Proximity-based mobile message delivery

• US 8,170,591 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gosset, Philip, Harper, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Application Number:
  US12/465,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20100291952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/11.1
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Proximity-based mobile message delivery is described. In an embodiment, a first user stores a message intended for a second user on a first mobile terminal, while the first mobile terminal is located remote from a second mobile terminal of the second user. Subsequent to this, the first mobile terminal detects that it is now in proximity with the second mobile terminal, and this triggers the first mobile terminal to transmit the message to the second mobile terminal. In embodiments, authentication of the second mobile terminal can be performed before transmitting the message. In another embodiment, a mobile terminal comprises a short-range wireless transceiver that can detect that a further mobile terminal is in proximity, and trigger the transmission of a pre-stored message to the further mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a message from a first user of a first mobile terminal to a second user of a second mobile terminal, comprising:

receiving data at the first mobile terminal when the first mobile terminal is remote from the second mobile terminal, the data comprising the message intended for the second user;

storing the data at the first mobile terminal;

subsequent to storing the data, the first mobile terminal detecting that the second mobile terminal is in proximity to the first mobile terminal; and

authenticating the second mobile terminal which comprises receiving a token encrypted using a first key of a cryptographic key-pair from the second mobile terminal at the first mobile terminal and decrypting the token using a second key of the cryptographic key-pair previously obtained from the second mobile terminal; and

transmitting a signal comprising the message from the first mobile terminal to the second mobile terminal.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein detecting that the second mobile terminal is in proximity to the first mobile terminal comprises receiving an identity signal transmitted from the second mobile terminal comprising an identity for the second mobile terminal.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising determining whether the identity from the identity signal is sufficient authentication of the second mobile terminal for the message.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the data further comprises a destination identifier for the message.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising determining whether the identity for the second mobile terminal relates to the destination identifier for the message.

6. A method according to claim 2, further comprising pairing the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal prior to receiving data at the first mobile terminal, such that the identity for the second mobile terminal is provided to and stored at the first mobile terminal.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving data at the first mobile terminal comprises the first user creating the message using the first mobile terminal.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving data at the first mobile terminal comprises receiving the data from a further user terminal of the first user.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the message comprises at least one of:

a document;

an image;

a video;

audio; and

text.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising prompting the first user to accept transmission of the message, prior to transmitting the signal.

11. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a short-range wireless transceiver arranged to detect a further mobile terminal located in proximity with the mobile terminal and output a signal;

a memory device including a private encryption key and a public encryption key that are unique to the mobile terminal; and

a processor arranged to encrypt a message stored in memory using the public encryption key and to receive the signal and, responsive thereto, trigger transmission of the message previously stored in memory to the further mobile terminal using the short-range wireless transceiver.

12. A mobile terminal according to claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is a personal area network transceiver.

13. A mobile terminal according to claim 12, wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is a Bluetooth®

transceiver.

14. A mobile terminal according to claim 11, wherein the signal comprises an identity of the further mobile terminal.

15. A mobile terminal according to claim 14, wherein the processor is arranged to correlate the identity of the further mobile terminal from the signal with a destination identifier stored in association with the message prior to transmitting the message.

16. A mobile terminal according to claim 14, wherein the identity of the further mobile terminal is a hardware identity associated with the further mobile terminal.

17. A mobile terminal according to claim 14, wherein the identity of the further mobile terminal is a media access control address.

18. A method of transmitting a message from a first user of a first mobile terminal to a second user of a second mobile terminal, comprising:

receiving data at the first mobile terminal when the first mobile terminal is remote from the second mobile terminal, the data comprising the message intended for the second user;

storing the data in a memory at the first mobile terminal;

subsequent to storing the data, the first mobile terminal detecting that the second mobile terminal is in proximity to the first mobile terminal;

authenticating a token received from the second mobile terminal using a unique cryptographic key assigned only to the second mobile terminal, the token being previously obtained from the second mobile terminal; and

transmitting a signal comprising the message from the first mobile terminal to the second mobile terminal.