Peer-to-peer mobile data transfer method and device

• US 7,773,550 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Lin
• Inventors: LIN, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perez-Gutierrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US11/042,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 370/313, 370/395.3
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A technique is provided for a direct data transfer session, including for multimedia content, between mobile devices without the need for using a separate multimedia server to store multimedia content. Direct data transfer sessions between mobile devices are established by transmitting necessary address information through page-based messaging services that utilize the underlying digital mobile network databases and services to resolve the identification and location of the mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a direct data transfer session between an initiating mobile device and a target mobile device that each supports a data packet switching communications service over a digital mobile network system, the method comprising:

receiving a selected phone number from a user of the initiating mobile device corresponding to the target mobile device;

generating a port number for the received selected phoned number;

opening a listening virtual connection endpoint bound to the generated port number on the initiating mobile device to receive a connection request through the data packet switching communications service specifically from the target mobile device;

transmitting an invitation SMS message comprising an IP address of the initiating mobile device and the generated port number to the selected phone number corresponding to the target mobile device;

receiving a connection request from the target mobile device at the listening virtual connection endpoint on the initiating mobile device through the data packet switching communications service; and

establishing a virtual connection through the data packet switching communications service for the direct data transfer session enabling transmission of a byte stream between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device, wherein the virtual connection is established without use of a server that handles connection requests from multiple mobile devices.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

opening a listening software SMS port on the initiating mobile device specifically to receive invitation SMS messages to establish a virtual connection through the data packet-switching communications service with other mobile devices for a direct data transfer session;

receiving an SMS message at the listening software SMS port from another mobile device inviting the initiating mobile device to establish a data transfer session, wherein the SMS message comprises an IP address of the other mobile device and a port number generated by the other mobile device that is bound to an listening virtual connection endpoint opened by the other mobile device to receive a response specifically from the initiating mobile device; and

transmitting a response to the IP address and the port number of the other mobile device through the data packet switching communications service, wherein the response acknowledges an ability to establish a virtual connection enabling transmission of a byte stream between the initiating mobile device and the other mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data packet switching communications service is GPRS and the digital mobile network system is GSM.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device include QWERTY keyboards.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated port number is a TCP port number.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the virtual connection is a TCP connection.

7. A mobile device enabled to establish a direct data transfer session with a target mobile device in a digital mobile network system, the mobile device comprising a processor configured to:

support a data packet switching communications service over the digital mobile network system;

receive a selected phone number corresponding to the target mobile device from a user of the mobile device;

generate a port number for the received selected phoned number;

open a listening virtual connection endpoint bound to the generated port number on the mobile device to receive a connection request through the data packet switching communications service specifically from the target mobile device;

transmit an SMS invitation message comprising an IP address of the mobile device and the generated port number to the selected phone number corresponding to the target mobile device;

receive a connection request from the target mobile device at the listening virtual connection endpoint on the mobile device through the data packet-switching communications service; and

establish a virtual connection through the data packet switching communications service for the direct data transfer session enabling transmission of a byte stream between the mobile device and the target mobile device, wherein the virtual connection is established without use of a server that handles connection requests from multiple mobile devices.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

open a listening software SMS port on the mobile device to receive invitation SMS messages to establish a virtual connection through the data packet-switching communications service with other mobile devices for a direct data transfer session;

receive an SMS message at the listening software SMS port from another mobile device inviting the mobile device to establish direct data transfer session, wherein the SMS message comprises an IP address of the other mobile device and a port number generated by the other mobile device that is bound to a listening virtual connection endpoint opened by the other mobile device to receive a response specifically from the mobile device; and

transmit a response to the IP address and the port number of the other mobile device through the data packet switching communications service, wherein the response acknowledges an ability to establish a virtual connection enabling transmission of a byte stream between the mobile device and the other mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the data packet switching communications service is GPRS and the digital mobile network system is GSM.

10. The mobile device of claim 7 further comprising a QWERTY keyboard.

11. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the generated port number is a TCP port number.

12. The mobile device of claim 7 wherein the virtual connection is a TCP connection.