User dynamically definable centralized notification between portable devices

• US 7,171,191 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2002
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olson, Anthony M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches; Randy
• Application Number:
  US10/118,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.2, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/466, 455/422, 455/69, 455/33.1, 455/436, 455/461, 455/463, 709/249, 709/218, 370/338, 370/331, 370/351, 370/395.21, 370/395
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing user dynamically definable centralized notification between portable devices. A system for providing centralized notification of receipt of data over networks may include a plurality of electronic devices suitable for communicating data directly between the plurality of portable devices utilizing a first network connection. At least one of the plurality of electronic devices is suitable for communicating over additional network connections for receiving data. In which, a device of the plurality of devices is specified to receive notifications over the first network connection of data received by the at least one of the plurality of portable electronic devices, so that notifications indicating data received by the plurality of portable electronic devices are sent to the specified portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A system for centralized notification of incoming messages between a plurality of electronic communication devices, comprising:

a first electronic device for communicating over a first local network and a second provider network, wherein said first electronic device communicates with a first communication service provider utilizing said second provider network;

a second electronic device for communicating over said first local network and a third provider network, wherein said second electronic device communicates with a second communication service provider utilizing said third provider network, and wherein said first electronic device and said second electronic device communicate directly with each other utilizing said first local network; and

notification control means in said first electronic device and said second electronic device for;

allowing a user to select one of said first and second electronic devices as a central notification device for receiving incoming message notifications; and

determining whether a centralized notification device has been selected in response to receiving an incoming message; and

, if so, sending an incoming message notification over said first network to said centralized notification device.

2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is portable.

3. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the first network is a wireless local area network and includes at least one of Bluetooth, infrared (IR) and IEEE 802.11 protocols.

4. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the notification represents which device of a plurality of devices originated the notification.

5. The system as described in claim 1, wherein notification includes utilizing at least one of tactile, audible and visual output.

6. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said second provider network is not compatible with said third provider network.

7. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the devices include at least one of a wireless phone, personal digital assistant and portable information handling system.

8. A method of centralized user notification of incoming messages between a plurality of electronic devices connectable by a first network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user specification of one of the plurality of devices as a central notification device to receive incoming message notifications from other of said devices;

receiving an incoming message by a first device over a second provider network;

determining by the first device whether a central notification device has been specified; and

if so, transmitting an incoming message notification by the first device to the central notification device over the first network.

9. The method as described in claim 8, further comprising changing to a new specified device for receiving notifications from the previously specified device.

10. The method as described in claim 8 wherein the first electronic device is portable.

11. The method as described in claim 10, wherein the portable device includes at least one of a wireless phone, personal digital assistant and portable information handling system.

12. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the first network is a wireless local area network and includes at least one of Bluetooth, infrared (IR) and IEEE 802.11 protocols.

13. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the notification represents which device of a plurality of devices originated the notification.

14. The method as described in claim 8, wherein notification includes utilizing at least one of tactile, audible and visual output.

15. The method as described in claim 8, wherein at least one device of the plurality of devices is capable of communicating over a third network and is incapable of communicating over the second network.

16. The method as described in claim 8, wherein each device of the plurality of devices is specified to receive notifications.

17. A system for providing centralized notification of receipt of messages between a plurality of portable electronic communication devices, comprising:

a plurality of portable electronic communication devices utilizing a first local network connection for communicating incoming message notifications directly between the plurality of portable devices, wherein each of the plurality of electronic devices is for communicating over at least one additional communication service provider network connection for receiving incoming messages through a communication service provider;

wherein a device of the plurality of devices is specified by a user to receive notifications over the first network connection of incoming messages received by the plurality of portable electronic devices, so that incoming message notifications indicating incoming messages received by the plurality of portable electronic devices are sent to the specified portable electronic device.

18. The system as described in claim 17, further comprising changing the specification of the portable device to a new portable device of the plurality of devices.

19. The system as described in claim 17, wherein the local network connection is wireless and includes at least one of Bluetooth, infrared (IR) and IEEE 802.11.

20. The system as described in claim 17, wherein the notification represents which device of the plurality of devices originated the notification.

21. The system as described in claim 17, wherein notification includes utilizing at least one of tactile, audible and visual, the notification for indicating portable device origination of the notification.

22. The system as described in claim 17, wherein the additional provider network connections include at least one of a cellular network and a paging network.

23. The system as described in claim 17, wherein the portable devices include at least one of a wireless phone, a personal digital assistant and pager.

24. The system as described in claim 17, wherein each device of the plurality of devices is specified to receive notifications.