connection with a number of mobile communication devices corresponding to a data transfer distribution parameter; and

transferring the data to the mobile communication devices via the temporary wireless communication connections.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein transferring the data to the mobile communication devices via the temporary wireless communication connections comprises forming one or more packets including the data and a unique identifier associated with the network isolated device and transferring each packet via the temporary wireless communication connections.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein one or more of the packets further includes a data transfer extinction parameter.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing a unique device identifier received from each mobile communication device to which the network isolated device transferred the data.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising directing a termination message to one or more of the mobile communication devices using corresponding ones of the unique device identifiers.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving different data from one or more of the mobile communication devices.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the data transfer distribution parameter corresponds to at least one of a frequency of data transfers and a number of mobile communication devices.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein establishing a temporary wireless communication connection with a number of mobile communication devices corresponding to a data transfer distribution parameter and transferring the data to the mobile communication devices via the temporary wireless communication connections comprises periodically establishing the temporary wireless communication connections and periodically transferring the data.

29. A network isolated device, comprising a communication controller configured to establish a temporary wireless communication connection with a number of mobile communication devices corresponding to a data transfer distribution parameter and to transfer data generated by the network isolated device to the mobile communication devices via the temporary wireless communication connections.

30. The network isolated device of claim 29, wherein the communication controller is configured to transfer data generated by the network isolated device to the mobile communication devices via the temporary wireless communication connections by forming one or more packets including the data and a unique identifier associated with the network isolated device and transferring each packet via the temporary wireless communication connections.

31. The network isolated device of claim 29, wherein one or more of the packets further includes a data transfer extinction parameter.

32. The network isolated device of claim 29, wherein the communication controller is further configured to direct storage of a unique device identifier received from each mobile communication device to which the network isolated device transferred the data.

33. The network isolated device of claim 32, wherein the communication controller is further configured to direct a termination message to one or more of the mobile communication devices using corresponding ones of the unique device identifiers.

34. The network isolated device of claim 29, wherein the communication controller is further configured to receive different data from one or more of the mobile communication devices.

35. The network isolated device of claim 29, wherein the data transfer distribution parameter corresponds to at least one of a frequency of data transfers and a number of mobile communication devices.

36. The network isolated device of claim 29, wherein the communication controller is configured to periodically establish the temporary wireless communication connections and to periodically transfer the data.

37. A method of incentivizing users of mobile communication devices to enable the mobile communication devices to transfer data originated from a network isolated device, comprising:

offering an incentive to the users of the mobile communication devices to enable the mobile communication devices to transfer data originated from the network isolated device;

identifying the mobile communication devices that transfer the data; and

crediting one or more of the mobile communication devices identified as having transferred the data.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein crediting one or more of the mobile communication devices that transferred the data comprises crediting each mobile communication device that transferred data received by a destination device.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein identifying the mobile communication devices that transfer the data comprises recovering from data received by a destination device one or more device identifiers uniquely associated with each mobile communication device that transferred the data received by the destination device.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein identifying the mobile communication devices that transfer the data further comprises recovering from the data received by the destination device one or more message identifiers uniquely associated with each message originated from the network isolated device.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising incentivizing the users of the mobile communication devices to enable the mobile communication devices to transfer different data to the network isolated device.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising crediting one or more of the mobile communication devices that transfer the different data.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein crediting one or more of the mobile communication devices that transfer the different data comprises:

identifying the mobile communication devices that transferred the data; and

crediting one or more of the identified mobile communication devices.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein identifying the mobile communication devices that transferred the data comprises recovering from data received by the network isolated device one or more device identifiers uniquely associated with each mobile communication device that transferred the data received by the network isolated device.