Apparatus and method of wireless instant messaging

• US 8,868,047 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Coskun, Risvan, Oliver, Robert D., Zhang, Haining, Estable, Luis P.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/029,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20110167123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/466, 455/435.1, 455/456.1, 4554141-4143, 455/518, 455/519, 705/14.66, 705 1456- 1458, 705/14.12
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0209 Incentive being awarded or redeemed in connection with the playing of a video game
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

A wireless communication device declares one of a plurality of extended instant messaging states and transmits the declared states to a presence information server. Declared extended instant messaging states for destination devices are received, and an enhanced instant message based on declared extended instant messaging states is generated.

Claims

1. A method of operating a presence information server comprising:

receiving an interest from an interested host that is a first client of the presence information server;

receiving presence information regarding a wireless device that is a second client of the presence information server, wherein the presence information identifies a current location of the wireless device and a current activity state of a user of the wireless device, wherein the activity state is selected from the user currently looking, the user currently shopping and the user currently visiting;

determining whether there is both (i) proximity between the wireless device'"'"'s current location and a location of the host and (ii) a match between the interest from the interested host and the current activity state of the user; and

if both the proximity and the match exist, sharing information associated with the received presence information with the interested host.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the interest in a persistent store.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the presence information comprises privacy information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the presence information comprises security information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the interested host is associated with a merchant.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the interested host is associated with a shopping mall.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if both the proximity and the match exist, enabling communication between the interested host and the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the enabled communication is instant shopping.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the enabled communication comprises assisting a user of the wireless device to find something they are looking for.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the wireless device location is derived using GPS.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the wireless device location is derived using triangulation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the interested host is a client on a wired network and the wireless device is a client on a wireless network.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions comprising computer executable instructions embedded thereon for execution by a processor of a presence information server such that when executed, the processor:

receives an interest from an interested host that is a first client of the presence information server;

receives presence information regarding a wireless device that is a second client of the presence information server, wherein the presence information identifies a current location of the wireless device and a current activity state of a user of the wireless device, wherein the activity state is selected from the user currently looking, the user currently shopping and the user currently visiting;

determines whether there is both (i) proximity between the wireless device'"'"'s current location and a location of the host and (ii) a match between the interest from the interested host and the current activity state of the user; and

if both the proximity and the match exist, shares information associated with the received presence information with the interested host.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising storing interest in a persistent store.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the presence information comprises privacy information.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the presence information comprises security information.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the interest information comprises privacy information.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the interest information comprises security information.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the interested host is associated with a merchant.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the interested host is associated with a shopping mall.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising:

if both the proximity and the match exist, enabling communication between the interested host and the wireless device.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the enabled communication is instant shopping.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the enabled communication assists a user of the wireless device to find something they are looking for.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the wireless device location is derived using GPS.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the wireless device location is derived using triangulation information.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the interested host is a client on a wireless network and the wireless device is a client on a wireless network.

27. A presence information server comprising:

a communications subsystem for sending and receiving messages; and

a microprocessor adapted to execute instructions for;

receiving an interest from an interested host that is a first client of the presence information server;

receiving presence information regarding a wireless device that is a second client of the presence information server, wherein the presence information identifies a current location of the wireless device and a current activity state of a user of the wireless device, and wherein the activity state is selected from the user currently looking, the user currently shopping and the user currently visiting;

determining whether there is both (i) proximity between the wireless device'"'"'s current location and a location of the host and (ii) a match between the interest from the interested host and the current activity state of the user; and

if both the proximity and the match exist, sharing information associated with the received presence information with the interested host.

28. The presence information server of claim 27 further comprising storing the interest in a persistent store.

29. The presence information server of claim 27 wherein the presence information comprises privacy information.

30. The presence information server of claim 27 wherein the interested host is associated with a merchant.

31. The presence information server of claim 27 wherein the interested host is associated with a shopping mall.

32. The presence information server of claim 27 wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to execute instruction for:

if both the proximity and the match exist, enabling communication between the interested host and the wireless device.

33. The presence information server of claim 32 wherein the enabled communication is instant shopping.

34. The presence information server of claim 32 wherein the enabled communication comprises assisting a user of the wireless device to find something they are looking for.

35. The presence information server of claim 32 wherein the wireless device location is derived using GPS.

36. The presence information server of claim 32 wherein the wireless device location is derived using triangulation.

37. The presence information server of claim 27, wherein the interested host is a client on a wireless network and the wireless device is a client on a wireless network.

38. A method performed by a server, the method comprising:

receiving an interest from an interested host;

receiving presence information regarding a wireless device, wherein the presence information identifies a current location of the wireless device and a current activity state of a user of the wireless device, and wherein the activity state is selected from the user currently looking, the user currently shopping and the user currently visiting; and

sending an alert to the interested host based on both (i) detecting a match between the user'"'"'s current activity state and the interest from the interested host and (ii) detecting a proximity between the wireless device'"'"'s current location and a location of the interested host.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the activity state is declared by the user.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the activity state is declared by the wireless device.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the receiving steps and the sending step are performed by a presence information server.