System and method for redirecting message attachments between a host system and a mobile data communication device

• US 6,438,585 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Mousseau, Gary P., Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELMAN, BRADLEY E
• Application Number:
  US09/761,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20010005864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 709/253, 709/206, 709/207, 709/245, 340/10.1, 340/7.29, 340/7.43, 340/7.21, 340/7-1-, 455/555-557
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/353 where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• 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 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 : Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 : Recoverability

Abstract

A system and method for pushing information from a host system to a mobile data communication device upon sensing a triggering event is disclosed. A redirector program operating at the host system enables a user to continuously redirect certain user-selected data items from the host system to the user'"'"'s mobile data communication device upon detecting that one or more user-defined triggering events has occurred. The redirector program operates in connection with event generating applications and repackaging systems at the host system to configure and detect a particular user-defined event, and then to repackage the user-selected data items in an electronic wrapper prior to pushing the data items to the mobile device. The system includes attachment processing components for identifying one or more attachment displayers in the vicinity of the mobile data communication device and then routing an attachment from the host system directly to a selected attachment displayer.

Claims

1. A method of redirecting a message, comprising the steps of:

receiving a message at a host system, the message having an attachment;

separating the attachment from the message;

redirecting the message from the host system to a mobile device;

redirecting information regarding the attachment to the mobile device, the information including the type of attachment;

detecting whether an attachment displayer that can process the type of attachment is located nearby the mobile device, and if an attachment displayer is not detected, then converting the attachment to a new type of attachment that can be processed by an attachment displayer that was detected nearby the mobile device, and transmitting a command message from the mobile device to the host system to redirect the attachment to the attachment displayer that can process the new type of attachment,

redirecting the attachment from the host system to the attachment displayer detected by the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment is converted to the new type of attachment at the host system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

prior to separating the attachment from the message, redirecting the message with the attachment from the host system to a desktop system associated with the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting an attachment displayer inquiry from the mobile device; and

receiving one or more attachment displayer responses at the mobile device from the one or more attachment displayers located nearby the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transmitting and receiving steps are carried out using a short-range wireless communication.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile device and the one or more attachment displayers that communicate via the short-range wireless communication are Bluetooth-enabled devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining an electronic address of the attachment displayer that can process the type of attachment; and

transmitting the electronic address to the host system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

transmitting an attachment redirection message from the host system to the mobile device indicating that the attachment has been redirected to the attachment displayer detected by the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the attachment redirection message includes the identity and location of the attachment displayer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining the type of attachment;

accessing an attachment displayer database to identify an attachment displayer that is compatible with the type of attachment; and

selecting the attachment displayer from the database that is compatible with the type of attachment.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a notification message from the host system to the mobile device indicating that the attachment has been redirected to the selected attachment displayer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining the location of the mobile device; and

selecting the attachment displayer from the database that is compatible with the type of attachment and which is nearby the location of the mobile device.

13. A method of redirecting a message, comprising the steps of:

receiving a message at a host system, the message having an attachment;

separating the attachment from the message;

redirecting the message from the host system to a mobile device;

transmitting information regarding the attachment to the mobile device;

the mobile device determining, via short-range wireless communication, whether a first attachment displayer that is compatible with the attachment is located nearby the mobile device; and

if the first attachment displayer is not located, then converting the attachment into a type that is compatible with a second attachment displayer that is located nearby the device, and selecting the second attachment displayer;

redirecting the attachment from the host system to the second attachment displayer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

prior to separating the attachment from the message, redirecting the message with the attachment from the host system to a desktop system associated with the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:

transmitting an attachment displayer inquiry from the mobile device; and

receiving one or more attachment displayer responses at the mobile device from the one or more attachment displayers located nearby the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmitting and receiving steps are carried out using a short-range wireless communication.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the mobile device and the one or more attachment displayers that communicate via the short-range wireless communication are Bluetooth-enabled devices.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

determining an electronic address of the second attachment displayer that can process the type of attachment; and

transmitting the electronic address to the host system.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

transmitting an attachment redirection message from the host system to the mobile device indicating that the attachment has been redirected to the second attachment displayer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the attachment redirection message includes the identity and location of the second attachment displayer.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

determining the type of attachment;

accessing an attachment displayer database to identify an attachment displayer that is compatible with the type of attachment; and

selecting the attachment displayer from the database that is compatible with the type of attachment.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a notification message from the host system to the mobile device indicating that the attachment has been redirected to the selected attachment displayer.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

determining the location of the mobile device; and

selecting the attachment displayer from the database that is compatible with the type of attachment and which is nearby the location of the mobile device.

53. The system of claim 22, wherein the server is an e-mail server.

24. A method of redirecting an e-mail attachment from a server to art attachment processor located nearby a wireless mobile device having a short-range wireless transceiver, comprising the steps of:

receiving an e-mail at the server, the e-mail having at least one attachment;

separating the attachment from the e-mail and providing an attachment indicator referring to the attachment;

redirecting the e-mail with the attachment indicator from the server to the wireless mobile device;

the wireless mobile device detecting a nearby attachment processor capable of processing the attachment using a short-range wireless communication between the wireless mobile device and the nearby attachment processor;

transmitting information regarding the detected attachment processor from the wireless mobile device to the server; and

the server redirecting the attachment to the detected attachment processor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the server is an e-mail server.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

associating a desktop system with the wireless mobile device, wherein the desktop system is coupled to the server via a wired network; and

redirecting the e-mail with the attachment from the server to the desktop system.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the desktop system is coupled to the server via a local area network, a wire area network, or a wireless network.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

providing a long-range wireless network for communicating information between the server and the wireless mobile device, wherein the wireless mobile device includes a long-range wireless transceiver.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of:

coupling the server to the long-range wireless network with a wide area network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the wide area network is the Internet.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

providing a firewall system between the server and the wide area network.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the wireless network is a packet data network, and the server and the wireless mobile device include software for processing data packets.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the nearby attachment processor includes a short-range wireless transceiver that is compatible with the short-range wireless transceiver on the wireless mobile device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the short-range wireless transceiver in the nearby attachment displayer and in the wireless mobile device are both Bluetooth transceivers.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is an infrared transceiver.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is an optical transceiver.

38. The method of claim 24, wherein the nearby attachment processor is a printer.

39. The method of claim 24, wherein the nearby attachment processor is a fax machine.

40. The method of claim 24, wherein the nearby attachment processor is a phone.

41. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

providing an electronic network address as the information regarding the detected attachment processor; and

the server using the electronic network address of the detected attachment processor in order to redirect the attachment to the detected attachment processor.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the electronic network address is an Internet address.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the electronic network address is a wireless network address.

44. The method of claim 24, wherein the attachment indicator includes an attachment type indicator.

45. The method of claim 24, wherein the attachment indicator includes an attachment size indicator.

46. The method of claim 24, wherein the attachment indicator includes an attachment name indicator.

47. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

receiving a command from the user of the wireless mobile device to begin the detecting step.

48. The method of claim 24, wherein the detecting step is executed automatically by the wireless mobile device when the e-mail with the attachment indicator is received from the server.

49. The method of claim 24, wherein the information regarding the detected attachment processor includes an electronic address and an indication of the types of attachments that the attachment processor can process.

50. A method of redirecting an attachment from a host system to an attachment processor, comprising the steps of:

transmitting an attachment indicator from the host system to a wireless mobile device;

the wireless mobile device detecting an attachment processor capable of processing the attachment using a short-range wireless communication between the wireless mobile device and the attachment processor;

transmitting information regarding the detected attachment processor from the wireless mobile device to the host system; and

the host system redirecting the attachment to the detected attachment processor.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the attachment is attached to an e-mail, further comprising the steps of:

separating the attachment from the e-mail; and

redirecting the e-mail with the attachment indicator from the host system to the wireless mobile device.

52. An attachment handling system, comprising:

a server for receiving an e-mail having an attachment and for separating the attachment from the e-mail, wherein the server generates an attachment indicator referring to the attachment and transmits the e-mail with the attachment indicator to a wireless mobile device,

a wireless network for coupling the server to the wireless mobile device;

a plurality of attachment processors capable of processing the attachment, wherein the plurality of attachment processors include short-range wireless transceivers; and

wherein the wireless mobile device includes a short-range wireless transceiver for communicating with the plurality of attachment processors, and wherein the wireless mobile device detects one or more of the plurality of attachment processors via a short-range wireless communication when the e-mail with the attachment indicator is received from the server, and transmits information regarding the detected attachment processors to the server, the server redirecting the attachment to one of the detected attachment processors.

54. The system of claim 52, further comprising:

a desktop system associated with the wireless mobile device, wherein the desktop system is coupled to the server via a wired network; and

wherein the server redirects the e-mail with the attachment to the desktop system.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the desktop system is coupled to the server via a local area network, a wide area network, or a wireless network.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the wireless network is a long-range wireless network, and wherein the wireless mobile device further includes a long-range transceiver.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the server is coupled to the long-range wireless network via a wide area network.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the wide area network is the Internet.

59. The system of claim 58, further comprising:

a firewall system coupled between the server and the wide are a network.

60. The system of claim 56, wherein the long-range network is a packet data network, and wherein the server and the wireless mobile device include software for processing data packets.

61. The system of claim 52, wherein the short-range wireless transceivers are Bluetooth transceivers.

62. The system of claim 52, wherein the short-range wireless transceivers are radio frequency transceivers.

63. The system of claim 52, wherein the short-range wireless transceivers are infrared transceivers.

64. The system of claim 52, wherein the short-range wireless transceivers are optical transceivers.

65. The system of claim 52, wherein at least one of the attachment processors is a printer.

66. The system of claim 52, wherein at least one of the attachment processors is a fax machine.

67. The system of claim 52, wherein at least one of the attachment processors is a phone.

68. The system of claim 52, wherein the information is an electronic address of the detected attachment processors.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the electronic address is an Internet address.

70. The system of claim 68, wherein the electronic address is a wireless network address.

71. The system of claim 52, wherein the attachment indicator includes an attachment type indicator.

72. The system of claim 52, wherein the attachment indicator includes an attachment size indicator.

73. The system of claim 52, wherein the attachment indicator includes an attachment name indicator.

74. A wireless mobile device, comprising:

a long-range wireless transceiver for receiving an e-mail message from a host system, wherein the e-mail message includes an attachment indicator referring to an attachment that is associated with the e-mail message; and

a short-range wireless transceiver for detecting one or more attachment processors and for receiving information regarding the one or more attachment processors;

wherein the wireless mobile device transmits the information regarding the detected attachment processors to the host system via the long-range wireless transceiver, the host system then redirecting the attachment to one of the detected attachment processors.

75. The wireless mobile device of claim 74, wherein the long-range wireless transceiver is a wireless packet data transceiver.

76. The wireless mobile device of claim 74, wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.

77. The wireless mobile device of claim 74, further comprising:

software for displaying the e-mail with the attachment indicator to a user of the wireless mobile device and for receiving a command from the user to detect the one or more attachment processors.