MOBILE INSTANT MESSAGING CONFERENCING METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20100115045A1
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Lin
• Inventors: LIN, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,940,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A server-based architecture for instant messaging conferencing is presented. Session-based instant messaging conferencing is established by transmitting necessary server network address information through page-mode based messaging services to establish connections among the various mobile devices with the server.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a conferencing session among mobile devices that support a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a proposed conference time message to an invited participant through an electronic mail system, the proposed conference time message comprising a proposed time, a unique identification number corresponding to a server and used by the digital mobile network system to locate the server, and conference identifying information;

opening a listening port on the initiating mobile device at the proposed time to listen for a connection request from the server;

transmitting, by the initiating mobile device, a conference initiation message to the unique identification number through a page-mode messaging service, the conference initiation message comprising a network address of the initiating mobile device, the opened listening port and the conference identifying information;

establishing by the initiating mobile device a reliable session-based connection with the server upon receiving the connection request from the server;

participating by the initiating mobile device in the conference session through the established reliable session-based connection with the server to communicate with a participating mobile device of the invited participant, wherein the participating mobile device has established its own reliable session-based connection with the server by transmitting a conference participant message to the unique identification number through the page-mode messaging service, the conference participant message comprising a network address of the participating mobile device and the conference identifying information, wherein the server forwards all communications exchanged among mobile devices participating in the conference session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packet-based communications service is GPRS and the digital mobile network system is GSM.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address and the listening port is a TCP port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the page-mode messaging service is SMS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identification number is a telephone number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the conference initiation message further comprises a PIN to enable the server to confirm the conference initiation message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reliable session-based connection is a TCP connection.

8. A method of joining a conferencing session among mobile devices that support a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, the method comprising:

receiving, at a participating mobile device, a proposed conference time message through an electronic mail system, the proposed conference time message comprising a proposed time, a unique identification number corresponding to a server and used by the digital mobile network system to locate the server, and conference identifying information;

opening a listening port on a participating mobile device at the proposed time to listen for a connection request from the server;

transmitting, by the participating mobile device, a conference participation message to the unique identification number through a page-mode messaging service, the conference participation message comprising a network address of the participating mobile device, the opened listening port and the conference identifying information;

establishing by the participating mobile device a reliable session-based connection with the server upon receiving the connection request from the server; and

participating, by the participating mobile device, in the conference session through the reliable session-based connection with the server, wherein the server forwards all communications exchanged among mobile devices participating in the conference session.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the network address of the participating mobile device is an IP address and the listening port is a TCP port.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the page-mode messaging service is SMS.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the unique identification number is a telephone number.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the reliable session-based connection is a TCP connection.

13. A method of managing a conferencing session at a server for mobile devices that support a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, the method comprising:

receiving a conference initiation message from an initiating mobile device through a page-mode messaging service, the conference initiation message comprising a network address of the initiating mobile device and conference identifying information;

establishing a reliable session-based connection with the initiating mobile device by transmitting a connection request to the network address of the initiating mobile device;

receiving a conference participating message from a participating mobile device through the page-mode messaging service, the conference participating mobile device comprising a network address of the participating mobile device and the conference identifying information;

establishing a reliable session-based connection with the participating mobile device by transmitting a connection request to the network address of the participating mobile device; and

facilitating the conference session by forwarding communications between the initiating mobile device and the participating mobile device through the established reliable session-based connection with the initiating mobile device and the established session-based connection with the participating mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data packet-based communications service is GPRS and the digital mobile network system is GSM.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the network address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the page-mode messaging service is SMS.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the unique identification number is a telephone number.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the conference initiation message further comprises a PIN to enable the server to confirm the conference initiation message.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the reliable session-based connection is a TCP connection.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the conference initiation message further comprises a TCP port opened by the initiating mobile device to receive connection requests from the server.