Network initiation and pull of media from mobile devices

• US 8,054,950 B1
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Barbeau, Pierre, Hung, Yat-Sang
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee; MD S
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEZUAYEHU, SOLOMON G
• Application Number:
  US11/155,705
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 370/388, 370/390, 370/352, 379/88.13, 379/265.01, 705/26, 705/432
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A messaging service node sends encoded messages to wireless devices prompting the devices to capture media (e.g., audio and/or image) and send the media file to a network address specified in the message. The service node may be managed by a wireless service provider, and provides this media capture message service for unrelated, independent entities such as insurance companies, health or medial companies, government agencies, etc. The encoded message may take the form of a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message, but other formats are possible. The media is preferably captured by a camera or microphone incorporated into the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining media from a wireless communications device, comprising the steps of:

a) sending an encoded message from a first node to the wireless communications device, the encoded message comprising a prompt displayable at the wireless communications device prompting or reminding a user of the wireless communications device to capture media;

b) including in the encoded message a schedule feature indicating to display the prompt at periodic time intervals;

c) including in the encoded message a network address where the captured media is to be sent by the wireless communications device, wherein the network address is associated with a second node; and

d) including in the encoded message instructions to present a second prompt asking the user of the wireless communications device to confirm that the captured media is responsive to the prompt.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media comprises an image and wherein the encoded message prompts the wireless communications device to capture the image with a camera incorporated in the wireless communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded message comprises a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node further comprises a memory for storing the encoded message and wherein the encoded message is sent periodically to the wireless communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first node provides messaging services for a plurality of wireless communications devices and wherein the encoded message is generated by the second node and transmitted to the first node for transmission to the wireless communications device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first node is managed by a provider of wireless communications services for the wireless communications device, and wherein the second node generating the encoded message is managed by an entity independent of the provider of wireless communications services, whereby the node provides messaging services prompting media capture for a plurality of wireless communications devices for entities independent of the provider of wireless communications services.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the network address is a URL address.

7. A wireless communications device facilitating media pull from a network node, comprising:

transmit and receive circuitry for communications with the network node over a radio access network;

a graphical user interface presenting prompts and information to a user of the wireless communications device; and

a processor executing software instructions loaded in memory on the wireless communications device, wherein the software instructions comprise instructions for the processor to process an encoded message from a message service node and to responsively display a prompt on the graphical user interface associated with the encoded message, wherein the prompt prompts the user of the wireless communications device to transmit a media file to the network node;

and wherein the encoded message includes a scheduling feature indicating to display the prompt at periodic time intervals and a network address where the media file is to be transmitted, wherein the network address is associated with the network node, and

wherein the software instructions further include instructions for the processor to detect capture of the media file, to display the media file, and to display a second prompt to the user of the wireless communications device to confirm that the media file is responsive to the prompt of the encoded message,

wherein in response to a received confirmation that the media file is responsive to the prompt of the encoded message, the processor responsively transmits the captured media file to the network node.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the wireless communications device includes an apparatus for capturing the media file.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the apparatus comprises a digital camera.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone incorporating a digital camera.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the encoded message comprises a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) message.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the media file comprises an image file.

13. A system for pulling media from wireless communications devices, comprising:

a) a node on a packet switched network generating an encoded message for wireless communications devices, the encoded message comprising a

     1) prompt for a wireless communications device to capture media, wherein the node on the packet switched network designates the wireless communications device as a recipient of the prompt,

     2) a network address to send the media, wherein the network address is associated with the node on the packet switched network,

     3) a scheduling feature that indicates to display the prompt at periodic time intervals on a screen of the wireless communications device, and

     4) instructions to present a second prompt asking the user to confirm that the captured media is responsive to the prompt;

b) a messaging service node coupled to the packet switched network receiving the encoded message generated by the node;

the messaging service node transmitting the encoded message to the wireless communications devices;

c) wherein the messaging service node is managed by a provider of wireless communications services and wherein the node is managed by an entity or entities independent of the provider of wireless communications services.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the encoded message are sent as Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages to the messaging service node.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the encoded message prompt the wireless communications devices to capture an image.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the encoded message are sent to the messaging service node in accordance with a schedule maintained by the node.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the encoded message comprise Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages and wherein the messaging service node comprises a node providing MMS messaging services for a plurality of wireless communications devices subscribing to services of the provider of wireless communications services.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the node comprises a server managed by an entity selected from the group of entities consisting of a) an insurance company, b) a company providing health or medical services, c) a government entity and d) an entertainment company.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the media comprises audio.