METHOD AND APPARATUS OF TRIGGERING A TRANSFER OF DATA STORED IN A DATABASE

• US 20090197575A1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile2web SA
• Original Assignee: Tiagala Holding S.A.
• Inventors: Degraeve, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,641 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/33 containing protocol addresses or telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/37 E-mail addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sending or retrieving data by mobile phone users. The data is stored in a database. The sender or recipient enters into the connection with a manager and provides identification to the manager. Further, the method involves associating an e-mail address or a URL address with the recipient based in part on the identification provided to the manager.

Claims

1. A method of sending data stored in a database by a sender to a recipient, which are mobile phone users, in relationship with a manager defining a managing software application, the database and the manager being in connection with a website, the method comprising:

entering into a connection between the sender and the manager, wherein the sender enters into the connection with the manager and provides sender identification to the manager;

transferring an identifier to the manager, wherein the sender transfers the identifier comprising at least a recipient'"'"'s mobile phone number;

associating an e-mail address or a URL address with the identifier by the manager, wherein the associating comprises selectively accessing the database according to at least whether the sender is a subscriber to the sending data service; and

sending the data stored in the database to the recipient'"'"'s e-mail address or URL address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises furthermore a code related to a selection in the database of the data to be transmitted, the manager associating the data to be transmitted to the e-mail address or the URL address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the manager associates the recipient'"'"'s e-mail address with the identifier, wherein the manager sends an e-mail to the recipient, the data being attached to the e-mail, in case the recipient'"'"'s e-mail address is known to the manager and is listed in a central database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the manager associates a URL address with the identifier, wherein the manager sends an SMS message comprising the URL address to the recipient'"'"'s mobile phone, the URL address offering access to a web page comprising the data, the URL address being parameterized with the recipient'"'"'s mobile phone number, and

wherein the manager sends the SMS message in case the recipient'"'"'s e-mail address is not known to the manager.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the URL is secured by a login password which is communicated to the recipient by way of the SMS message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender uses a WAP mobile phone.

7. A method of retrieving information, being stored in a database, by a recipient who is a mobile device user, in relationship with a database manager, the database and the database manager being in connection with a web site, towards a recipient, the method comprising:

from a mobile device, sending a request for information to a database manager;

from the database manager, sending a message with a summary of the information to the mobile device;

identifying an electronic address different from the mobile device associated with the user of the mobile device;

retrieving the requested information from the database; and

sending a copy of the retrieved information to the identified electronic address.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information is impractical to be displayed on a mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein sending a copy of the retrieved information is via e-mail or URL.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is a mobile telephone.

11. A method of operating a manager, the manager defining a managing software application, to perform a data transfer service, the data transfer service comprising transferring data stored in a database from a sender to a recipient, the sender and recipient being mobile phone users, the database and the manager being in connection with a website, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from the sender, the communication comprising an identifier for the sender and an identifier for the recipient, the identifier for the recipient comprising a mobile phone number of the recipient;

determining whether the recipient is a subscriber of the data transfer service using at least the identifier for the recipient;

associating an e-mail address or URL with the recipient responsive to at least whether the recipient is a subscriber; and

sending the stored data to the e-mail address or URL associated with the recipient.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifier for the sender comprises a mobile phone number.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the stored data comprises a plurality of data items.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication from the sender further comprises a data identifier indicative of one or more of the plurality of data items and wherein sending the stored data comprises sending the one or more data items indicated by the data identifier.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the manager associates the e-mail address with the recipient if the recipient is a subscriber to the data transfer service and sends an e-mail to the e-mail address, and wherein the stored data is attached to the e-mail.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the manager associates the URL with the recipient if the recipient is not a subscriber to the data transfer service and sends the stored data to the URL.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the URL address is parameterized with the Recipient'"'"'s mobile phone number.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising sending an SMS message to the recipient, the SMS comprising the URL.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the URL is password protected and the SMS message further comprises a password for accessing the URL.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending an SMS message to the recipient, wherein the SMS message comprises a summary of the stored data.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein associating an e-mail address with the recipient comprises:

determining that the recipient is a customer of the sender'"'"'s mobile operator; and

querying a database of customers of the sender'"'"'s mobile operator.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the recipient is a subscriber comprises querying a central database of subscribers.

23. A method of operating a database manager to send information, stored in a database, from a sender to a recipient who are mobile device users, the database and the database manager being in connection with a web site, the method comprising:

receiving a send request from a mobile device of the sender, the send request including a mobile phone number for the recipient;

sending a message with a summary of the information to a mobile device associated with the mobile phone number of the recipient;

identifying an electronic address of the recipient different from the mobile phone number of the recipient;

retrieving the requested information from the database; and

sending an electronic copy of the retrieved information to the identified electronic address.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the information is impractical to be displayed on the mobile device of the recipient.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein sending a copy of the retrieved information is via e-mail or URL.

26. A method of operating a manager, the manager defining a managing software application, to perform a data retrieval service, the data retrieval service comprising transferring data stored in a database to a recipient, the recipient being a mobile phone user, the database and the manager being in connection with a website, the method comprising:

receiving a communication from the recipient, wherein the communication comprises an identifier indicative of the recipient;

determining whether the recipient is a subscriber of the data retrieval service using at least the identifier;

associating an e-mail address or URL with the recipient responsive to at least whether the recipient is a subscriber; and

sending the stored data to the e-mail address or URL associated with the recipient.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the identifier for the recipient comprises a mobile phone number for the recipient.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the stored data comprises a plurality of data items.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the communication from the recipient further comprises a data identifier indicative of one or more of the plurality of data items and wherein sending the stored data comprises sending the one or more data items indicated by the data identifier.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the manager associates the e-mail address with the recipient if the recipient is a subscriber to the data retrieval service and sends an e-mail to the e-mail address with the stored data attached to the e-mail.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the manager associates the URL with the recipient if the recipient is not a subscriber to the data retrieval service and sends the stored data to the URL.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the URL address is parameterized with a mobile phone number for the recipient.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising sending an SMS message to the recipient comprising the URL.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the URL is password protected and the SMS message farther comprises a password for accessing the URL.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising sending an SMS message to the recipient comprising a summary of the stored data.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein associating the e-mail address comprises querying a database of subscribers who are customers of a mobile operator for the recipient.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein determining whether the recipient is a subscriber comprises querying a central database of subscribers.

38. The method of claim 26, wherein an owner of the stored data is different than the recipient.

39. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions which, when executed, cause a server to:

receive a request for information from a recipient via a mobile device;

send a message with a summary of the information to the mobile device;

identify an electronic address of the recipient different from an electronic address of the mobile device;

retrieve the requested information from a database; and

send a copy of the retrieved information to the identified electronic address.

40. A computer readable medium comprising computer instructions which, when executed, cause a server to:

receive a communication from a sender comprising an identifier for the sender and an identifier for a recipient, the identifier for the recipient comprising a mobile phone number of the recipient;

determine whether an e-mail address for the recipient is stored in a database using at least the identifier for the recipient;

associate the e-mail address or a URL with the recipient responsive to at least whether the e-mail address is stored in the database; and

send a stored data item to the e-mail address or URL associated with the recipient.

41. A server configured to perform an information retrieval service, server comprising:

means for receiving a request for information from a mobile device;

means for sending a message with a summary of the information to the mobile device;

means for identifying an electronic address of a recipient different from an electronic address of the mobile device;

means for retrieving the requested information from a database; and

means for sending a copy of the retrieved information to the identified electronic address.

42. A server configured to perform an information transfer service, the server comprising:

means for receiving a send request from a mobile device of a sender, the send request including a mobile phone number for a recipient;

means for sending a message with a summary of a data item to be transferred to a mobile device associated with the mobile phone number of the recipient;

means for identifying an electronic address of the recipient different from the mobile phone number of the recipient;

means for retrieving the data item to be transferred from a database; and

means for sending an electronic copy of the data item to be transferred to the identified electronic address.