System, computer product and method for interfacing with a private communication portal from a wireless device

• US 6,938,076 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2001
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 01 Communique Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: 01 Communique Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Meyer, Steven P, Cheung, Andrew, Nascimento, Pedro P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAFORGIA, CHRISTIAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/953,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20020174195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/206, 709/229, 709/217, 709/223, 709/224, 709/228, 709/249, 370/469, 340/531
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A system for providing provisioning and operation at a wireless device comprising a first computer comprising a communication facility adapted to communicate information to remote computers and the wireless device; a second computer comprising a locating facility for locating the first computer; and a wireless device comprising a microprocessor and a mobile communication facility; wherein the first computer, the second computer and the wireless device are connected to the Internet; wherein the locating facility is adapted to facilitate communication between the first computer and the wireless device; and wherein the first computer and the wireless device are adapted to permit a user of the wireless device to access information at the first computer from the wireless device.

Claims

1. A system for providing access to a remote computer with a dynamic IP address from a wireless device comprising:

(a) a first computer linked to the Internet and associated with a dynamic IP address, the first computer being further linked to a notification facility, a data communication facility and a database, wherein the notification facility is adapted to create and send a notification that includes data for locating the first computer;

(b) a second locator server computer linked to the Internet, associated with a static IP address, and including a locating facility for locating the first computer; and

(c) a wireless device linked to the Internet including a mobile communication facility and a command operation facility linked to the mobile communication facility, wherein;

(i) the mobile communication facility is adapted to receive the notification from the first computer;

(ii) the command operation facility is adapted to act on the notification to create a request to the first computer that includes the data for locating the first computer; and

(iii) the mobile communication facility is adapted to send the request to the second locator server computer thereby initiating the second locator server computer to locate the first computer, the second locator server computer enabling the mobile communication facility to create a communication session between the first computer and the wireless device, and thereby providing access to the functions of the data communication facility and the database from the wireless device.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first computer is linked to the Internet directly or via an Internet gateway/proxy.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wireless device further includes a display facility for displaying information communicated to the wireless device by the first computer.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile communication facility is adapted to permit a user of the wireless device to send commands to the first computer.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the notification communicated by the first computer includes event notifications.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the command operation facility is adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on the event notifications by sending commands to the first computer.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the commands sent by the wireless device to the first computer include commands for selecting information available at the first computer, and commands to the first computer to procure information from the database and to communicate such information to the wireless device.

8. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the event notification includes a structured notification comprising a plurality of fields characterized by:

(a) a first message identifier identifying the beginning of a message;

(b) an event reference identifying the nature of the event precipitating the event notification;

(c) a login name identifying the user of the wireless device;

(d) a computer name identifying the first computer,

(e) a locator name identifying the location of the second locator server computer; and

(f) a second message identifier identifying the end of the message.,

wherein the plurality of fields are adapted to instruct;

the second locator sewer computer to locate the first computer and redirect the wireless device to the first computer;

the first computer to access information requested by the user; and

the first computer to communicate information to the wireless device.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data communication facility is adapted to interface with a plurality of information generating facilities, wherein the information generating facilities are adapted to generate information, and the communication facility is adapted to communicate the information generated by the information generating facilities to the wireless device.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the information generating facilities include messaging facilities, monitoring facilities and database facilities.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the data communication facility includes a unified messaging and monitoring facility that is adapted to communicate information to the wireless device upon the occurrence of specific events.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the wireless device is adapted to run a browser application, and the mobile communication facility is adapted to support an interface to point the browser application to the second locator server computer.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the mobile communication facility is adapted to convert an event notification into a Universal Resource Locator.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first computer includes a web server, and wherein the web server is adapted to process requests received from the wireless device and provide such requests to the unified messaging and monitoring facility for processing.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the mobile communication facility includes a smart client application that includes a notification display facility for displaying the event notifications received by the wireless device, a data display facility for displaying data received by the wireless device from the second locator server computer or the first computer.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the mobile communication facility further includes a preferences management facility for defining and managing a plurality of preferences in regard to the provisioning of the wireless device based on data obtained from the first computer.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first computer is adapted to obtain login data from the user of the wireless devices so as to authorize the user of the wireless device for communication of information from the first computer to the wireless device.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the information obtained at the wireless device from the first computer includes e-mail, facsimiles, electronic voice mails, images, video data, executable program code, audio data, formatted data or raw binary data.

19. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the database includes messages, contact information, data files and video images.

20. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second locator server computer includes a directory service program.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the directory service program includes a dynamic directory and the contents thereof, and the dynamic directory is adapted for dynamic modification of the contents.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the directory service program includes a database management utility that utilizes one or more access protocols.

23. A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the database management utility utilizes the lightweight directory access protocol.

31. The computer program product, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the mobile communication facility is adapted to permit a user of the wireless device to send commands to the first computer.

24. A method of enabling communications between a wireless device and a remote computer with a dynamic IP address, the remote computer including a notification facility, a data communication facility and a database, the method comprising:

(a) Receiving a notification at the wireless device from the remote computer;

(b) Acting on the notification by initiating a command operation facility linked to the wireless device to create a request to the first computer that includes the data for locating the first computer; and

(c) Sending the request to a second locator server computer having a static IP address, thereby initiating the second locator server computer to locate the first computer, the second locator server computer enabling the creation of a communication session between the first computer and the wireless device, thereby providing access to the functions of the data communication facility and to the database from the wireless device.

25. The method claimed in claim 24, further including the step of including in the request to the first computer, a request for particular data included in the database.

26. The method claimed in claim 25, wherein the notification includes an event notification defined by the notification facility.

27. The method claimed in claim 26, wherein the event notification includes a structured notification.

28. The method claimed in claim 27, wherein the command operation facility acts on the structured notification to include in the request based on the structured notification:

(a) the name of the first computer to enable the second locator server computer to locate the first computer;

(b) login information associated with a user of the wireless device to enable access to the first computer; and

(c) data identifiers that identify particular data included in the database requested by the user of the wireless device.

29. A computer program product for use an a wireless device, linked to the Internet, for accessing a first computer, linked to the Internet and having a dynamic IP address and a data communication facility, the computer program product comprising:

(a) a computer usable medium;

(b) computer readable program code recorded on the computer useable medium, the computer readable program code defining a mobile communication facility and a command operation facility linked to the mobile communication facility, wherein;

(i) the mobile communication facility is adapted to receive a notification from the first computer;

(ii) the command operation facility is adapted to act on the notification to create a request to the first computer that includes the data for locating the first computer; and

(iii) the mobile communication facility is adapted to send the request to a second locator server computer, linked to the Internet and associated with a static IP address, and including a locating facility, wherein the request initiates the second locator server computer to locate the first computer, the second locator server computer enabling the mobile communication facility to create a communication session between the first computer and the wireless device, and thereby providing access to the functions of the data communication facility and the database from the wireless device.

30. The computer program product as claimed in claim 29, wherein the first computer is linked to the Internet directly or via an Internet gateway/proxy.

32. The computer program product claimed in claim 30, wherein the computer program code defines on the wireless device a display facility for displaying information communicated to the wireless device by the first computer.

33. A computer program product as claimed in claim 29, wherein the notification communicated by the first computer includes event notifications.

34. A computer program product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the command operation facility is adapted to permit the user of the wireless device to act on the event notifications by sending commands to the first computer.

35. A computer program product as claimed in claim 34, wherein the commands sent by the wireless device to the first computer include commands for selecting information available at the first computer, and commands to the first computer to procure information from the database and to communicate such information to the wireless device.

36. A computer program product as claimed in claim 29, wherein the data communication facility interfaces with a plurality of information generating facilities, wherein the information generating facilities are adapted to generate information, and the computer program codes enables the first computer to communicate the information generated by the information generating facilities to the wireless device.

37. A computer program product as claimed in claim 36, wherein the information generating facilities include messaging facilities, monitoring facilities and database facilities.

38. A computer program product as claimed in claim 37, wherein the data communication facility includes a unified messaging and monitoring facility, and the computer program codes enables the unified messaging and monitoring facility to communicate information to the wireless device upon the occurrence of specific events.

39. A computer program product as claimed in claim 29, wherein the database includes messages, contact information, data files and video images, and wherein the computer program code enables the communication of messages, contact information, data files and video images to the wireless device.

40. A computer program product as claimed in claim 29, wherein the wireless device is adapted to run a browser application, and the computer program code enables the mobile communication facility to support an interface to point the browser application to the second locator server computer.

41. A computer program product as claimed in claim 40, wherein the computer program code enables the mobile communication facility is adapted to convert an event notification into a Universal Resource Locator.

42. A computer program product as claimed in claim 41, wherein the computer program code defines a smart client application that includes a notification display facility for displaying the event notifications received by the wireless device, a data display facility for displaying data received by the wireless device from the second locator server computer or the first computer.

43. A computer program product as claimed in claim 42, wherein the computer program codes defines in the mobile communication facility a preferences management facility for defining and managing a plurality of preferences in regard to the provisioning of the wireless device based on data obtained from the first computer.

44. A computer program product as claimed in claims 43, wherein the computer program code enables the wireless device to obtain login data from the user of the wireless device for communication thereof to the first computer so as to authorize the user of the wireless device for communication of information from the first computer to the wireless device.

45. A computer program product as claimed in claim 43, wherein the information obtained at the wireless device from the first computer includes e-mail, facsimiles, electronic voice mails, images, video data, executable program code, audio data, formatted data or raw binary data.

46. A computer program product as claimed in claim 45, wherein computer program code enables in the mobile communication facility a structured notification including a plurality of fields characterized by:

(a) a first message identifier identifying the beginning of a message;

(b) an event reference identifying the nature of the event precipitating the event notification;

(c) a login name identifying the user of the wireless device;

(d) a computer name identifying the first computer;

(e) a locator name identifying the location of the second locator server computer; and

(f) a second message identifier identifying the end of the message,

wherein the plurality of fields are adapted to instruct;

the second locator server computer to locate the first computer and redirect the wireless device to the first computer;

the first computer to access information requested by the user; and

the first computer to communicate information to the wireless device.