PROXY FOR ENABLING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MOBILE DEVICE AND GAME SERVICE

• US 20060259623A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cahill, John, Crawford, Lee
• Application Number:
  US11/383,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20060259623A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable

Abstract

A system and method are directed towards managing communication with an online service on behalf of a device that may have intermittent communication. A proxy server provides a reliable communication session with the online service, such as a game service, and relays information between the online service and an intermittent communication device, such as a mobile terminal. The proxy server stores messages and/or other information from the online service while the intermittent communication device is not communicating with the proxy server. The proxy server may manage the communication upon request from the intermittent communication device, the online service, or from another source such as a portal with which the intermittent communication device communicates. The proxy server uses a table of unique identifiers to map messages between multiple intermittent communication devices and one or more online services. Proxy communication may terminate after a command or an elapsed time of interrupted communication.

Claims

1. A method for managing communication between an intermittent communication device and an online service, comprising:

receiving a request for communication between the intermittent communication device and the online service;

establishing a proxy communication session with the online service;

receiving from the online service, a message intended for the intermittent communication device;

establishing temporary communication with the intermittent communication device; and

sending the message to the intermittent communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermittent communication device comprises at least one of the following;

a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, and a mobile game device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from an online portal service which is in communication with the intermittent communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received in response to a notification that another client device is communicating with the online service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the notification is initiated by a game probe that detects execution of a predefined file on the other client device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the message until the intermittent communication device requests the temporary communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the proxy communication session remains active until one of:

receiving an instruction from the intermittent communication device to terminate the proxy communication session; and

a predefined period has elapsed since communicating with the intermittent communication device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the online service comprises a game service.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a client message from the intermittent communication device, wherein the client message is intended for the online service; and

sending the client message to the online service.

10. A computer readable medium, comprising executable instructions for performing actions, including:

receiving a request for communication between the intermittent communication device and the online service;

establishing a proxy communication session with the online service;

receiving from the online service, a message intended for the intermittent communication device;

establishing temporary communication with the intermittent communication device; and

sending the message to the intermittent communication device.

11. A modulated data signal for communicating data over a network, the modulated data signal comprising instructions that enable a computing device to perform the actions of:

receiving a request for communication between the intermittent communication device and the online service;

establishing a proxy communication session with the online service;

receiving from the online service, a message intended for the intermittent communication device;

establishing temporary communication with the intermittent communication device; and

sending the message to the intermittent communication device.

12. A server device for managing communication between an intermittent communication device and an online service, comprising:

a communication interface in communication with the intermittent communication device and the online service;

a memory for storing instructions and data; and

a processor in communication with the communication interface and with the memory, wherein the processor performs actions based at least in part on the stored instructions, including;

receiving a request for communication between the intermittent communication device and the online service;

establishing a proxy communication session with the online service;

receiving from the online service, a message intended for the intermittent communication device;

establishing temporary communication with the intermittent communication device; and

sending the message to the intermittent communication device.

13. The server device of claim 12, wherein the communication interface is further in communication with an online portal service and the request is received from the online portal service which is also in communication with the intermittent communication device.

14. The server device of claim 12, wherein the request is received in response to a notification that another client device is communicating with the online service.

15. The server device of claim 12, wherein the instructions causes the processor to further perform the actions of:

associating the message with a unique identifier that represents the intermittent communication device;

storing the message and the unique identifier; and

detecting establishment of the temporary communication with the intermittent communication device.

16. The server device of claim 12, wherein the proxy communication session remains active until one of:

receiving an instruction from the intermittent communication device to terminate the proxy communication session; and

a predefined period has elapsed since communicating with the intermittent communication device.

17. The server device of claim 12, wherein the online service comprises a game service.

18. The server device of claim 12, wherein the instructions causes the processor to further perform the actions of:

receiving a client message from the intermittent communication device, wherein the client message is intended for the online service; and

sending the client message to the online service.

19. A client device for communicating with an online service, comprising:

a communication interface in communication with a proxy server;

a memory for storing instructions; and

a processor in communication with the communication interface and with the memory, wherein the processor performs actions based at least in part on the stored instructions, including;

sending a request for communication with the online service;

establishing temporary communication with the proxy server; and

receiving message from the proxy server that was received by the proxy server from the online service, wherein the proxy server has a proxy communication session with the online service.

20. The client device of claim 19, wherein the client device comprises at least one of the following;

a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, and a mobile game device.