Systems and methods for managing mobile communications

• US 8,615,216 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Locusplay, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Locusplay, Inc.
• Inventors: Rajguru, Rahuldev
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Application Number:
  US12/691,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20100190474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/567
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing mobile device users'"'"' data, mobile devices, and communications are disclosed. According to various embodiments, mobile devices are used in conjunction with one or more servers and memory devices in order to manage mobile devices, data, and communications associated with mobile device users. Various embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods are directed to: the management of preference information incorporated into profiles associated with mobile device users, plug-in applications communicatively coupling servers involved in the management of mobile data, devices and/or communications to applications providing calendar and e-mail management facilities, the cross-platform synchronization and migration of data associated with mobile device users, the management of unwanted communications, monitoring mobile devices and data for theft detection and related protections, and the management of scheduled communications.

Claims

1. A mobile communications management system comprising:

an electronic communication device having an associated user communication profile and associated user identification data;

a memory device associating a mobile electronic communication device user with the user identification data, and the user communication profile with the mobile device user;

a server obtaining the user communication profile and the user identification data from the electronic communication device, authenticating the user associated with the user identification data, querying the memory device for an association between the user communication profile and the authenticated user, and creating an association in the memory device between the authenticated user and the user communication profile based on the results of the query;

an application obtaining a communication directed to or initiated by a mobile electronic communication device associated with the mobile device user, and identifying the user communication profile for application to the communication;

wherein the user communication profile comprises user preferences related to the handling of incoming and outgoing communications, and user preferences related to the handling of missed communications,

wherein the application identifies the user communication profile by;

identifying, in the memory device, a user calendar associated with the mobile device user and a meeting associated with the user calendar, wherein the meeting covers the current time in the current day, and

selecting a user communication profile associated with the identified meeting, and

wherein the application identifies a second user communication profile for application to the obtained communication by;

identifying, in the memory device, a user contact associated with the mobile device user, and selecting a user communication profile associated with the identified user contact; and

a user interface obtaining a representation of a meeting, and facilitating the creation of associations in the memory device, the associations comprising;

a first association between the meeting and the user communication profile a second association between the meeting and a user calendar, and a third association between the user calendar and the mobile device user.

2. The mobile communications management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface obtaining a user contact, and facilitating, the creation of associations in the memory device comprising;

a first association between the user contact and the mobile device user, and a second association between the user communication profile and the user contact.

3. A method for managing mobile communications, data, and devices, said method comprising:

associating, in a memory device, a mobile electronic communication device user with a user communication profile, user identification data, a mobile electronic communication device, and user mobile data, wherein the user mobile data comprises user authorized theft protection measures;

obtaining a communication directed to or initiated by the mobile device;

identifying, in the memory device, the mobile device user associated with the mobile device, and the user communication profile associated with the mobile device user, for application to the obtained communication,

wherein the user communication profile comprises user preferences related to the handing of incoming and outgoing communications, and user preferences related to the handling of missed communications, and

wherein the user communication profile is identified by;

identifying, in the memory device, a user calendar associated with the mobile device user and a meeting associated with the user calendar, wherein the meeting covers the current time in the current day, and

selecting a user communication profile associated with the identified meeting;

obtaining, from an electronic communication device, mobile device identification data of missing mobile device, and the user identification data;

identifying, in the memory device, the user mobile data associated with the mobile device user; and

initiating tasks based on the user mobile data comprising;

tasks that preserve user data integrity, tasks that prevent misuse of the mobile device, and tasks that aid in the recovery of the mobile device,

wherein the tasks that preserve user data integrity comprise making a backup of client-side user mobile data stored on the mobile electronic communication device, and deleting the client-side user mobile data;

wherein the tasks that prevent misuse of the mobile device comprise blocking incoming and outgoing communications from the mobile device, the incoming and outgoing communications comprising text messages, electronic mail messages, and phone calls; and

wherein the tasks that aid in the recovery of the mobile device comprise directing incoming and outgoing communications from the mobile device to a predefined electronic communications device, recording and obtaining communications made using the mobile device, and tracking the location of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

monitoring the mobile electronic communication device,

identifying in the memory device the user mobile data associated with the mobile device user; and

initiating tasks based on the user authorized theft protection measures comprising;

tasks that preserve user data integrity, tasks that prevent the misuse of the mobile device, and tasks that aid in the recovery of the mobile device;

wherein monitoring the mobile device comprises one or more of;

monitoring the usage of the mobile device to detect changes in usage patterns, the usage patterns comprising patterns associated with parties contacted and patterns associated with the duration of communications, and

monitoring ambient data obtained from the mobile device, the ambient data comprising audio, video, and location data.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

associating, in a memory device, the mobile electronic communication device user with server-side user identification data, the user with server-side user mobile data, and the server-side user mobile data with server-side timing data;

obtaining, from an electronic communication device, client-side user identification data, client-side user mobile data, and client-side timing data associated with the client-side user mobile data;

identifying, in the memory device, the server-side user mobile data associated with the mobile device user, and the server-side timing data associated with the server-side mobile data;

performing one or more comparisons between the identified server-side timing data and the client-side timing data; and

synchronizing the memory device with the electronic communication device based on the one or more comparisons,

wherein user mobile data comprises user contacts, user calendars, user communication profiles, and user authorized theft protection measures.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein synchronizing the memory device with the electronic communication device comprises, for each of the one or more comparisons:

replacing using a history, in the memory device, one of the server-side user mobile data with a corresponding one of the client-side user mobile data, if the comparison resulted in a determination that the one of the client-side user mobile data was more recently updated, and

replacing using the history, in the electronic communication device, one of the client-side user mobile data with a corresponding one of the server-side user mobile data, if the comparison resulted in a determination that the one of the server-side user mobile data was more recently updated.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

associating, in the memory device, first user identification data with a first mobile electronic communication device user, and the first mobile electronic communication device user with first user mobile data, wherein the first user mobile data comprises user contacts, user calendars, user communication profiles, user authorized theft protection measures, and user privacy profiles;

obtaining, from a first electronic communication device, identification data related to a second electronic communication device, and the first user identification data;

identifying, using the first user identification data, in the memory device, the first user mobile data associated with the first mobile device user; and

authorizing transfer of one or more of the first user mobile data to the second electronic communication device, based on one or more of the user privacy profiles.

8. A method for managing mobile communications, data, and devices, the method comprising:

associating, in a memory device, a mobile electronic communication device user with server-side, user mobile data, and the server-side user mobile data with server-side timing data;

a server periodically;

identifying in the memory device, the server-side user mobile data associated with the mobile device user, and the server-side timing data associated with the server-side user mobile data, wherein the server-side user mobile data comprises data identifying an electronic communication device associated with the mobile device user,

obtaining from the electronic communication device, client-side user mobile data and client-side timing data associated with the client-side user mobile data, and

performing one or more comparisons using the server-side timing data and the client-side timing data, the one or more comparisons being configurable by the mobile device user; and

periodically synchronizing the memory device with the electronic communication device based on the one or more comparisons.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein synchronizing the memory device with the electronic communication device comprises, for each of the one or more comparisons:

replacing using a history, in the memory device, one of the server-side user mobile data with a corresponding one of the client-side user mobile data, if the comparison resulted in a determination that the one of the client-side user mobile data was more recently updated, and

replacing using the history, in the electronic communication device, one of the client-side user as data with a corresponding one of the server-side user mobile data, if the comparison resulted in a determination that the server-side user mobile data was more recently updated.

10. A method for managing mobile communications, data, and devices, the method comprising:

an application associated with a mobile device obtaining a communication directed to the mobile device;

the application presenting the user of the mobile device with options for handling the communication, the options comprising;

a duck option, a drop option, and a divert option;

the application obtaining the user'"'"'s preferred option for handling the communication; and

the application applying the user'"'"'s preferred option to the communication,

wherein the duck option results in the initiator of the communication receiving a default voice message that is routinely utilized when processing call rejections by a mobile operator handling the communication directed to the mobile device, and a user-configurable textual message from the mobile device;

wherein the drop option results in the initiator of the communication experiencing a response that approximates a network error; and

wherein the divert option results in the diversion of the communication to a third party.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third party comprises an auto answering device, a teller machine, a conversation recording device, and a backup device.

12. A method for managing mobile communications, data, and devices, the method comprising:

a plug-in application that is custom-built, in accordance with requirements of a first application to assist the first application in obtaining data related to a mobile device user, assisting the first application to obtain said data related to the mobile device user, the first application being communicatively coupled to a server through the plug-in, the data comprising calendar data and user mobile data;

utilizing, the first application to perform one or more tasks comprising;

updating calendar entries and updating user mobile data, and

updating data on a memory device communicatively coupled to the server based on the one or more tasks performed,

wherein the calendar entries comprise scheduled meetings and scheduled communications, and

wherein the user mobile data comprises user communication profiles, user privacy profiles, and user contacts.

13. A method for managing mobile communications, data, and devices, said method comprising:

associating, in a memory device, a mobile electronic communication device user with a user communication profile, and a mobile electronic communication device;

obtaining a communication directed to or initiated by the mobile device;

identifying, in the memory device, the mobile device user associated with the mobile device, and the user communication profile associated with the mobile device user, for application to the obtained communication;

wherein the user communication profile comprises user preferences related to the handing of incoming and outgoing communications, and user preferences related to the handling of missed communications, and

wherein the user communication profile is identified by;

identifying, in the memory device, a user calendar associated with the mobile device user and a meeting associated with the user calendar, wherein the meeting covers the current time in the current day, and

selecting a user communication profile associated with the identified meeting;

obtaining from the user, using a user interface, communication schedule data, the communication schedule data comprising one or more of;

a communication date and start time, a user contact, a recipient number, a recipient e-mail address, and a communication category;

associating, using an application, the communication schedule data with the user'"'"'s calendar based on the communication date and start time;

alerting the user, by the mobile device associated with the user, prior to the communication start time; and

initiating, by the mobile device, a communication using the recipient number, the recipient e-mail address and/or the user contact,

wherein the communication schedule data further comprises data relating to the periodic rescheduling of a communication,

wherein the application creates additional associations between the communication schedule data and the user'"'"'s calendar based on the data relating to the periodic rescheduling of the communication, and

wherein the mobile device initiates further communications based on the periodic rescheduling of the communication.

14. A method for managing mobile communications, data, and devices, said method comprising:

associating, in a memory device, a mobile electronic communication device user with a user communication profile, user mobile data, and a mobile electronic communication device, wherein the user mobile data comprises data indicative of user authorized theft protection measures;

obtaining a communication directed to or initiated by the mobile device;

identifying, in the memory device, the mobile device user associated with the mobile device, and the user communication profile associated with the mobile device user, for application to the obtained communication,

wherein the user communication profile comprises user preferences related to the handing of incoming and outgoing communications, and user preferences related to the handling of missed communications, and

wherein the user communication profile is identified by;

identifying, in the memory device, a user calendar associated with the mobile device user and a meeting associated with the user calendar, wherein the meeting covers the current time in the current day, and

selecting a user communication profile associated with the identified meeting;

monitoring the mobile electronic communication device;

identifying in the memory device the user mobile data associated with the mobile device user; and

initiating tasks based on the user authorized theft protection measures comprising;

tasks that preserve user data integrity, tasks that prevent misuse of the mobile device, and tasks that aid in the recovery of the mobile device,

wherein monitoring the mobile device comprises one or more of;

monitoring the usage of the mobile device to detect changes in usage patterns, the usage patterns comprising patterns associated with parties contacted and patterns associated with the duration of communications, and

monitoring ambient data obtained from the mobile device, the ambient data comprising audio, video, and location data,

wherein the tasks that preserve user data integrity comprise making a backup of client side user mobile data stored on the mobile electronic communication device, and deleting the client-side user mobile data,

wherein the tasks that prevent misuse of the mobile device comprise blocking incoming and outgoing communications from the mobile device, the incoming and outgoing communications comprising text messages, electronic mail messages, and phone calls, and

wherein the tasks that aid in the recovery of the mobile device comprise directing incoming and outgoing communications from the mobile device to a predefined electronic communications device, recording and obtaining communications made using the mobile device, and tracking the location of the mobile device.