Methods and apparatus for use in establishing a data session via an ad hoc wireless network for a scheduled meeting

• US 8,977,285 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bansal, Manish, Praveenkumar, Sanigepalli Venkata
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRISHNAN, RAJESHWARI
• Application Number:
  US13/080,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20120258726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-205, 709220-228, 455/422.1, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/457, 455/552, 455/307, 455/405, 455/414.1, 455/466, 370/329, 370/260, 370/331, 370/254, 713/168, 340/539.13, 340/539, 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

In one illustrative example, data for an appointment is saved in memory. The data include start data corresponding to a start date and time of the appointment, an identifier or address of at least one other mobile device, and at least one of a session ID or key. When a current date and time matches the start date and time, the mobile device grants permission to share, with another mobile device, location information indicating a location of the mobile device. The mobile device also receives location information indicating a location of the other mobile device. When the location information indicates that the locations are within a predetermined range of each other, the mobile device connects in an ad hoc wireless network with the other mobile device with use of the session ID or key, for the communication of one or more files in a secure data session.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile communication device for use in establishing a data session via an ad hoc wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile device having a memory for maintaining a calendar application, an appointment request message for setting an appointment, the mobile device being a participant of the event;

saving data associated with the appointment in the calendar application maintained in the memory of the mobile device, the data including start data corresponding to a start date and time of the appointment, at least one identifier or address of at least one other mobile device, and a network identifier which identifies an ad hoc wireless network;

when a current date and time matches a predetermined date and time on or before the start date and time of the appointment;

granting permission to share, with the at least one other mobile device, location information indicating a real-time geographic location of the mobile device;

receiving location information indicating a real-time geographic location of the at least one other mobile device; and

when the location information indicates that the geographic locations of the mobile devices are within a predetermined range of each other;

connecting in the ad hoc wireless network, with use of the network identifier retrieved from the data saved in association with the appointment, for communication of one or more files in a data session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the current date and time matches the predetermined date and time on or before the start date and time of the appointment;

causing a user input prompt for granting permission to share the real-time geographic location of the mobile device to be displayed; and

granting the permission to share in response to an acceptance of the user input prompt.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the current date and time matches the predetermined date and time on or before the start date and time of the appointment, and the location information indicates that the geographic locations of the mobile devices are within a predetermined range of each other;

causing a user input prompt for connecting in the ad hoc wireless network to be displayed; and

connecting in the ad hoc wireless network in response to an acceptance of the user input prompt.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc wireless network is established in accordance with IEEE 802.11.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is obtained with use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating or selecting the network identifier in response to the setting of the appointment; and

sending the network identifier to the other mobile device.

7. The method claim 1, wherein the data saved in association with the appointment further includes a session key, and the method further comprises:

using the session key for encrypting/decrypting the communication in the data session via the ad hoc wireless network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network identifier comprises a Set Service Identifier (SSID) of the ad hoc wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data of the appointment further includes end data corresponding to an end date and time of the appointment, the method further comprising:

when the current time is outside of the start and end times of the appointment;

removing the permission to share, with the at least one other mobile device, the location information indicating the real-time geographic location of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, which is embodied as computer instructions stored in memory of the mobile device.

11. A mobile communication device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver module coupled to the one or more processors;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver module coupled to the one or more processors;

the one or more processors being configured to;

receive an appointment request message for setting an appointment in a calendar application maintained in the memory, the mobile device being a participant of the event;

save data for the appointment in the memory, the data including start data corresponding to a start date and time of the appointment, at least one identifier or address of at least one other mobile device, and a network identifier which identifies an ad hoc wireless network;

when a current date and time matches a predetermined date and time on or before the start date and time of the appointment;

grant permission to share, with the at least one other mobile device, location information indicating a real-time geographic location of the mobile device;

receive location information indicating a real-time geographic location of at least one other mobile device; and

when the location information indicates that the geographic locations of the mobile devices are within a predetermined range of each other;

connect, via the RF transceiver module, in an ad hoc wireless network with the at least one other mobile device with use of the network identifier, for communication of one or more files in a data session.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, which further comprises a user interface including a display, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

when the current date and time matches the predetermined date and time on or before the start date and time of the appointment;

cause a user input prompt for granting permission to share the real-time geographic location of the mobile device to be displayed in the display; and

granting the permission to share in response to an acceptance of the user input prompt.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, which further comprises a user interface including a display, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

when the current date and time matches the predetermined date and time on or before the start date and time of the appointment, and the location information indicates that the geographic locations of the mobile devices are within the predetermined range of each other;

cause a user input prompt for connecting in the ad hoc wireless network to be displayed in the display; and

connect in the ad hoc wireless network in response to an acceptance of the user input prompt.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the RF transceiver module is configured in accordance with IEEE 802.11.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

create or select the network identifier in response to the setting of the appointment; and

send the network identifier to the other mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the data saved in association with the appointment further includes a session key, and the one or more processors are further configured to:

use the session key for encrypting/decrypting the communication in the data session via the ad hoc wireless network.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the network identifier comprises a Set Service Identifier (SSID) of the ad hoc wireless network.

18. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the data of the appointment further includes end data corresponding to an end date and time of the appointment, and the one or more processors are further configured to:

when the current time is outside of the start and end times of the appointment;

removing the permission to share, with the at least one other mobile device, the location information indicating the real-time geographic location of the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, from the other mobile device, the network identifier in the appointment request message.

20. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive the location information by receiving, from a location server, the location information indicating the real-time geographic location of at least one other mobile device.