Methods and apparatus for remote data transfer

• US 8,275,367 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Presence It Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Presence It Incorporated
• Inventors: Gilbert, Patrick L., Vigneault, Francois
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, ANTHONY S
• Application Number:
  US11/244,433
• Time in Patent Office: 2,548 Days
• Field of Search: 455/433, 455/414, 455/435, 455/405, 455/406, 455/408, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/419, 455/420, 455/556.2, 709/203, 709/212, 709216-222, 707/1, 707/3, 707/10, 717168-178
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for communication and data transfer according to various aspects of the present invention include a communication system configured to transfer data to and from a mobile customer device. The communication system may receive customer data for a customer, such as a communication carrier for and a type of remote device. The communication system may include a storage system to store communication information associated with a plurality of wireless carriers and/or device types, such as the wireless carrier and the remote device identified for the user. The communication system may further include a host configured to access the storage system and communicate with the remote device according to the communication information associated with the wireless carrier and/or the remote device.

Claims

1. A system for remote communication and data transfer to a remote device from a communication system, comprising:

a customer interface linked to the communication system, wherein the customer interface is;

responsive to a request to establish service initiated by the remote device; and

configured to receive customer data for a customer from the remote device, including a remote device type for the remote device, wherein the remote device type comprises a manufacturer and model of the remote device;

a storage system configured to store communication information associated with a plurality of remote device types, including the remote device type of the remote device, wherein;

the communication information comprises a communication protocol corresponding to the remote device type for the remote device;

the communication protocol allows data from the communication system to be formatted according to a communication carrier and the manufacturer and model of the remote device for proper processing by the remote device prior to being transferred to the remote device; and

the communication protocol allows data transferred from the remote device to the communication system to be formatted according to a communication carrier and the manufacturer and model of the remote device for proper conversion by the communication system; and

a host responsive to the customer interface and configured to;

access the storage system, wherein the host is configured to transfer data to the remote device according to the communication information associated with the remote device type for the remote device; and

automatically configure the remote device according to the customer data to automatically change its operational configuration to communicate with the communication system in response to the request to establish service from the remote device by generating an initialization code based on the remote device type and the communication carrier.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the host is responsive to the customer interface and configured to automatically create an account for the customer using at least a portion of the customer data received from the remote device, wherein the account includes wireless communication information for the customer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer data further comprises a customer name, customer billing data, a wireless carrier, and contact data for the remote device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the host is configured to automatically send configuration data to the remote device for communicating with the host.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a Microsoft Exchange server in communication with the host.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer interface comprises a web server.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the web server is configured to:

identify configuration information for the remote device to communicate with the host; and

provide the configuration information to the customer.

8. The system in claim 1, further comprising a gateway connected to the host and configured to synchronize computer data between the remote device and at least one other device.