SERVER FOR COMMUNICATING WITH MULTI-MODE DEVICES USING MULTI-MODE APPLICATIONS

• US 20080311886A1
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,277,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Multi-mode communication devices capable of multiple wireless and/or wired network communication modes can be configured to communicate for backend services (e.g. Web Services, database, events) via a network gateway to operate in response to available modes. For example, for some activities, the devices are configured to communicate in any available mode while for other activities (e.g. high bandwidth communications), they are restricted to certain mode(s). Component applications for execution by the devices can specify message delivery properties to indicate the mode(s) to be used. The network gateway comprises at least one communication subsystem for communicating with the multi-mode device in accordance with selectable modes of communication; a message processor for processing messages for sending to the multi-mode communication device; and a mode selector for selecting a mode for sending a particular message in response to delivery mode properties received from the multi-mode communication device.

Claims

1. A communication network gateway server for communicating with a backend server for backend services on behalf of a multi-mode communication device, said communication network gateway server comprising:

at least one communication subsystem for communicating with the multi-mode communication device in accordance with at least one of multiple modes of communication;

a message processor for processing messages communicating with the multi-mode communication device; and

a mode selector for selecting a mode for sending a particular message in response to delivery mode properties received from the multi-mode communication device.

2. The communication network gateway server of claim 1 comprising a queue manager for queuing and managing message communications with the multi-mode communication device.

3. The communication network gateway server of claim 2 wherein the queue manager manages messages in accordance with timeout properties for delivering messages to the device thereby to reduce communication network gateway server resource consumption.

4. The communication network gateway server of claim 2 wherein the queue manager manages queues comprising pointers to message content for communicating to the device thereby to avoid storing the content at the server while waiting to communicate.

5. The communication network gateway server of claim 1 wherein a first of the modes of communication operates in accordance with a mobile telephone standard and a second of the modes of communications operates in accordance with a wireless LAN (wLAN) standard.

6. A method for a communication network gateway server to communicate with a backend server for backend services on behalf of a multi-mode communication device, said method comprising:

communicating with the multi-mode communication device in accordance with at least one of multiple modes of communication;

processing messages for sending to the multi-mode communication device; and

selecting a mode for sending a particular message in response to delivery mode properties received from the multi-mode communication device.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising queuing and managing message communications with the multi-mode communication device in accordance with the selected mode.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising at least one of:

(a) managing messages in accordance with timeout properties for delivering messages thereby to reduce communication network gateway server resource consumption; and

(b) managing queues comprising pointers to message content for communicating to the device thereby to reduce communication network gateway server resource consumption.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein a first of the modes of communication operates in accordance with a mobile telephone standard and a second of the modes of communications operates in accordance with a wireless LAN (wLAN) standard.

10. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor of a communication network gateway server cause the server to:

communicate with the multi-mode communication device in accordance with at least one of multiple modes of communication;

process messages for communicating with the multi-mode communication device; and

select a mode for sending a particular message in response to delivery mode properties received from the multi-mode communication device.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 comprising instructions which when executed by a processor of a communication network gateway server cause the server to queue and manage message communications with the multi-mode communication device in accordance with the selected mode.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 comprising instructions which when executed by a processor of a communication network gateway server cause the server to, at least one of:

(a) manage messages in accordance with timeout properties for delivering messages thereby to reduce communication network gateway server resource consumption; and

(b) manage queues comprising pointers to message content for communicating to the device thereby to reduce communication network gateway server resource consumption.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein a first of the modes of communication operates in accordance with a mobile telephone standard and a second of the modes of communications operates in accordance with a wireless LAN (wLAN) standard.