Communications system with interface for enabling communication of alerts to mobile wireless communications devices

• US 7,894,594 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: TeamOn Systems Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Clarke, David James, Gardner, Darren L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US11/355,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20060172726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 379/88.12, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 379/221.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• 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 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

An interface device, method and computer-readable program includes a proxy operative as an agent for communicating with a plurality of mobile wireless devices using different operating protocols. A device information module is operative with the proxy and determines functional features of a wireless mobile communications device and selects a configuration file for configuring the proxy to interface with the device and enable communications of any desired alerts.

Claims

1. An interface device for a communications system comprising:

a front-end proxy module operative as an agent for communicating with a plurality of wireless mobile communications devices using different operating protocols and with a plurality of data storage devices using respective ones of different operating protocols;

a knowledge database that stores data relating to functional features of different wireless mobile communication devices that can communicate with the front-end proxy module;

a device information module operative with the front-end proxy module; and

a configuration file database for storing configuration files used for configuring the front-end proxy module based on functional features of the wireless mobile communications device, wherein said configuration file database is operatively connected to said device information module for allowing said device information module to query said configuration file database and selecting a configuration file for configuring the front-end proxy module to interface with the wireless mobile communications device and enable communications of any desired alerts that are notifications indicative of an event based upon at least a commercial brand name of a corresponding one of the plurality of wireless mobile communications devices.

2. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein said device information module is operative for determining functional features of the wireless mobile communications device by intermediate proxies and header information.

3. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein said device information module is operative for determining which functional features are enabled for different wireless mobile communications devices.

4. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein said device information module is operative for determining the commercial brand name of the wireless mobile communications device.

5. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein said database includes data relating to the device type and commercial brand name of different wireless mobile communications devices.

6. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein said database includes data relating to unknown devices used for selecting a default configuration.

7. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein said device information module is operative for selecting a default configuration for unknown devices.

8. An interface device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of data storage devices comprise servers that store email messages.

9. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of operating protocols;

a wireless mobile communications device for accessing at least one of said plurality of data storage devices;

an interface device comprising

a protocol engine module for communicating with said plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols,

a front-end proxy module coupled to said protocol engine module and operative as an agent for communicating with said plurality of mobile wireless devices using at least one different operating protocol, and

a knowledge database operatively connected to said front-end proxy module and storing data relating to functional features of different wireless mobile communication devices that can communicate with the front-end proxy module;

a device information module operative with the protocol engine module and front-end proxy module; and

a configuration file database for storing configuration files used for configuring the front-end proxy module based on the determined functional features of the wireless mobile communications device, said configuration file database operatively connected to said device information module and allowing said device information module to query said configuration file database; and

selecting a configuration file for configuring the front-end proxy module to interface with the wireless mobile communications device and enable communications of any desired alerts that are notifications indicative of an event.

10. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein said device information module is operative for determining functional features of the wireless mobile communications device by intermediate proxies and header information.

11. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein said device information module is operative for determining which functional features are enabled for different wireless mobile communications devices.

12. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein said device information module is operative for determining the brand of the wireless mobile communications device.

13. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein said database includes data relating to the device type and brand of different wireless mobile communications devices.

14. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein said database includes data relating to unknown devices used for selecting a default configuration.

15. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein said device information module is operative for selecting a default configuration for unknown devices.

16. A communications system according to claim 9, wherein said data storage devices comprise servers that store email messages.

17. A method of communicating with a wireless mobile communications device comprising the steps of:

receiving communications from a wireless mobile communications device within a front-end proxy module that can communicate using different operating protocols and with a plurality of data storage devices using respective ones of the different operating protocols;

determining functional features of the wireless mobile communications device by querying a knowledge database that stores data relating to functional features of different wireless communications devices that can communicate with the front-end proxy module;

loading a configuration file to the front-end proxy module from a device information module operatively connected to the front-end proxy module by querying a configuration file database that stores configuration files used for configuring the front-end proxy module based on functional features of the mobile wireless communications device; and

configuring a communications interface with the wireless mobile communications device based on the determined functional features to enable communications of any desired alerts that are notifications indicative of an event to the wireless mobile communications device, the event being based upon at least a commercial brand name of a corresponding one of the plurality of wireless mobile communications devices.

18. A method according to claim 17, and further comprising the step of determining functional features of the wireless communications device by reviewing intermediate proxies and header information received from the wireless mobile communications device.

19. A method according to claim 17, and further comprising the step of configuring a WAP gateway through which alerts are sent to the wireless mobile communications device.

20. A method according to claim 17, wherein the step of determining functional features of the wireless mobile communications device comprises the step of identifying the commercial brand name of the wireless mobile communications device.

21. A method according to claim 20, and further comprising the step of matching a communications template with the commercial brand name of the wireless mobile communications device.

22. A method according to claim 17, and further comprising the step of selecting a default configuration file when a wireless mobile communications device is unrecognized.

23. A method according to claim 17, and further comprising the step of storing information regarding the wireless mobile communications device for future processing when further features of a wireless mobile communications device are obtained.

24. A computer-readable medium for interfacing at least one wireless mobile communications device and a data storage device comprising:

a front-end proxy module operative as an agent for communicating with a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using at least one different operating protocol and with a plurality of data storage devices using respective ones of different operating protocols; and

a knowledge database operatively connected to said front-end proxy module and storing data relating to functional features of different wireless mobile communication devices that can communicate with the front-end proxy module;

a device information module operative with the front-end proxy module; and

a configuration file database for storing configuration files used for configuring the front-end proxy module based on functional features of the wireless mobile communications device, said configuration file database operatively connected to said device information module and allowing said device information module to query said configuration file database; and

selecting a configuration file for configuring the front-end proxy module to interface with the wireless mobile communications device and enable communications of any desired alerts that are notifications indicative of an event based upon at least a commercial brand name of a corresponding one of the plurality of wireless mobile communications devices.

25. A computer-readable medium according to claim 24, and further comprising a protocol engine module for communicating with a plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols.