Methods, smart cards, and systems for providing portable computer, voip, and application services

• US 20090073965A1
• Filed: 11/05/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Internet Communications Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Internet Communications Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Westerlund, Robert A, Dowling, Eric M
• Granted Patent: US 7,924,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/305 using wired telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/675 the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/60 related to security aspects in telephonic communication systems network architectures or network communication protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6063 Authentication using cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0078 Security; Fraud detection; Fraud prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 : based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 : Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]

Abstract

A smart card is used with a network based system to providing portable telecommunication and computing services. In an exemplary embodiment the smart card holds user application programs and/or user data such as a calling list, account information, a list of local or remote application programs, and user interface configuration settings. The smart card transfers the user data to one of a plurality of geographically dispersed card readers which are each connected to a local computerized device such as a computer or a telephony device. When the smart card is plugged into a first card reader, the user'"'"'s customized settings and/or user interface is configured at a first local computerized device. When the smart card is plugged into a second smart card reader, the user'"'"'s customized settings and/or user interface is configured at a second local computerized device. Hence the user can use different computerized devices and still have the same configuration and user interface as though the various computerized devices had each been individually customized for the user.

Claims

1. A system for providing portable computer services, comprising:

a plurality of smart cards, each smart card associated with a corresponding user, each smart card including a storage medium including executable code, wherein the executable code is configured to provide an associated set of customized user interface configuration data, the plurality of smart cards including a particular smart card including particular executable code that is configured to provide a particular set of customized user interface configuration data associated with a particular user; and

a plurality of smart card reader devices, each being coupled to an associated local handheld telephony device that is operative to provide a customized user interface to a user, the plurality of smart card reader devices including a first smart card reader device coupled to a first handheld telephony device and a second smart card reader coupled to a second handheld telephony device, wherein the first and second handheld telephony devices are configured to initiate and receive voice telephone calls and include a display for displaying data provided by one or more application programs;

wherein when the particular smart card is plugged into the first smart card reader, the particular set of customized user interface configuration data is provided by the particular smart card to the first handheld telephony device, in response to which the first handheld telephony device presents a particular customized user interface on a display of the first handheld telephony device, and when the particular smart card is plugged into the second smart card reader, the particular set of customized user interface configuration data is provided by the particular smart card to the second handheld telephony device, in response to which the second handheld telephony device presents the particular customized user interface on a display of the second handheld telephony device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more application programs executes on the first handheld telephony device, and the particular set of customized user interface configuration data includes configuration data used by the at least one of the one or more application programs.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more application programs executes on a remote server and the first handheld telephony device is configured to function as a thin client device, and the particular set of customized user interface configuration data includes configuration data used by the at least one of the one or more application programs.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first handheld telephony device includes a geographic location function, at least one of the one or more application programs is a location based services application program, and the particular set of customized user interface configuration data is used to configure the location based services application program.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the particular customized user interface includes a set of telephone numbers comprising a calling list.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the executable code comprises a program.

7. A system for providing portable computer services, comprising:

a plurality of smart cards, each smart card associated with a corresponding user, each smart card including a storage medium including executable code, wherein the executable code is configured to provide an associated set of customized user interface configuration data, the plurality of smart cards including a particular smart card including particular executable code that is configured to provide a particular set of customized user interface configuration data associated with a particular user; and

a plurality of smart card reader devices, each being coupled to an associated local computerized device that is operative to provide a customized user interface to a user, the plurality of smart card reader devices including a first smart card reader device coupled to a first computerized device and a second smart card reader coupled to a second computerized device;

wherein when the particular smart card is plugged into the first smart card reader, the particular set of customized user configuration data is provided by the particular smart card to the first computerized device, in response to which the first computerized device presents a particular customized user interface on a display of the first computerized device, and when the particular smart card is plugged into the second smart card reader, the particular set of customized user configuration data is provided by the particular smart card to the second computerized device, in response to which the second computerized device presents the particular customized user interface on a display of the second computerized device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the particular customized user interface defines how green screens downloaded from a remote host computer are converted into Windows style GUI interfaces.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the particular customized user interface configuration data defines a set of desktop settings on a personal computer.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the particular customized user interface configuration data defines a remapping of a keyboard.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the particular customized user interface configuration data defines a notification tone to be played when an incoming message is received.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the particular customized user interface configuration data includes a set of telephone numbers comprising a calling list.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the particular customized user interface configuration data defines how a set of application program icons are arranged on a user interface display surface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the particular customized user interface configuration data defines a set of application programs to be made available to the user.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second computerized devices are both coupled to a data network coupled to one or more application servers operated by one or more application service provider entities, and the particular customized user interface configuration data specifies a set of one or more application programs to be downloaded from at least one of the one or more application servers to the first computerized device when the particular smart card is plugged into the first smart card reader and to the second computerized device when the particular smart card is plugged into the second computerized device, and how a set of application program icons are to be arranged on a user interface display surface, and at least one of the application program icons, when activated, causes to be launched an application program that has been downloaded from the application server.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second computerized devices are both coupled to a data network coupled to one or more application servers operated by one or more application service provider entities, and the particular customized user interface configuration data specifies a set of one or more application programs to be run remotely at an application server and how a set of application program icons are to be arranged on a user interface display surface, and at least one of the application program icons, when activated, causes to be launched a corresponding one of the one or more application programs.

17. The system of claim 7, wherein the first computerized device includes a first local telephony device that is coupled via a first broadband connection to a remote server system, and the second computerized device includes a second local telephony device that is coupled via a second broadband connection to the remote server system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first local telephony device is coupled to a first VoIP gateway, and the second local telephony device is coupled to a second VoIP gateway.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first local telephony device includes a first built-in VoIP gateway, and the second local telephony device includes a second built-in VoIP gateway.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first VoIP gateway and the second VoIP gateway are configured to interact with the remote server system in such a manner as to enable VoIP calls directed to the particular user to be coupled to the first local telephony device when the particular smart card is plugged into the first smart card reader, and to the second local telephony device when the particular smart card is plugged into the second smart card reader.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first built-in VoIP gateway and the second built-in VoIP gateway are configured to interact with the remote server system in such a manner as to enable VoIP calls directed to the particular user to be coupled to the first local telephony device when the particular smart card is plugged into the first smart card reader, and to the second local telephony device when the particular smart card is plugged into the second smart card reader.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the first computerized device is coupled to a first telephony device that is coupled to a first PSTN, and is also coupled to a remote server system via a first broadband connection;

the first computerized device is programmed to transmit to the remote server system a first local PSTN telephone number associated with the first telephony device and the remote server system is programmed to forward calls directed to the particular user to the first local PSTN telephone number when the particular smart card is plugged into the first smart card reader;

the second computerized device is coupled to a second telephony device that is coupled to a second PSTN, and is also coupled to the remote server system via a second broadband connection; and

the second computerized device is programmed to transmit to the remote server system a second local PSTN telephone number associated with the second telephony device and the remote server system is programmed to forward calls directed to the particular user to the second local PSTN telephone number when the particular smart card is plugged into the second smart card reader.

23. A system for providing portable computer services, comprising:

a plurality of smart cards, each smart card associated with a corresponding user, each smart card including a storage medium including executable code, wherein the executable code is configured to provide an associated set of configuration data customized for a user, the plurality of smart cards including a particular smart card including particular executable code that is configured to provide a particular set of information corresponding to a particular set of remote application programs associated with the particular user; and

a plurality of smart card reader devices, each being coupled to an associated local computerized device, the plurality of smart card reader devices including a first smart card reader device coupled to a first computerized device and a second smart card reader coupled to a second computerized device, wherein the first and second computerized devices are both coupled to a data network coupled to one or more remote application servers operated by one or more remote application service provider entities, each of the application servers including an associated set of one or more remote application programs;

wherein when the particular smart card is plugged into the first smart card reader, the particular set of information is provided by the particular smart card to the first computerized device, in response to which the first computerized device provides access to a particular set of remote application programs provided by one or more of the remote application servers, and when the particular smart card is plugged into the second smart card reader, the particular set of information is provided by the particular smart card to the second computerized device, in response to which the second computerized device provides access to the particular set of remote application programs.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one application program of the particular set of remote application programs is downloaded from the one or more remote application servers, and the at least one application program is subsequently executed by the first computerized device.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein a server portion of an application program of the particular set of remote application programs is run remotely by one or more of the remote application servers, and the first computerized device acts as a client side device to interact with the server portion.