Wireless communications system providing wireless message data delivery through intermediary wireless communications device and related methods

• US 9,020,426 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hill, Thomas Casey
• Primary Examiner(s): GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
• Application Number:
  US13/764,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20130157567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/410, 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A wireless communications system may include a plurality of wireless communications devices (WCDs). A source WCD from among the plurality of WCDs may be configured to designate message data for at least one target WCD from among the plurality of WCDs, where the message data has a security restriction associated therewith. At least one intermediary WCD from among the plurality of WCDs may be configured to wirelessly receive the message data from the source WCD when in proximity thereto, and with restricted access to the message data based upon the security restriction. The at least one target WCD may be configured to wirelessly receive the message data from the at least one intermediary WCD when in proximity thereto and with less access restriction to the message data than the at least one intermediary WCD.

Claims

1. A wireless communications device (WCD) comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver; and

a controller cooperating with said at least one wireless transceiver and operable between a source WCD and a target WCD by at least

wirelessly receiving message data from the source WCD when in proximity thereto and with restricted access to the message data based upon a security restriction associated therewith, and

wirelessly transmitting the message data to the target WCD when in proximity thereto so that the target WCD has access to the message data without the security restriction.

2. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said at least one wireless transceiver comprises a near-field communication (NFC) transceiver.

3. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to prohibit delivery of message data to the target WCD outside of an associated delivery time period.

4. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to prohibit delivery of message data to the target WCD outside of a geographic delivery area.

5. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to pass an acknowledgement from the target WCD to the source WCD.

6. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to generate at least one reminder to deliver the message data to the target WCD.

7. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to notify the source WCD if the message data is not delivered to the target WCD within an associated delivery time period.

8. A wireless communications device (WCD) comprising:

at least one near-field communication (NFC) transceiver; and

a controller and a memory coupled thereto, said controller configured to cooperate with said at least one NFC transceiver and operable between a source WCD and a target WCD by at least

wirelessly receiving message data from the source WCD when in proximity thereto and with restricted access to the message data based upon a security restriction associated therewith,

wirelessly transmitting the message data to the target WCD when in proximity thereto so that the target WCD has access to the message data without the security restriction, and

prohibiting delivery of message data to the target WCD outside of an associated delivery time period.

9. The wireless communications device of claim 8 wherein said controller is further configured to prohibit delivery of message data to the target WCD outside of a geographic delivery area.

10. The wireless communications device of claim 8 wherein said controller is configured to pass an acknowledgement from the target WCD to the source WCD.

11. The wireless communications device of claim 8 wherein said controller is configured to generate at least one reminder to deliver the message data to the target WCD.

12. The wireless communications device of claim 8 wherein said controller is configured to notify the source WCD if the message data is not delivered to the target WCD within the associated delivery time period.

13. A method for wireless communications between a source wireless communications device (WCD) and a target WCD comprising:

operating an intermediary WCD comprising at least one wireless transceiver and a controller cooperating therewith to at least

wirelessly receiving message data from the source WCD when in proximity thereto and with restricted access to the message data based upon a security restriction associated therewith, and

wirelessly transmitting the message data to the target WCD when in proximity thereto so that the target WCD has access to the message data without the security restriction.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one wireless transceiver comprises a near-field communication (NFC) transceiver.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising operating the intermediary WCD to prohibit delivery of message data to the target WCD outside of an associated delivery time period.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising operating the intermediary WCD to prohibit delivery of message data to the target WCD outside of a geographic delivery area.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising operating the intermediary WCD to pass an acknowledgement from the target WCD to the source WCD.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising operating the intermediary WCD to generate at least one reminder to deliver the message data to the target WCD.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising operating the intermediary WCD to notify the source WCD if the message data is not delivered to the target WCD within an associated delivery time period.