Phone content service

• US 9,002,344 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Vargas, Sandra, Bernard, Peter, Rowe, Keith, Royal, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): CASCA, FRED A
• Application Number:
  US12/118,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20090197586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,524 Days
• Field of Search: 455/419, 455/405, 455/418, 455/466, 455/404.2, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/426.1, 455/408, 455/420, 455/411, 455/412.1, 715/740, 715/204, 715/744, 715/752, 370/328, 370/232, 709/206, 709/223, 709/205, 709/225
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A phone content service is described. In embodiment(s), content that is associated with a mobile phone can be stored by a phone content service that is accessible by a computer via a data communication network. An update to the content that is associated with the mobile phone can be received and updated at the phone content service. Updated content can then be synchronized with the mobile phone via a mobile communication network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing content that is associated with a mobile phone, the content being stored by a phone content service that is accessible by a computer via a data communication network to implement a remote representation of the mobile phone for viewing and managing the content that is associated with the mobile phone, the remote representation including a duplication of a display interface of the mobile phone and enabling a user to drag-and-drop items of content to the remote representation for synchronization with the mobile phone via a mobile communication network;

responsive to receiving an update to the content that is associated with the mobile phone, updating the content for the mobile phone at the phone content service and synchronizing updated content to a cache memory of the mobile phone via the mobile communication network; and

responsive to a user request to view, manage, or play the updated content on the computer, causing the computer to present, enable management of, or play the updated content using the cache memory of the mobile phone and without accessing the phone content service.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a text message communicated to the mobile phone from a text-enabled device, the text message being received by the phone content service;

responsive to receiving the text message, the phone content service initiating communication of the text message to the computer via the data communication network; and

receiving a reply text message for communication to the text-enabled device, the reply text message being received by the phone content service from the computer.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving purchased media content that is associated with the mobile phone, the purchased media content being stored by the phone content service; and

communicating the purchased media content to the mobile phone when said synchronizing with the mobile phone.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the update to the content includes receiving a configuration setting of the mobile phone, and wherein synchronizing the updated content includes communicating the configuration setting to the mobile phone.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the updated content is retrieved from the cache memory of the mobile phone through the data communication network.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes configuration settings of the mobile phone.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes media content stored on the mobile phone.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes information associated with a user of the mobile phone.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes messaging content that has been at least one of received or communicated via the mobile phone.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising tracking and organizing the messaging content.

11. A phone content service comprising:

one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage memories comprising instructions that are executable by the phone content service to;

maintain content that is associated with a mobile phone;

provide an interface by which to receive an update to the content that is associated with the mobile phone, the interface being accessible by a computer via a data communication network as a remote representation of the mobile phone for viewing and managing the content that is associated with the mobile phone, the remote representation including a duplication of a display interface of the mobile phone and enabling a user to drag-and-drop items of content to the remote representation for synchronization to a cache memory of the mobile phone via a mobile communication network; and

provide an update service configured to synchronize content updates with the mobile phone via the mobile communication network, the synchronized content updates effective to enable the computer to present, enable management of, or play the updated content using the cache memory of the mobile phone and without accessing the phone content service.

12. A phone content service as recited in claim 11, the instructions further comprising providing a network space that is accessible via the computer to view and manage the content that is associated with the mobile phone.

13. A phone content service as recited in claim 11, the instructions further comprising providing a messaging interface configured to:

receive a text message communicated to the mobile phone from a text-enabled device;

responsive to receipt of the text message, initiate communication of the text message to the computer via the data communication network; and

receive a reply text message for communication to the text-enabled device, the reply text message being received from the computer.

14. A phone content service as recited in claim 11, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes configuration settings of the mobile phone, and wherein the update service is further configured to synchronize a configuration setting with the mobile phone.

15. A phone content service as recited in claim 11, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes media content stored on the mobile phone, and wherein the update service is further configured to synchronize the media content with the mobile phone.

16. A phone content service as recited in claim 11, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes information associated with a user of the mobile phone, and wherein the update service is further configured to synchronize the information with the mobile phone.

17. A phone content service as recited in claim 11, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes messaging content that has been at least one of received or communicated via the mobile phone.

18. A phone content service as recited in claim 17, wherein the update service is further configured to track and organize the messaging content, and wherein the interface is further configured to display an aggregated view of the messaging content and the content that is associated with the mobile phone.

19. A mobile phone, comprising:

a communication interface configured for data communication with a phone content service via a mobile communication network, the phone content service being accessible by a computer via a data communication network to implement a remote representation of the mobile phone and configured to maintain and update content that is associated with the mobile phone, the remote representation including a duplication of a display interface of the mobile phone and enabling a user to drag-and-drop items of content to the remote representation for synchronization with the mobile phone; and

a content service module configured to synchronize with the phone content service to receive updated content for the mobile phone; and

a cache memory configured to store the updated content, the cache memory accessible by a computer via a data communication network effective to enable the computer to present, enable management of, or play the updated content at the computer.

20. A mobile phone as recited in claim 19, wherein the content that is associated with the mobile phone includes at least one of configuration settings of the mobile phone, media content stored on the mobile phone, information associated with a user of the mobile phone, or messaging content that has been at least one of received or communicated via the mobile phone.