Electronic file transfer for a communications device

• US 8,315,605 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bumiller, George Baldwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US13/466,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/466, 709/206
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for identifying an electronic file that is accessible by a communications node to be transmitted to a recipient. A communications device sends an identification of the electronic file. The communications node receives the identification of the electronic file, identifies the electronic file based on the identification, and accesses the electronic file for transmission to the recipient. The electronic file is not transmitted from the communications device to the communications node.

Claims

1. A method for execution by a wireless device configured to communicate with a communications node via a wireless network, the method comprising:

maintaining a communications session with another communications device;

accepting input for selecting at least one electronic file accessible by the communications node, the at least one electronic file being selected for transmission in the communications session; and

sending an identification of the at least one electronic file, the identification enabling the communications node to identify and transmit the at least one electronic file in the communications session.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications session is an Instant Message (IM) session.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one electronic file comprises a selected electronic message of a plurality of electronic messages, the method further comprising:

generating a message identifier based on attributes of the selected electronic message; and

using the message identifier in the identification of the at least one electronic file.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one electronic file comprises a selected attachment of a plurality of attachments in respect of a plurality of electronic messages, the method further comprising:

generating an identifier based on attributes of the selected attachment; and

using the identifier in the identification of the at least one electronic file.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one electronic file comprises at least one of:

at least a portion of a memo file;

an electronic file of an Internet;

an electronic file stored in a repository that is accessible by the communications node; and

an electronic file accessible from an enterprise network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the new electronic message is any one of:

an email message, an attachment-enabled PIN message, and a multimedia messaging system (MMS) message.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a table of electronic files, the table of electronic files identifying a plurality of electronic files that are accessible by the communications node for transmission in the communications session.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving electronic files;

automatically adding an identification of the electronic files into the table of electronic files.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

automatically removing entries from the table of electronic files after a defined period of time.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending the identification as part of the new electronic message.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a copy of the at least one electronic file on the wireless device; and

synchronising the copy of the at least one electronic file with the at least one electronic file accessible by the communications node.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a wireless device so as to implement the method of claim 1.

13. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless access radio configured to communicate with a communications node via a wireless network;

a communication session function configured to maintain a communications session with another communications device;

an interface configured to accept input for selecting at least one electronic file accessible by the communications node, the at least one electronic file being selected for transmission in the communications session; and

an electronic file identification function configured to send an identification of the at least one electronic file, the identification enabling the communications node to identify and transmit the at least one electronic file in the communications session.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the electronic file identification function is further configured to:

receive at least a portion of each of a plurality of electronic messages, each portion comprising an identifier; and

generate the identification of the at least one electronic file based on the identifier of at least one of the plurality of electronic messages.

15. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the at least one electronic file comprises at least one of:

a selected electronic message of a plurality of electronic messages; and

a selected attachment of a plurality of attachments in respect of a plurality of electronic messages.

16. An interface of a communications device configured to communicate with a communications node via a network, the interface comprising:

a display configured to display an identification of at least one electronic file accessible by the communications node;

an input configured to accept a selection of the at least one electronic file to be transmitted in a communications session, and to accept a command to send an identification of the selection so that the communications node can identify and transmit the at least one electronic file in the communications session.

17. The interface of claim 16 wherein the display is further adapted to present a table of electronic files that are immediately available for transmission in the communications session.

18. The interface of claim 17 wherein the table of electronic files comprises at least one of:

a file name attribute indicating file names of the electronic files;

a file type attribute indicating file extensions of the electronic files;

a file source attribute indicating each of the electronic files as being enterprise-related or internet-related;

a file public indication attribute indicating which of the electronic files are public;

a file date attribute indicating for each of the electronic files at least one of;

date of the electronic file, date of being acquired, and date category, the date category being at least one of today, past week, past month, and past quarter; and

a file note attribute indicating sensitivity of enterprise-related electronic files.

19. A method for execution by a communications node configured to communicate with a wireless device via a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving an identification of at least one electronic file to be transmitted in a communications session;

identifying the at least one electronic file using the identification; and

transmitting the at least one electronic file in the communications session.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the communications session is an Instant Message (IM) session.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor of a communications node so as to implement the method of claim 19.

22. A communications node configured to communicate with a wireless device via a wireless network, the communications node comprising:

a processor; and

an electronic file transmission function configured to;

receive an identification of at least one electronic file to be transmitted in a communications session;

identify the at least one electronic file using the identification; and

transmit the at least one electronic file in the communications session.