Dynamically extensible communications device

• US 7,668,144 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lubec Campobello LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sartin, Robert D., Taylor, Rebecca S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cho; Hong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye; Saba
• Application Number:
  US10/162,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20020191574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,821 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 370/401, 370/465, 370/469, 709/203, 709/230
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

This invention discloses a generalized software gateway function which can be housed within small devices and is scalable up to the largest server or other hardware environment which eliminates the differences between devices at the application format, communications protocol and device characteristics layers.

Claims

1. A first computing device, comprising:

a processor unit;

a memory system, wherein the memory system has stored therein a first set of data and wherein the memory system has stored therein program instructions that, if executed by the first computing device, cause the first computing device to perform a method comprising;

detecting via wireless communication a second computing device that recognizes one or more data formats for communicating with external devices, wherein the first set of data is usable by the first computing device to convert information within the first computing device into a first plurality of data formats for transmission external to the first computing device, and wherein none of the one or more data formats recognized by the second computing device are within the first plurality of data formats;

in response to detecting the second computing device;

automatically retrieving a second set of data from an external system via wireless communication; and

automatically updating the first set of data stored in the memory system to include the retrieved second set of data;

using the updated first set of data, converting data stored by the first computing device to one of the one or more data formats recognized by the second computing device; and

directly communicating the converted data to the second computing device wirelessly;

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each mobile wireless devices; and

wherein the second computing device and the external system are different from one another.

2. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is a mobile phone.

3. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is a personal digital assistant.

4. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the first computing device is a portable digital music player.

5. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory system has stored therein a first representation of personal contact information for a user of the first computing device, and wherein the first computing device is configured to use the updated first set of data to convert the first representation of the personal contact information to a second representation of the personal contact information that is in one of the one or more data formats that is recognized by the second computing device, enabling direct communication of the personal contact information from the first computing device to the second computing device.

6. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the first set of data is usable by the first computing device to perform direct communication with a third computing device without automatically retrieving data from the external system.

7. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the direct wireless communication uses an infrared communication protocol.

8. The first computing device of claim 1, wherein the direct wireless communication uses a short-range wireless communication protocol.

9. A first computing device, comprising:

an external wireless communication interface;

memory having stored therein a first set of data usable to convert information within the first computing device into a first plurality of data formats for transmission via the external wireless communication interface;

a logic unit configured to detect a second computing device that recognizes one or more data formats, none of which are within the first plurality of data formats, and wherein, in response to determining that the second computing device'"'"'s one or more data formats are not within the first plurality of data formats, the logic unit is configured to;

automatically retrieve a second set of data from an external system via wireless communication, wherein the second set of data is usable by the first computing device to convert information within the first computing device to one of the one or more data formats recognized by the second computing device; and

automatically update the first set of data to include the second set of data;

wherein the logic unit is further configured to use the updated first set of data to directly communicate with the second computing device via the external wireless communication interface;

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each mobile wireless devices; and

wherein the second computing device and the external system are different from one another.

10. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the first set of data stored in the memory is usable to allow the first computing device to directly communicate with a third computing device without automatically retrieving data from the external system, wherein the third computing device recognizes at least one data format within the first plurality of data formats.

11. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the first and second computing devices are mobile phones.

12. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the second set of data is also usable to update the first computing device to transmit information within the first computing device according to a communication protocol recognized by the second computing device and not previously supported by the first computing device.

13. A method, comprising:

at a first point in time, a first computing device detecting a second computing device, wherein the second computing device recognizes one or more data formats for transmitting and receiving data, and wherein the first computing device is not configured, at the first point in time, to generate output data using any of the one or more data formats;

in response to said detecting, the first computing device automatically retrieving data from an external source via wireless communication;

the first computing device using the automatically retrieved data to generate output data in at least one of the one or more data formats recognized by the second computing device;

the first computing device performing directly wireless communication of the generated output data with the second computing device;

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each mobile wireless devices; and

wherein the second computing device and the external source are different from one another.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

at a second point in time, the first computing device detecting a third computing device, wherein the third computing device recognizes at least a first data format for transmitting and receiving data, wherein the first computing device is configured, at the second point in time, to generate the output data in the first data format; and

the first computing device subsequently performing directly wireless communication with the third computing device using the first data format.

15. A system, comprising

a first computing device storing a first set of data usable to convert data within the first computing device into a first plurality of data formats for transmission external to the first computing device;

a second computing device configured to transmit and receive data according to one or more data formats, none of which are within the first plurality of data formats;

a storage system storing a second set of data usable to facilitate the first computing device converting data into at least one of the one or more data formats, when the storage system is remote from the first computer system;

wherein the first computing device, upon determining that none of the one or more data formats of the second computing device are within the first set of data, is configured to automatically retrieve the second set of data from the remote storage system via wireless communication and use the second set of data to directly communicate with the second computing device wirelessly using at least one of the one or more data formats of the second computing device;

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each mobile wireless devices that are configured to receive input from respective users; and

wherein the second computing device and the storage system are different from one another.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first computing device is a mobile phone.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second computing device is a mobile phone.

18. A first computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory having stored therein;

a first set of data;

program instructions executable by the first computing device to;

detect a second computing device;

determine that the first set of data does not currently include information for generating a data stream that is usable by the second computing device;

in response to the determination, automatically retrieve information from an external source via wireless communication and use the retrieved information to update the first set of data;

generating a data stream using the updated first set of data, wherein the generated data stream is usable by the second computing device;

directly transmit the generated data stream to the second computing device wirelessly;

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each mobile wireless devices that are configured to receive input from respective users; and

wherein the second computing device and the external source are different from one another.

19. The first computing device of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are executable by the first computing device to use the updated first set of data is to convert data stored in the first computing device from a first data format to a second data format.

20. The first computing device of claim 18, wherein the first and second computing devices are mobile phones.

21. The first computing device of claim 20, wherein generation of the data stream includes data format and data protocol conversions.

22. The first computing device of claim 20, wherein the data stream transmitted by the first computing device to the second computing device includes a still image or video that is viewable on the second computing device.

23. A method, comprising:

a first computing device detecting a second computing device using peer-to-peer communication, wherein the first computing device is currently unable to exchange data with the second computing device in a manner in which data transmitted to the second computing device is usable by a user application of the second computing device;

in response to said detecting, the first computing device automatically retrieving information from a source external to the first computing device via wireless communication; and

the first computing device generating a data stream using the retrieved information; and

the first computing device transmitting the generated data stream wirelessly to the second computing device using peer-to-peer communication, wherein the data stream is transmitted in a format and a manner such that the transmitted data stream is usable by the user application of the second computing device;

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each mobile wireless devices; and

wherein the second computing device and the external source are different from one another.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first and second computing devices is a mobile phone, and wherein the method is performed without modification of the second computing device.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein generating the data stream includes converting at least one of:

an input data format to an output data format;

an input data protocol to an output data protocol.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless interface;

first means for converting data stored in the apparatus into an output data stream and for converting data received by the apparatus into an input data stream;

wherein, in response to detecting a computing device for which the first means is not currently able to generate a compatible data stream, the apparatus is configured to dynamically update, via the wireless interface, the first means and use the updated first means to convert data stored in the apparatus into an output data stream that is compatible with the computing device;

wherein the apparatus and the computing device are each mobile wireless devices, and wherein the apparatus is configured to use the updated first means to directly communicate with the computing device via the wireless interface.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first means includes a memory storing data implementing a state machine.

28. A first computing device, comprising:

an external wireless interface;

a processor;

a memory having stored therein;

a set of application data;

data implementing a state machine usable to perform at least one of data format and protocol conversion on the set of application data to produce a data stream for transmission via the external interface;

program instructions executable by the first computing device to;

update the state machine in response to detecting a second computing device for which the state machine is currently unable to generate a compatible data stream;

use the updated state machine to generate a data stream compatible with the second computing device; and

directly transmit the compatible data stream to the second computing device via the external wireless interface;

wherein the first computing device is a mobile wireless device.

29. A method, comprising:

a first computing device wirelessly receiving a request from a second computing device to dynamically up date the second computing device to permit direct wireless communication with a third computing device, wherein the second computing device is not currently configured to directly exchange application data with the third computing device such that the exchanged application data is usable by application programs on both the second and third computing devices, wherein the second and third computing devices are each mobile wireless devices;

responsive to the request, the first computing device wirelessly providing information to the second computing device, wherein the provided information is usable by the second computing device to dynamically update itself to permit directly wireless communication with the third computing device, wherein the direct wireless communication includes the second and third computing devices exchanging application data such that the exchanged application data is usable by application programs on both the second and third computing devices;

wherein the first, second, and third computing devices are different from one another, and wherein the direct communication is performed without modification of the third computing device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the provided information is usable by the second computing device to subsequently communicate directly with the third computing device according to a communication protocol recognized by the third computing device, but not supported by the second computing device prior to the dynamic update of the second computing device.

31. A first computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having stored therein a first set of information executable by the processor to implement a state machine, wherein the state machine is usable by the first computing device to perform at least one of data format and data protocol conversion on incoming or outgoing data of the first computing device, wherein the first set of information is dynamically updatable from a source external to the first computing device in response to detecting a second computing device for which the first computing device is not currently configured to generate a compatible data stream, and wherein, upon the first set of information being dynamically updated, the first computing device is configured to permit a data exchange with the second computing device according to at least one of one or more data formats and data protocols not previously supported by the first computing device, wherein the data exchange is performed wirelessly without the use of an intervening device between the first and second computing devices;

wherein the first and second computing devices are mobile wireless devices.

32. The first computing device of claim 31, wherein the first computing device is a mobile phone, and wherein the data exchange with the second computing device is performed without modifying the second computing device.

33. A method, comprising:

at a first point in time, a first computing device detecting a second computing device, wherein the second computing device is configured to externally transmit or receive information according to one or more communication protocols, and wherein the first computing device is not configured, at the first point in time, to externally transmit or receive data using any of the one or more communication protocols;

in response to said detecting, the first computing device automatically retrieving data from an external source via wireless communication, wherein the retrieved data is usable to facilitate the first computing device generating output data according to at least one of the one or more communication protocols recognized by the second computing device;

the first computing device using the automatically retrieved data to directly communicate with the second computing device wirelessly using at least one of the one or more communication protocols recognized by the second computing device;

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are each mobile wireless devices; and

wherein the second computing device and the external source are different from one another.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the first computing device is a mobile phone.