SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACCESSING INFORMATION PROCESSOR SERVICES FROM A MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20090106380A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mousseau, Gary P., Lazaridis, Mihal, Asthana, Atul
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• 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 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• 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: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

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 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 particular user-defined events, and then to repackage the user-selected data items in an electronic wrapper prior to pushing the data items to the mobile device. The system includes information processing components for identifying one or more information processors in the vicinity of the mobile device and then routing an attachment or information from the host system, the device or an external information source to a selected information processor.

Claims

1. A method of processing information with an information processor using a mobile communication device, comprising the steps of:

obtaining at the mobile communication device, a unique identifier associated with the information processor;

receiving one or more messages at the mobile communication device;

querying a service information provider using the unique identifier to obtain service information, the service information including at least one service address associated with a service provided by the information processor; and

sending a communication signal that includes the one or more messages from the mobile communication device to the information processor using the at least one service address obtained from the service information provider, enabling the information processor to perform an information processing operation in response to the communication signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a network address of the information processor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the service information provider includes one or more service addresses linked to the network address of the information processor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining a unique identifier is performed using a wireless communication exchange between the mobile communication device and the information processor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication exchange is a short-range RF communication exchange.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication exchange is an infrared communication exchange.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the service information provider directory associates a plurality of information processors by location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the service information provider directory associates a plurality of information processors by service type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the querying step comprises the step of transmitting a query from the mobile communication device to the service information provider directory via a wide area network.

10. The method of claim 11, wherein the wide area network is the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication signal includes information to be processed by the information processor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information to be processed comprises an electronic mail message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the information to be processed further comprises an attachment.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication signal comprises a processing command to control the information processing operation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication signal further comprises information to be processed by the information processor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the communication signal further comprises a reference locator for information to be processed; and

the step of performing a processing operation comprises the step of retrieving the information to be processed using the reference locator.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one service address is a network address associated with a communication network;

the mobile communication device is configured to send information to and receive information from a wireless communication network; and

the step of sending a communication signal comprises the step of sending the communication signal to the information processor via the wireless communication network and the communication network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the communication network is the Internet; and

the at least one service address is an IP address or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the service information provider is coupled to the communication network.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one service address is an electronic mail address.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the information processing operation comprises a printing operation.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the information processing operation comprises a translation operation.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the translation operation translates information into a format that can be processed by the mobile communication device; and

the method further comprises the step of sending translated information from the information processor to the mobile communication device.

24. A method of remotely controlling a remote device using a mobile communication device, comprising:

creating an electronic message on the mobile communication device, the electronic message including a control file;

transmitting the electronic message to a wireless network for delivery to a relay system that provides a communication link between the wireless network and an information processor via a computer network; and

wherein the control file is configured to be used by the information processor to control an operation of the remote device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the information processor is included in a control system of the remote device.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the control file is an attachment to the electronic message.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the control file is converted into an executable format by the information processor.

28. A system for remotely controlling a remote device, comprising:

a mobile communication device configured to create an electronic message that includes a control file;

the mobile communication device being further configured to transmit the electronic message to a wireless network for delivery to a relay system that provides a communication link between the wireless network and a computer network;

the electronic message being for transmission by the relay system to the computer network for delivery to an information processor; and

the control file included in the electronic message for use by the information processor to control an operation of the remote device.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the information processor is included in a control system of the remote device.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the control file is an attachment to the electronic message.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the control file is converted into an executable format by the information processor.

32. A method of controlling an information processor by a mobile communication device, comprising:

receiving an electronic message that identifies an associated attachment available at the information processor;

receiving at least one service address associated with the information processor from a service information provider; and

transmitting a communication signal for delivery to the information processor using the service address, wherein the communication signal includes information identifying the associated attachment;

wherein the communication signal enables processing of the associated attachment at the information processor.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the communication signal includes a reference locator for the associated attachment, and wherein the reference locator enables the information processor to retrieve the attachment from a host system.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the communication signal enables the transfer of the attachment from the host system to the information processor.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of sending a communication signal includes the step of sending the communication signal from the mobile communication device to the information processor via the host system.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of receiving an electronic message includes the step of receiving the attachment at the mobile communication device.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a notification at the mobile communication device that the processing operation has been performed by the information processor.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving the electronic message at the mobile communication device in an encrypted format; and

decrypting the electronic message after it is received at the mobile communication device.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the information identifying the attachment includes a file name of the attachment.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the information identifying attachment includes a file size of the attachment.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the information identifying the attachment includes a file type of the attachment.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the host system includes an electronic mail server and a plurality of electronic mailboxes, and wherein at least one of the electronic mailboxes is associated with the mobile communication device.