WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20090030995A1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Clough, Ian, Murphy, Thomas, Panezic, Alan, Yach, David, Boudreau, Jesse, Washburn, Mike, Omar, Salim
• Granted Patent: US 8,352,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for wireless systems provide a mechanism to enhance the communication capabilities of wireless users. In an embodiment, a system includes a wireless server communicatively operable with a set of mobile wireless clients, where the wireless server has a share agent configured to control dissemination of information from a database on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information. In an embodiment, a mobile wireless device has an integrated management system operable with a controller. The management system is configured to manage the mobile wireless device operable as a multiple-mode wireless client to each wireless server of a set of wireless servers such that information may be shared among the mobile wireless device and the set of wireless servers.

Claims

1. A wireless server comprising:

a router to communicate with a plurality of mobile wireless clients;

a database configured to store information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

a share agent configured to control dissemination of information from the database on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information.

2. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server is configured to manage substantially all communications with the plurality of mobile wireless clients over secure connections between the wireless server and each mobile wireless client such that each one of the secure connections is unique to a different one of the mobile wireless clients.

3. The wireless server of claim 1, the wireless server including:

an e-mail proxy to collect e-mails from a plurality of mail domains external to the wireless server, each collected e-mail corresponding to a user identification; and

an e-mail agent to support e-mail services of the mobile wireless clients correlated to the user identifications, the e-mail services operable to coordinate transmission and reception of e-mail from each e-mail domain corresponding to the user identifications.

4. The wireless server of claim 3, wherein the mail domains external to the wireless server include an e-mail domain based on a post office protocol (POP), an e-mail domain based on an internet message access protocol (IMAP), or e-mail domains based on POP and IMAP.

5. The wireless server of claim 3, wherein the e-mail agent includes an e-mail agent configured to route an e-mail message between the one or more mobile wireless clients without processing through e-mail domains identified in the e-mail message.

6. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server is configured as instructions on a computer-readable medium on a personal computer to wirelessly provide private information, information generated on the personal computer, and shared information to the one or more mobile wireless clients.

7. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the user identification is correlated to a wireless service account of the user.

8. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the information includes content of one or more of an interactive calendar, an address book, a message board, or a task monitor.

9. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a flow control agent responsive to a communication policy to limit the flow of information with each of the mobile wireless clients.

10. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a resource agent configured to make the informational content, collected from sources external to the wireless server, available to the mobile wireless clients.

11. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a sync engine to automatically copy information to each mobile wireless client authorized to access the information.

12. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a video agent configured to access a video programming source external to the wireless server and to make available video content from the video programming source to each mobile wireless client authorized to access the video content, the video content routed through the wireless server.

13. The wireless server of claim 12, wherein the wireless server includes an interface to access the video programming source via a wired network.

14. The wireless server of claim 12, wherein the wireless server includes a folder to store the video content, the folder shared by each mobile wireless client authorized to access the video content.

15. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes the wireless server operable to automatically provide data in an identified shared folder to a server external to the wireless server, the identified shared folder correlated to a user identification associated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.

16. The wireless server of claim 15, wherein the data includes calendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.

17. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a storage medium to store configuration data specifying a configuration of the wireless server, the wireless server operable to automatically provide the configuration data to an external wireless device correlated to a user identification associated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.

18. The wireless server of claim 17, wherein the external wireless device includes a mobile wireless client selected from the plurality of mobile wireless clients.

19. The wireless server of claim 18, wherein the selected mobile wireless client includes a hand-held mobile wireless client.

20. The wireless server of claim 17, wherein the external wireless device includes an external wireless server correlated to one or more of the user identifications.

21. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes a user interface to administer the wireless server based on a set of administration parameters, the set managed by wizards and lists.

22. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes an internal browser to browser media files stored on the wireless server and a transfer agent to send a selected media file to one of the mobile wireless clients in responsive to reception of a selection indicator from the one mobile wireless client.

23. The wireless server of claim 22, wherein the wireless server includes the wireless server operable to provide a representation of each of the media files to the one mobile wireless client to provide a basis for the selection of the selected media file.

24. The wireless server of claim 22, wherein a representation of each of the media files includes a thumbnail of each of the media files.

25. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes the wireless server operable to make informational content available to the mobile wireless clients, the informational content including one or more of audio, video, news, text, or combinations thereof.

26. The wireless server of claim 1, wherein the wireless server includes the wireless server operable to control communication to a mobile wireless client selected from the plurality of mobile wireless clients, the communication provided in a format selected from an e-mail message, an instant messaging communication, a page message, a text communication, or a telephonic call.

27. A method comprising:

controlling operation of a wireless server operable to communicate with a plurality of mobile wireless clients;

managing information in a database of the wireless server including storing information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the users including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

controlling dissemination of information from the database on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information among the plurality of mobile wireless clients.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless clients over secure connections for substantially all communications between the wireless server and each mobile wireless client such that each one of the secure connections is unique to a different one of the mobile wireless clients.

29. The method of claim 27, the method includes:

collecting, in the wireless server, e-mails from one or more mail domains external to the wireless server, each collected e-mail corresponding to a user identification; and

supporting e-mail services of the mobile wireless clients correlated to the user identifications, the e-mail services including coordinating the sending and receiving of e-mail from each e-mail domain corresponding to the user identifications.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the method includes routing an e-mail message between the one or more mobile wireless clients without processing through e-mail domains identified in the e-mail message.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein managing information includes managing content of one or more of an interactive calendar, an address book, a message board, or a task monitor.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes making informational content, collected from sources external to the wireless server, available to the mobile wireless clients.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes automatically copying information from the wireless server to each mobile wireless client authorized to access the information.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes accessing a video programming source external to the wireless server and to make available video content from the video programming source to each mobile wireless client authorized to access the video content, the video content routed through the wireless server.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes automatically providing data in an identified shared folder of the wireless server to an external wireless server, the identified shared folder correlated to a user identification associated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the data includes calendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes storing configuration data specifying a configuration of the wireless server and automatically providing the configuration data to an external wireless device based on occurrence of a specified event, the external wireless device correlated to a user identification associated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes providing, to a mobile wireless client, a representation of each media file stored on the wireless server for which the mobile wireless client is authorized to access.

40. The method of claim 27, wherein the method includes controlling communication, via the wireless server, to a mobile wireless client selected from the plurality of mobile wireless clients, the communication provided in a format selected from an e-mail message, an instant messaging communication, a page message, a text communication, or a telephonic call.

39. The method of claim 39, wherein providing, to a mobile wireless client, a representation of each media file includes providing a thumbnail of each of the media files.

41. A machine-readable medium that stores instructions, which, when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

controlling operation of a wireless server to communicative with a plurality of mobile wireless clients;

managing information in a database of the wireless server including storing information associated with users of the mobile wireless clients, the information associated with the users including a user identification for each mobile wireless client; and

controlling dissemination of information from the database on a shared basis responsive to a determination of a privacy state of the information among the plurality of mobile wireless clients.

42. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to manage substantially all communications with the plurality of mobile wireless clients over secure connections between the wireless server and each mobile wireless client such that each one of the secure connections is unique to a different one of the mobile wireless clients.

43. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, the instructions include one or more instructions to:

collect, in the wireless server, e-mails from one or more mail domains external to the wireless server, each collected e-mail corresponding to a user identification; and

support e-mail services of the mobile wireless clients correlated to the user identifications, the e-mail services including coordination of the sending and receiving of e-mail from each e-mail domain corresponding to the user identifications.

44. The machine-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to route an e-mail message between the one or more mobile wireless clients without processing through e-mail domains identified in the e-mail message.

45. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein managing information includes managing content of one or more of an interactive calendar, an address book, a message board, or a task monitor.

46. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to make informational content, collected from sources external to the wireless server, available to the mobile wireless clients.

47. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to automatically copy information from the wireless server to each mobile wireless client authorized to access the information.

48. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to access a video programming source external to the wireless server and to make available video content from the video programming source to each mobile wireless client authorized to access the video content, the video content routed through the wireless server.

49. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to automatically provide data in an identified shared folder of the wireless server to an external wireless server, the identified shared folder correlated to a user identification associated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.

50. The machine-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the data includes calendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.

51. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to store configuration data specifying a configuration of the wireless server and to automatically provide the configuration data to an external wireless device based on occurrence of a specified event, the external wireless device correlated to a user identification associated with at least one of the mobile wireless clients.

52. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to provide, to a mobile wireless client, a representation of each media file stored on the wireless server for which the mobile wireless client is authorized to access.

53. The machine-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the one or more instructions to provide, to a mobile wireless client, a representation of each media file includes providing a thumbnail of each of the media files.

54. The machine-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to control communication to a mobile wireless client selected from the plurality of mobile wireless clients, the communication provided in a format selected from an e-mail message, an instant messaging communication, a page message, a text communication, or a telephonic call.

55. A mobile wireless device comprising:

a controller;

a memory communicatively coupled to the controller; and

a management system operable with the controller, the management system configured to manage the mobile wireless device operable as a multiple-mode wireless client, the multiple-mode wireless client operable as a registered client to each wireless server of a plurality of wireless servers, the mobile wireless client configured to share information among the plurality of wireless servers, the shared information based on a user identification common to the mobile wireless device and the plurality of wireless servers, the management system configured to include user-generated data as shared information.

56. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the mobile wireless device is configured to receive and send e-mails through at least one of the wireless servers.

57. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the multiple-mode wireless client operable as a client to each wireless server of a plurality of wireless servers includes the multiple-mode wireless client operable to automatically establish secure connections between the mobile wireless device and each wireless server to manage substantially all communications with each wireless server such that each one of the secure connections is unique to a different one of the wireless servers.

58. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the mobile wireless device is configured as a hand-held wireless device.

59. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the mobile wireless device is configured as a portable computer.

60. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the shared information includes calendar content associated with the user identification.

61. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the mobile wireless device has a storage region to store configuration data of at least one of the plurality of wireless servers.

62. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the mobile wireless device includes the mobile wireless operable according to a stored policy, the policy determined from a selection of one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless server with respect to the other wireless servers.

63. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the mobile wireless device includes a positioning system to determine a position of the mobile wireless device with respect to each of the wireless servers.

64. The mobile wireless device of claim 63, wherein the management system includes the management system operable to select one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless client with respect to the other wireless servers, the selection based on the position of the mobile wireless device with respect to each of the wireless servers.

65. The mobile wireless device of claim 63, wherein the positioning system includes a global positioning system (GPS).

66. The mobile wireless device of claim 63, wherein the management system and the positioning system are operable to determine that the mobile wireless device is within a local area network of only one of the wireless servers.

67. The mobile wireless device of claim 63, wherein the management system and the positioning system are operable to determine that the mobile wireless device is within a Wi-Fi network of one or more of the wireless servers.

68. The mobile wireless device of claim 63, wherein the mobile wireless device is operable to use a secure control channel to determine if the mobile wireless device is within a Wi-Fi network.

69. The mobile wireless device of claim 55, wherein the mobile wireless device includes a browser to browse files on the wireless servers.

70. The mobile wireless device of claim 69, wherein the mobile wireless device includes a sync agent to transfer a file selected in conjunction with the browser, the sync agent to control interaction with the wireless server on which the file resides.

71. The mobile wireless device of claim 70, wherein the selected file includes calendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.

72. A method comprising:

managing a mobile wireless device operable as a multiple-mode wireless client, the multiple-mode wireless client operable as a registered client to each wireless server of a plurality of wireless servers; and

sharing information among the plurality of wireless servers, the shared information based on a user identification common to the mobile wireless device and the plurality of wireless servers, the shared information including user-generated data.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein managing a mobile wireless device includes automatically establishing secure connections between the mobile wireless device and each wireless server to manage substantially all communications with each wireless server such that each one of the secure connections is unique to a different one of the wireless servers.

74. The method of claim 72, wherein the method includes receiving and sending e-mails through at least one of the wireless servers.

75. The method of claim 72, wherein sharing information includes sharing calendar content associated with the user identification.

76. The method of claim 72, wherein the method includes storing configuration data of at least one of the plurality of wireless servers.

77. The method of claim 72, wherein managing a mobile wireless device includes regulating functions of the mobile wireless according to a stored policy, the policy to control selection of one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless server with respect to the other wireless servers.

78. The method of claim 72, wherein managing a mobile wireless device includes controlling selection of one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless server with respect to the other wireless servers.

79. The method of claim 72, wherein the method includes determining a position of the mobile wireless device with respect to each of the wireless servers.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein the method includes selecting one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless client with respect to the other wireless servers, the selection based on the position of the mobile wireless device with respect to each of the wireless servers.

81. The method of claim 72, wherein the method includes determining that the mobile wireless device is within a local area network of one of the wireless servers.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the method includes determining that the mobile wireless device is within a Wi-Fi network of one or more of the wireless servers.

83. The method of claim 72, wherein the method including using a secure control channel to determine if the mobile wireless device is within a Wi-Fi network.

84. The method of claim 72, wherein the method includes using a browser in the mobile wireless device to browse files on the wireless servers.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the method includes applying a sync agent to transfer a file selected in conjunction with the browser, the sync agent to control interaction with the wireless server on which the file resides.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein applying the sync agent to transfer the selected file includes transferring content, the content selected from calendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.

87. A machine-readable medium that stores instructions, which, when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

managing a mobile wireless device operable as a multiple-mode wireless client, the multiple-mode wireless client operable as a registered client to each wireless server of a plurality of wireless servers; and

sharing information among the plurality of wireless servers, the shared information based on a user identification common to the mobile wireless device and the plurality of wireless servers, the shared information including user-generated data.

88. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to manage a mobile wireless device includes and each wireless server to manage substantially all communications with each wireless server such that each one of the secure connections is unique to a different one of the wireless servers.

89. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to manage reception and transmission of e-mails through at least one of the wireless servers.

90. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein sharing information includes sharing calendar content associated with the user identification.

91. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to store configuration data of at least one of the plurality of wireless servers.

92. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein managing a mobile wireless device includes regulating functions of the mobile wireless according to a stored policy, the policy to control selection of one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless server with respect to the other wireless servers.

93. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein managing a mobile wireless device includes controlling selection of one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless server with respect to the other wireless servers.

94. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to determine a position of the mobile wireless device with respect to each of the wireless servers.

95. The machine-readable medium of claim 94, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to select one of the plurality of wireless servers as a dominant wireless client with respect to the other wireless servers, the selection based on the position of the mobile wireless device with respect to each of the wireless servers.

96. The machine-readable medium of claim 94, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to determine that the mobile wireless device is within a local area network of one of the wireless servers.

97. The machine-readable medium of claim 96, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to determine that the mobile wireless device is within a Wi-Fi network of one or more of the wireless servers.

98. The machine-readable medium of claim 94, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to use a secure control channel to determine if the mobile wireless device is within a Wi-Fi network.

99. The machine-readable medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to apply a browser in the mobile wireless device to browse files on the wireless servers.

100. The machine-readable medium of claim 99, wherein the instructions include one or more instructions to apply a sync agent to transfer a file selected in conjunction with the browser, the sync agent to control interaction with the wireless server on which the file resides.

101. The machine-readable medium of claim 100, wherein applying the sync agent to transfer the selected file includes transferring content, the content selected from calendar data, photograph data, music data, video data, text data, or combinations thereof.