ACCESSING A DATA ITEM STORED IN AN UNAVAILABLE MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20110153668A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: WALKER, David Ryan, PASQUERO, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US12/641,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153668A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A method of retrieving a data item from a database synchronized with the contents of an unavailable mobile communication device. The owner of the unavailable mobile communication device uses a telephone such as a landline telephone, a cell phone or a VoIP telephone to call the number of the unavailable communication device. That is the owner calls his own telephone number. A server with access to the database provides the caller with options to retrieve the data item, which can be a contact name, a telephone number, an address, an email message, etc.

Claims

1. A method to access a data item stored in a database, the database being operationally connected to a server, the server being operationally connected to a wireless network, the method comprising, at the server:

receiving a call from a telephone subsequent a failed attempt from the wireless network to establish communication between the telephone and a mobile communication device;

sending to the telephone at least one data item identification option;

receiving from the telephone, an identification of the data item; and

in response to the identification of the data item, sending to the telephone at least one data item action option.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one data item action option includes one of:

sending the data item from the database to the telephone;

sending the data item from the database to a telephone number; and

sending the data item from the database to an email address.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein sending the data item from the database to the telephone includes one of spelling the data item and speaking the data item.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein sending the data item from the database to the telephone includes sending the data item as text to be displayed on the telephone.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein sending the data item from the database to a telephone number or to an email address is preceded by, at the server, receiving the telephone number or the email address from the telephone.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein sending the data item from the database to a telephone number or to an email address is preceded by, at the server, retrieving the telephone number or the email address from the database.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein sending to the telephone at least one data item identification option is preceded by, at the server:

in response to the call, sending to the telephone a data item access option; and

receiving from the telephone, a selection of the data item access option.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein sending to the telephone the data item access option includes sending at least one spoken data item access option selectable, at the telephone, through at least one of a pre-determined telephone key sequence and a voice command.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein sending to the telephone the at least one data item identification option includes sending at least one spoken data item identification option selectable, at the telephone, through at least one of a pre-determined telephone key sequence and a voice command.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the data item is one of a contact name, a telephone number, an email address, a memo, a calendar event, and a task list.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the data item is a telephone number and the at least one data item action option further includes, at the server, dialing the telephone number.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein sending to the telephone at least one data item identification option is preceded by, at the server,

sending to the telephone a user identification request to identify a user having permission to access the data item;

receiving a response to the user identification request; and

determining the response to be correct.

15. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the step of sending to the telephone at least one data item identification option is preceded by, at the server:

sending to the telephone a data item access option; and

receiving from the telephone, a selection of the data item access option.

13. A method to access a data item stored in a database, the data item being one of a contact name, a telephone number, an email address, a memo, a calendar event, and a task list, the database being operationally connected to a server, the server being operationally connected to a wireless network, the method comprising, at the server:

receiving a call from a telephone subsequent a failed attempt from the wireless network to establish communication between the telephone and a mobile communication device;

in response to the call, sending to the telephone a data item access option;

receiving from the telephone, a selection of the data item access option;

in response to the selection of the data item access option, sending to the telephone at least one data item identification option;

receiving from the telephone, an identification of the data item; and

in response to the identification of the data item, sending to the telephone at least one data item action option.

14. A tangible computer readable medium having recorded thereon statements and instructions for execution by a computer of a method to access a data item stored in a database, the database being operationally connected to a server, the server being operationally connected to a wireless network, the method comprising, at the server:

receiving a call from a telephone subsequent a failed attempt from the wireless network to establish communication between the telephone and a mobile communication device;

sending to the telephone at least one data item identification option;

receiving from the telephone, an identification of the data item; and

in response to the identification of the data item, sending to the telephone at least one data item action option.

16. A server operationally connected to a database and to a wireless network, the database containing a data item, the server comprising:

a transceiver operable to;

receive a call from a telephone subsequent a failed attempt from the wireless network to establish communication between the telephone and a mobile communication device;

send to the telephone at least one data item identification option;

receive from the telephone, an identification of the data item; and

in response to the identification of the data item, send to the telephone at least one data item action option.

17. The server of claim 16 wherein the transceiver is also operable to, before sending to the telephone at least one data item identification option:

send to the telephone a data item access option; and

receive from the telephone, a selection of the data item access option.