System and method for pushing information from a host system to a mobile data communications device

• US 20010005861A1
• Filed: 02/13/2001
• Published: 06/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: OT Patent Escrow LLC (Ocean Tomo, LLC)
• Inventors: Mousseau, Gary P., Lazaridis, Mihal
• Application Number:
  US09/782,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20010005861A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/353 : where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels protocols for multimedia information services per se H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 : Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 : of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• 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 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 : Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 : from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 : Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A system and method for pushing information from a host system to a mobile data communication device upon sensing a triggering event is disclosed. A redirector program operating at the host system enables a user to continuously redirect certain user-selected data items from the host system to the user'"'"'s mobile data communication device upon detecting that one or more user-defined triggering events has occurred. The redirector program operates in connection with event generating applications and repackaging systems at the host system to configure and detect a particular user-defined event, and then to repackage the user-selected data items in an electronic wrapper prior to pushing the data items to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of redirecting data items from a host system to a mobile data communication device, comprising the steps of:

configuring a triggering event at the host system;

detecting that the triggering event has occurred at the host system and generating a trigger;

receiving data items at the host system;

in response to the trigger and as data items are received at the host system, continuously redirecting the received data items from the host system to the mobile communication device;

determining whether each data item includes an attachment and if so, determining the type of attachment;

providing attachment redirection information; and

redirecting the attachment in accordance with the attachment redirection information.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the attachment redirection information includes one or more attachment types that the mobile communication device can receive and process.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the attachment redirection information includes one or more attachment types and one or more associated commands which control processing of each attachment type by the host system.

4. The method of

claim 3

, wherein the one or more commands include a command for storing a data item attachment to a data store accessible by the host system.

5. The method of

claim 3

, wherein the one or more commands include a command for redirecting an attachment to an external machine compatible with the attachment.

6. The method of

claim 3

, wherein the one or more commands include a command for redirecting a data item attachment to the mobile communication device.

7. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of providing attachment redirection information is provided by information transmitted by the mobile communication device.

8. The method of

claim 5

, wherein the external machine is a printer.

9. The method of

claim 5

, wherein the external machine is a facsimile machine.

10. The method of

claim 7

, wherein the attachment is a sound file and the external machine is a voice mail system.

11. A method of forwarding message attachments from a host system to a mobile data communications device, comprising the steps of:

configuring an attachment profile at the host system for the mobile data communication device, wherein the attachment profile indicates the types of attachments that the mobile data communication device can process;

receiving messages at the host system, wherein the messages include a plurality of attachment types;

determining whether the mobile data communication device can process the plurality of attachment types using the attachment profile; and

forwarding the attachments that can be processed by the mobile data communication device from the host system to the mobile data communication device.

12. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the attachment profile includes a list of external machines that can process attachment types that cannot be processed by the mobile data communication device, the method further comprising the step of:

for those attachments that cannot be processed by the mobile data communication device, forwarding the attachments to an external device listed in the attachment profile.

13. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the received messages are directed to a first address at the host system, the method further comprising the steps of:

configuring one or more redirection events at the host system;

detecting that a redirection event has occurred at the host system and generating a redirection trigger; and

in response to the redirection trigger, forwarding the received messages and the attachments that can be processed by the mobile data communications device from the host system to the mobile data communication device.

14. The method of

claim 13

, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the messages at the mobile data communication device;

generating reply messages at the mobile data communication device to be sent to the plurality of message senders and transmitting the reply messages to the host system;

receiving the reply messages at the host system and configuring address information of the reply messages such that the reply messages use the first address associated with the host system as the originating address, wherein messages generated at either the host system or the mobile data communication device share the first address; and

transmitting the reply messages from the host system to the plurality of message senders.

15. The method of

claim 11

, further comprising the step of:

storing information regarding the configuration of the mobile data communication device at the host system.

16. The method of

claim 15

, wherein the configuration information stored at the host system includes:

(A) the network address of the mobile data communication device.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the configuration information further includes:

(B) an indication of the type of mobile data communication device.

18. The method of

claim 14

, wherein the received messages are addressed using a sender address and a receiver address, the method further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the receiver address is associated with the mobile data communication device;

if the receiver address is associated with the mobile data communication device, then determining a network address of the mobile data communication device and repackaging the messages into electronic envelopes addressed using the receiver address and the network address of the mobile data communication device; and

after receiving the redirected messages at the mobile data communication device, extracting the messages from the electronic envelopes and displaying the messages at the mobile data communication device using the sender address and the receiver address, so that it appears as though the mobile data communication device is the host system.

19. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the type of attachment is a sound file.

20. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the redirection events include external events, internal events, or networked events.

21. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the external event is a message from the mobile data communication device to start redirection.

22. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the internal event is a calendar alarm.

23. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the internal event is a screen saver activation.

24. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the internal event is a keyboard timeout signal.

25. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the networked events include messages to begin redirection from computer systems other than the mobile data communication device, which are connected to the host system via a wired network.

26. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the mobile data communication device is a device selected from the group consisting of hand-held wireless paging computer, a wirelessly enabled palm-top computer, a mobile telephone with data message capabilities, and a wirelessly enabled laptop computer.

27. The method of

claim 11

, wherein the mobile data communication device is a device equipped to receive both voice and non-voice data messages.

28. The method of

claim 13

, wherein the host system includes a preferred list for limiting the redirection step to redirecting only those messages that are transmitted to the host system from a sender on the preferred list.

29. The method of

claim 28

, wherein a user can add and subtract senders from the preferred list.

30. The method of

claim 28

, wherein the preferred list is activated and deactivated at the host system.

31. The method of

claim 28

, wherein the preferred list is activated and deactivated by a command message transmitted from the mobile data communication device to the host system.

32. The method of

claim 29

, wherein the user can add and subtract senders from the preferred list by configuring the host system.

33. The method of

claim 29

, wherein the user can add and subtract senders from the preferred list by transmitting a command message from the mobile data communication device to the host system.

34. A method of forwarding message attachments, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic message at a host system, the electronic message including a message body and one or more attachments;

forwarding the message body and information regarding the identity and types of the one or more message attachments to a wireless mobile data communications device;

transmitting a command from the wireless mobile data communications device to the host system instructing the host system how to process the one or more attachments; and

,

in response to the command, the host system processing the one or more attachments by either forwarding the one or more attachments to the wireless mobile data communications device or forwarding the one or more attachments to an external device capable of processing the attachments.

35. A method of redirecting attachments from a host system to a mobile data communications device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of data items at the host system, the plurality of data items including one or more attachments;

determining an attachment type for each of the one or more attachments;

determining whether the mobile data communications device can receive and process the attachments based on the determined attachment type; and

if so, then redirecting the one or more attachments to the mobile data communications device, otherwise redirecting the attachments to an external machine that can process the attachments.

36. An attachment forwarding method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic message at a first system, the electronic message including an attachment having an attachment type;

redirecting the electronic message from the first system to a second system;

generating an attachment processing command at the second system and transmitting the attachment processing command to the first system; and

redirecting the attachment to the second system, or to an external machine compatible with the attachment type, or to both the second system and the external machine based upon the attachment processing command.

37. A redirection system, comprising:

a plurality of mobile data communication devices;

a plurality of configuration files associated with the mobile data communication devices, each configuration file including information regarding the capabilities of the mobile device;

a message server that receives data items having attachments;

a message redirector configured to redirect the received data items to the plurality of mobile data communication devices; and

an attachment detector that identifies one or more attachments associated with the data items, and based on the configured capabilities of the mobile device, either forwards the attachment to the mobile data communication device or redirects the attachment to an external device that is compatible with the attachment.