Coordinated service to multiple mobile devices

• US 20130036211A1
• Filed: 08/01/2011
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Messer, Alan, Noh, Kyoung-Lae
• Application Number:
  US13/136,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20130036211A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided comprising: receiving application data from a first application on the first device, wherein the application is designed to automatically send application data pertaining to a first service to the server; determining if the first device is a member of a collection group or a control group; when the first device is a member of a collection group, sending the application data to one or more other devices that are members of the collection group to allow the other members of the collection group to provide a version of the first service having unfiltered application data; and when the first device is a member of a control group, sending some, but not all, of the application data to particular one or more other devices that are members of the control group, based on a stored set of rules, to allow the other members of the control group to provide a version of the first service having filtered application data.

Claims

1. A method, performed at a server, comprising:

receiving application data from a first application on the first device, wherein the application is designed to automatically send application data pertaining to a first service to the server;

determining if the first device is a member of a collection group or a control group;

when the first device is a member of a collection group, sending the application data to one or more other devices that are members of the collection group to allow the other members of the collection group to provide a version of the first service having unfiltered application data; and

when the first device is a member of a control group, sending some, but not all, of the application data to particular one or more other devices that are members of the control group, based on a stored set of rules, to allow the other members of the control group to provide a version of the first service having filtered application data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored set of rules are controlled by the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the application data is a text message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application data is calendar information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of the application data when the first device is a member of a collection group is performed symmetrically and equivalently across all other devices that are members of the collection group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection group and the control group are established by a service provider upon activation of the first and/or other devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking when the other devices were last interacted with by a user; and

altering notification settings on one or more of the devices based upon the information regarding when the other devices were last interacted with by a user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving notification of a user action from the one or more other devices that was in response to the one or more other devices communicating the application data to a user, sending notification of the user action to all devices in the collection group or control group.

9. A method comprising:

receiving application data pertaining to a group of devices;

determining if the group is a collection group or a control group;

when the group is a collection group, sending the application data to one or more devices that are members of the collection group; and

when the group if a control group, sending some, but not all, of the application data to particular one or more devices that are members of the control group, based on a stored set of rules.

10. A server comprising:

a memory storing at least one collection group, wherein the collection group is a list having a plurality of members, and at least one control group, wherein the control group is a list having a plurality of members, wherein the member further includes a stored set of rules pertaining to the control group;

one or more communications interfaces designed to communicate with each member of the collection group and/or control group;

a processor configured to;

receive application data from a first application on the first device, wherein the application is designed to automatically send application data pertaining to a first service to the server;

determine if the first device is a member of a collection group or a control group;

when the first device is a member of a collection group, send the application data to one or more other devices that are members of the collection group to allow the other members of the collection group to provide a version of the first service having unfiltered application data; and

when the first device is a member of a control group, sending some, but not all, of the application data to particular one or more other devices that are members of the Control group, based on a stored set of rules, to allow the other members of the control group to provide a version of the first service having filtered application data.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the server is controlled by a service provider.

12. The server of claim 10, wherein the server is part of a home network.

13. A non-transitory program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method comprising:

receiving application data from a first application on the first device, wherein the application is designed to automatically send application data pertaining to a first service to the server;

determining if the first device is a member of a collection group or a control group;

when the first device is a member of a collection group, sending the application data to one or more other devices that are members of the collection group to allow the other members of the collection group to provide a version of the first service having unfiltered application data; and

when the first device is a member of a control group, sending some, but not all, of the application data to particular one or more other devices that are members of the control group, based on a stored set of rules, to allow the other members of the control group to provide a version of the first service having filtered application data.

14. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 13, wherein the sending of the application data when the first device is a member of a collection group is performed symmetrically and equivalently across all other devices that are members of the collection group.

15. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 13, wherein the stored set of rules are controlled by the first device.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving application data from a first application on the first device, wherein the application is designed to automatically send application data pertaining to a first service to the server;

means for determining if the first device is a member of a collection group or a control group;

means for, when the first device is a member of a collection group, sending the application data to one or more other devices that are members of the collection group to allow the other members of the collection group to provide a version of the first service having unfiltered application data; and

means for, when the first device is a member of a control group, sending some, but not all, of the application data to particular one or more other devices that are members of the control group, based on a stored set of rules, to allow the other members of the control group to provide a version of the first service having filtered application data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is controlled by a service provider.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is part of a home network.