Communications system providing mobile device notification based upon personal interest information and calendar events

• US 8,929,869 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Scott, Sherryl Lee Lorraine, Griffin, Jason T., Church, Mark, Reeve, Scott, Brown, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/413,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20120172019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 455/567, 455/412.2, 455/432.3, 455/556.1, 455/415, 455/418, 455/414.4, 455/414.1, 455/3.04, 455/466, 709/206, 709/207, 709/203, 709/238, 709/201, 340/7.29, 340/7.21, 379/93.23, 379/202.01, 705/14.64, 705/7.18, 705/14.38, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device for storing personal interest information for respective contacts and for storing calendar event data. The system may further include a notification server communicating with the at least one mobile wireless communications device via a wireless communications network and configured to access the personal interest information and calendar event data from the at least one mobile wireless communications device, and send notifications to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the personal interest information and the calendar event data.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless communications device comprising:

a processor and associated memory configured to

store personal interest information comprising contact interest information related to at least one of products and activities of interest for respective contacts,

store calendar event data regarding upcoming calendar events,

exchange electronic mail (email) messages between the mobile wireless communications device and contacts,

permit a notification server to access the personal interest information and calendar event data stored therein, and

receive notifications from the notification server corresponding to the products or activities of interest based upon the personal interest information, the calendar event data, and the email messages and with increasing frequency based upon increasing proximity to an upcoming calendar event.

2. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the notifications comprise advertisements.

3. The mobile wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said processor and associated memory are further configured to store Internet addresses for additional contact interest information, and permit that notification server to further access the stored Internet addresses.

4. A notification server for a communications system comprising:

a processor and a memory cooperating therewith being configured to

access the personal interest information and calendar event data from at least one mobile wireless communications device, the at least one mobile wireless communications device configured to store personal interest information comprising contact interest information related to at least one of products and activities of interest for respective contacts, store calendar event data regarding upcoming calendar events, and exchange electronic mail (email) messages between the mobile wireless communications device and contacts; and

send notifications corresponding to the products or activities of interest to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the personal interest information, the calendar event data, and the email messages and with increasing frequency based upon increasing proximity to an upcoming calendar event.

5. The notification server of claim 4 wherein the notifications comprise advertisements.

6. A communications method in a mobile wireless communications device, the method comprising:

storing calendar event data regarding upcoming calendar events and personal interest information comprising contact interest information related to at least one of products and activities of interest for respective contacts in the mobile wireless communications device;

exchanging electronic mail (email) messages between the at least one mobile wireless communications device and contacts;

permitting access to the personal interest information and calendar event data by a notification server; and

receiving notifications corresponding to the products or activities of interest at the at least one mobile wireless communications device from the notification server via a wireless communication network based upon the personal interest information, the calendar event data, and the email messages and with increasing frequency based upon increasing proximity to an upcoming calendar event.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the notifications comprise advertisements.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein receiving comprises receiving the notifications based upon additional contact interest information obtained via the Internet by the notification server.

9. A communications method in a notification server, the method comprising:

accessing personal interest information and calendar event data from at least one mobile wireless communications device that stores personal interest information comprising contact interest information related to at least one of products and activities of interest for respective contacts, stores calendar event data regarding upcoming calendar events, and exchanges electronic mail (email) messages between the mobile wireless communications device and contacts; and

sending notifications corresponding to the products or activities of interest to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the personal interest information, the calendar event data, and the email messages and with increasing frequency based upon increasing proximity to an upcoming calendar event.

10. The communications method of claim 9 wherein the notifications comprise advertisements.