Information output system, method for outputting information and terminal devices for outputting information via mobile communication network

• US 6,285,889 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1997
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Siitonen, Lasse, Nykanen, Petri
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/905,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 455/517, 455/557, 455/422, 455/554, 455/457, 455/403, 455/414, 455/466, 455/556, 395/200.57, 358/448
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In an information output system according to the invention data (48) processed by an application (40) is processed in a terminal device (10) into a data transfer format (44) independent of the application (40) using a specific format generator (42). After this the data (48) is transferred to a second terminal device (20) via mobile communication network. In the receiving terminal device a specific data transfer application decodes the data (48) in the independent data format (44) into a form suitable for the output devices, and automatically transfers it to the output devices for outputting.

Claims

1. An information transmission system for transmitting information from a mobile terminal device for printing at the receiving end, which system comprises:

a first terminal device, a second terminal device and means for establishing a data transfer connection between said first and second terminal devices, and in said first terminal device means for running an application, means for conversion of data processed by the application into a form suitable for said data transfer connection, and in said second terminal device means for receiving the data and in connection with said second terminal device means for automatically printing said data upon receiving the data in the second terminal device;

wherein said data conversion means of the first terminal device comprise a format generator which has been arranged to process the data to be transmitted into an application independent data transfer format, said data transmitting means have been arranged to establish the data transfer connection to the second terminal device, to generate a direct printing identifier, and to transfer the data in said independent data transfer format to said second terminal, and said second terminal device further comprises;

format decoding means which have been arranged to decode the data in said independent data transfer format into a form suitable for said data printing means for printing.

2. An information transmission system for printing, according to claim 1, wherein said format decoding means have been arranged to automatically decode the data in said independent data transfer format into a form suitable for said data outputting means for automatic output.

3. An information transmission system for printing, according to claim 1, wherein said data transmitting means and said data receiving means comprise at least one of the following means of data transfer:

a radio transceiver, an infrared transceiver, a PCMCIA-bus, a serial port and a parallel port.

4. An information transmission system for printing, according to claim 1, wherein the information is printed via a mobile communication network, whereby the first terminal device comprises means for transmitting the data via said mobile communication network, the data transfer connection is via said mobile communication network, and the data is transferred in said independent data transfer format from said first terminal device to said second terminal device via said mobile communication network.

5. An information transmission system for printing, according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal device is a pocket-size mobile communication device.

6. A mobile terminal device which comprises means for running an application, means for converting data processed by the application into a form suitable for a data transfer connection, data transmitting means for transmitting the data, wherein said data converting means of the mobile terminal device comprise a format generator which has been arranged to process the data to be transmitted into a data transfer format independent of the application, and a direct printing identifier generator to generate a direct printing identifier, and said data transmitting means have been arranged to establish the data transfer connection to a second terminal device and to transfer the data in said independent data transfer format including said direct printing identifier to a second terminal device for automatic printing upon receiving the data in the second terminal device.

7. A terminal device according to claim 6, wherein said data transmitting means comprise at least one of the following means of data transfer:

a radio transceiver, an infrared transceiver, a PCMCIA-bus, a serial port and a parallel port.

8. A terminal device according to claim 6, wherein said data transmitting means have been arranged to establish the data transfer connection to said second terminal device via a mobile communication network and to transfer the data in said independent data transfer format to said second terminal device via said mobile communication network.

9. A terminal device according to claim 6, wherein the terminal device is a pocket-size mobile communication device.

10. A method for printing information on a printing device from a first mobile terminal device, in which an application is used, wherein data processed by the application is processed into a form suitable for a data transfer connection, is established between the first mobile terminal device and a second terminal device, and further wherein, before transferring, the data is processed by the first terminal device into an application and printing device independent data transfer format having a direct printing identifier and at the second terminal device the received data is processed into a form suitable for printing devices and is transferred to the printing devices for automatic printing upon receiving the data in the second terminal device.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the information is printed via a mobile communication network, whereby the data transfer connection is via said mobile communication network, and the data is transferred in said independent data transfer format from said first terminal device to said second terminal device via said mobile communication network.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first terminal device is a pocket-size mobile communication device.

13. An information transmission system for transmitting information from a mobile terminal for printing at the receiving end, which system comprises:

a mobile terminal device, a receiving terminal device and means for establishing a wireless data transfer connection between said mobile and receiving terminal devices, and in said mobile terminal device means for using printer driver application software resident on said receiving terminal device, means for conversion of data processed by the application into a form suitable for said wireless data transfer connection, and in said receiving terminal device means for receiving the data and in connection with said second terminal device means for automatically printing said data upon receiving the data in the receiving terminal device;

wherein said data conversion means of the mobile terminal device comprise a format generator which has been arranged to process the data to be transmitted into an application independent data transfer format, said data transmitting means have been arranged to establish the data transfer connection to the receiving terminal device and to transfer the data in said independent data transfer format to said receiving terminal, and said receiving terminal device further comprises

format decoding means which have been arranged to decode the data in said independent data transfer format into a form suitable for said data printing means for printing.

14. An information transmission system for transmitting information from a mobile terminal for printing at the receiving end, which system comprises:

a first terminal device, a second terminal device and means for establishing a data transfer connection between said first and second terminal devices, and in said first terminal device means for running an application, means for conversion of data processed by the application into a form suitable for said data transfer connection, and in said second terminal device means for receiving the data and in connection with said second terminal device means for automatically printing said data upon receiving the data in the second terminal device;

wherein said data conversion means of the first terminal device comprise a format generator which has been arranged to process the data to be transmitted into an application independent data transfer format, said data transmitting means have been arranged to establish the data transfer connection to the second terminal device and to transfer the data in said independent data transfer format to said second terminal, and said second terminal device further comprises

format decoding means which have been arranged to decode the data in said independent data transfer format into a form suitable for said data printing means for printing, and

wherein said data transmitting means of the first terminal device have been arranged to transmit the data in the independent data transfer format in data transfer frames, and that said data conversion means have been arranged to add a direct print identifier in the data transfer frames.

15. A terminal device which comprises means for running an application, means for converting data processed by the application into a form suitable for a data transfer connection, data transmitting means for transmitting the data, wherein said data converting means of the terminal device comprise a format generator which has been arranged to process the data to be transmitted into a data transfer format independent of the application, and said data transmitting means have been arranged to establish the data transfer connection to a second terminal device and to transfer the data in said independent data transfer format to a second terminal device for automatic printing upon receiving the data in the second terminal device, and

wherein said data transmitting means of the terminal device have been arranged to transmit the data in the independent data transfer format in data transfer frames, and that said data converting means have been arranged to add a direct printing identifier in the data transfer frames.