Apparatus and methods for operation of a wireless server

• US 9,641,565 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Boudreau, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US14/095,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 709206, 709220, 709226, 4554563
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for wireless systems provide a mechanism to enhance the communication capabilities of wireless users. In an embodiment, a wireless server downloads media content to a mobile wireless client based on one or more criteria for the mobile wireless client, where the one or more criteria are identified in the wireless server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, at a wireless server, preferences associated with each of a plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the preferences regarding types of media content and categorizations within each type of media content for each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

storing, at the wireless server, download criteria associated with each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the download criteria including a cost threshold of a transmission path for downloading the media content;

identifying media content to download to at least one mobile wireless client of the plurality of mobile wireless clients based on the preferences associated with the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied by;

determining whether a cost of downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client via an available transmission path would exceed the cost threshold;

in response to a determination that the cost would not exceed the cost threshold, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client via the available transmission path; and

in response to a determination that the cost would exceed the cost threshold, delaying the downloading of the identified media content until a transmission path is available at a cost that does not exceed the cost threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transcoding the identified media content to a format correlated to the at least one mobile wireless client such that the format is supported by the at least one mobile wireless client to use the media content on the at least one mobile wireless client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing, at the wireless server, download criteria associated with each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server comprises:

storing, for each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients, download criteria associated with at least one of availability of transport of the media content, a data plan associated with the mobile wireless client, a file size of the media content, battery life of power sources in the mobile wireless client, or user settings for the mobile wireless client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client further includes a data plan associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

downloading the identified media content to the mobile wireless client in response to satisfying a rule set for data transfer within the data plan associated with the at least one mobile wireless client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client is related to a storage capacity of the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

determining an amount of available storage space on the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to a determination that a size of the identified media content does not exceed the amount of available storage space on the at least one mobile wireless client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client further includes a specified amount of battery life of the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless device in response to a determination that the battery life of the at least one mobile wireless device exceeds the specified amount.

7. A method comprising:

storing, at a wireless server, preferences associated with each of a plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the preferences regarding types of media content and categorizations within each type of media content for each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

storing, at the wireless server, download criteria associated with each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the download criteria a capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client;

identifying media content to download to at least one mobile wireless client of the plurality of mobile wireless clients based on the preferences associated with the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied by;

if a size of the identified media content is less than the capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client over a wireless channel; and

if the size of the identified media content is greater that the capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to detection of a physical connection between the at least one mobile wireless client and the wireless server.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable memory that stores instructions, which, when performed by a wireless server, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

storing, at a wireless server, preferences associated with each of a plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the preferences regarding types of media content and categorizations within each type of media content for each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

storing, at the wireless server, download criteria associated with each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the download criteria including a cost threshold of a transmission path for downloading the media content;

identifying media content to download to at least one mobile wireless client of the plurality of mobile wireless clients based on the preferences associated with the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied by;

determining whether a cost of downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client via an available transmission path would exceed the cost threshold;

in response to a determination that the cost would not exceed the cost threshold, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client via the available transmission path; and

in response to a determination that the cost would exceed the cost threshold, delaying the downloading of the identified media content until a transmission path is available at a cost that does not exceed the cost threshold.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable memory of claim 8, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client further includes a data plan associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

downloading the identified media content to the mobile wireless client in response to satisfying a rule set for data transfer within the data plan associated with the at least one mobile wireless client.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable memory of claim 8, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client is related to a storage capacity of the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

determining an amount of available storage space on the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to a determination that a size of the identified media content does not exceed the amount of available storage space on the at least one mobile wireless client.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable memory of claim 8, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client further includes a specified amount of battery life of the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless device in response to a determination that the battery life of the at least one mobile wireless device exceeds the specified amount.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable memory that stores instructions, which, when performed by a wireless server, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

storing, at a wireless server, preferences associated with each of a plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the preferences regarding types of media content and categorizations within each type of media content for each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients;

storing, at the wireless server, download criteria associated with each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the download criteria including a capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client

identifying media content to download to at least one mobile wireless client of the plurality of mobile wireless clients based on the preferences associated with the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied by;

if a size of the identified media content is less than the capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client over a wireless channel; and

if the size of the identified media content is greater that the capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to detection of a physical connection between the at least one mobile wireless client and the wireless server.

13. A wireless server, comprising:

a controller;

a database storing preferences associated with each of a plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the preferences regarding types of media content and categorizations within each type of media content for each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients, and storing download criteria associated with each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the download criteria including a cost threshold of a transmission path for downloading the media content;

an interface to download the media content to a mobile wireless client; and

a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the controller cause the controller to perform operations comprising;

identifying media content to download to at least one mobile wireless client of the plurality of mobile wireless clients based on the preferences associated with the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client via the interface in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied by;

determining whether a cost of downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client via an available transmission path would exceed the cost threshold;

in response to a determination that the cost would not exceed the cost threshold, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client via the available transmission path; and

in response to a determination that the cost would exceed the cost threshold, delaying the downloading of the identified media content until a transmission path is available at a cost that does not exceed the cost threshold.

14. The wireless server of claim 13, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client further includes a data plan associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

downloading the identified media content to the mobile wireless client in response to satisfying a rule set for data transfer within the data plan associated with the at least one mobile wireless client.

15. The wireless server of claim 13, wherein the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client further includes a specified amount of battery life of the at least one mobile wireless client, and downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied further comprises:

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless device in response to a determination that the battery life of the at least one mobile wireless device exceeds the specified amount.

16. A wireless server, comprising:

a controller;

a database storing preferences associated with each of a plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the preferences regarding types of media content and categorizations within each type of media content for each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients, and storing download criteria associated with each of the plurality of mobile wireless clients registered with the wireless server, the download criteria including a capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client,

an interface to download the media content to a mobile wireless client; and

a memory storing instructions, which when executed by the controller cause the controller to perform operations comprising;

identifying media content to download to at least one mobile wireless client of the plurality of mobile wireless clients based on the preferences associated with the at least one mobile wireless client; and

downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to the download criteria associated with the at least one mobile wireless client being satisfied by;

if a size of the identified media content is less than the capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client over a wireless channel; and

if the size of the identified media content is greater that the capacity limit associated with the at least one mobile wireless client, downloading the identified media content to the at least one mobile wireless client in response to detection of a physical connection between the at least one mobile wireless client and the wireless server.