System and method for providing search capabilities and storing functions on a wireless access device

• US 7,142,883 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lawson, Timothy, Rouse, Andrew, Zondervan, Quinton, Bentley, Thomas, Herot, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US09/885,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A system and method for enabling users to send and receive messages and other information from mobile devices and enabling users to access server-based information using mobile devices over wireless data networks are disclosed. The system and method further provides search capabilities on a wireless device. The system and method may further provide storing capabilities wherein search data and other user input and preferences may be stored in a file associated with the wireless client device. The storing capabilities may facilitate searching techniques. In addition, the storing capabilities may retain user selected preferences, views and other information for future wireless access.

Claims

1. A method of operating a search application via networkable media in a wireless client device, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one form associated with the search application, wherein the at least one form is stored remotely from the wireless client device;

storing a style sheet associated with the wireless client device, wherein the style sheet is stored remotely from the wireless client device;

accessing the search application, wherein the search application includes one or more options;

selecting at least one option on the wireless client device from the one or more options included in the search application;

receiving, via a wireless medium, the selected option from the wireless client device;

using the search application remotely from the wireless client device to execute an action that corresponds to the selected option, wherein executing the action includes generating content;

accessing a form from the stored at least one form, wherein the accessed form is associated with the selected option;

accessing a style sheet associated with the wireless client device;

generating a mobile design element based on the accessed form and the style sheet associated with the wireless client device;

formatting the content according to the mobile design element;

transmitting the formatted content to the wireless client device via the wireless medium; and

storing the mobile design element remotely from the wireless client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected option comprises at least one of a form use option, a view customization option, a short cut option, a sort option, an edit search option, a store option, or an edit form option.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless medium comprises at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a Wireless Application protocol, a Global System Mobile protocol, or a Wireless Markup Language protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile design element comprises at least one of a document style sheet, a view style sheet, a pre-formatted page, or a script.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising customizing one of the at least one forms according to settings selected on the wireless client device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the style sheet associated with the wireless client device is based on a profile of the wireless client device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising customizing one of the at least one forms based on at least one of a date/time setting, a language setting, a field size setting, a content size setting, or a mobile design element setting.

8. A system for operating a search application via networkable media in a wireless client device, comprising:

a storage unit that comprises;

a database that stores at least one form associated with the search application that includes one or more options, wherein the database is located remotely from the wireless client device, and

an application digest that stores a style sheet associated with the wireless client device, wherein the application digest is located remotely from the wireless client device;

an input interface to accept an option on the wireless client device;

a processor unit, that receives the option from the input interface, accesses the search application, associates a form from the stored at least one form with the option, and uses the search application to execute an action that corresponds to the at least one option, wherein executing the action includes generating content; and

a compiler that access the form associated with the option, accesses the style sheet associated with the wireless client device, and generates a mobile design element based on the accessed form and the style sheet,

wherein the content is formatted according to the mobile design element and is transmitted to the wireless client device via a wireless medium, and

wherein the generated mobile design element is stored in the application digest.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the option comprises at least one of a form use option, a view customization option, a short cut option, a sort option, an edit search option, a store option, or an edit form option.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless medium content comprises communicating via at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a Wireless Application protocol, a Global System Mobile protocol, or a Wireless Markup Language protocol.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile design element comprises at least one of a document style sheet, a view style sheet, a pre-formatted page, or a script.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the form associated with the action is customized according to settings selected on the wireless client device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the style sheet associated with the wireless client device is based on a profile of the wireless client device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the form associated with the action is customized based on at least one of a date/time setting a language setting, a field size setting, a content size setting, or a mobile design element size setting.

15. A system for operating a search application via networkable media in a wireless client device, comprising:

storage means comprising;

database means for storing at least one form associated with the search application that includes one or more options, wherein the database means are located remotely from the wireless client device, and

element storage means for storing a style sheet associated with the wireless client device, wherein the element storage means are located remotely from the wireless client device;

input interface means for accepting an option on the wireless client device;

processor means, for receiving the option from the input interface, accessing the search application, associating a form from the stored at least one form with the option, and using the search application to execute an action that corresponds to the at least one option, wherein executing the action includes generating content; and

compiler means for accessing the form associated with the option, accessing the style sheet associated with the wireless client device, and generating a mobile design element based on the accessed form and the style sheet,

wherein the content is formatted according to the mobile design element and is transmitted to the wireless client device via a wireless medium, and

wherein the generated mobile design element is stored in the element storage means.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the option comprises at least one of a form use option, a view customization option, a short cut option, a sort option, an edit search option, a store option, or an edit form option.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiving transmissable media content comprises communicating via at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a Wireless Application protocol, a Global System Mobile protocol, or a Wireless Markup Language protocol.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the mobile design element comprises at least one of a document style sheet, a view style sheet, a pre-formatted page, or a script.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the form associated with the action is customized according to settings selected on the wireless client device.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the style sheet associated with the wireless client device is based on a profile of the wireless client device.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the form associated with the action is customized based on at least one of a date/time setting a language setting, a field size setting, a content size setting, or a mobile design element size setting.

22. A storage medium for storing machine readable code, the machine readable code being executable to operate a search application via networkable media in a wireless client device, the storage medium comprising:

storing code that comprises;

form storing code that stores at least one form associated with the search application, wherein the at least one form is stored remotely from the wireless client device, and

style sheet storing code that stores a style sheet associated with the wireless client device, wherein the style sheet is stored remotely from the wireless client device;

accessing code that accesses the search application, wherein the search application includes one or more options;

selecting code that selects at least one option on the wireless client device from the one or more options included in the search application;

executing code that uses the search application remotely from the wireless client device to execute an action that corresponds to the selected option, wherein executing the action includes generating content;

accessing code that accesses a form from the stored at least one form, wherein the accessed form is associated with the selected option;

accessing code that accesses a style sheet associated with the wireless client device;

generating code that generates a mobile design element based on the accessed form and the style sheet associated with the wireless client device;

formatting code that formats the content according to the mobile design element;

transmitting code that transmits the formatted content to the wireless client device via the wireless medium; and

storing code that stores the mobile design element remotely from the wireless client device.

23. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the selected option comprises at least one of a form use option, a view customization option, a short cut option, a sort option, an edit search option, a store option, or an edit form option.

24. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the wireless medium comprises at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a Wireless Application protocol, a Global System Mobile protocol, or a Wireless Markup Language protocol.

25. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the mobile design element comprises at least one of a document style sheet, a view style sheet, a pre-formatted page, or a script.

26. The storage medium of claim 22, further comprising customizing code that customizes one of the at least one forms according to settings selected on the wireless client device.

27. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the style sheet associated with the wireless client device is based on a profile of the wireless client device.

28. The storage medium of claim 23, further comprising customizing code that customizes one of the at least one forms based on at least one of a date/time setting, a language setting, a field size setting, a content size setting, or a mobile design element setting.