Wireless device address book updates

• US 7,516,163 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At & T Delaware Intellectrual Property Incorporated
• Inventors: Jordan, Royce D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adams; Charles D
• Application Number:
  US10/098,697
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/238, 709/200, 707/200, 707/201, 705/1, 705/26, 455/466, 455/415, 715/500, 715/531, 379/355.05
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A system for maintaining an address book, wherein the address book includes a plurality of entries with each entry containing contact information and wherein address book updates are transmitted over a wireless network. The system includes a gateway for storing the address book and transmitting the address book updates to a wireless device.

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

at least one user database machine configured to receive and store contact information; and

at least one message storage device configured to store messaging data,

wherein the communications system is configured to serve as a gateway between a wireless network and an external network,

wherein the communications system is configured to receive and store contact information between the wireless network and the external network,

wherein the communications system is configured to transmit data between the gateway and at least one computing device coupled to at least one of the wireless network and the external network, and

wherein the at least one user database machine and the at least one message storage device are configured between at least one protocol handling device and at least one mail router device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one protocol handling device coupled to the at least one user database machine, the at least one protocol handling device configured to process data stored in the at least one database machine.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one mail routing device coupled to the at least one protocol handler, the at least one mail routing device configured to communicate with the at least one protocol handling device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one internal network configured to facilitate data communication with the communications system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising the wireless network coupled to the communications system, the wireless network configured to transfer data between the communications system and at least one wireless device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device operates wirelessly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to utilize a wireless protocol to communicate contact information with a wireless device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to determine at least one property of the at least one computing device, and adapt to communicate with the computing device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to update the computing device in response to at least one of a predetermined amount of time, a user request, and a modification of the contact information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the contact information includes at least one of the following:

an email address, a name, a residential address, a business address, a company name, a business phone number, a home phone number, a mobile phone number, and a fax number.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the user database machine includes a directory structure for associating a user with the computing device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a storage device for storing an address book, wherein the address book includes at least one entry.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a pager.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the external network is the Internet.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following:

contact information and messaging data may be modified on the communications system via the computing device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the address book may be modified via the Internet.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the address book may be modified via a wireless device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein modifying the address book includes at least one of the following:

changing the entry, deleting the entry, and adding the entry.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured to verify user status before allowing a user to modify the address book.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the wireless device is a pager.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the contact information includes at least one of the following:

an email address, a name, a residential address, a business address, a company name, a business phone number, a home phone number, a mobile phone number, and a fax number.