Content provision to subscribers via wireless transmission

• US 8,134,450 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Helferich Patent Licensing LLC
• Original Assignee: Wireless Science LLC
• Inventors: Helferich, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US12/367,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20090163190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.52, 340/7.38, 340/7.39, 340/7.48, 340/7.51, 340/5.22, 340/5.23, 455/414.3, 455/38.1, 455/54.2, 455/88, 455/186.1, 455/550, 455/412, 709/207, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/57, 379/58, 379/59
• US Class Current: 340/7.52
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability

Abstract

Methods and systems that provide content to subscribers via wireless transmission by initiating a page that does not automatically provide associated content. The content provider conserves air time by not automatically transmitting the content. The information content may be of different types, such as voice, text, audio, or even video, and may be dynamic. In addition to the aforementioned, the content provider may provide to subscribers via wireless transmission songs or video clips or updates on weather or stock rates.

Claims

1. A method of providing content to a cell phone comprising:

a content provider causing the content to be stored in an internet accessible storage unit;

the content provider initiating a page to a content subscriber, the page including a notification that;

(i) identifies the content, and (ii) includes an address of a system to be contacted to trigger retrieval of the content, but does not include the content;

wherein the page indicates that the content is available for a specified time; and

the content provider causing the content identified by the notification to become inaccessible at the internet accessible storage unit after identified by the initiated page.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating a second page that includes a notification that the content has become inaccessible.

3. The method of claim 1 where the content comprises weather information.

4. The method of claim 1 where the content comprises music.

5. The method of claim 1 where the content comprises program data.

6. The method of claim 5 where the program data comprises a program application or update thereto.

7. The method of claim 1 where the content comprises video.

8. The method of claim 1 where the initiating of the page to the content subscriber is accomplished using the Internet.

9. The method of claim 1 where the initiating of the page to the content subscriber is accomplished using at least Voice Protocol for Internet Mail (VPIM).

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing in a content subscriber database a list of subscriber addresses.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising indicating in the content subscriber database that at least a portion of the content was delivered from the storage unit to the content subscriber.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising indicating in the content subscriber database that at least a portion of the content was read.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(i) in response to receiving a request for the identified content, causing error status information to be transmitted to the cell phone from the system to be contacted to trigger retrieval of the content; and

(ii) prior to the specified time lapsing, causing the content to be transmitted from the content storage and retrieval system to the cell phone following receipt from the cell phone of a request that is based on the error status information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the error status information comprises an indication of a wrong identification.

15. A content provider system comprising:

a first memory having one or more content subscriber databases stored thereon, and a second memory having digital content available to subscribers stored thereon;

a controller including a processor coupled to the first memory, the controller configured to initiate a page to a cellular phone that includes a notification to a content subscriber that includes;

(i) an identifier of the digital content, and (ii) an address of a system to be contacted to trigger retrieval of the digital content, but does not include the digital content, and the notification indicating that the digital content is available for a specified time; and

the controller further configured to cause the digital content identified by the notification and stored on the second memory to become inaccessible at the second memory after identified by the initiated page.

16. The system of claim 15 where the controller is further configured to initiate a second page that includes a notification that the content has become inaccessible.

17. The system of claim 15 where the content comprises weather information.

18. The system of claim 15 where the content comprises music.

19. The system of claim 15 where the content comprises program data.

20. The system of claim 19 where the program data comprises a program application or update thereto.

21. The system of claim 15 where the content comprises video.

22. The system of claim 15 where the memory is coupled to the Internet.

23. The system of claim 15 where the content subscriber database includes a list of subscribers and corresponding selective call fields.

24. The system of claim 15 where the controller is further configured to indicate in the content subscriber database that a piece of digital content was delivered to the content subscriber.

25. The system of claim 15 where the controller is further configured to indicate in the content subscriber database that a piece of digital content was read.

26. The system of claim 15 where the first memory and the second memory are part of the same system.

27. The content provider system of claim 15, wherein:

(e) in response to receiving a request for the identified content, the system to be contacted to trigger retrieval of the content being further configured to cause error status information to be transmitted to the cell phone; and

(f) prior to the specified time lapsing, the second memory and controller further configured to cause the content to be transmitted to the cell phone following receipt from the cell phone of a request that is based on the error status information.

28. The content provider system of claim 27, wherein the error status information comprises an indication of a wrong identification.