Method and apparatus for remotely managing data via a mobile device

• US 6,741,855 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Densmore, Owen M., Martin, Guy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thuan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/535,911
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/414.1, 455/426.1, 455/433, 455/445, 455/458, 455/466, 455/552.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 709/206, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention provides a method and apparatus for remotely managing data in a network system comprising at least one mobile device (e.g. a PDA, cellular phone, two-way pager, or mobile computer) and a least one server computer connected via an interconnection fabric, wherein the mobile device is registered with the server and configured to issue commands to a bot service using electronic mail messages or some other viable data transmission mechanism. The bot service responds to the commands by interfacing with the server computer to perform the requested action on behalf of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A system for remotely managing information comprising:

means for obtaining a command message from a mobile device, said command message comprising an action to be performed on data;

means for deriving a result by performing said action on said data on behalf of said mobile device;

means for obtaining a mobile address, said mobile address being associated with said mobile device;

means for transmitting said result to said mobile address in response to said command message;

means for generating a response to said result, at said mobile device, by formulating an electronic mail message, said electronic mail message having said mobile address;

means for transmitting said electronic mail message to an intermediary;

means for removing said mobile address;

attaching a server address to said electronic message.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said address associated with said mobile device resides on a server computer.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said command message is transmitted to a bot address, said bot address being associated with a bot service.

4. A method for remotely managing information comprising:

obtaining a command message from a mobile device, said command message comprising an action to be performed on data;

deriving a result by performing said action on said data on behalf of said mobile device;

obtaining a mobile address, said mobile address being associated with said mobile device;

transmitting said result to said mobile address in response to said command message;

generating a response to said result, at said mobile device, by formulating an electronic mail message, said electronic mail message having said mobile address;

transmitting said electronic mail message to an intermediary;

removing said mobile address;

attaching a server address to said electronic mail messages.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said result comprises a reply message, said reply message comprising a list of command alternatives associated with said result.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said address associated with said mobile device resides on a server computer.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said command message is transmitted to a bot address, said bot address being associated with a bot service.

8. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium having a computer program product for remotely managing information embodied therein, said computer program product configured to;

obtain a command message from a mobile device, said command message comprising an action to be performed on data;

derive a result by performing said action on said data on behalf of said mobile device;

obtain a mobile address, said mobile address being associated with said mobile device;

transmit said result to said mobile address in response to said command message;

generate a response to said result, at said mobile device, by formulating an electronic mail message, said electronic mail message having said mobile address;

transmit said electronic mail message to an intermediary;

remove said mobile address;

attach a server address to said electronic mail message.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein said address associated with said mobile device resides on a server computer.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein said command message is transmitted to a bot address, said bot address being associated with a bot service.

11. An apparatus for remotely managing information comprising:

a processor;

a memory medium coupled to said processor;

a computer program product executing in said memory medium, embodied therein, said computer program product configured to;

obtain a command message from a mobile device, said command message comprising an action to be performed on data;

derive a result by performing said action on said data on behalf of said mobile device;

obtain a mobile address, said mobile address being associated with said mobile device;

transmit said result to said mobile address in response to said command message;

generate a response to said result, at said mobile device, by formulating an electronic mail message, said electronic mail message having said mobile address;

transmit said electronic mail message to an intermediary;

remove said mobile address;

attach a server address to said electronic mail message.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said address associated with said mobile device resides on a server computer.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said command message is transmitted to a bot address, said bot address being associated with a bot service.