FILTERING OF ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TO BE TRANSFERRED TO A TERMINAL

• US 20120244893A1
• Filed: 04/02/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Matti Salmi
• Inventors: SALMI, Matti
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,398 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A device, a terminal and a method are shown for filtering electronic information to be transferred to the terminal through a telecommunication connection. A specific filtering parameter (30-32) is attached to the electronic information by the transferring device for the purpose of filtering before the electronic information is transferred to the terminal through the connection, and informing the terminal of the filtering parameter (30-32) before the information is transferred through the connection. In the terminal, the informed filtering parameter (30-32) is checked and receipt of the information allowed or prevented on the basis of the filtering parameter (30-32). If allowed, the electronic information is transferred to the terminal through the connection, and if prevented, the information is not transferred to the terminal through the connection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing by a network element a specific filtering parameter in association with a multimedia message addressed to a recipient; and

transferring by the network element the specific filtering parameter to an apparatus of the recipient over a cellular telecommunication connection so as to enable filtering by the apparatus of the multimedia message before the multimedia message is transferred to the apparatus through the telecommunication connection;

wherein the filtering parameter is configured to automatically allow the apparatus to either prevent or allow a transfer of the multimedia message to the apparatus over the telecommunication connection on the basis of said filtering parameter.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising waiting by the network element for a response from the apparatus to allow the transfer of the multimedia message or prevent the transfer of the multimedia message.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising transmitting by the network element the multimedia message through the telecommunication connection to an apparatus if the response is positive or if no negative response is received.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing by the network element the apparatus through the telecommunication connection to check the filtering parameter before the multimedia message is transferred to the apparatus.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said filtering parameter comprises information on at least one class of a number of predetermined classes, on the basis of which the multimedia message has been classified into said class.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said filtering parameter further comprises information for identifying an original source of the multimedia message.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said filtering parameter further comprises information for identifying a content of the multimedia message.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said at least one class denotes whether the multimedia message is one of the following:

a personal message, a commercial advertisement and information relating to a specific subject.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the filtering parameter further comprises information for identifying a content of the multimedia message.

10. A network element comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the network element at least to perform the method of claim 1.

11. A computer readable medium comprising computer program code for execution by at least one processor for causing a network element at least to perform the method of claim 1.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a filtering parameter over the cellular telecommunication connection using a connectionless push method via the radio part.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a radio part configured to enable receiving electronic information through a cellular telecommunication connection; and

a processor configured to receive a filtering parameter over the cellular telecommunication connection via the radio part, which filtering parameter is related to the electronic information;

wherein the processor is further configured to automatically allow or prevent the receiving of the electronic information on the basis of said filtering parameter and the apparatus is arranged not to receive the electronic information through the cellular telecommunication connection when the filtering parameter denotes the electronic information being prevented.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a user interface for marking in advance the receiving of the electronic information as being allowed or prevented on the basis of a specific filtering parameter;

wherein the processor is further configured to compare the received filtering parameter to said marking made in advance; and

said apparatus is arranged to receive the electronic information through the cellular telecommunication connection only when said comparison shows the receiving of the electronic information being allowed.

15. A method comprising:

receiving by an apparatus of a recipient to whom electronic information is addressed a filtering parameter associated with electronic information that is to be received through a cellular telecommunication connection;

automatically allowing or preventing receiving of the electronic information on the basis of the filtering parameter; and

preventing the receiving of the electronic information through the cellular telecommunication connection if the filtering parameter denotes the electronic information as information whose receipt is to be prevented.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the filtering parameter comprises the information on at least one class of a number of classes agreed on in advance, on the basis of which the electronic information has been classified into the class, the class denoting whether the electronic information is a personal message, a commercial advertisement or information relating to a specific subject.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the electronic information comprises a header part and a base part, and the filtering parameter is included in the header part of the electronic information, further comprising:

the apparatus first reading the filtering parameter in the header part; and

the apparatus receiving the base part of the electronic information only if the apparatus allows the receiving of the electronic information.

18. The method according to claims 15, wherein the filtering parameter is received over a cellular telecommunication connection using a connectionless push method.

19. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform the method of claim 15.

20. A computer readable medium comprising computer program code for execution by at least one processor for causing an apparatus at least to perform the method of claim 15.