Methods of Remotely Updating Lists in Mobile Terminals and Related Systems and Computer Program Products

• US 20090029693A1
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Liwell, Marcus, Baard, Henrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Operating a mobile terminal may include providing a list in memory of the mobile terminal with the list including at least one identification of a communications device remote from the mobile terminal. An update for the list may be received from outside the mobile terminal over a wireless link, and the list may be automatically updated in the memory of the mobile terminal after receiving the update from outside the mobile terminal. Communications may then be moderated based on the list in the memory. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

providing a whitelist/blacklist in memory of the mobile terminal wherein the whitelist/blacklist includes at least one identification of a communications device remote from the mobile terminal;

receiving an update for the whitelist/blacklist from outside the mobile terminal over a wireless link;

automatically updating the whitelist/blacklist in the memory of the mobile terminal after receiving the update from outside the mobile terminal; and

moderating communications based on the whitelist/blacklist in the memory.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the whitelist/blacklist comprises a whitelist for a specified communications interaction, and wherein moderating communications comprises allowing the specified communications interaction with remote communications devices having respective identifications included in the whitelist.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the whitelist/blacklist comprises a blacklist for a specified communications interaction, and wherein moderating communication comprises blocking the specified communications interaction with remote communications devices having respective identifications included in the blacklist.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein moderating communications comprises moderating provision of an identification of the mobile terminal with a remote communications device based on the whitelist/blacklist in the memory.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein moderating communications comprises moderating acceptance of a specified data type at the mobile terminal from a remote communications device based on the whitelist/blacklist in the memory.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein moderating communications comprises blocking communications with a remote communications device based on the whitelist/blacklist in the memory.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving the update comprises receiving a new identification of a communications device remote from the mobile terminal not previously included in the whitelist/blacklist, and wherein automatically updating the whitelist/blacklist comprises adding the new identification to the whitelist/blacklist in memory without user intervention after receiving the update from outside the mobile terminal.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving the update comprises receiving an existing identification of a communications device remote from the mobile terminal already included in the whitelist/blacklist, and wherein automatically updating the whitelist/blacklist comprises removing the existing identification from the whitelist/blacklist in memory without user intervention after receiving the update from outside the mobile terminal.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving the update comprises receiving an identification of a communications device remote from the mobile terminal together with a time constraint associated with the identification of the communications device remote from the user terminal.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before receiving an update for the whitelist/blacklist, establishing a communication with a remote server using a browser application of the mobile terminal, wherein receiving the update comprises receiving the update from the remote server using the browser application.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein receiving the update from the remote server comprises receiving the update as a content object.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the content object comprises a Ticket object.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the content object has an MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving the update comprises receiving the update according to an HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) protocol and/or an OBEX (OBject EXchange) protocol.

15. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before automatically updating the whitelist/blacklist, verifying that the update is received from a trusted source.

16. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving the update comprises receiving the update in a message provided according to a radiotelephone communications protocol.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein receiving the update comprises receiving the update in an SMS (Short Message Service) message.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein providing a whitelist/blacklist comprises providing first and second whitelists/blacklists with each whitelist/blacklist including at least one identification of a communications device remote from the mobile terminal, wherein receiving an update comprises receiving a first update for the first whitelist/blacklist from a first source remote from the mobile terminal and receiving a second update for the second whitelist/blacklist from a second source remote from the mobile terminal, and wherein automatically updating the whitelist/blacklist comprises automatically updating the first whitelist/blacklist using the first update received from the first source and automatically updating the second whitelist/blacklist using the second update received from the second source.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising blocking updating the first whitelist/blacklist responsive to updates received from the second source and blocking updating the second whitelist/blacklist responsive to updates received from the first source.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein the first whitelist/blacklist is associated with a first verification and the second whitelist/blacklist is associated with a second verification different than the first verification, wherein automatically updating the first whitelist/blacklist includes verifying the first update according to the first verification, and wherein automatically updating the second whitelist/blacklist includes verifying the second update according to the second verification.

21. A method according to claim 20 wherein the first update comprises a first ticket object including a first signaling portion, wherein the second update comprises a second ticket object including a second signaling portion, wherein verifying the first update comprises verifying the first update using the first signaling portion according to the first verification, and wherein verifying the second update comprises verifying the second update using the second signaling portion according to the first verification.

22. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

providing a radiotelephone communication with another terminal.

23. A method according to claim 1 wherein the whitelist/blacklist includes a plurality of identifications corresponding to a respective plurality of communications devices remote from the mobile terminal, wherein the update includes one of the identifications and an activity type, and wherein automatically updating the whitelist/blacklist comprises updating the whitelist/blacklist based on the identification and the activity type included in the update.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the activity type includes one of a delete activity type, a modify activity type, or an add activity type.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein the activity type includes the delete activity type and wherein updating the whitelist/blacklist comprises deleting the identification included in the update from the whitelist/blacklist.

26. A method according to claim 24 wherein the activity type includes the modify activity type, and wherein updating the whitelist/blacklist comprises modifying information in the whitelist/blacklist associated with the identification included in the update.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein the update includes a time constraint and wherein modifying information in the whitelist/blacklist includes providing the time constraint for the identification in the whitelist/blacklist.

28. A method according to claim 24 wherein the activity type includes the add activity type, and wherein updating the whitelist/blacklist comprises adding the identification included in the update to the whitelist/blacklist.