Mobile device capable of sharing SMS messages, email screen display locally with other devices

• US 20080305813A1
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualtrics LLC (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Bindu Rama Rao
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu Rama
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

Using a local sharing client, a first mobile device shares incoming calls, email, SMS messages, pictures, screen display, etc. locally (without employing a cellular wireless network) with a second device. The second device may also have a similar client and be able to share locally with the first mobile device.

Claims

10. A method performed by a mobile device that receives a mobile content over a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving, over the wireless network, the mobile content employing a bearer communication circuitry;

sharing at least one portion of the mobile content locally, employing a local communication circuitry, with a second mobile device in its proximity; and

managing the sharing of the at least one portion of the mobile device with the second mobile device until the sharing is terminated by the mobile device or the second mobile device indicates termination of sharing.

11. The method performed by a mobile device 10 further comprising:

determining a list of users with whom the user can currently conduct local sharing;

prompting a user of the mobile device with the list of users;

noting a user'"'"'s selection from the list of users; and

employing the user'"'"'s selection in sharing the at least one portion of the mobile content locally.

1. A mobile device that receives a mobile service in a wireless network, the mobile device comprising:

at least one non-volatile memory having stored therein one or both of firmware and software;

a bearer communication circuitry;

a local communication circuitry;

at least one processor operably coupled to the bearer communication circuitry, the local communication circuitry and the at least one non-volatile memory, wherein the at least one processor, during operation, at least;

receives a mobile content employing the bearer communication circuitry;

shares at least one portion of the mobile content locally employing the local communication circuitry with at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity; and

manages the sharing of the at least one portion of the mobile content with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 further comprising:

a local communication protocol software that employs the local communication circuitry for communication with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity;

the at least one processor, during operation, in addition at least;

receives information indicating that the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity are a target devices for sharing;

establishes local communication with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity over the local communication protocol, if necessary or determines that the mobile device is communicatively coupled with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity over the local communication protocol; and

selectively initiates sharing of the mobile content with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein the mobile content is an email received by an email client in the mobile device that is shared with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity over the local communication.

4. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein the mobile content is a streaming audio received by an audio client in the mobile device, the mobile device sharing the streaming audio with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity over the local communication.

5. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein the mobile content is one of a streaming video or a television program received by a video client in the mobile device, the mobile device sharing the mobile content with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity over the local communication.

6. The mobile device of claim 2 further comprising:

a local sharing manager that facilitates sharing the mobile content currently being rendered, played or displayed by the mobile device, with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity over the local communication.

7. The mobile device of claim 6 wherein the local sharing manager conducts simultaneous local sharing of more than one mobile content from a set of mobile content comprising an email, a streaming audio, a video and a television program with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices.

8. The mobile device of claim 6 wherein the local sharing manager queries at least one of an user info, subscriber information and a device information from the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity with which it conducts local sharing and stores them for tracking purposes.

9. The mobile device of claim 2, further comprising:

a local sharing manager;

an email client,

an SMS client;

an audio client;

a media player;

the at least one processor, during operation, in addition at least;

initiates the sharing of the mobile content wherein the mobile content is one an email received by the email client, an SMS received by the SMS client, an audio content received by the audio client, and an interactive media received by the media player;

establishes local communication with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices in its proximity over the local communication protocol; and

manages the sharing and termination of sharing with the at least one of a plurality of mobile devices employing the local sharing manager.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the determining of the list of users comprises:

identifying a previously registered list of local sharing participants; and

verifying which of the registered list of local sharing participants are currently available for local sharing.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the determining of the list of users comprises:

discovering target devices from a plurality of mobile devices in a communication range; and

negotiating the communication of the mobile content to the target devices wherein the mobile content is one of a SMS message, an email, a screen dump, and a streaming media.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the sharing of the at least one portion of the mobile content locally does not involve the wireless network.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the mobile device is directly connected to or associated with the wireless network and the second mobile device is directly connected to or associated with a different wireless network.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein local sharing of the mobile content is terminated or temporarily paused such that it can be resumed subsequently, based on a user preference, when the mobile device receives an incoming call.

15-1. The method of claim 11 wherein the mobile device is directly connected to or associated with the wireless network managed by a first operator and the second mobile device is directly connected to or associated with a different wireless network managed by a second operator.

17. A mobile devices communicatively coupled to a first network, mobile device comprising:

a local sharing communication circuitry;

a local sharing client;

the local sharing client employing the local sharing communication circuitry to locally share content with a target mobile device communicatively coupled to a second network, wherein the content is one of an incoming call, an email received, a SMS message received, an instant message received, a picture, a screen display, an audio data and a video data.

18. The mobile devices of claim 17 wherein the local sharing of content by the local sharing client occurs without employing either the first network or the second network for local sharing.

19. The mobile devices of claim 17 wherein the local sharing of content by the local sharing client occurs for storing the content in a storage associated with the target mobile device, wherein the target mobile device is capable of subsequently displaying the locally shared content.

20. The mobile devices of claim 17 further comprising:

a tracking component that tracks the local sharing of the content by the local sharing client with the target mobile device; and

the tracking component facilitating the communication of a charging record identifying at least the content, the target mobile device and a timestamp.