Virtual private wireless network implementing message delivery preferences of the user

• US 6,618,763 B1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ebm/Ip, Llc
• Original Assignee: Inphonic Incorporated (Simplexity)
• Inventors: Steinberg, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/777,046
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246, 709/232, 379/67, 379/89, 379/93.24, 379/100.08, 455/3.01, 455/412, 455/557
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• 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 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A virtual private wireless network in which wireless devices according to the present invention includes at least one wireless device having a screen for displaying received text and an intelligent information interconnect device integrating voice messaging, email, and fax services into a single access point.

The information interconnect device includes a centralized directory database storing identifying information regarding the wireless devices, and further storing delivery preference hierarchy information for delivering content to the wireless devices. A user interface is provided for specifying criteria used to select at least one device ID from the centralized database, and a message delivery system is provided for searching the centralized database using the specified criteria and transmitting information to the wireless device(s) using the delivery preference hierarchy information.

Claims

1. A virtual private wireless network, comprising:

at least one wireless device having a screen for displaying received text;

an intelligent information interconnect device integrating voice messaging, email, and fax services into a single access point;

a centralized directory database storing identifying information regarding said wireless device, and storing a delivery preference hierarchy information for delivering content to said wireless device;

a user interface for specifying criteria used to select at least one device ID from said centralized database;

a message delivery system, searching said centralized database using said criteria to determine at least one device ID, and transmitting information to said wireless device(s) corresponding to said selected device ID using said delivery preference hierarchy information; and

a translation services module which translates a format of said content to a format compatible with a selected wireless device, said translation services module performing one or more operations on said content selected from the group of clipping, transcoding, and decoding prior to transmitting said content to said wireless device in accordance with device information stored in said centralized directory database.

2. The virtual private wireless network according to claim 1, wherein said user interface is a web page accessible via a communications network.

3. The virtual private wireless network according to claim 2, wherein only a predetermined subset of said centralized directory database is accessible to a given user, and said message delivery system searches said predetermined subset to select said device ID.

4. The virtual private wireless network according to claim 1, wherein said user interface is a menu structure compatible with a touch tone phone.

5. The virtual private wireless network according to claim 1, further comprising:

a content database storing said content as content; and

a content management system managing content data stored in said content database, and providing selected said content data to said message delivery system;

said content management system further managing content subscription lists for each of said wireless devices;

said content management system selectively providing content to said message delivery system in response to one of a request from said user interface and subscription information contained in said content subscription lists.

6. The virtual private wireless network according to claim 1, wherein said intelligent information interconnect device receives data in a first delivery format from a message originator including identification information used to identify a given said wireless device, and delivers said received data to said wireless device in a second delivery format, wherein said second delivery format is independent of said first delivery format.

7. The virtual private wireless network of claim 1, wherein said translation services module performs clipping, transcoding and decoding.

8. The virtual private wireless network of claim 1, wherein said one wireless device is capable of receiving messages in a variety of content formats, and wherein said delivery preference hierarchy information includes a user'"'"'s preference relating to an order of content format types that is used to send messages to said one wireless device.

9. The virtual private wireless network of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wireless devices providing a plurality of content formats, and wherein said delivery preference hierarchy information indicates the order in which said wireless devices of said plurality of wireless devices are to be sent messages determined by a user selected order of content formats.

10. A virtual wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of wireless devices;

an application server;

a user interface accessible to said plurality of wireless devices for entering information into said application server;

a directory database accessible to said application server, said directory database storing user information, device information for each said user, and delivery preference hierarchy information for each said user;

a content database storing content;

a content management system for managing content stored in said content database, said content management system being responsive to requests entered in said user interface; and

a translation services module which translates a format of said content to a format compatible with a selected wireless device, said translation services module performing one or more operations on said content selected from the group of clipping, transcoding, and decoding prior to transmitting said content to said wireless device in accordance with said device information stored in said directory database.

11. The virtual wireless network according to claim 10, comprising a security system providing access to said application server only to wireless devices defined in said directory database.

12. The virtual wireless network according to claim 10, wherein

a delivery format of content received for delivery to said wireless devices is independent of a delivery format in which said content is provided to said wireless devices.

13. The virtual private wireless network of claim 10, wherein said translation services module performs clipping, transcoding and decoding.

14. The virtual wireless network of claim 10, wherein said selected wireless device is capable of receiving messages in a variety of content formats, and wherein said delivery preference hierarchy information includes the user'"'"'s preference relating to an order of content format types that is used to send messages to said selected wireless device.

15. The virtual wireless network of claim 10, wherein said plurality of wireless devices provides a plurality of content formats, and wherein said delivery preference hierarchy information indicates the order in which said wireless devices of said plurality of wireless devices are to be sent messages determined by a user selected order of content formats.

16. A virtual network for wireless devices, comprising:

an application server having an interface for entering wireless device information and delivery preference hierarchy information specifying at least one content format used to deliver content to the wireless device;

a directory database storing said wireless device information and said delivery preference hierarchy information entered into said application server interface;

said application server receiving content from a message originator, identifying the wireless device(s) to which said received content is directed, and delivering said received content to the wireless devices in accordance with said delivery preference information for each wireless device;

a content database storing content;

a content management system for managing content stored in said content database, said content management system being responsive to requests entered in said user interface; and

a translation services module which translates a format of said content to a format compatible with a selected wireless device, said translation services module performing one or more operations on said content selected from the group of clipping, transcoding, and decoding prior to transmitting said content to said wireless device in accordance with said wireless device information stored in said directory database.

17. The virtual private wireless network of claim 16, wherein said translation services module performs clipping, transcoding and decoding.

18. The virtual network of claim 16, wherein said selected wireless device is capable of receiving messages in a variety of content formats, and wherein said delivery preference hierarchy information includes a user'"'"'s preference relating to an order of content format types that is used to send messages to said selected wireless device.

19. The virtual network of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of wireless devices providing a plurality of content formats, and wherein a user'"'"'s delivery preference hierarchy information indicates the order in which said wireless devices of said plurality of wireless devices are to be sent messages determined by a user selected order of content formats.