Method and apparatus for providing mobile device information through a computing device

• US 8,761,731 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dashwire Incorporated (HTC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dashwire Incorporated (HTC Corporation)
• Inventors: Davidson, Ford, Prudente, James P., Haugen, Hayes
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US11/869,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20080085731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/517
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for a service system capable of providing, to a computing device, mobile device information received from a mobile device, the mobile device being associated with a user of the computing device, are described herein. In one embodiment, the mobile device, service system, and computing device may each be separate and distinct from the others. In various embodiments, the client device may facilitate a user in viewing and/or interacting with the provided mobile device information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a service system, from a mobile device, mobile device information of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device information was sent to the service system in response to the mobile device information being changed on the mobile device, wherein the mobile device information was sent to enable a user of the mobile device to view or interact with the mobile device information using a computing device, and to perform an action towards another computing device on behalf of the mobile device, through interaction with the mobile device information, using the computing device and the service system, and wherein the mobile device, the service system, the computing device, and the other computing device are separate and distinct from each other;

providing, by the service system, the mobile device information to the computing device, for the user to view or interact with the mobile device information;

receiving from the computing device, by the service system, an indication of one or more user interactions with the mobile device information; and

performing on behalf of the mobile device, by the service system, in response to receipt of the indication from the computing device, an action towards the other computing device, based at least in part on the received indication of one or more user interactions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device information includes at least one of emails, messages, a call history, photos, music, videos, a calendar, and mobile device settings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requiring, by the service system, authentication of the user before performing said providing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is one or more of initiating a Voice over IP (VoIP) call, sending an email, posting a photo or video for sharing, or sending a text message, on behalf of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response, updating, by the service system, the mobile device information on the mobile device, or directing, by the service system, the mobile device to perform an action.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the action further includes one or more of initiating a VoIP call, sending an email, posting a photo or video for sharing, sending a text message, or changing a mobile device setting.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the service system, a mobile device client to the mobile device to facilitate the mobile device in providing the mobile device information to the service system.

8. A service system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a service to be operated by the one or more processors to;

provide, to a computing device, mobile device information of a mobile device for a user to view or interact with the mobile device information, wherein the mobile device information is provided to the service system, from the mobile device, in response to the mobile device information being changed on the mobile device, wherein the mobile device information was sent to enable the user of a mobile device to view or interact with the mobile device information using a computing device, and to perform an action towards another computing device on behalf of the mobile device, through interaction with the mobile device information, using the computing device and the service system, and wherein the mobile device, the service system, the computing device, and the other computing device are separate and distinct from each other;

receive, from the computing device, an indication of one or more user interactions with the mobile device information; and

in response to receipt of the indication from the computing device of one or more user interactions, perform an action towards the other computing device by the service system on behalf of the mobile device.

9. The service system of claim 8, wherein the mobile device information includes at least one of emails, messages, a call history, photos, music, videos, a calendar, and mobile device settings.

10. The service system of claim 8, wherein the service is further to be operated to require authentication of the user before performing said provide.

11. The service system of claim 8, wherein the service is further to be operated to notify the mobile device of the performed action.

12. The service system of claim 8, wherein the action includes one or more of initiating a Voice over IP (VoIP) call, sending an email, posting a photo or video for sharing, or sending a text message.

13. The service system of claim 8, wherein the service is further to be operated to direct the mobile device to perform an action including one or more of initiating a Voice over IP (VoIP) call, sending an email, posting a photo or video for sharing, sending a text message, or changing a mobile device setting.

14. The service system of claim 8, wherein the service is further to provide a mobile device client to the mobile device to facilitate the mobile device in providing the mobile device information to the service system.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, from a service system, mobile device information of a mobile device, wherein the mobile device information was provided to the service system, from the mobile device, in response to the mobile device information being changed on the mobile device, wherein the mobile device information was sent to enable a user of the mobile device to view or interact with the mobile device information using the computing device, and to perform an action towards another computing device on behalf of the mobile device, through interaction with the mobile device information, using the computing device and the service system, and wherein the mobile device, the service system, the computing device, and the other computing device are separate and distinct from each other;

facilitating, by the computing device, for the user to view or interact with the mobile device information;

receiving, by the computing device, one or more user interactions with the mobile device information; and

in response to, providing, by the computing device, receipt of an indication of the one or more interactions to the service system for the service system to perform an action towards the other computing device by the service system on behalf of the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of said receiving, said facilitating, said receiving, and said providing is performed by a plug-in to a browser of the computing device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the mobile device information includes at least one of emails, messages, a call history, photos, music, videos, a calendar, and mobile device settings.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the facilitating includes providing, by the computing device, a user interface having icons/glyphs associated with modules for handling different categories of the mobile device information.