Methods for mobile phone applications

• US 8,655,341 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haim Boukai, Sergey Ost
• Original Assignee: Haim Boukai, Sergey Ost
• Inventors: Boukai, Haim, Ost, Sergey
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US13/001,106
• Publication Number:
  US 20110111743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455418-420, 717174-178, 709/206, 709/207, 709201-203, 705/14, 705/26
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A set of systems and methods are described that: a) provides methods for viral mass distribution of mobile phone applications by use of phone book, contact lists, or other social network information, b) enable any Internet-enabled mobile device user to download and use such mobile applications without requiring PC access, and c) provides a technique for unifying code versions for most existing mobile devices, expediting the viral distribution of said applications.

Claims

1. A method for viral distribution of applications on networked mobile devices comprising steps of:

a. installing software on said networked mobile devices,

b. reading, by means of said software, some portion of a contact list stored on said networked mobile devices;

c. transmitting said portion of said contact list to a server;

d. sending invitation to install said software to unregistered users from said portion of said contact list;

e. installing said software on some portion of those networked mobile devices listed on said contact list upon accepting of said invitation to install said software;

f. repeating steps b-e for each contact on each of said networked mobile devices, whereby viral distribution of software across a multitude of networked mobile devices is achieved; and

g. providing a server, adapted to provide said software running on said networked mobile device working in coordination with said server by means of an applications database, a client'"'"'s database and an application distribution unit, said client'"'"'s database being subdivided into registered clients sub database and unregistered clients sub database, said applications database including all applications required to be installed in client'"'"'s mobile networked devices, said application distribution unit being adapted to contact unregistered users in said unregistered clients sub database to invite some part of said unregistered users to install said software.

2. The method of claim 1, where said step of installing said application is accomplished by means selected from a group consisting of:

determining mobile device type and model;

sending an SMS message;

sending an SMS message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an SMS message containing said application;

sending an MMS message;

sending an MMS message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an MMS message containing said application;

sending an email message;

sending an email message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an email message containing said application;

sending an Instant Message;

sending an Instant Message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an Instant Message containing said application;

sending a service message;

sending a service message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending a service message containing said application;

sending a WAP push message;

sending a WAP push message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending a WAP push message containing said application; and

sending said application from one networked mobile device to a second networked mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, where said application is implemented on a subset of programming language comprising functions that are valid on networked mobile devices.

4. The method of claim 1, where said application comprises means for actions selected from the group consisting of:

VoIP calls, regular cellular calls, sending SMS messages, sending Instant Messaging (IM) messages, sending photos, sending files, and sending email.

5. The method of claim 1, where said server or application comprises means selected from a group consisting of:

means for encrypting and decrypting all communications used thereby;

means for inviting new users to use said application;

automatic account opening;

application download via link from a source selected from the group consisting of;

email message, SMS, MMS, Service message, and WAP push;

means for placing calls anywhere locally and internationally;

means for checking all cost and account balance;

payment using means selected from the group consisting of credit card, PIN, and calling card code;

transfer of money from one user to another;

means for sending and receiving SMS, Instant Messaging (IM), photos and files;

means for redirecting calls to another number;

means for sharing photos;

means for sharing files; and

means for sharing content, wherein useful additional networked connectivity is provided to users without requiring use of a personal computer (PC).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said server 200 is additionally adapted to perform tasks selected from a group consisting of:

receiving service requests via the internet 30;

decrypting said requests;

authenticating the customer using database 250;

checking the customers'"'"' balance using balance check module 275;

sending requested data back to networked mobile device software 100;

sending a request to private branch exchange(PBX) to perform a callback to the customer; and

directing calls to desired destination 50.

7. The method of claim 3, where said language utilizes the original user interface (UI) and graphical user interface (GUI) available to a given networked mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said application comprises means for actions selected from the group consisting of:

VoIP calls, regular cellular calls, sending SMS messages, sending Instant Messaging (IM) messages, sending photos, sending files, and sending email.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said server 200 is additionally provided with a billing engine 270 adapted to perform all requests requiring monetary exchanges, said billing engine adapted to compute and keep track of user balances, compute and add costs of placed calls, send SMS messages, make money transfers to other users.

10. A system for viral distribution of applications on networked mobile devices, comprising:

a. application running on said networked mobile devices,

b. a database storing a contact list of said networked mobile devices;

c. means for sending invitation to install said application on some portion of those networked mobile devices listed on said contact list;

d. installing said application upon accepting of said invitation to install said application;

e. means to repeat steps b-d for each contact on each of said networked mobile devices,

f. a server, adapted to provide said application running on said networked mobile device working in coordination with said server by means of an applications database, a client'"'"'s database and an application distribution unit residing on said server, said client'"'"'s database being subdivided into registered clients sub database and unregistered clients sub database, said applications database including all applications required to be installed in client'"'"'s mobile networked devices, said application distribution unit being adapted to contact unregistered users in said unregistered clients sub database to invite some portion of said unregistered users to install application; and

g. whereby viral distribution of applications across a multitude of networked devices is achieved.

11. The system of claim 10, where said application comprises means for actions selected from the group consisting of:

VoIP calls, regular cellular calls, sending SMS messages, sending Instant Messaging (IM) messages, sending photos, sending files, sharing data objects, and sending email.

12. The system of claim 10, additionally comprising means for performing tasks selected from a group consisting of:

sending an SMS message;

sending an SMS message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an SMS message containing said application;

sending an MMS message;

sending an MMS message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an MMS message containing said application;

sending an email message;

sending an email message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an email message containing said application;

sending an Instant Message;

sending an Instant Message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending an Instant Message containing said application;

sending a service message;

sending a service message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending a service message containing said application;

sending a WAP push message;

sending a WAP push message containing a link to a location of said application allowing subsequent download of said application;

sending a WAP push message containing said application; and

directly sending said application from one networked mobile device to a second networked mobile device.

13. The system of claim 10, where said application is implemented on a subset of a programming language comprising functions that is valid on networked mobile devices.

14. The system of claim 10, where said server comprises means selected from a group consisting of:

means for encryption and decryption of all communications used thereby;

determining mobile device type and model;

inviting new users to use said application;

automatic account opening;

application download via link from a source selected from the group consisting of;

email message, SMS, MMS, Service message, and WAP push;

placing calls anywhere locally and internationally;

checking call cost and account balance;

payment using means selected from the group consisting of ;

credit card, PIN, and calling card code;

transfer of money from one user to another;

sending and receiving SMS, Instant Messaging (IM), photos, emails, content, and files;

redirecting calls to another number;

sharing photos;

sharing files and content, wherein useful additional networked connectivity is provided to users without requiring use of a personal computer (PC).

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said server 200 is additionally adapted to perform tasks selected from a group consisting of:

receiving service requests via the internet 30;

decrypting said requests;

authenticating the customer using database 250;

checking the customers'"'"' balance using balance check module 275;

sending requested data back to networked mobile device software 100;

sending a request to private branch exchange (PBX) to perform a callback to the customer; and

directing calls to desired destination 50.

16. The system of claim 10, where said subset utilizes the original user interface (UI) and graphical user interface (GUI), available to a given networked mobile device.

17. The system of claim 16, where said application comprises means for actions selected from the group consisting of:

placing VoIP calls, placing regular cellular calls, sending and receiving SMS messages, sending and receiving Instant Messaging (IM) messages, sending and receiving photos, sending and receiving files, and sending and receiving email.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said server 200 is additionally provided with a billing engine 270 adapted to perform all requests requiring monetary exchanges, said billing engine adapted to compute and keep track of user balances, compute and add costs of placed calls, send SMS messages, and perform money transfers to other users.