Method and system for enhanced messaging

• US 20080261636A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C. Douglass Thomas, Chung Lau
• Original Assignee: C. Douglass Thomas, Chung Lau
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Douglass, Lau, Chung
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3058 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring environmental properties or parameters of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring of power, currents, temperature, humidity, position, vibrations thermal management in cooling arrangements of a computing system G06F1/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 : relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 : specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 : Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

Techniques for acquiring, sending, receiving or using status information from a remote location over a network are disclosed. The status information is transmitted over the network between or among electronic devices. The status information can be provided by one or more sensors associated with the electronic device that is transmitting the status information. The status information can be transmitted with messages so as to enhance the messages. The electronic devices include at least computing devices, such as personal computers, personal digital assistants, pagers, and mobile telephones.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computing device for communicating between users of mobile communication devices, said method comprising:

obtaining a message at a first mobile communication device to be delivered to a second mobile communication device;

acquiring status information at the first mobile communication device, the status information including at least position information associated with the first mobile communication device;

associating the status information to the message; and

sending the message along with the status information from the first mobile communication device to the second mobile communication device,

wherein the message is from a user of the first mobile communication device, and the message is to be delivered to another user via the second mobile communication device, and

wherein the message contains content chosen by the user of the first mobile communication device and the message is distinct from the status information.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said associating of the status information to the message attaches the status information to the message.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said associating of the status information to the message embeds the status information within the message.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first mobile communication device is a first mobile telephone, and the second mobile communication device is a second mobile telephone.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the position information is acquired by a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver within to the first mobile communication device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the message is a text message, and wherein the content chosen by the user of the first mobile communication device includes test.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the text message is a SMS text message.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method comprises:

displaying a graphical indication at the first mobile communication device that indicates whether the position information is being acquired.

9. A method implemented by a computing device for communicating between users of mobile communication devices, said method comprising:

obtaining a message at a first mobile communication device to be delivered to a second mobile communication device;

acquiring status information at the first mobile communication device, the status information including at least position information associated with the first mobile communication device;

determining whether the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device; and

if said determining determines that the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device, (i) associating the status information to the message, and (ii) sending the message along with the status information from the first mobile communication device to the second mobile communication device,

wherein the message is from a user of the first mobile communication device, and the message is to be delivered to another user via the second mobile communication device, and

wherein the message contains text chosen by the user of the first mobile communication device and the message is distinct from the status information.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein if said determining determines that the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is not authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device, sending the message without the status information to the second mobile communication device.

11. A method as recited in claim 9,

wherein the first mobile communication device has access to a list of authorized recipients that are authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device, and

wherein said determining of whether the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device comprises checking whether the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is on the list of authorized recipients.

12. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said method comprises:

presenting a graphical user interface at the first mobile communication device enable the user thereof to block the status information from being sent to the second mobile communication device with messages being sent to any recipients.

13. A method for displaying a message on a display for a user of a wireless communication device, said method comprising:

receiving a message from another wireless communication device over a network;

determining whether the message includes at least status information;

extracting the status information from the message when said determining determines that the message includes at least the status information; and

displaying the message and at least one representation of the status information on the display following said extracting when said determining determines that the message includes at least the status information,

wherein the message is initiated by a user of the another wireless communication device, wherein the message contains text chosen by the user of the another computing device, and wherein the message is different from the status information.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the status information further includes at least a received position information associated with the another wireless communication device, and

wherein said method further comprises:

determining, based on the received position, relative position of the another wireless communication device with respect to a position of the wireless communication device; and

displaying an indication of the relative position on the wireless communication device.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the relative position includes at least a distance from the wireless communication device to the another wireless communication device.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the relative position includes at least a distance and a direction from the wireless communication device to the another wireless communication device.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the movement of the another wireless communication device can be categorized into a type of movement, and

wherein said method further comprises:

processing the status information to categorize the type of movement pertaining to the another wireless communication device.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

displaying a graphical indication of the type of movement.

19. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said displaying displays a graphical representation of the status information.

20. A method implemented by a computing device for communicating between users of mobile communication devices, said method comprising:

obtaining a message at a first mobile communication device to be delivered to a plurality of other mobile communication devices;

acquiring status information at the first mobile communication device, the status information including at least position information associated with the first mobile communication device;

determining whether the plurality of other mobile communication devices or users thereof are authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device; and

if said determining determines that the plurality of other mobile communication devices or users thereof are authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device, broadcasting the message along with the status information from the first mobile communication device to each of the plurality of other mobile communication devices,

wherein the message is from a user of the first mobile communication device, and

wherein the message contains content chosen by the user of the first mobile communication device and the message is distinct from the status information.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the message is a SMS message, and wherein the content chosen by the user of the first mobile communication device includes text.

22. A computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code tangibly stored therein for communicating between users of mobile communication devices, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a message at a first mobile communication device to be delivered to a second mobile communication device;

computer program code for acquiring status information at the first mobile communication device, the status information including at least position information associated with the first mobile communication device;

computer program code for determining whether the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device;

computer program code for associating the status information to the message if it is determined that that the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device; and

computer program code for sending the message along with the status information from the first mobile communication device to the second mobile communication device if it is determined that that the second mobile communication device or a user thereof is authorized to obtain the status information of the first mobile communication device,

wherein the message is from a user of the first mobile communication device, and the message is to be delivered to another user via the second mobile communication device, and

wherein the message contains text chosen by the user of the first mobile communication device and the message is distinct from the status information.

23. A computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code tangibly stored therein for displaying a message on a display for a user of a wireless communication device, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a message from another wireless communication device over a network;

computer program code for determining whether the message includes at least status information;

computer program code for extracting the status information from the message when said determining determines that the message includes at least the status information; and

computer program code for displaying the message and at least one representation of the status information on the display when said computer program code for determining determines that the message includes at least the status information,

wherein the message is initiated by a user of the another wireless communication device, wherein the message contains content chosen by the user of the another computing device, and wherein the message is different from the status information.