System and Method for Sharing Items Between Electronic Devices

• US 20130325949A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: VIRANI, Barket, PARMAR, Naresh, GANESHALINGAM, Theban, STUART, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 9,250,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/06 Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference

Abstract

A system and method are provided for operating a first electronic device for sharing items with a second electronic device. The method comprises determining that the second electronic device requires a software capability to process a first item to be shared by the first electronic device; providing information to the second device for obtaining the software capability; and sending the first item to the second device after the software capability has been acquired by the second electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first electronic device for sharing items with a second electronic device, the method comprising:

determining that the second electronic device requires a software capability to process a first item to be shared by the first electronic device;

providing information to the second device for obtaining the software capability; and

sending the first item to the second device after the software capability has been acquired by the second electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a transaction identifier associated with the first item, and using the transaction identifier to determine that the first item is to be sent to the second electronic device after the software capability has been acquired.

3. The method of claim 1, the first device caching the first item until the second electronic device obtains the software capability.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving confirmation from the second electronic device that the software capability has been acquired prior to sending the first item.

5. The method of claim 1, the determining that the second electronic device requires the software capability being determined by referencing data available to the first electronic device.

6. The method of claim 5, the data available to the first electronic device being provided to the first electronic device by a third party system.

7. The method of claim 6, the third party system comprising an instant messaging system operable to provide information identifying software capabilities of the second electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, the determining that the second electronic device requires the software capability being determined by communicating with the second electronic device.

9. The method of claim 1, the first item being shared over a peer-to-peer communication system.

10. The method of claim 1, the first item being shared over a short-range communication connection.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the second electronic device requires a software capability to process a second item, and providing information to the second device for obtaining the software capability for the second item.

12. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for operating a first electronic device for sharing items with a second electronic device, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

determining that the second electronic device requires a software capability to process a first item to be shared by the first electronic device;

providing information to the second device for obtaining the software capability; and

sending the first item to the second device after the software capability has been acquired by the second electronic device.

13. An electronic device comprising a processor and memory, the memory comprising computer executable instructions for operating the processor to:

determine that the second electronic device requires a software capability to process a first item to be shared by the first electronic device;

provide information to the second device for obtaining the software capability; and

send the first item to the second device after the software capability has been acquired by the second electronic device.