Method and apparatus for cellular instant messaging

• US 7,412,231 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kelleher, David Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iqbal; Khawar
• Application Number:
  US09/689,245
• Time in Patent Office: 2,862 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435, 455/432, 455/421, 455/412.1, 455/414.3, 455/412.2, 455/4.16, 455/416, 455/435.1, 455/463, 455/432.1, 455/465, 455/414.1, 455/420, 455/419, 455/421.1, 455/414.2, 455/466, 709/206, 709/207, 709/208
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

The key to enabling cellular instant messaging is to identify that the cellular customer has turned their phone on or has turned their phone off in order to add/delete their name from the instant message buddy/friend list. To accomplish this without readily accessible network triggers or prior to deploying cellular packet data service is a challenge. To meet this challenge the present invention utilizes telemetry messages that indicate when a cellular phone is available on a cellular network. Thereafter, relevant cellular phones on a buddy list stored in an instant messaging database are notified of a cellular phone'"'"'s availability.

Claims

1. A method for enabling cellular instant messaging comprising:

(a) receiving, in a cellular phone'"'"'s home cellular network, a telemetry message from a foreign cellular network, wherein;

(i) the telemetry message was originally transmitted from a first cellular phone to the foreign cellular network;

(i) the telemetry message comprises an indication that the first cellular phone has been powered on; and

(ii) the telemetry message comprises a remote feature activation message that is interpreted by the foreign cellular network as a roaming cellular phone desiring to activate/deactivate a feature;

(b) in response to the home cellular network receiving the telemetry message, storing information regarding the first cellular phone in an instant messaging database, wherein the information comprises a buddy list; and

(c) transmitting a browser alert to one or more relevant buddies identified in the buddy list.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the telemetry message further comprises a registration notification message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the instant messaging database is maintained by an instant messaging partner.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information further comprises a customer'"'"'s profile for the first cellular phone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise one or more cellular phones that have the first cellular phone on the buddy list.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise buddies on the first cellular phone'"'"'s buddy list.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise computers connected to the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing a short message service to deliver text messages using the first cellular phone.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote feature activation message comprises data encoded in a dialed digits field of a message.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, receiving in the cellular phone'"'"'s home cellular network, a second telemetry message from a foreign cellular network, wherein the second telemetry message comprises a standard registration message originally transmitted from the first cellular phone to the foreign cellular network.

11. A method for enabling cellular instant messaging comprising:

(a) transmitting, from a first cellular phone to a foreign cellular network, a telemetry message, wherein;

(i) the telemetry message comprises an indication that the first cellular phone has been powered on; and

(ii) the telemetry message comprises a remote feature activation message wherein the remote feature activation message is interpreted by the foreign cellular network as a roaming cellular phone desiring to activate/deactivate a feature, and wherein the foreign cellular network forwards the telemetry message to the first cellular phone'"'"'s home cellular network; and

(b) receiving a browser alert, on the first cellular phone, indicating availability of buddies on a buddy list of the first cellular phone.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the telemetry message further comprises a registration notification message.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the remote feature activation message comprises data encoded in a dialed digits field of a message.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, transmitting, from the first cellular phone to the foreign cellular network, a second telemetry message, wherein the second telemetry message comprises a standard registration message that will be forwarded by the foreign cellular network to the home cellular network.

15. A system for enabling cellular instant messaging comprising:

(a) an instant messaging database configured to maintain information regarding a first cellular phone, wherein the information comprises a buddy list;

(b) a home cellular network;

(c) a foreign cellular network; and

(d) a server, on the home cellular network, configured to;

(i) receive a telemetry message comprising a remote feature activation message from the foreign cellular network, wherein the telemetry message was originally transmitted from the first cellular phone, wherein the telemetry message indicates that the first cellular phone has been powered on, and wherein the remote feature activation message is interpreted by the foreign cellular network as a roaming cellular phone desiring to activate/deactivate a feature; and

(ii) transmit, in response to home cellular network receiving the telemetry message, a browser alert to one or more relevant buddies identified in the buddy list.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the telemetry message further comprises a registration notification message.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising an instant messaging partner that is configured to maintain the instant messaging database.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the information further comprises a customer'"'"'s profile for the first cellular phone.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise one or more cellular phones that have the first cellular phone on the buddy list.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise buddies on the first cellular phone'"'"'s buddy list.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise computers connected to the Internet.

22. The system of claim 15 wherein the server is further configured to utilize a short message service to deliver text messages using the first cellular phone.

23. The system of claim 15 wherein the remote feature activation message comprises data encoded in a dialed digits field of a message.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is further configured to receive, a second telemetry message from the foreign cellular network, wherein the second telemetry message comprises a standard registration message originally transmitted from the first cellular phone to the foreign cellular network.

25. A system for enabling cellular instant messaging comprising a first cellular phone configured to:

(a) transmit, to a foreign cellular network, a telemetry message, wherein;

(i) the telemetry message comprises an indication that the first cellular phone has been powered on; and

(ii) the telemetry message comprises a remote feature activation message, and wherein the remote feature activation message is interpreted by the foreign cellular network as a roaming cellular phone desiring to activate/deactivate a feature, and wherein the foreign cellular network forwards the telemetry message to the first cellular phone'"'"'s home cellular network;

(b) receive a browser alert indicating availability of buddies on a buddy list of the first cellular phone.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the telemetry message further comprises a registration notification message.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the remote feature activation message comprises data encoded in a dialed digits field of a message.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the first cellular phone is further configured to transmit a second telemetry message to the foreign cellular network, wherein the second telemetry message comprises a standard registration message that will be forwarded by the foreign cellular network to the home cellular network.

29. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer hardware device and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer hardware device to perform a method for enabling cellular instant messaging, the method comprising:

(a) receiving, in a home cellular network, a telemetry message, from a foreign cellular network, wherein;

(i) the telemetry message was originally transmitted from a first cellular phone, the foreign cellular network;

(ii) the telemetry message comprises an indication that the first cellular phone has been powered on; and

(iii) the telemetry message comprises a remote feature activation message, and wherein the remote feature activation message is interpreted by the foreign cellular network as a roaming cellular phone desiring to activate/deactivate a feature;

(b) in response to the home cellular network receiving the telemetry message, storing information regarding the first cellular phone in an instant messaging database, wherein the information comprises a buddy list; and

(c) the home cellular network transmitting a browser alert to one or more relevant buddies identified in the buddy list.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein the telemetry message further comprises a registration notification message.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein the instant messaging database is maintained by an instant messaging partner.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein the information further comprises a customer'"'"'s profile for the first cellular phone.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise one or more cellular phones that have the first cellular phone on the buddy list.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise buddies on the first cellular phone'"'"'s buddy list.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein the one or more relevant buddies comprise computers connected to the Internet.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 29, the method further comprising utilizing a short message service to deliver text messages using the first cellular phone.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 29 wherein the remote feature activation message comprises data encoded in a dialed digits field of a message.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving in the cellular phone'"'"'s home cellular network, a second telemetry message from the foreign cellular network, wherein the second telemetry message comprises a standard registration message originally transmitted from the first cellular phone to the foreign cellular network.

39. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer hardware device and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer hardware device to perform a method for enabling cellular instant messaging, the method comprising:

(a) transmitting to a foreign cellular network, from a first cellular phone, a telemetry message, wherein;

(i) the telemetry message comprises an indication that the first cellular phone has been powered on; and

(ii) the telemetry messages comprises a remote feature activation message, wherein the remote feature activation message is interpreted by the cellular network as a roaming cellular phone desiring to activate/deactivate a feature, and wherein the foreign cellular network forwards the telemetry message to the first cellular phone'"'"'s home cellular network;

(b) receiving a browser alert, on the first cellular phone, indicating availability of buddies on a buddy list of the first cellular phone.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 39 wherein the telemetry message further comprises a registration notification message.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 39 wherein the remote feature activation message comprises data encoded in a dialed digits field of a message.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 39, wherein the method further comprises transmitting, from the first cellular phone to the foreign cellular network, a second telemetry message, wherein the second telemetry message comprises a standard registration message that will be forwarded by the foreign cellular network to the home cellular network.