AUTOMATED COMPUTER ELECTRONICS DEVICE REPORTING

• US 20090083060A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Modu Limited (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Katz, Hagay, Sherman, Itay, Ron, Uri, Bychkov, Eyal, Margalit, Ran, Perry, Hagit
• Application Number:
  US12/237,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, including a consumer electronics device, including a host interface, for connecting a wireless communication card to a consumer electronics device, and a host memory storage unit, for storing technical information and usage information about the consumer electronics device, denoted INF-1, and a wireless communication card, including a controller, for executing programmed instructions, a power subsystem for supplying power to the communication card, a wireless modem coupled with the controller for receiving and transmitting data over the air, and a card interface for connecting the communication card to the consumer electronics device, wherein the controller is programmed to collect information INF-1, to generate a report including at least a portion of information INF-1, to collect recipient address information, denoted INF-2, and to submit the report to a recipient address as per information INF-2, via the wireless modem, over a wireless communication network that connects the communication card and the recipient. A method is also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A system for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, comprising:

a consumer electronics device, comprising;

a host interface, for connecting a wireless communication card to a consumer electronics device; and

a host memory storage unit, for storing technical information and usage information about the consumer electronics device, denoted INF-1; and

a wireless communication card, comprising;

a controller, for executing programmed instructions;

a power subsystem for supplying power to the communication card;

a wireless modem coupled with said controller for receiving and transmitting data over the air; and

a card interface for connecting the communication card to said consumer electronics device,

wherein said controller is programmed to collect information INF-1, to generate a report including at least a portion of information INF-1, to collect recipient address information, denoted INF-2, and to submit the report to a recipient address as per information INF-2, via said wireless modem, over a wireless communication network that connects said communication card and the recipient.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein information INF-2 is stored in said host memory storage unit.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication card further comprises a memory storage unit coupled with said controller, and wherein information INF-2 is stored in said communication card memory storage unit.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication card further comprises a memory storage unit coupled with said controller, for storing personal information about an owner of said consumer electronics device, denoted INF-3, wherein said controller is programmed to also collect information INF-3, and wherein the report generated by said controller also includes at least a portion of information INF-3.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein information INF-3 includes at least a portion of subscriber identity information for said communication card.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said communication card memory storage unit comprises a SIM card.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication network is any one of packet-switched cellular network, a circuit-switched network, a Wi-Fi network, and a WiMAX network.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication card is connected physically to said consumer electronics device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said communication card is connected wirelessly to said consumer electronics device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the report submitted by said controller includes a user-agent header for said communication card, and wherein said controller alters the user-agent header in accordance with capabilities of said consumer electronics device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller submits the report to the recipient as any one of an SMS message, an MMS message, an e-mail message and a voice message.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller is also programmed to open a voice channel, thereby enabling the owner of said consumer electronics device and the recipient to speak with one another.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless communication card further comprises an audio player, and wherein said controller is also programmed to receive a voice message from the recipient, to store the voice message in said communication card memory storage unit, and to play the stored voice message to the owner of said consumer electronics device via said audio player.

14. A method for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, comprising:

storing technical and usage information about a host consumer electronics device, denoted INF-1, in a storage unit of the device;

connecting a wireless communication card to the consumer electronics device;

collecting, by the communication card, information INF-1, and recipient address information, denoted INF-2, when the communication card is connected to the consumer electronics device;

generating a report about the consumer electronics device, the report including at least a portion of information INF-1; and

submitting the report to a recipient address as per information INF-2, by the communication card, over a wireless communication network that connects the communication card and the recipient.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein information INF-2 is stored in the storage unit of the consumer electronics device.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein information INF-2 is stored in a storage unit of the communication card.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising storing personal information about an owner of the consumer electronics device, denoted INF-3, in a storage unit of a wireless communication card, and wherein the report generated by said generating also includes at least a portion of information INF-3.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein information INF-3 includes at least a portion of subscriber identity information for the communication card.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said submitting the report is initiated by the owner of the consumer electronics device.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein said submitting the report is initiated by the recipient computer.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein said submitting the report is initiated by occurrence of a pre-designated event.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the pre-designated event is turning on of the consumer electronics device.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the pre-designated event is turning off of the consumer electronics device.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the pre-designated event is connection of the communication card to the consumer electronics device.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the pre-designated event is disconnection of the communication card from the consumer electronics device.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the pre-designated event is initial connection of the communication card to the consumer electronics device.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the pre-designated event is performance of a device-specific function.

28. The method of claim 14 wherein the report comprises a user-agent header for the communication card, and wherein said generating comprises altering the user-agent header in accordance with capabilities of the consumer electronics device.

29. The method of claim 14 wherein said submitting submits the report to the recipient as any one of an SMS message, an MMS message, an e-mail message and a voice message.

30. The method of claim 14 further comprising opening a voice channel, thereby enabling the owner of the consumer electronics device and the recipient to speak with one another.

31. The method of claim 14 further comprising

receiving a voice message from the recipient;

storing the voice message in the storage unit of the wireless communication card; and

playing the stored voice message to the owner of the consumer electronics device.

32. A system for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, comprising:

a consumer electronics device, comprising;

a host interface, for connecting a wireless communication card to a consumer electronics device; and

a host memory storage unit, for storing technical information and usage information about the consumer electronics device, denote INF-1; and

a wireless communication card, comprising;

a controller, for executing programmed instructions;

a power subsystem for supplying power to the communication card;

a wireless modem coupled with said controller for receiving and transmitting data over the air; and

a card interface for connecting the communication card to said consumer electronics device,

wherein said controller is programmed to collect information INF-1, to retrieve personal information about an owner of said consumer electronics device, denoted INF-3, from a network computer, to generate a report including at least a portion of information INF-1 and INF-3, to collect recipient address information, denoted INF-2, and to submit the report to a recipient address as per information INF-2, via said wireless modem, over a wireless communication network that connects said communication card, the network computer, and the recipient.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein information INF-2 is stored in said host storage memory unit.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein said wireless communication card further comprises a memory storage unit coupled with said controller, wherein information INF-2 is stored in said communication card memory storage unit.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein information INF-3 includes at least a portion of subscriber identity information for said communication card.

36. A method for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, comprising:

storing technical and usage information about a host consumer electronics device, denoted INF-1, in a storage unit of the device;

connecting a wireless communication card to the consumer electronics device;

collecting, by the communication card, information INF-1, and recipient address information, denoted INF-2, when the communication card is connected to the consumer electronics device;

retrieving, by the communication card, personal information about an owner of the consumer electronics device, denoted INF-3, from a network computer;

generating a report about the consumer electronics device, the report including at least a portion of information INF-1 and INF-3; and

submitting the report to a recipient address as per information INF-2, by the communication card, over a wireless communication network that connects the communication card, the network computer, and the recipient.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein information INF-2 is stored in the storage unit of the consumer electronics device.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein information INF-2 is stored in a storage unit of the communication card.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein information INF-3 includes at least a portion of subscriber identity information for the communication card.

40. A system for generating and submitting reports about electronics devices, comprising:

a wireless communication card, comprising;

a controller, for executing programmed instructions;

a power subsystem for supplying power to the communication card; and

a wireless modem coupled with said controller for receiving and transmitting data over the air;

an electronics jacket that attaches as a cover over said communication card, comprising;

a user interface for said communication card; and

a jacket memory storage unit, for storing usage information about said communication card, denoted INF-1; and

a connector for connecting said jacket to said communication card, comprising a communication bus,

wherein said controller is programmed to collect information INF-1, to generate a report including at least a portion of information INF-1, to collect recipient address information, denoted INF-2, and to submit the report to a recipient address as per information INF-2, via said wireless modem, over a wireless communication network that connects said communication card and the recipient.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein information INF-2 is stored in said jacket memory storage unit.

42. The system of claim 40 wherein said wireless communication card further comprises a memory storage unit coupled with said controller, and wherein information INF-2 is stored in said communication card memory storage unit.

43. The system of claim 40 wherein said wireless communication card further comprises a memory storage unit coupled with said controller, for storing personal information about an owner of the communication card, denoted INF-3, wherein said controller is programmed to also collect information INF-3, and wherein the report generated by said controller also includes at least a portion of information INF-3.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein information INF-3 includes at least a portion of subscriber identity information for said communication card.

45. The system of claim 43 wherein said communication card memory storage unit comprises a SIM card.

46. The system of claim 40 wherein said communication card further comprises a media player coupled with said controller.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein said jacket further comprises at least one of component of the group consisting of speakers, an earpiece, a headset, a display and a keypad.

48. The system of claim 40 wherein the recipient is a distributor of said jacket.

49. A wireless communicator, comprising:

an interface configured to enable the wireless communicator to connect to an electronic device and to enable data to be transferred between the wireless communicator and the electronic device, the electronic device having device information;

a wireless modem configured to transmit and receive data from time to time when the wireless communicator is connected to the electronic device and from time to time when the wireless communicator is not connected to the electronic device;

a memory storing personal information about a user of the wireless communicator; and

a controller coupled with said interface, said wireless modem and said memory, the controller configured to receive the device information from the electronic device when the electronic device is connected to the wireless communicator, to generate a report including at least a portion of the personal information and at least a portion of the device information, and to cause said wireless modem to transmit the report to a recipient.

50. The wireless communicator of claim 49 wherein the electronic device has usage information, and said controller is further configured to receive the usage information from the electronic device when the electronic device is connected to the wireless communicator, to generate a report including at least a portion of the personal information, at least a portion of the device information, and at least a portion of the usage information, and to cause said wireless modem to transmit the report to the recipient.

51. The wireless communicator of claim 49 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in at least one of a short message service (SMS) message, an e-mail message and a multimedia message.

52. The wireless communicator of claim 49 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in a voice message.

53. The wireless communicator of claim 49 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in dial tone signals.

54. A wireless communicator comprising:

an interface configured to enable the wireless communicator to connect to a plurality of different electronic devices and to enable data to be transferred between the wireless communicator and the plurality of different electronic devices, wherein each of the plurality of different electronic devices has device information;

a wireless modem configured to transmit and receive data from time to time when the wireless communicator is connected to one of the plurality of different electronic devices and from time to time when the wireless communicator is not connected to any of the plurality of different electronic devices;

a memory storing personal information about a user of the wireless communicator; and

a controller coupled to said interface, said wireless modem and said memory, the controller configured to receive device information from an electronic device connected to the wireless communicator, to generate a report including at least a portion of the personal information and at least a portion of the device information from the electronic device connected to the wireless communicator, and to cause said wireless modem to transmit the report to a recipient.

55. The wireless communicator of claim 54 wherein each of the plurality of different electronic devices has usage information, and said controller is further configured to receive usage information from an electronic device connected to the wireless communicator, to generate a report including at least a portion of the personal information, at least a portion of the device information from the electronic device connected to the wireless communicator, and at least a portion of the usage information from the electronic device connected to the wireless communicator, and to cause said wireless modem to transmit the report to the recipient.

56. The wireless communicator of claim 54 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in at least one of a short message service (SMS) message, an e-mail message and a multimedia message.

57. The wireless communicator of claim 54 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in a voice message.

58. The wireless communicator of claim 54 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in dial tone signals.

59. The wireless communicator of claim 54 wherein said controller is further configured to maintain a history log that stores device information from each of the plurality of different electronic devices that the wireless communicator has connected to.

60. An electronic device, comprising:

an interface configured to enable the electronic device to connect to a wireless communicator and to enable data to be transferred between the wireless communicator and the electronic device;

a memory storing device information; and

a controller coupled to said interface and said memory, the controller configured to send at least a portion of the device information to the wireless communicator via said interface, for transmission to a recipient.

61. The electronic device of claim 60 wherein said memory also stores contact information for the recipient, and wherein said controller is further configured to send the contact information to the wireless communicator via said interface.

62. The electronic device of claim 60 wherein said controller is further configured to collect usage information and send the usage information to the wireless communicator via said interface.

63. A system, comprising:

a wireless communicator, comprising;

an interface configured to enable the wireless communicator to connect to an electronic device and to enable data to be transferred between the wireless communicator and the electronic device;

a wireless modem configured to transmit and receive data from time to time when the wireless communicator is connected to an electronic device and to transmit and receive data from time to time when the wireless communicator is not connected to an electronic device, and

a controller coupled to said interface and said wireless modem; and

an electronic device comprising;

an interface configured to enable the electronic device to connect to said wireless communicator interface;

a memory storing device information; and

a controller configured to provide the device information to said wireless communicator in response to a request from said wireless communicator,

wherein said wireless communicator controller is configured to generate a report including at least a portion of the device information and to cause said wireless modem to transmit the report to a recipient.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein said electronic device controller is further configured to collect usage information of said electronic device and to send the usage information to said wireless communicator when said wireless communicator is connected to said electronic device, and wherein said wireless communicator controller is further configured to include the usage information in the report.

65. The system of claim 63 wherein said wireless communicator further comprises a memory storing personal information of a user of said wireless communicator, and wherein said wireless communicator controller is further configured to include the personal information in the report.

66. The system of claim 63 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in at least one of a short message service (SMS) message, an e-mail message and a multimedia message.

67. The system of claim 63 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in a voice message.

68. The system of claim 63 wherein said wireless modem transmits the report in dial tone signals.

69. The system of claim 63 wherein said wireless communicator controller is configured to cause said wireless modem to transmit the report when said wireless communicator is connected to said electronic device.

70. The system of claim 63 wherein said wireless communicator controller is configured to cause said wireless modem to transmit the report when said wireless communicator is not connected to said electronic device.

71. A system for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, comprising:

a consumer electronics device, comprising;

a host interface, for connecting a wireless communication card to a consumer electronics device; and

a host memory storage unit, for storing technical information and usage information about the consumer electronics device; and

a wireless communication card, comprising;

a controller, for executing programmed instructions;

a communication card memory storage unit coupled with said controller, for storing personal information about an owner of said consumer electronics device;

a power subsystem for supplying power to the communication card;

a wireless modem coupled with said controller for receiving and transmitting data over the air; and

a card interface for connecting the communication card to said consumer electronics device,

wherein said controller is programmed to monitor and collect the technical and usage information and the personal information, to open a TCP connection to a server computer and to transmit at least a portion of the technical, usage and personal information to the server computer, via said wireless modem, over a wireless communication network that connects said communication card and the server computer.

72. A method for generating and submitting reports about consumer electronics devices, comprising:

storing technical and usage information about a host consumer electronics device, in a storage unit of the device;

storing personal information about an owner of the consumer electronics device, in a storage unit of a wireless communication card;

connecting the wireless communication card to the consumer electronics device;

collecting, by the communication card, the technical and usage information, when the communication card is connected to the consumer electronics device;

automatically opening a TCP connection with a server computer, by the communication card; and

automatically transmitting at least a portion of the technical, usage and personal information to the server computer, by the communication card.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein said automatically transmitting comprises sending the at least a portion of the technical, usage and personal information within an HTTP request.

74. The method of claim 72 wherein the server computer includes a database of remote recipients corresponding to respective consumer electronics devices, the method further comprising automatically transmitting, by the server computer, the at least a portion of the technical, usage and personal information to at least one remote recipient corresponding to the host consumer electronic device.

75. The method of claim 72 further comprising enabling at least one remote recipient to access at least a portion of the technical, usage and personal information on a web site in communication with the server computer.