SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING INSTANT MESSAGES TO BE EXCHANGED BETWEEN MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20090215476A1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Tysowski, Piotr Konrad
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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

Abstract

A system and method are provided for enabling instant messages to be exchanged between mobile devices, in particular where a mobile device has access to information pertaining to another mobile device. The system enables an instant messaging application to communicate directly with the other mobile device, without requiring an initial email exchange. New contacts can be added automatically and access to other data such provided by having a mobile device access information for another mobile device. The information can be made available through a contact server of the host system common to both mobile devices thereby providing a trusted mechanism to establish the new contacts. In one example, in a PIN-to-PIN based messaging system, a global address list (GAL) look-up can be incorporated into an option for adding a new contact so that the PIN for the invitee is obtained directly and the invitation sent immediately in a PIN-to-PIN message thus not requiring an email invitation.

Claims

1. A method for enabling instant messages to be exchanged between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, said method comprising;

providing a first option on said first mobile device for initiating an instant messaging session with said second mobile device;

upon sensing selection of said first option, enabling entry of one or more characters for identifying said second mobile device;

providing a second option on said first mobile device for initiating a lookup to using said one or more characters;

upon sensing selection of said second option, providing said one or more characters in performance of said lookup;

obtaining a result list for said lookup indicating selected ones of said plurality of mobile devices being chosen according to said one or more characters and including information pertaining to said selected ones of said plurality of mobile devices, said information comprising data used to send said instant messages;

if said second mobile device is in said result list, enabling selection of said second mobile device from said result list and obtaining said data for said second mobile device; and

sending an instant message to said second mobile device using said data.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said performance of said lookup comprises providing said one or more characters to a contact server storing information pertaining to a plurality of mobile devices including said first mobile device and said second mobile device, said information comprising said data used to send said instant messages to a corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said data comprises an identifier for addressing said instant message to said corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said identifier is a personal identification number (PIN) unique to said corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices, said PIN being used in a PIN-to-PIN messaging protocol for exchanging said instant messages.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said result list further comprises contact details pertaining to said selected ones of said plurality of mobile devices, said method comprises populating an entry for a contact list pertaining to said second mobile device and adding said entry to a contact list stored on said first mobile device.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said data comprises a public key certificate for encrypting said instant message being sent to said corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices.

7. The method according to claim 2 wherein said information pertaining to said plurality of mobile devices is organized in a global address list (GAL) on said contact server, said contact server being part of a host system serving said plurality of mobile devices, which belong to a same organization.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said instant message comprises an invitation to said second mobile device to participate in said instant messaging session.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said invitation comprises additional data for obtaining an instant messaging application.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said additional data comprises any one or more of a link to a website providing said instant messaging application and an executable file for installing said instant messaging application.

11. The method according to claim 5 comprising automatically adding said second mobile device to said contact list

12. The method according to claim 8 comprising sending another instant message to begin said instant messaging session.

13. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for enabling instant messages to be exchanged between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, said computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

providing a first option on said first mobile device for initiating an instant messaging session with said second mobile device;

upon sensing selection of said first option, enabling entry of one or more characters for identifying said second mobile device;

providing a second option on said first mobile device for initiating a lookup to using said one or more characters;

upon sensing selection of said second option, providing said one or more characters in performance of said lookup;

obtaining a result list for said lookup indicating selected ones of said plurality of mobile devices being chosen according to said one or more characters and including information pertaining to said selected ones of said plurality of mobile devices, said information comprising data used to send said instant messages;

if said second mobile device is in said result list, enabling selection of said second mobile device from said result list and obtaining said data for said second mobile device; and

sending an instant message to said second mobile device using said data.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said performance of said lookup comprises providing said one or more characters to a contact server storing information pertaining to a plurality of mobile devices including said first mobile device and said second mobile device, said information comprising said data used to send said instant messages to a corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said data comprises an identifier for addressing said instant message to said corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15 wherein said identifier is a personal identification number (PIN) unique to said corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices, said PIN being used in a PIN-to-PIN messaging protocol for exchanging said instant messages.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said result list further comprises contact details pertaining to said selected ones of said plurality of mobile devices and further comprising instructions for populating an entry for a contact list pertaining to said second mobile device and adding said entry to a contact list stored on said first mobile device.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said data comprises a public key certificate for encrypting said instant message being sent to said corresponding one of said plurality of mobile devices.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said information pertaining to said plurality of mobile devices is organized in a global address list (GAL) on said contact server, said contact server being part of a host system serving said plurality of mobile devices, which belong to a same organization.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said instant message comprises an invitation to said second mobile device to participate in said instant messaging session.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 20 wherein said invitation comprises additional data for obtaining an instant messaging application.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 21 wherein said additional data comprises any one or more of a link to a website providing said instant messaging application and an executable file for installing said instant messaging application.

23. The computer readable medium according to claim 17 comprising instructions for automatically adding said second mobile device to said contact list.

24. The computer readable medium according to claim 20 comprising instructions for sending another instant message to begin said instant messaging session.