Communication with a mobile device

• US 8,200,782 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Pradhan, Salil Vijaykumar, Sayers, Craig Peter, Recker, John Ludd, McReynolds, Alan Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Liangche A
• Application Number:
  US11/118,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20060245530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,601 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/218, 709/226, 709/229, 455/574
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

An embodiment of a synchronizer for a mobile device comprises memory for containing identification data and message data. The synchronizer is operative at least part of the time when the mobile device is inactive to establish communication with a base station, to provide from memory identification data enabling the base station to establish communication between the synchronizer and a server and, where message data is waiting to be transferred between the server and the mobile device, to enable transfer of message data waiting to be transferred. The synchronizer is operative when the mobile device is active to transfer message data between the mobile device and the memory of the synchronizer.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing a mobile device with a server, comprising:

establishing a connection between a base station and a synchronizer, the synchronizer being capable of operating independently of the mobile device without power being supplied by the mobile device when the mobile device is shut down;

establishing communication, through the base station, between the server and the synchronizer, when the mobile device is shut down, using address information stored on the synchronizer;

determining from information stored in the synchronizer whether first messages from the synchronizer are waiting to be uploaded to the server, and when first messages from the synchronizer are waiting to be uploaded to the server, uploading the first messages from the synchronizer to the server;

determining from information stored in the server whether second messages are waiting on the server to be downloaded to the mobile device, and when second messages are waiting on the server to be downloaded to the mobile device, downloading the second messages from the server to the synchronizer when the mobile device is shut down; and

transferring message data between the mobile device and the synchronizer when the mobile device is not shut down.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing a connection comprises supplying power to the synchronizer from the base station.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing a connection comprises at least one of the base station and the synchronizer monitoring for and detecting the presence of the other of the base station and the synchronizer within a range of wireless communication.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing communication between the server and the synchronizer comprises the base station contacting the server over a network using the address information stored on the synchronizer.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein establishing communication between the server and the synchronizer comprises connecting to the server using identification information stored on the synchronizer.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein uploading the first messages and downloading the second messages are performed without activating the mobile device.

7. A method according to claim 1 additionally comprising:

generating messages using the mobile device and storing the messages in the synchronizer to be uploaded.

8. A method according to claim 1 additionally comprising:

activating the mobile device and transferring downloaded messages from the synchronizer to the mobile device.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein uploading the first messages and downloading the second messages are performed by activating the mobile device when uploading the first messages from a memory in the mobile device and when downloading the second messages to the memory in the mobile device.

10. A system for synchronizing a mobile device with a server, comprising:

a base station capable of communicating with the server;

a synchronizer, operable independent of the mobile device without power being supplied by the mobile device, that connects with the base station, wherein the synchronizer includes memory that stores identification data and message data; and

a processor, on the base station or on the synchronizer, arranged to establish communication, through the base station, between the server and the synchronizer, that uses the identification data to determine from information stored in the synchronizer whether first messages from the mobile device are waiting to be uploaded to the server and when first messages from the mobile device are waiting to be uploaded to the server to cause uploading of the first messages, and that determines whether second messages are waiting on the server to be downloaded to the mobile device and when second messages are waiting on the server to be downloaded to the mobile device causes downloading of the second messages;

wherein the synchronizer transfers message data between the mobile device and the memory of the synchronizer when the mobile device is not shut down.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the base station is arranged to transmit power to the synchronizer.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein the synchronizer comprises data memory and the synchronizer is arranged to upload messages from the data memory or download messages to the data memory without activating the mobile device, and to transfer messages from or to the mobile device when the mobile device is active.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein the synchronizer is arranged to activate the mobile device when messages are waiting to be uploaded or downloaded and to permit uploading of messages from a memory in the mobile device or downloading of messages to the memory in the mobile device.

14. A synchronizer for a mobile device, comprising:

transmitting and receiving means for establishing connection and communicating with a base station independently of the mobile device when the mobile device is shut down, without power being supplied by the mobile device;

means for storing identification data and message data;

means for providing the identification data from the means for storing to the base station so that the base station can use the identification data to establish communication between the synchronizer and a server;

means for enabling transfer of message data between the server and the synchronizer through the base station;

means for determining from information stored in the synchronizer or information stored in the server whether message data is waiting to be transferred between the mobile device and the server; and

means for transferring message data between the mobile device and the means for storing.

15. A synchronizer according to claim 14, means for transferring transfers messages between the mobile device and the memory when the mobile device is active and connected to the synchronizer.

16. A synchronizer according to claim 14, wherein the means for enabling activates the mobile device when the synchronizer is in communication with a server and one of the mobile device and the server has a message waiting to be transferred.

17. A synchronizer for a mobile device, comprising:

memory for containing identification data and message data;

wherein the synchronizer, without power being supplied by the mobile device, establishes communication with a base station when the mobile device is shut down, the synchronizer providing the identification data to the base station, the base station using the identification data to establish a connection between the synchronizer and a server, through the base station, so that when the synchronizer determines the message data is waiting to be uploaded to the server, the message data can be sent from the synchronizer through the base station to the server and, when the server determines new message data is waiting on the server to be downloaded, the new message data can be sent from the server through the base station to the mobile device; and

wherein the synchronizer transfers the message data between the mobile device and the memory of the synchronizer when the mobile device is not shut down.

18. A synchronizer according to claim 17, further comprising a processor that controls transfer of data between the memory and the base station and controls transfer of data via the base station between the memory and the server.

19. A synchronizer according to claim 17, wherein the synchronizer comprises a processor that detects the base station.

20. A synchronizer according to claim 17, further comprising a motion sensor arranged to inhibit sensing for the presence of a base station when the synchronizer is not moved.

21. A synchronizer according to claim 17, wherein the memory is readable and writable by a processor of the base station.

22. A synchronizer according to claim 17, wherein the synchronizer is powered by the base station.

23. A synchronizer according to claim 17, wherein the message data comprises messages, and wherein the synchronizer transfers messages between the server and the memory when the mobile device is inactive, and transfers messages between the mobile device and the memory when the mobile device is active.

24. A synchronizer according to claim 17, wherein the message data in the memory comprises an indication of whether or not the mobile device has a message waiting to be transferred, and wherein the synchronizer is activates the mobile device when the synchronizer is in communication with the server and one of the mobile device and the server has a message waiting to be transferred.