COMMUNICATING WITH AN OWNER OF AN OBJECT WITHOUT THE OWNER'S CONTACT INFORMATION

• US 20150304802A1
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gundam, Raghuswamyreddy, Kolavasi, Karthik, Oliver, Douglas W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/20 characterised by the transmission technique; characterised by the transmission medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A method of communication includes a communication hub receiving a message via short range wireless communication directly from a first mobile communication device that is proximate to the communication hub at the time the message is transmitted, and the communication hub receiving the message and automatically forwarding the message via a mobile communications network to a second mobile communication device that is associated with the communication hub without the first mobile communication device identifying the second mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a communication hub receiving a message via short range wireless communication directly from a first mobile communication device that is proximate to the communication hub at the time the message is transmitted;

the communication hub automatically forwarding the message via a mobile communications network to a second mobile communication device that is associated with the communication hub without the first mobile communication device identifying the second mobile communication device;

the communication hub identifying an address to a server within a global communication network and forwarding that address to the mobile communication network along with the message;

the mobile communication network forwarding the message to the server at the identified address over the global communication network; and

the server accessing a stored association between the communication hub and the second mobile communication device and sending the message to the second mobile communication device via the mobile communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range wireless communication uses ultra-high frequency radio frequencies.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range wireless communication uses near field communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications network is a cellular telephone network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications network is a satellite telephone network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

the mobile communication network accessing a stored association between the communication hub and the second mobile communication device, wherein any message received from the communication hub is automatically forwarded to the second mobile communication device without the communication hub identifying the second mobile communication device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication hub is physically secured to or disposed in a trailer, boat, briefcase or computer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication hub is secured to or disposed in a vehicle, the method further comprising:

automatically providing power to the communication hub when the vehicle is turned off.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the second mobile communication device transmitting an instruction to the communication hub, wherein the instruction causes the communication hub to shut down.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a trusted third party to establish a trust relationship between the first mobile communication device and the communication hub.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prohibiting certain entities or classes of entities from communicating with the communication hub.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing only certain entities or classes of entities to communicate with the communication hub.

7. (canceled)

8. A method, comprising:

a communication hub receiving a message via short range wireless communication directly from a first mobile communication device that is proximate to the communication hub at the time the message is transmitted;

the communication hub automatically forwarding the message via a mobile communications network to a second mobile communication device that is associated with the communication hub without the first mobile communication device identifying the second mobile communication device;

the second mobile communication device receiving the message via the mobile communication network and sending a reply message to the communication hub via the mobile communication network; and

the communication hub receiving the reply message and automatically transmitting the reply message via a short range wireless communication to the first mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the second mobile communication device transmitting an instruction to the communication hub via the mobile communication network, wherein the instruction instructs the communication hub to transmit contact information for the second user to the first mobile communication device via short range wireless communication; and

the communication hub transmitting the contact information for the second user to the first mobile communication device via short range wireless communication in response to receiving the instruction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the contact information for the second user is stored in memory of the communication hub.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second mobile communication device transmits the contact information to the communication hub along with the instruction.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the contact information includes a telephone number.

19. A method, comprising:

a communication hub receiving a message via short range wireless communication directly from a first mobile communication device that is proximate to the communication hub at the time the message is transmitted;

the communication hub automatically forwarding the message via a mobile communications network to a second mobile communication device that is associated with the communication hub without the first mobile communication device identifying the second mobile communication device; and

the second communication device remotely enabling the communication hub to communicate information to the first mobile communication device, wherein the information was previously stored in memory accessible to the communication hub.