Efficient communication with passive devices

• US 6,862,454 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kanevsky, Dimitri, Zlatsin, Alexander, Sabath, Mariusz, Sedivy, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/680,711
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/517, 455/414, 455/458, 455/567, 455/66, 455/88, 455/557, 455/552
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/022 One-way selective calling networks, e.g. wide area paging

Abstract

A system and method that provides data messages to a passive device. A passive device, for example watch, is registered together with the telephone number of a cellular telephone of a subscriber to the data message service. Since the cellular telephone periodically transmits a beacon signal, the wireless network knows its cell location. Accordingly, the system determines the cell location of the cellular telephone and establishes a communication of the subscribed data to the watch via the local cellular provider for the same cell location as that of the subscriber'"'"'s cellular telephone.

Claims

1. A method of providing a data message in a communication system that has a plurality of local service providers comprising:

(a) identifying a location of a passive device by finding one of said plurality of local service providers that has control over communications of an active device that is associated with said passive device, wherein said passive device is capable of receiving messages transmitted by said local service provider and incapable of transmitting messages to said local service provider;

(b) transmitting said data message to said local service provider for transmission to said passive device; and

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for an additional data message, wherein the local service provider identified by the repeated step (a) is a local service provider that currently has control over the communications of said active device, whereby the passive device is movable from said location to a new location and still able to receive said additional data message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising (d) identifying said active device with which said passive device is associated, and wherein said identity of said active device is used by step (a).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (a) accesses a database that contains said identity of said active device and a list of passive devices of said subscriber that are associated with said active device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising (e) identifying said passive device that is to receive said data message, and wherein said identity of said passive device is used by step (d).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said passive device is selected from the group consisting of:

a watch, a pen, a telephone, a frame, a wallet, and a beeper.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said active device is a cellular telephone, and wherein said local service provider is a local cellular service provider in a cellular communication system.

7. A computer comprising:

a processor, a memory and a communication interface;

first means for identifying a location of a passive device by finding a local service provider that has control over communications of an active device that is associated with said passive device, wherein said passive device is capable of receiving messages transmitted by said local service provider and incapable of transmitting messages to said local service provider;

second means for transmitting a data message to said local service provider for transmission to said passive device; and

third means for causing said first and second means to repeat said identifying and transmitting for an additional data message, wherein the local service provider found by the repeated identifying is a local service provider that currently has control over the communications of said active device, whereby the passive device is movable from said location to a new location and still able to receive said additional data message.

8. The computer of claim 7, further comprising fourth means for identifying said active device with which said passive device is associated, and wherein said identity of said active device is used by said first means.

9. The computer of claim 8, wherein said first means accesses a database that contains said identity of said active device and a list of passive devices of said subscriber that are associated with said active device.

10. The computer of claim 8, further comprising fifth means for identifying said passive device that is to receive said data message, and wherein said identity of said passive device is used by said third fourth means.

11. The computer of claim 7, wherein said passive device is selected from the group consisting of:

a watch, a pen, a telephone, a frame, a wallet, and a beeper.

12. The computer of claim 7, wherein said active device is a cellular telephone, and wherein said local service provider is a local cellular service provider in a cellular communication system.

13. A memory medium for a computer that controls the presentation of a data message to a passive device, said memory medium comprising:

first means for controlling said computer to identify a location of said passive device by finding a local service provider that has control over communications of an active device that is associated with said passive device, wherein said passive device is capable of receiving messages transmitted by said local service provider and incapable of transmitting messages to said local service provider;

second means for controlling said computer to present said data message to said local service provider for transmission to said passive device; and

third means for controlling said computer to cause said first and second means to repeat the identifying and presenting for an additional data message, wherein the local service provider found by the repeated identifying is a local service provider that currently has control over the communications of said active device, whereby the passive device is movable from said location to a new location and still able to receive said additional data message.

14. The memory medium of claim 13, further comprising fourth means for controlling said computer to identify said active device with which said passive device is associated, and wherein said identity of said active device is used by said third means.

15. The memory medium of claim 14, further comprising fifth means for controlling said computer to identify said passive device that is to receive said data message, and wherein said identity of said passive device is used by said fourth means.

16. The memory medium of claim 13, wherein said passive device is selected from the group consisting of:

a watch, a pen, a telephone, a frame, a wallet, and a beeper.

17. The memory medium of claim 13, wherein said active device is a cellular telephone, and wherein said local service provider is a local cellular service provider in a cellular communication system.

18. A passive device that is capable of receiving data messages from a local service provider, said passive device comprising:

a low power transmitter that has a transmission range, which includes a nearby active device, but not said local service provider, and that transmits to said active device at least one signal that identifies said passive device and its location of close proximity to said active device for relay to a global registry; and

a receiver that is capable of receiving said data messages from said local service provider after the identity and the location of said passive device has been entered in said global registry.

19. The passive device of claim 18, wherein said signal is transmitted via wireless transmission, and wherein said data messages are received via wireless transmission.

20. The passive device of claim 18, further comprising a display and a processor that processes said data messages for presentation on said display.

21. The passive device of claim 18, wherein said active device is a cellular telephone, and wherein said local service provider is a local cellular service provider in a cellular communication system.

22. The passive device of claim 18, wherein said passive device is selected from the group consisting of:

a watch, a pen, a telephone, a frame, and a beeper.

23. A method for a passive device that is capable of receiving data messages from a local service provider, said method comprising:

transmitting from said passive device to a nearby active device at least one signal that identifies said passive device and its location of close proximity to said active device for relay to a global registry; and

receiving said data messages from said local service provider after the identity and the location of said passive device has been entered in said global registry.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said signal is transmitted via wireless transmission, and wherein said data messages are received via wireless transmission.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said active device is a cellular telephone, and wherein said local service provider is a local cellular service provider in a cellular communication system.