Peer-to-peer mobile data transfer method and device

• US 7,969,925 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Lin
• Inventors: LIN, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Rafael Perez
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US12/832,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 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 mobile devices that support a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, the method comprising:

opening a listening software port on an initiating mobile device to receive communications through the data packet-based communications service;

transmitting an invitation message to a target mobile device through a page-mode messaging service, wherein the invitation message comprises a network address associated with the initiating mobile device, and wherein the target mobile device is located by providing a unique identifier to the page-mode messaging service;

receiving a response from the target mobile device at the listening software port on the initiating mobile device; and

establishing a data transfer session through the data packet-based communications service between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device, wherein the data transfer session is established in a peer-to-peer fashion without a server intermediating communications through the established data transfer session between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

opening a second listening software port on the initiating mobile device to receive invitation messages through the page-mode messaging service;

receiving, at the second listening software port and through the page-mode messaging service, a message from another mobile device inviting the initiating mobile device to establish a data transfer session, wherein such message comprises a network address associated with the other mobile device; and

transmitting a response to the network address associated with the other mobile device, wherein the response acknowledges the ability to establish a data transfer session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the page-mode messaging service is SMS.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the page-mode messaging service is a PIN-to-PIN messaging service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a telephone number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transfer session utilizes a TCP connection.

8. A mobile device enabled to establish a direct data transfer session with other mobile devices in a digital mobile network system, the mobile device comprising a processor configured to perform the steps of:

opening a listening software port on an initiating mobile device to receive communications through the data packet-based communications service;

transmitting an invitation message to a target mobile device through a page-mode messaging service, wherein the invitation message comprises a network address associated with the initiating mobile device, and wherein the target mobile device is located by providing a unique identifier to the page-mode messaging service;

receiving a response from the target mobile device at the listening software port on the initiating mobile device; and

establishing a data transfer session through the data packet-based communications service between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device, wherein the data transfer session is established in a peer-to-peer fashion without a server intermediating communications through the established data transfer session between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device.

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

opening a second listening software port on the initiating mobile device to receive invitation messages through the page-mode messaging service;

receiving, at the second listening software port and through the page-mode messaging service, a message from another mobile device inviting the initiating mobile device to establish a data transfer session, wherein such message comprises a network address associated with the other mobile device; and

transmitting a response to the network address associated with the other mobile device, wherein the response acknowledges the ability to establish a data transfer session.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the network address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the page-mode messaging service is SMS.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the page-mode messaging service is a PIN-to-PIN messaging service.

13. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the unique identifier is a telephone number.

14. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the data transfer session utilizes a TCP connection.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed on a processor of a mobile device that supports a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, causes the processor to establish a direct data transfer session by performing the steps of:

opening a listening software port on an initiating mobile device to receive communications through the data packet-based communications service;

transmitting an invitation message to a target mobile device through a page-mode messaging service, wherein the invitation message comprises a network address associated with the initiating mobile device, and wherein the target mobile device is located by providing a unique identifier to the page-mode messaging service;

receiving a response from the target mobile device at the listening software port on the initiating mobile device; and

establishing a data transfer session through the data packet-based communications service between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device, wherein the data transfer session is established in a peer-to-peer fashion without a server intermediating communications through the established data transfer session between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further including instructions that cause the processor to perform the steps of:

opening a second listening software port on the initiating mobile device to receive invitation messages through the page-mode messaging service;

receiving, at the second listening software port and through the page-mode messaging service, a message from another mobile device inviting the initiating mobile device to establish a data transfer session, wherein such message comprises a network address associated with the other mobile device; and

transmitting a response to the network address associated with other mobile device, wherein the response acknowledges the ability to establish a data transfer session.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the network address of the initiating mobile device is an IP address.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the page-mode messaging service is SMS.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the unique identifier is a telephone number.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the data transfer session utilizes a TCP connection.