System and method for a server-based files and tasks brokerage

• US 8,352,575 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palo Alto Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tareq A. Samaha
• Inventors: Samaha, Tareq A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONAWAY, JAMES E
• Application Number:
  US12/587,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/203, 709/219, 709/224, 718/101, 370/216
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A server-based files and tasks brokerage system and method are disclosed. In response to receiving a request from a requesting computing device, the server posts the request to a request queue. The request is for a requested mobile telephonic device to perform a task. The server posts a first notification to a first notification queue, in response to receiving the request. The server pushes the first notification to the requested device upon confirming a connection. Upon detecting a first condition of the task being for the requested device to receive a file, the server transfers the file from a file repository. Upon detecting a second condition of the task being for the requested device to send a file, the server transfers the file to the file repository. In response to confirming task completion, the server posts a second notification to a second notification queue associated with the requesting device.

Claims

1. A method for operating a server-based files and tasks brokerage, the method comprising:

posting a request to a request queue associated with a requesting one of a plurality of computing devices and communicating with a server, in response to receiving the request at the server via a global communication network from the requesting device, the request being for a requested one of a plurality of mobile telephonic devices to perform a task;

posting a first notification to a first notification queue associated with the requested device and communicating with the server, in response to receiving the request, the notification identifying the requesting device;

pushing the first notification from the first notification queue to the requested device upon the server confirming a connection of the requested device to the server via the global communication network;

transferring a file from a file repository communicating with the server to the requested device upon the server detecting that a first condition of the task is for the requested device to receive the file and the server confirming the connection of the requested device;

transferring a file to the file repository from the requested device upon the server detecting that a second condition of the task is a for the requested device to send the file and the server confirming the connection of the requested device; and

posting a second notification to a second notification queue associated with the requesting device and communicating with the server, in response to the server confirming a completion of the task by the requested device;

wherein the server is programmed to receive the request, to post the request and to post the first notification, irrespective of connectivity to the server of the requested device, and programmed to push the first notification, to conditionally transfer the file, and to post the second notification irrespective of connectivity to the server of the requesting device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising pushing the second notification from the second notification queue to the requesting device upon the server confirming a connection of the requesting device to the server via the global communication network.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the file from the requesting device to the file repository upon the first condition and the server confirming the connection of the requesting device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the file from the file repository to the requested device upon the first condition and the server confirming the connection of the requested device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the file from the requested device to the file repository upon the second condition and the server confirming the connection of the requested device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the task is to send an SMS message over a wireless telephonic network from the requested device, the SMS message originating from the requesting device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the task is to automatically download via the global communication network a subsequently captured digital photograph from a camera-equipped cellular telephone to the file repository.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the task is to return geographical location information from the requested device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the task is to lock the requested device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the task is to erase a specified type or class of data on the requested device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the task includes acting on an event occurrence at the requested device.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically uploading files of a specified type or class from the file repository to the requesting device.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving the first notification from the first notification queue to the requested device upon connecting to the server via the global communication network;

retrieving the request from the request queue to the requested device via the global communication network, in response to determining an identity of the requesting device from the first notification;

performing the task on the requested device in response to retrieving the request; and

sending a confirmation to the server from the requested device via the global communication network upon completing the task;

wherein the requested device is programmed to retrieve the first notification, to retrieve the request, to perform the task and to send the confirmation irrespective of the connectedness to the server of the requesting device.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list, the method further including:

assembling a third contact list from the first contact list and a second contact list.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising transferring the first, second or third contact list from the file repository to a one of the plurality of mobile telephonic devices or to a one of the plurality of computing devices.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the task is for the requested mobile telephonic device to push call information in response to an occurrence of a call, the method further including:

storing the call information in a call log in the file repository.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

transferring the call log from the file repository to a one of the computing devices or to a one of the mobile telephonic devices; and

displaying the call log on the computing device or the mobile telephonic device.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list, the method further including:

deleting a contact from the first contact list.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list, the method further including:

adding a contact to the first contact list.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list, the method further including:

transferring the file including the first contact list from the file repository to a one of the plurality of mobile telephonic devices differing from the requested device in response to a request to transfer the contact list.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list, the method further including:

transferring the file including the first contact list from the file repository to the requested device in response to a request to restore the contact list.

14. A server-based files and tasks brokerage system comprising:

a server accessible via a global communication network to a plurality of computing devices and to a plurality of mobile telephonic devices;

the server being programmed to broker files and tasks by;

posting a request to a request queue associated with a requesting one of the plurality of computing devices and communicating with the server, in response to receiving the request at the server via the global communication network from the requesting device, the request being for a requested one of the plurality of mobile telephonic devices to perform a task;

posting a first notification to a first notification queue associated with the requested device and communicating with the server, in response to receiving the request, the notification identifying the requesting device;

pushing the first notification from the first notification queue to the requested device upon the server confirming a connection of the requested device to the server via the global communication network;

transferring a file from a file repository communicating with the server to the requested device upon a first condition of the task being for the requested device to receive the file and the server confirming the connection of the requested device;

transferring a file to the file repository from the requested device upon a second condition of the task being for the requested device to send the file and the server confirming the connection of the requested device; and

posting a second notification to a second notification queue associated with the requesting device and communicating with the server, in response to the server confirming a completion of the task by the requested device;

wherein the server is programmed to receive the request, to post the request and to post the first notification, irrespective of connectivity to the server of the requested device, and programmed to push the first notification, to conditionally transfer the file, and to post the second notification irrespective of connectivity to the server of the requesting device.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by pushing the second notification from the second notification queue to the requesting device upon the server confirming a connection of the requesting device to the server via the global communication network.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by transferring the file from the requesting device to the file repository upon the first condition and the server confirming the connection of the requesting device.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by transferring the file from the file repository to the requested device upon the first condition and the server confirming the connection of the requested device.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by transferring the file from the requested device to the file repository upon the second condition and the server confirming the connection of the requested device.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the task is to send an SMS message over a wireless telephonic network from the requested device, the SMS message originating from the requesting device.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the task is to automatically download via the global communication network a subsequently captured digital photograph from a camera-equipped cellular telephone to the file repository.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the task is to return geographical location information from the requested device.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the task is to lock the requested device.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the task is to erase a specified type or class of data on the requested device.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the task includes acting on an event occurrence at the requested device.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by automatically uploading files of a specified type or class from the file repository to the requesting device.

26. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

one of the plurality of mobile telephonic devices being the requested device;

the requested device being programmed to interact with the server by;

retrieving the first notification from the first notification queue to the requested device upon connecting to the server via the global communication network;

retrieving the request from the request queue to the requested device via the global communication network, in response to determining an identity of the requesting device from the first notification;

performing the task on the requested device in response to retrieving the request; and

sending a confirmation to the server from the requested device via the global communication network upon completing the task;

wherein the requested device is programmed to retrieve the first notification, to retrieve the request, to perform the task and to send the confirmation irrespective of the connectedness to the server of the requesting device.

35. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list; and

the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by assembling a third contact list from the first contact list and a second contact list.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by transferring the first, second or third contact list from the file repository to a one of the plurality of mobile telephonic devices or to a one of the plurality of computing devices.

37. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the task is for the requested mobile telephonic device to push call information in response to an occurrence of a call; and

the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by storing the call information in a call log in the file repository.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by transferring the call log from the file repository to a one of the computing devices or to a one of the mobile telephonic devices; and

the call log is displayed on the computing device or the mobile telephonic device.

39. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list; and

the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by deleting a contact from the first contact list.

40. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list; and

the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by adding a contact to the first contact list.

41. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list; and

the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by transferring the file including the first contact list from the file repository to a one of the plurality of mobile telephonic devices differing from the requested device in response to a request to transfer the contact list.

42. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the file transferred to the file repository from the requested device includes a first contact list; and

the server is further programmed to broker files and tasks by transferring the file including the first contact list from the file repository to the requested device in response to a request to restore the contact list.