U.S. patent application number 09/761480 was filed with the patent office on 2001-06-28 for system and method for redirecting message attachments between a host system and a mobile data communication device.
Invention is credited to Lazaridis, Mihal, Mousseau, Gary P..
Application Number | 20010005864 09/761480 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27068077 |
Filed Date | 2001-06-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010005864 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mousseau, Gary P. ; et
al. |
June 28, 2001 |
System and method for redirecting message attachments between a
host system and a mobile data communication device
Abstract
A system and method for pushing information from a host system
to a mobile data communication device upon sensing a triggering
event is disclosed. A redirector program operating at the host
system enables a user to continuously redirect certain
user-selected data items from the host system to the user's mobile
data communication device upon detecting that one or more
user-defined triggering events has occurred. The redirector program
operates in connection with event generating applications and
repackaging systems at the host system to configure and detect a
particular user-defined event, and then to repackage the
user-selected data items in an electronic wrapper prior to pushing
the data items to the mobile device. The system includes attachment
processing components for identifying one or more attachment
displayers in the vicinity of the mobile data communication device
and then routing an attachment from the host system directly to a
selected attachment displayer.
Inventors: |
Mousseau, Gary P.;
(Waterloo, CA) ; Lazaridis, Mihal; (Waterloo,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
David B. Cochran, Esq.
Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue
North Point
901 Lakeside Avenue
Cleveland
OH
44114
US
|
Family ID: |
27068077 |
Appl. No.: |
09/761480 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09761480 |
Jan 16, 2001 |
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09087632 |
May 29, 1998 |
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09761480 |
Jan 16, 2001 |
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09545963 |
Apr 10, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
719/318 ;
709/206; 719/328 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 4/02 20130101; H04W
40/02 20130101; H04M 2203/353 20130101; H04L 63/168 20130101; Y10S
707/99953 20130101; G06Q 10/109 20130101; H04L 51/066 20130101;
H04L 51/58 20220501; H04L 63/0428 20130101; H04L 51/08 20130101;
H04M 3/4211 20130101; H04W 4/16 20130101; H04L 51/214 20220501;
H04L 67/51 20220501; H04L 67/04 20130101; H04L 67/55 20220501; H04M
3/4872 20130101; G06Q 10/107 20130101; H04W 88/04 20130101; H04W
4/00 20130101; H04L 9/40 20220501; H04L 51/063 20130101; H04L
67/1095 20130101; Y10S 707/99952 20130101; H04L 67/01 20220501;
H04W 4/12 20130101; H04W 4/18 20130101; H04L 67/52 20220501; H04W
8/18 20130101; H04L 69/329 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/318 ;
709/328; 709/206 |
International
Class: |
G06F 009/00; G06F
015/16; G06F 009/46 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A method of redirecting a message, comprising the steps of:
receiving a message at a host system, the message having an
attachment; separating the attachment from the message; redirecting
the message from the host system to a mobile device; selecting an
attachment displayer; and redirecting the attachment from the host
system to the selected attachment displayer.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: prior to
separating the attachment from the message, redirecting the message
with the attachment from the host system to a desktop system
associated with the mobile device.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
redirecting information regarding the attachment to the mobile
device, the information including the type of attachment; and
detecting whether an attachment displayer that can process the type
of attachment is located nearby the mobile device.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the detecting step further
comprises the steps of: transmitting an attachment displayer
inquiry from the mobile device; and receiving one or more
attachment displayer responses at the mobile device from the one or
more attachment displayers located nearby the mobile device.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting and receiving
steps are carried out using a short-range wireless
communication.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile device and the one or
more attachment displayers that communicate via the short-range
wireless communication are Bluetooth-enabled devices.
7. The method of claim 3, wherein the selecting step further
comprises the step of selecting the attachment displayer that can
process the type of attachment at the mobile device.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of
transmitting a command message from the mobile device to the host
system that instructs the host system to redirect the attachment to
the selected attachment displayer.
9. The method of claim 3, wherein the selecting step further
comprises the step of selecting the attachment displayer that can
process the type of attachment at the host system.
10. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:
determining an electronic address of the attachment displayer that
can process the type of attachment; and transmitting the electronic
address to the host system.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
redirecting information regarding the attachment to the mobile
device, the information including the type of attachment; detecting
whether an attachment displayer that can process the type of
attachment is located nearby the mobile device, and if an
attachment displayer is not detected, then converting the
attachment to a new type of attachment that can be processed by an
attachment displayer that was detected nearby the mobile device,
and transmitting a command message from the mobile device to the
host system to redirect the attachment to the attachment displayer
that can process the new type of attachment.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the attachment is converted to
the new type of attachment at the host system.
13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
transmitting an attachment redirection message from the host system
to the mobile device indicating that the attachment has been
redirected to the attachment displayer.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the attachment redirection
message includes the identity and location of the attachment
displayer.
15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining the type of attachment; accessing an attachment
displayer database to identify an attachment displayer that is
compatible with the type of attachment; and selecting the
attachment displayer from the database that is compatible with the
type of attachment.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
transmitting a notification message from the host system to the
mobile device indicating that the attachment has been redirected to
the selected attachment displayer.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
determining the location of the mobile device; and selecting the
attachment displayer from the database that is compatible with the
type of attachment and which is nearby the location of the mobile
device.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step further
comprises the steps of: transmitting information regarding the
attachment to the mobile device; the mobile device determining, via
short-range wireless communication, whether an attachment displayer
that is compatible with the attachment is located nearby the mobile
device; and if a compatible attachment displayer is located, then
selecting the compatible attachment displayer.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step further
comprises the steps of: transmitting information regarding the
attachment to the mobile device; the mobile device determining, via
short-range wireless communication, whether a first attachment
displayer that is compatible with the attachment is located nearby
the mobile device; and if the first attachment displayer is not
located, then converting the attachment into a type that is
compatible with a second attachment displayer that is located
nearby the device, and selecting the second attachment
displayer.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step further
comprises the steps of: transmitting information regarding the
attachment to the mobile device; the mobile device determining, via
short-range wireless communication, whether an attachment displayer
that is compatible with the attachment is located nearby the mobile
device; and if a compatible attachment displayer is located, then
selecting the compatible attachment displayer at the mobile device
and transmitting the selection to the host system.
21. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step further
comprises the steps of: transmitting information regarding the
attachment to the mobile device; the mobile device determining, via
short-range wireless communication, whether an attachment displayer
that is compatible with the attachment is located nearby the mobile
device; and if a compatible attachment displayer is located, then
transmitting information regarding the compatible attachment
displayer to the host system.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step further
comprises the steps of: transmitting information regarding the
attachment to the mobile device; the mobile device determining, via
short-range wireless communication, whether any attachment
displayers are located nearby the mobile device, and if so, the
types of attachments that these attachment displayers can process;
selecting a located attachment displayer that is compatible with
the attachment; determining an electronic address of the selected
attachment displayer; and transmitting the electronic address of
the selected attachment displayer to the host system.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining step occurs
after receiving a command at the mobile device to locate nearby
attachment displayers.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining step occurs
automatically after a message is received at the mobile device.
25. A system for redirecting a datagram having an attachment,
comprising: a host system for receiving the datagram and for
separating the datagram into a message element and an attachment
element, the host system including: a redirector component for
redirecting the message element to a mobile data communication
device; and an attachment component for redirecting the attachment
to an attachment displayer located nearby the mobile data
communication device; wherein the mobile data communication device
is configured to locate nearby attachment displayers using a
short-range wireless transceiver.
26. The system of claim 25, further comprising: a desktop system in
communication with the host system and associated with the mobile
data communication device; and a datagram forwarding component
coupled to the host system for forwarding the datagram to the
desktop system.
27. The system of claim 25, further comprising: a wireless
communication network coupled between the host system and the
mobile data communication device.
28. The system of claim 27, further comprising: a firewall system
coupled between the host system and the wireless communication
network.
29. The system of claim 25, further comprising: a database of
attachment displayers to which attachments can be redirected.
30. The system of claim 25, wherein the message element includes
information regarding the attachment, which is used by the mobile
device to locate a nearby attachment displayer that is capable of
processing the attachment element.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the information regarding the
attachment is the type of the attachment.
32. The system of claim 25, wherein the mobile data communication
device is configured to transmit a list of one or more attachment
displayers that are located nearby the mobile data communication
device to the host system, which then uses this information to
redirect the attachment to a selected attachment displayer.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein the selected attachment
displayer is selected at the host system.
34. The system of claim 32, wherein the selected attachment
displayer is selected at the mobile data communication device.
35. The system of claim 25, wherein the mobile data communication
device is configured to determine an electronic address of any
attachment displayers that are located nearby the mobile data
communication device and then to transmit these electronic
addresses to the host system so that the attachment redirector can
redirect the attachment to a particular attachment displayer.
36. The system of claim 35, wherein the electronic address is a
telephone number.
37. The system of claim 35, wherein the electronic address is an IP
address.
38. The system of claim 25, further comprising: an attachment
converter for converting the attachment element from one attachment
type to a second attachment type.
39. The system of claim 25, wherein the attachment displayer is a
printer.
40. The system of claim 25, wherein the attachment displayer is a
facsimile machine.
41. The system of claim 25, wherein the attachment displayer is a
cellular phone.
42. The system of claim 25, wherein the attachment displayer is an
Internet appliance.
43. A method of redirecting datagrams, comprising the steps of:
receiving a datagram having at least one attachment; determining
the type of attachment; locating an attachment displayer that is
capable of processing the type of attachment using a short-range
wireless communication; and redirecting the attachment to the
located attachment displayer.
44. A method of redirecting datagrams with at least one attachment
between a host system, at least one mobile device, and at least one
attachment displayer, comprising the steps of: receiving a datagram
with at least one attachment at the host system; detecting the at
least one attachment at the host system; determining the type of
attachment at the host system; determining the geographical
location of the mobile device; selecting an attachment displayer in
the geographical proximity of the mobile device that is capable of
processing the type of attachment; and redirecting the attachment
from the host system to the selected attachment displayer.
45. A method of redirecting a message, comprising the steps of:
receiving a message at a host system, the message having a first
attachment in a first format; converting at least a portion of the
first attachment from the first format into a second to format,
thereby creating a second attachment; redirecting the message with
the second attachment from the host system to a mobile device;
displaying the message; and, displaying the second attachment.
46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the steps of:
receiving a command at the host system to transmit any remaining
portion of the attachment in the first format; converting the
remaining portion of the first attachment from the first format
into a second format, thereby creating a third attachment;
redirecting the third attachment from the host system to a mobile
device; and, displaying the third attachment.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/087,632, titled "System and Method for
Pushing Information from a Host System to a Mobile Data
Communication Device," filed on May 29, 1998, and U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/545,963 filed on Apr. 10, 2000. This
application is also related to the following co-pending, and
commonly-owned, U.S. patent applications, all of which are related
to Ser. No. 09/087,632, U.S. patent applications Ser. No.
09/401,868, Ser. No. 09/528,495, Ser. No. 09/545,962, and Ser. No.
09/649,755, all of which are hereby incorporated into the present
application by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is directed toward the field of
replicating and redirecting information from a host system where
the information is normally stored to a mobile data communication
device. In particular, the system and method of the present
invention provide an event-driven redirection computer program
("redirector program") operating at the host system, which, upon
sensing a particular user-defined event has occurred, redirects
user-selected data items from the host system to the user's mobile
data communication device. Upon sensing a second user-defined event
has occurred, the redirector program may discontinue redirecting
information. The mobile data communication device is preferably
coupled to the host system via a wireless network and one or more
landline networks. Due to the bandwidth limitations of wireless
networks, only a portion of a user-selected data item is generally
redirected to the user's mobile device, with the user given the
option of then retrieving the entire data item (or some other
portion of the data item) from the host system.
[0004] The invention also provides a system and method for
redirecting message attachments between the host system and the
mobile data communication device. This system and method are
particularly useful for mobile devices, such as pagers, PDAs,
cellular telephones, etc., that have limited memory capacity and
thus may have difficulty processing attachment files.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] Present systems and methods for replicating (or redirecting)
information from a host system to a user's mobile data
communication device are typically "synchronization" systems in
which the user's data items are warehoused (or stored) at the host
system for an indefinite period of time and then transmitted in
bulk to the mobile device only in response to a user request. In
these types of systems and methods, when replication of the
warehoused data items to the mobile device is desired, the user
typically places the mobile device in an interface cradle that is
electrically connected to the host system via some form of local,
dedicated communication. Software executing on the mobile device
then transmits commands via the local communications link to the
host system to cause the host to begin transmitting the user's data
items for storage in a memory bank of the mobile device.
[0007] In these known synchronization schemes, the mobile unit
"pulls" the warehoused information from the host system in a batch
each time the user desires to replicate information between the two
devices. Therefore, the two systems (host and mobile) only maintain
the same data items after a user-initiated command sequence that
causes the mobile device to download the data items from the host
system. A general problem with these synchronization systems is
that the only time that the user data items are replicated between
the host system and the mobile data communication device is when
the user commands the mobile device to download or pull the user
data from the host system. Five minutes later a new message could
be sent to the user, but the user would not receive that message
until the next time the user fetches the user data items. Thus, a
user may fail to respond to an emergency update or message because
the user only periodically synchronizes the system, such as once
per day. Other problems with these systems include: (1) the amount
of data to be reconciled between the host and the mobile device can
become large if the user does not "synchronize" on a daily or
hourly basis, leading to bandwidth difficulties, particularly when
the mobile device is communicating via a wireless packet-switched
network; and (2) reconciling large amounts of data, as can accrue
in these batch-mode synchronization systems, can require a great
deal of communication between the host and the mobile device, thus
leading to a more complex, costly and energy-inefficient
system.
[0008] A more automated, continuous, efficient and reliable system
of ensuring that user data items are replicated at the user's
mobile device is therefore needed.
[0009] There remains an additional need for such a system and
method that provides flexibility in the types and quantities of
user data items that are pushed from the host system to the mobile
data communication device and that also provides flexibility in the
configuration and types of events that can serve to trigger the
redirection of the user data items.
[0010] There remains yet an additional need for such a system and
method that can operate locally on a user's desktop PC or at a
distance via a network server.
[0011] There remains still another need for such a system and
method that provides for secure, transparent delivery of the
user-selected data items from the host system to the mobile
device.
[0012] There remains an additional need for such a system and
method in which the user is provided with a flexible means of
processing message attachments that may be too large or
incompatible with the configuration of the mobile device.
SUMMARY
[0013] The present invention overcomes the problems noted above and
satisfies the needs in this field for a system and method of
pushing user-selected data items from a host system to a user's
mobile data communication device upon detecting the occurrence of
one or more user-defined event triggers. As used in this
application, the term host system refers to the computer where the
redirector software is operating. In the preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the host system is a user's desktop PC,
although, alternatively, the host system could be a network server
connected to the user's PC via a local-area network ("LAN"), or
could be any other system that is in communication with the user's
desktop PC.
[0014] A redirector program operating at the host system enables
the user to redirect or mirror certain user-selected data items (or
parts of data items) from the host system to the user's mobile data
communication device upon detecting that one or more user-defined
triggering events has occurred. (In this application the terms
"information," "data items," "messages," and "datagrams" are used
interchangeably to mean an information object that is received at
the host system and redirected to the mobile device.) Also
operating at the host system are various sub-systems that can be
configured to create triggering events, such as a screen saver
sub-system or a keyboard sub-system, as well as sub-systems for
repackaging the user's data items for transparent delivery to the
mobile data device, such as a TCP/IP sub-system or one or more
E-Mail sub-systems. Other sub-systems for creating triggering
events and repackaging the user's data items could also be present
at the host system. The host system also includes a primary memory
store where the user's data items are normally stored.
[0015] Using the redirector program, the user can select certain
data items for redirection, such as E-mail messages, calendar
events, meeting notifications, address entries, journal entries,
personal reminders etc. Having selected the data items for
redirection, the user can then configure one or more event triggers
to be sensed by the redirector program to initiate redirection of
the user data items. These user-defined trigger points (or event
triggers) include external events, internal events and networked
events. Examples of external events include: receiving a message
from the user's mobile data communication device to begin
redirection; receiving a similar message from some external
computer; sensing that the user is no longer in the vicinity of the
host system; or any other event that is external to the host
system. Internal events could be a calendar alarm, screen saver
activation, keyboard timeout, programmable timer, or any other
user-defined event that is internal to the host system. Networked
events are user-defined messages that are transmitted to the host
system from another computer coupled to the host system via a
network to initiate redirection. These are just some of the
examples of the types of user-defined events that can trigger the
redirector program to push data items from the host to the mobile
device. Although in the preferred embodiment it is anticipated that
the configuration that specifies which data items will be
redirected and in what form will be set at the host system, it is
within the scope of this invention that such configuration may be
set or modified through data sent from the mobile communications
device.
[0016] In addition to the functionality noted above, the redirector
program provides a set of software-implemented control functions
for determining the type of mobile data communication device and
its address, for programming a preferred list of message types that
are to be redirected, and for determining whether the mobile device
can receive and process certain types of message attachments, such
as word processor or voice attachments. The determination of
whether a particular mobile device can receive and process
attachments is preferably initially configured by the user of that
mobile device at the host system. This configuration can be altered
on a global, per message basis or per device basis by transmitting
a command message from the mobile device to the host system. If the
redirector is configured so that the mobile data device cannot
receive and process word processor or voice attachments, then the
redirector routes these attachments to an external machine that is
compatible with the particular attachment, such as an attached
printer or networked fax machine or telephone. Other types of
attachments could be redirected to other types of external machines
in a similar fashion, depending upon the capabilities of the mobile
device. For example, if a user is traveling and receives a message
with an attachment that the user's mobile device can process or
display, the user may from a mobile communications device send a
command message to the host system indicating that that attachment
is to be sent to a fax machine at a hotel where the user will be
spending the evening. This enables the user to receive important
E-mail attachments as long as the host system is provided with
sufficient information about the destination where the attachment
is to be forwarded.
[0017] Once an event has triggered redirection of the user data
items, the host system then repackages these items in a manner that
is transparent to the mobile data communication device, so that
information on the mobile device appears similar to information on
the user's host system. The preferred repackaging method includes
wrapping the user data items in an E-mail envelope that corresponds
to the address of the mobile data communication device, although,
alternatively, other repackaging methods could be used with the
present invention, such as special-purpose TCP/IP wrapping
techniques, or other methods of wrapping the user selected data
items. The repackaging preferably results in E-mail messages
generated by the user from the mobile device to be transmitted from
the host system, thus enabling the user to appear to have a single
E-mail address, such that the recipients of messages sent from the
mobile communications device do not know where the user was
physically located when the message was first sent. The repackaging
also permits both messages to the mobile device and sent from the
mobile device to be encrypted and decrypted as well as compressed
and decompressed.
[0018] In an alternative system and method, the redirector program
executes on a network server, and the server is programmed to
detect numerous redirection event triggers over the network from
multiple user desktop computers coupled to the server via a LAN.
The server can receive internal event triggers from each of the
user desktops via the network, and can also receive external event
triggers, such as messages from the users' mobile data
communication devices. In response to receiving one of these
triggers, the server redirects the user's data items to the proper
mobile data communication device. The user data items and
addressing information for a particular mobile device can be stored
at the server or at the user's PC. Using this alternative
configuration, one redirector program can serve a plurality of
users. This alternative configuration could also include an
internet- or intranet-based redirector program that could be
accessible through a secure webpage or other user interface. The
redirector program could be located on an Internet Service
Provider's system and accessible only through the Internet.
[0019] In another alternative configuration of the present
invention, a redirector program operates at both the host system
and at the user's mobile data communication device. In this
configuration, the user's mobile device operates similarly to the
host system described below, and is configured in a similar fashion
to push certain user-selected data items from the mobile device to
the user's host system (or some other computer) upon detecting an
event trigger at the mobile device. This configuration provides
two-way pushing of information from the host to the mobile device
and from the mobile device to the host.
[0020] The primary advantage of the present invention is that it
provides a system and method for triggering the continuous and
real-time redirection of user-selected data items from a host
system to a mobile data communication device. Other advantages of
the present invention include: (1) flexibility in defining the
types of user data to redirect, and in defining a preferred list of
message types that are to be redirected or preferred senders whose
messages are to be redirected; (2) flexibility in configuring the
system to respond to numerous internal, external and networked
triggering events; (3) transparent repackaging of the user data
items in a variety of ways such that the mobile data communication
device appears as though it were the host system; (4) integration
with other host system components such as E-mail, TCP/IP, keyboard,
screen saver, webpages and certain programs that can either create
user data items or be configured to provide trigger points; (5) the
ability to operate locally on a user's desktop system or at a
distance via a network server; (6) the ability to receive, process,
and manage attachment redirection; and (7) dynamically change and
dynamically re-route attachment redirection.
[0021] These are just a few of the many advantages of the present
invention, as described in more detail below. As will be
appreciated, the invention is capable of other and different
embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications
in various respects, all without departing from the spirit of the
invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the
preferred embodiments set forth below are to be regarded as
illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The present invention satisfies the needs noted above as
will become apparent from the following description when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing the redirection of user
data items from a user's desktop PC (host system) to the user's
mobile data communication device, where the redirector software is
operating at the user's desktop PC.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing the redirection of user
data items from a network server (host system) to the user's mobile
data communication device, where the redirector software is
operating at the server.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the interaction of the
redirector software with other components of the host system in
FIG. 1 (the user's desktop PC) to enable the pushing of information
from the host system to the user's mobile data communication
device.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the steps carried out by the
redirector software operating at the host system.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the steps carried out by the
mobile data communication device to interface with the redirector
software operating at the host system.
[0028] FIG. 6 sets forth a system for redirecting messages having
attachments between a host system and a mobile device.
[0029] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram setting forth a method of
redirecting a message attachment to an attachment displayer that is
identified by the mobile device.
[0030] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram setting forth a method of
redirecting a message attachment to an attachment displayer that is
identified by the host system.
[0031] FIG. 9 is alternative system configuration of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is an example system
diagram showing the redirection of user data items (such as message
A or C) from a user's office PC (host system) 10 to the user's
mobile data communication device 24, where the redirector software
(program) 12 is operating at the user's PC. Message A in FIG. 1
represents an internal message sent from desktop 26 to the user's
host system 10 via LAN 14. Message C in FIG. 1 represents an
external message from a sender that is not directly connected to
LAN 14, such as the user's mobile data communication device 24,
some other user's mobile device (not shown), or any user connected
to the Internet 18. Message C also represents a command message
from the user's mobile data communication device 24 to the host
system 10. As described in more detail in FIG. 3, the host system
10 preferably includes, along with the typical hardware and
software associated with a workstation or desktop computer, the
redirector program 12, a TCP/IP subsystem 42, a primary message
store 40, an E-mail subsystem 44, a screen saver subsystem 48, and
a keyboard subsystem 46.
[0033] In FIG. 1, the host system 10 is the user's desktop system,
typically located in the user's office. The host system 10 is
connected to a LAN 14, which also connects to other computers 26,
28 that may be in the user's office or elsewhere. The LAN 14, in
turn, is connected to a wide area network ("WAN") 18, preferably
the Internet, which is defined by the use of the Transmission
Control Protocol/Internet Protocol ("TCP/IP") to exchange
information, but which, alternatively could be any other type of
WAN. The connection of the LAN 14 to the WAN 18 is via high
bandwidth link 16, typically a T1 or T3 connection. The WAN 18 in
turn is connected to a variety of gateways 20, via connections 32.
A gateway forms a connection or bridge between the WAN 18 and some
other type of network, such as an RF wireless network, cellular
network, satellite network, or other synchronous or asynchronous
land-line connection.
[0034] In the example of FIG. 1, a wireless gateway 20 is connected
to the Internet for communicating via wireless link 22 to a
plurality of wireless mobile data communication devices 24. Also
shown in FIG. 1 is machine 30, which could be a FAX machine, a
printer, a system for displaying images (such as video), a cellular
phone, or a machine capable of processing and playing audio files,
such as a voice mail system. Machine 30 is also referred to herein
as an attachment displayer. The present invention includes the
ability to redirect certain message attachments to such an external
machine 30 if the redirector program configuration data reflects
that the mobile device 24 cannot receive and process the
attachments, or if the user has specified that certain attachments
are not to be forwarded to mobile device 24, even if such device
can process those attachments.
[0035] For example, consider an E-mail sent to a user that includes
three attachments--a word processing document, a video clip and an
audio clip. The redirection program could be configured to send the
text of the E-mail to the remote device, to send the word
processing document to a networked printer located near the user,
to send the video clip to a store accessible through a secure
connection through the internet and to send the audio clip to the
user's voice mail system. This example is not intended to limit the
breadth and scope of the invention, but rather to illustrate the
variety of possibilities embodied in the redirection concept. The
attachment redirection capabilities of the present invention are
further described below with reference to FIGS. 6-8.
[0036] The preferred mobile data communication device 24 is a
hand-held two-way wireless paging computer, a wirelessly enabled
palm-top computer, a mobile telephone with data messaging
capabilities, or a wirelessly enabled laptop computer, but could,
alternatively be other types of mobile data communication devices
capable of sending and receiving messages via a network connection
22. Although it is preferable for the system to operate in a
two-way communications mode, certain aspects of the invention could
be beneficially used in a "one and one-half" or acknowledgment
paging environment, or even with a one-way paging system. The
mobile data communication device 24 includes software program
instructions that work in conjunction with the redirector program
12 to enable the seamless, transparent redirection of user-selected
data items. FIG. 4 describes the basic method steps of the
redirector program 12, and FIG. 5 describes the steps of the
corresponding program operating at the mobile device 24.
[0037] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, not
explicitly shown in the drawings, the mobile device 24 also
includes a redirector program. In this embodiment, user selected
data items can be replicated from the host to the mobile device and
vice versa. The configuration and operation of the mobile device 24
having a redirector program is similar to that described herein
with respect to FIGS. 1-8.
[0038] A user of the present invention can configure the redirector
program 12 to push certain user-selected data items to the user's
mobile data communication device 24 when the redirector 12 detects
that a particular user-defined event trigger (or trigger point) has
taken place. When a secondary user-defined event trigger (or
trigger point) occurs, which could be the same as the initial event
trigger or could be a different event, the system may subsequently
stop redirection. User-selected data items preferably include
E-mail messages, calendar events, meeting notifications, address
entries, journal entries, personal alerts, alarms, warnings, stock
quotes, news bulletins, etc., but could, alternatively, include any
other type of message that is transmitted to the host system 10, or
that the host system 10 acquires through the use of intelligent
agents, such as data that is received after the host system 10
initiates a search of a database or a website or a bulletin board.
In some instances, only a portion of the data item is transmitted
to the mobile device 24 in order to minimize the amount of data
transmitted via the wireless network 22. In these instances, the
mobile device 24 can optionally send a command message to the host
system to receive more or all of the data item if the user desires
to receive it.
[0039] User-defined event triggers that can be detected by the
redirector program 12 in the preferred embodiment include external
events, internal events and networked events. External events
preferably include: (1) receiving a command message (such as
message C) from the user's mobile data communication device to
begin redirection, or to execute some other command at the host,
such as a command to enable the preferred list mode, or to add or
subtract a particular sender from the preferred list; (2) receiving
a similar message from some external computer; and (3) sensing that
the user is no longer in the vicinity of the host system; although,
alternatively, an external event can be any other detectable
occurrence that is external to the host system. Internal events
could be a calendar alarm, screen saver activation, keyboard
timeout, programmable timer, or any other user-defined event that
is internal to the host system. Networked events are user-defined
messages that are transmitted to the host system from another
computer coupled to the host system via a network to initiate
redirection. These are just some of the events that could be used
with the present invention to initiate replication of the
user-selected data items from the host system 10 to the mobile
device 24.
[0040] FIG. 1 shows an E-mail message A being communicated over LAN
14 from computer 26 to the user's desktop system 10 (also shown in
FIG. 1 is an external message C, which could be an E-mail message
from an Internet user, or could be a command message from the
user's mobile device 24). Once the message A (or C) reaches the
primary message store of the host system 10, it can be detected and
acted upon by the redirection software 12. The redirection software
12 can use many methods of detecting new messages. The preferred
method of detecting new messages is using Microsoft's .RTM.
Messaging API (MAPI), in which programs, such as the redirector
program 12, register for notifications or `advise syncs` when
changes to a mailbox take place. Other methods of detecting new
messages could also be used with the present invention.
[0041] Assuming that the redirector program 12 is activated, and
has been configured by the user (either through the sensing of an
internal, network or external event) to replicate certain user data
items (including messages of type A or C) to the mobile device 24,
when the message A is received at the host system 10, the
redirector program 12 detects its presence and prepares the message
for redirection to the mobile device 24. In preparing the message
for redirection, the redirector program 12 could compress the
original message A, could compress the message header, or could
encrypt the entire message A to create a secure link to the mobile
device 24.
[0042] Also programmed into the redirector 12 is the address of the
user's mobile data communication device 24, the type of device, and
whether the device 24 can accept certain types of attachments, such
as word processing or voice attachments. If the user's type of
mobile device cannot accept these types of attachments, then the
redirector 12 can be programmed to route the attachments to a fax
or voice number where the user is located using an attached fax or
voice machine 30 or other type of attachment displayer.
[0043] The redirector may also be programmed with a preferred list
mode that is configured by the user either at the host system 10,
or remotely from the user's mobile data communication device by
transmitting a command message C. The preferred list contains a
list of senders (other users) whose messages are to be redirected
or a list of message characteristics that determine whether a
message is to be redirected. If activated, the preferred list mode
causes the redirector program 12 to operate like a filter, only
redirecting certain user data items based on whether the data item
was sent from a sender on the preferred list or has certain message
characteristics that if present will trigger or suppress
redirection of the message. In the example of FIG. 1, if desktop
system 26 was operated by a user on the preferred list of host
system 10, and the preferred list option was activated, then
message A would be redirected. If, however, desktop 26 was operated
by a user not on the host system's preferred list, then message A
would not be redirected, even if the user of the host system had
configured the redirector to push messages of type A. The user of
the host system 10 can configure the preferred list directly from
the desktop system, or, alternatively, the user can then send a
command message (such as C) from the mobile device 24 to the
desktop system 10 to activate the preferred list mode, or to add or
delete certain senders or message characteristics from the
preferred list that was previously configured. It should be
appreciated that a redirection program could combine message
characteristics and preferred sender lists to result in a more
finely-tuned filter. Messages marked as low priority or that are
simple return receipts or message read receipts, for example, could
always be suppressed from redirection while messages from a
particular sender would always be redirected.
[0044] After the redirector has determined that a particular
message should be redirected, and it has prepared the message for
redirection, the redirector software 12 then sends the message A to
a secondary memory store located in the mobile device 24, using
whatever means are necessary. In the preferred embodiment this
method is to send the message A back over the LAN 14, WAN 18, and
through the wireless gateway 20 to the mobile data communication
device 24. In doing so, the redirector preferably repackages
message A as an E-mail with an outer envelope B that contains the
addressing information of the mobile device 24, although
alternative repackaging techniques and protocols could be used,
such as a TCP/IP repackaging and delivery method (most commonly
used in the alternative server configuration shown in FIG. 2). The
wireless gateway 20 requires this outer envelope information B in
order to know where to send the redirected message A. Once the
message (A in B) is received by the mobile device 24, the outer
envelope B is removed and the original message A is placed in the
secondary memory store within the mobile device 24. By repackaging
and removing the outer envelope in this manner, the present
invention causes the mobile computer 24 to appear to be at the same
physical location as the host system 10, thus creating a
transparent system.
[0045] In the case where message C is representative of an external
message from a computer on the Internet 18 to the host system 10,
and the host 10 has been configured to redirect messages of type C,
then in a similar manner to message A, message C would be
repackaged with an outer envelope B and transmitted to the user's
mobile device 24. In the case where message C is representative of
a command message from the user's mobile device 24 to the host
system 10, the command message C is not redirected, but is acted
upon by the host system 10.
[0046] If the redirected user data item is an E-mail message, as
described above, the user at the mobile device 24 sees the original
subject, sender's address, destination address, carbon copy and
blind carbon copy. When the user replies to this message, or when
the user authors a new message, the software operating at the
mobile device 24 adds a similar outer envelope to the reply message
(or the new message) to cause the message to be routed first to the
user's host system 10, which then removes the outer envelope and
redirects the message to the final destination, such as back to
computer 26. In the preferred embodiment, this results in the
outgoing redirected message from the user's host system 10 being
sent using the E-mail address of the host mailbox, rather than the
address of the mobile device, so that it appears to the recipient
of the message that the message originated from the user's desktop
system 10 rather than the mobile data communication device. Any
replies to the redirected message will then be sent to the desktop
system 10, which if it is still in redirector mode, will repackage
the reply and re-send it to the user's mobile data device, as
described above.
[0047] FIG. 2 is an alternative system diagram showing the
redirection of user data items from a network server 11 to the
user's mobile data communication device 24, where the redirector
software 12 is operating at the server 11. This configuration is
particularly advantageous for use with message servers such as
Microsoft's .RTM. Exchange Server, which is normally operated so
that all user messages are kept in one central location or mailbox
store on the server instead of in a store within each user's
desktop PC. This configuration has the additional advantage of
allowing a single system administrator to configure and keep track
of all users having messages redirected. If the system includes
encryption keys, these too can be kept at one place for management
and update purposes.
[0048] In this alternative configuration, server 11 preferably
maintains a user profile for each user's desktop system 10, 26, 28,
including information such as whether a particular user can have
data items redirected, which types of message and information to
redirect, how to process various types of message attachments, what
events will trigger redirection, the address of the users' mobile
data communication device 24, the type of mobile device, and the
user's preferred list, if any. The event triggers are preferably
detected at the user's desktop system 10, 26, 28 and can be any of
the external, internal or network events listed above. The desktop
systems 10, 26, 28 preferably detect these events and then transmit
a message to the server computer 11 via LAN 14 to initiate
redirection, or to subsequent halt redirection. Although the user
data items are preferably stored at the server computer 11 in this
embodiment, they could, alternatively, be stored at each user's
desktop system 10, 26, 28, which would then transmit them to the
server computer 11 after an event has triggered redirection.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, desktop system 26 generates a message A
that is transmitted to and stored at the host system 11, which is
the network server operating the redirector program 12. The message
A is for desktop system 10, but in this embodiment, user messages
are stored at the network server 11. When an event occurs at
desktop system 10, an event trigger is generated and transmitted to
the network server 11, which then determines who the trigger is
from, whether that desktop has redirection capabilities, and if so,
the server (operating the redirector program) uses the stored
configuration information to redirect message A to the mobile
computer 24 associated with the user of desktop system 10.
[0050] As described above with reference to FIG. 1, message C could
be either a command message from a user's mobile data communication
device 24, or it could be a message from an external computer, such
as a computer connected to the Internet 18. If the message C is
from an Internet computer to the user's desktop system 10, and the
user has redirection capabilities, then the server 11 detects the
message C, repackages it using electronic envelope B, and redirects
the repackaged message (C in B) to the user's mobile device 24. If
the message C is a command message from the user's mobile device
24, then the server 11 simply acts upon the command message.
[0051] Turning now to FIG. 3, a block diagram showing the
interaction of the redirector software 12 with additional
components of the host system 10 of FIG. 1 (the desktop PC) to
enable more fully the pushing of information from the host system
10 to the user's mobile data communication device 24 is set forth.
These additional components are illustrative of the type of
event-generating systems that can be configured and used with the
redirector software 12, and of the type of repackaging systems that
can be used to interface with the mobile communication device 24 to
make it appear transparent to the user.
[0052] The desktop system 10 is connected to LAN 14, and can send
and receive data, messages, signals, event triggers, etc., to and
from other systems connected to the LAN 14 and to external networks
18, 22, such as the Internet or a wireless data network, which are
also coupled to the LAN 14. In addition to the standard hardware,
operating system, and application programs associated with a
typical microcomputer or workstation, the desktop system 10
includes the redirector program 12, a TCP/IP sub-system 42, an
E-mail sub-system 44, a primary data storage device 40, a screen
saver sub-system 48, and a keyboard sub-system 46. The TCP/IP and
E-mail subsystems 42, 44 are examples of repackaging systems that
can be used to achieve the transparency of the present invention,
and the screen saver and keyboard sub-systems 46, 48 are examples
of event generating systems that can be configured to generate
event messages or signals that trigger redirection of the user
selected data items.
[0053] The method steps carried out by the redirector program 12
are described in more detail in FIG. 4. The basic functions of this
program are: (1) configure and setup the user-defined event trigger
points that will start redirection; (2) configure the types of user
data items for redirection and optionally configure a preferred
list of senders whose messages are to be redirected; (3) configure
the type and capabilities of the user's mobile data communication
device, including the configuration of attachment handling and type
recognition; (4) receive messages and signals from the repackaging
systems and the event generating systems; and (5) command and
control the redirection of the user-selected data items to the
mobile data communication device via the repackaging systems. Other
functions not specifically enumerated could also be integrated into
this program.
[0054] The E-Mail sub-system 44 is the preferred link to
repackaging the user-selected data items for transmission to the
mobile data communication device 24, and preferably uses industry
standard mail protocols, such as SMTP, POP, IMAP, MIME and RFC-822,
to name but a few. The E-Mail sub-system 44 can receive messages A
from external computers on the LAN 14, or can receive messages C
from some external network such as the Internet 18 or a wireless
data communication network 22, and stores these messages in the
primary data store 40. Assuming that the redirector 12 has been
triggered to redirect messages of this type, the redirector detects
the presence of any new messages and instructs the E-Mail system 44
to repackage the message by placing an outer wrapper B about the
original message A (or C), and by providing the addressing
information of the mobile data communication device 24 on the outer
wrapper B. As noted above, this outer wrapper B is removed by the
mobile device 24, and the original message A (or C) is then
recovered, thus making the mobile device 24 appear to be the
desktop system 10.
[0055] In addition, the E-Mail sub-system 44 receives messages back
from the mobile device 24 having an outer wrapper with the
addressing information of the desktop system 10, and strips this
information away so that the message can be routed to the proper
sender of the original message A (or C). The E-Mail sub-system also
receives command messages C from the mobile device 24 that are
directed to the desktop system 10 to trigger redirection or to
carry out some other function. The functionality of the E-Mail
sub-system 44 is controlled by the redirector program 12.
[0056] The TCP/IP sub-system 42 is an alternative repackaging
system. It includes all of the functionality of the E-Mail
sub-system 44, but instead of repackaging the user-selected data
items as standard E-mail messages, this system repackages the data
items using special-purpose TCP/IP packaging techniques. This type
of special-purpose sub-system is useful in situations where
security and improved speed are important to the user. The
provision of a special-purpose wrapper that can only be removed by
special software on the mobile device 24 provides the added
security, and the bypassing of E-mail store and forward systems can
improve speed and real-time delivery.
[0057] As described previously, the present invention can be
triggered to begin (or end) redirection upon detecting numerous
external, internal and networked events, or trigger points.
Examples of external events include: receiving a command message
from the user's mobile data communication device 24 to begin
redirection; receiving a similar message from some external
computer; sensing that the user is no longer in the vicinity of the
host system, such as by using the output of a digital camera, or by
sensing the proximity of the user's mobile device using a wireless
connection; or any other event that is external to the host system.
Internal events could be a calendar alarm, screen saver activation,
keyboard timeout, programmable timer, or any other user-defined
event that is internal to the host system. Networked events are
user-defined messages that are transmitted to the host system from
another computer (not the mobile device) that is connected to the
host system via a network to initiate redirection.
[0058] The screen saver and keyboard sub-systems 46, 48 are
examples of systems that are capable of generating internal events.
Functionally, the redirector program 12 provides the user with the
ability to configure the screen saver and keyboard systems so that
under certain conditions an event trigger will be generated that
can be detected by the redirector 12 to start (or stop) the
redirection process. For example, the screen saver system can be
configured so that when the screen saver is activated, after, for
example, 10 minutes of inactivity on the desktop system, an event
trigger is transmitted to the redirector 12, which starts
redirecting the previously selected user data items. When the
screen saver becomes activated, for whatever reason, a second event
trigger is generated in order to halt redirection. In a similar
manner the keyboard sub-system can be configured to generate event
triggers when no key has been depressed for a particular period of
time, thus indicating that redirection should commence, and then to
subsequently generate another trigger when a key is depressed to
stop redirection. These are just two examples of the numerous
application programs and hardware systems internal to the host
system 10 that can be used to generate internal event triggers.
[0059] FIGS. 4 and 5, set forth, respectively, flow charts showing
the steps carried out by the redirector software 12 operating at
the host system 10, and the steps carried out by the mobile data
communication device 24 in order to interface with the host system.
Turning first to FIG. 4, at step 50, the redirector program 12 is
started and initially configured. The initial configuration of the
redirector 12 includes: (1) defining the event triggers that the
user has determined will trigger redirection; (2) selecting the
user data items for redirection; (3) selecting the repackaging
sub-system, either standard E-Mail, or special-purpose technique;
(4) selecting the type of data communication device, indicating
whether and what type of attachments the device is capable of
receiving and processing, and inputting the address of the mobile
device; and (5) configuring the preferred list of user selected
senders whose messages are to be redirected.
[0060] FIG. 4 sets forth the basic steps of the redirector program
12 assuming it is operating at a desktop system 10, such as shown
in FIG. 1. If the redirector 12 is operating at a network server
11, as shown in FIG. 2, then additional configuration steps may be
necessary to enable redirection for a particular desktop system 10,
26, 28 connected to the server, including: (1) setting up a profile
for the desktop system indicating its address, events that will
trigger redirection, and the data items that are to be redirected
upon detecting an event; (2) maintaining a storage area at the
server for the data items; and (3) storing the type of data
communication to device to which the desktop system's data items
are to be redirected, whether and what type of attachments the
device is capable of receiving and processing, and the address of
the mobile device.
[0061] Once the redirector program is configured 50, the trigger
points (or event triggers) are enabled at step 52. The program 12
then waits 56 for messages and signals 54 to begin the redirection
process. A message could be an E-Mail message or some other user
data item than may have been selected for redirection, and a signal
could be a trigger signal, or could be some other type of signal
that has not been configured as an event trigger. When a message or
signal is detected, the program determines 58 whether it is one of
the trigger events that has been configured by the user to signal
redirection. If so, then at step 60 a trigger flag is set,
indicating that subsequently received user data items (in the form
of messages) that have been selected for redirection should be
pushed to the user's mobile data communication device 24.
[0062] If the message or signal 54 is not a trigger event, the
program then determines at steps 62, 68 and 66 whether the message
is, respectively, a system alarm 62, an E-Mail message 64, or some
other type of information that has been selected for redirection.
If the message or signal is none of these three items, then control
returns to step 56, where the redirector waits for additional
messages 54 to act upon. If, however the message is one of these
three types of information, then the program 12 determines, at step
68, whether the trigger flag has been set, indicating that the user
wants these items redirected to the mobile device. If the trigger
flag is set, then at step 70, the redirector 12 causes the
repackaging system (E-Mail or TCP/IP) to add the outer envelope to
the user data item, and at step 72 the repackaged data item is then
redirected to the user's mobile data communication device 24 via
LAN 14, WAN 18, wireless gateway 20 and wireless network 22.
Control then returns to step 56 where the program waits for
additional messages and signals to act upon. Although not shown
explicitly in FIG. 4, after step 68, the program could, if
operating in the preferred list mode, determine whether the sender
of a particular data item is on the preferred list, and if not,
then the program would skip over steps 70 and 72 and proceed
directly back to step 56. If the sender was on the preferred list,
then control would similarly pass to steps 70 and 72 for
repackaging and transmission of the message from the preferred list
sender.
[0063] FIG. 5 sets forth the method steps carried out by the user's
mobile data communication device 24 in order to interface to the
redirector program 12 of the present invention. At step 80 the
mobile software is started and the mobile device 24 is configured
to operate with the system of the present invention, including, for
example, storing the address of the user's desktop system 10.
[0064] At step 82, the mobile device waits for messages and signals
84 to be generated or received. Assuming that the redirector
software 12 operating at the user's desktop system 10 is configured
to redirect upon receiving a message from the user's mobile device
24, at step 86 the user can decide to generate a command message
that will start redirection. If the user does so, then at step 88
the redirection message is composed and sent to the desktop system
10 via the wireless network 22, through the wireless gateway 20,
via the Internet 18 to the LAN 14, and is finally routed to the
desktop machine 10. In this situation where the mobile device 24 is
sending a message directly to the desktop system 10, no outer
wrapper is added to the message (such as message C in FIGS. 1 and
2). In addition to the redirection signal, the mobile device 24
could transmit any number of other commands to control the
operation of the host system, and in particular the redirector
program 12.
[0065] For example, the mobile 24 could transmit a command to put
the host system into the preferred list mode, and then could
transmit additional commands to add or subtract certain senders
from the preferred list. In this manner, the mobile device 24 can
dynamically limit the amount of information being redirected to it
by minimizing the number of senders on the preferred list. Other
example commands include: (1) a message to change the configuration
of the host system to enable the mobile device 24 to receive and
process certain attachments; and (2) a message to instruct the host
system to redirect an entire data item to the mobile device in the
situation where only a portion of a particular data item has been
redirected.
[0066] Turning back to FIG. 5, if the user signal or message is not
a direct message to the desktop system 10 to begin redirection (or
some other command), then control is passed to step 90, which
determines if a message has been received. If a message is received
by the mobile, and it is a message from the user's desktop 10, as
determined at step 92, then at step 94 a desktop redirection flag
is set "on" for this message, and control passes to step 96 where
the outer envelope is removed. Following step 96, or in the
situation where the message is not from the user's desktop, as
determined at step 92, control passes to step 98, which displays
the message for the user on the mobile device's display. The mobile
unit 24 then returns to step 82 and waits for additional messages
or signals.
[0067] If the mobile device 24 determines that a message has not
been received at step 90, then control passes to step 100, where
the mobile determines whether there is a message to send. If not,
then the mobile unit returns to step 82 and waits for additional
messages or signals. If there is at least one message to send, then
at step 102 the mobile determines whether it is a reply message to
a message that was received by the mobile unit. If the message to
send is a reply message, then at step 108, the mobile determines
whether the desktop redirection flag is on for this message. If the
redirection flag is not on, then at step 106 the reply message is
simply transmitted from the mobile device to the destination
address via the wireless network 22. If, however, the redirection
flag is on, then at step 110 the reply message is repackaged with
the outer envelope having the addressing information of the user's
desktop system 10, and the repackaged message is then transmitted
to the desktop system 10 at step 106. As described above, the
redirector program 12 executing at the desktop system then strips
the outer envelope and routes the reply message to the appropriate
destination address using the address of the desktop system as the
"from" field, so that to the recipient of the redirected message,
it appears as though it originated from the user's desktop system
rather than the mobile data communication device.
[0068] If, at step 102, the mobile determines that the message is
not a reply message, but an original message, then control passes
to step 104, where the mobile determines if the user is using the
redirector software 12 at the desktop system 10, by checking the
mobile unit's configuration. If the user is not using the
redirector software 12, then the message is simply transmitted to
the destination address at step 106. If, however, the mobile
determines that the user is using the redirector software 12 at the
desktop system 10, then control passes to step 110, where the outer
envelope is added to the message. The repackaged original message
is then transmitted to the desktop system 10 at step 106, which, as
described previously, strips the outer envelope and routes the
message to the correct destination. Following transmission of the
message at step 106, control of the mobile returns to step 82 and
waits for additional messages or signals.
[0069] FIG. 6 sets forth a system for redirecting messages having
attachments 200, preferably using the redirector program discussed
above. This system preferably includes a desktop system 214A, which
is associated with a mobile data communication device 214B, a host
system 402, a relay system 410, and a plurality of attachment
displayers 416. The host system includes a datagram component 202A,
a redirector program 202B, and an attachment processing component
202C. The datagram component 202A is used to communicate datagrams
200 (i.e., messages or other types of information) between the host
system 202 and the desktop system 214A. The host system 202 could
be similar to the server 11 shown above in FIG. 2, in which case
the host 202 and the desktop 214A would be coupled via a LAN.
Alternatively, however, the host 202 could be remote from the
desktop 214A, and could be coupled to it via a LAN, WAN, the
Internet 208, a wireless network (not shown), a cableTV network, a
satellite network, or any other type of communication medium. The
redirector program 202B is similar to the redirector software
described above. The attachment processing component 202C provides
the functionality described below with reference to FIGS. 7-8.
[0070] The host system 202 is separated from any external networks
by a firewall system 206. Firewall systems 206 are known in this
field, and provide a security function for protecting an internal
corporate network from any external networks. The firewall 206 is,
in turn, connected to an external network 208, such as the
Internet, which is in turn connected to a relay system 210 and then
to the wireless network 212. As noted above, the wireless network
212 could be any type of digital or analog wireless communication
network, such as a packet data network, a cellular network, a
digital cellular network, a satellite network, a microwave network,
etc.
[0071] The mobile data communication device 214B is configured to
operate on the wireless network 212. In addition, the mobile data
communication device 214B is preferably configured to operate on
one or more short-range wireless frequencies in order to wirelessly
communicate information 215A, 215B between the mobile device 214B
and the attachment displayers 216. The mobile device 214B and the
attachment displayers 216 could be Bluetooth.RTM.-enabled devices
for communicating at the short-range frequencies associated with
the Bluetooth wireless standard. Other short-range wireless
standards could also be utilized. The frequencies at which the
short-range communication link operate could be RF, microwave,
cellular, optical, or Infrared frequencies. The attachment
displayers 216 are used by the mobile device 214B to process the
attachment element 200B of the datagram 200, and may be one or more
of the following devices: printers, fax machines, telephones,
cellular phones, copying machines, video display, or any other type
of device capable of processing an attachment.
[0072] In the system shown in FIG. 6, a datagram with an attached
file 200 is sent to the host system 202. The host system 202 then
sends the datagram with the attachment 200 intact to the desktop
204A of the recipient of the datagram 200 via the datagram
component 202A. The datagram component 202A recognizes the
recipient address in the datagram 200 and subsequently forwards the
datagram 200 on to the desktop system 214A. The redirector
component 202B of the host system 202B also sends the datagram
200A, stripped of the attachment 200B, through the host firewall
206 to the relay 210 and then on to the mobile device 214B via the
Internet 208 and the wireless network 212. In a preferred
embodiment, the attachment 200B is not initially redirected by the
host system 202 when the datagram 200A is redirected.
Alternatively, it is possible that automatic forwarding of
attachments is possible; especially if the attachment is in a
format that can be handled by the mobile device. The datagram 200A
contains the original message and also contains information about
the attachment 200B, such as the file name, size, and file
type.
[0073] In a preferred embodiment, after the datagram 200A (minus
the attachment 200B) is received at the mobile device 214B, the
mobile device 214B will receive a command either from the host
system 202 or from the user of the mobile device to find an
attachment displayer 216 to within its vicinity to process the
attachment 200B. Alternatively, the mobile device 214B or user may
automatically attempt to find an attachment displayer when the
datagram 200A is received. Preferably through short range wireless
communication 215A, 215B, the mobile device 214B will query 215A
attachment displayers 216 in the local area of the mobile device
214B to determine whether they can process the attachment 200B. The
attachment displayers 216 will is then send back 215B to the mobile
device 214B information pertaining to their location, electronic
address, and the type of attachment files they can handle. The
mobile device then processes this information regarding the
attachment displayers 216, and sends the host system 202 an
attachment displayer choice to use with the attachment 200B. The
attachment component 202C of the host system receives the
attachment displayer choice from the mobile device 214B, and will
then send the attachment 200B to the chosen attachment displayer
either through the wireless network 212, directly through the
Internet 208, via a LAN connection, via a telephone or cellular
connection, or via any other type of connection as specified by the
information provided from the chosen attachment displayer 216.
[0074] In an alternative embodiment of this system, the attachment
component 202C of the host system 202 would contain a database of
attachment displayers 216 to which it sends attachments 200B by
default depending on the file type. This database would include
such information as displayer location, compatibility, and
security. In this embodiment of the system, the mobile device does
not chose the attachment displayer 216 in real-time, although the
user may configure the system in advance to use a particular
attachment displayer 216 contained in the database. Alternatively,
the host system 202 may prompt the user of the mobile device 214B
to select from a list of potential attachment displayers 216, or
the host may actively determine the location of the mobile device
214B, and then present a list of potential attachment displayers
216 for selection by the user based upon positioning information of
the mobile device in relation to the potential attachment
displayers 216.
[0075] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram setting forth a method of
redirecting a message attachment to an attachment displayer 216
that is identified by the mobile device 214B. In step 220, the
datagram with an attachment 200 is received by the host system 202.
The redirector component 202B of the host system 202 sends the
datagram 200A to the mobile 214B with information about the
attachment in step 222. Note that prior to this step, the
attachment 200B is separated from the datagram 200, and is not
directly transmitted to the mobile 214B along with the message
portion of the datagram 200A. In step 224, the mobile device 214B
is instructed to detect the availability of attachment displayers
216 in its local area. This step could be accomplished
automatically when the datagram 200A is received, or it could be
initiated through a menu selection by the user of the mobile device
214B. Preferably, this step 224 is carried out using a short-range
wireless exchange 215A, 215B between the mobile device 214B and
nearby attachment displayers 216.
[0076] Having obtained this information about the available
attachment displayers 216, the mobile device 214B in this step 224
then transmits the availability information to the host system 202.
In step 226, the host 202 determines whether the attachment 200B is
a compatible format for at least one of the attachment displayers
216 that were discovered in step 224. If a compatible attachment
displayer is found, then this device is selected for processing the
attachment 200B. If a compatible device is not found, however, then
in step 228 the attachment 200B is converted into a suitable format
by the host system 202 for one of the discovered attachment
displayers 216. In step 230, the attachment displayer 216 selected
by the host system 202 then sends the mobile device 214B its
electronic routing address. This electronic address can be an IP
address, a telephone number, or a machine address. The mobile
device 214B then sends the routing address of the attachment
displayer 216 back to the host system 202 in step 232. In step 234,
the attachment component 202C of the host system 202 uses the
routing address to redirect the converted attachment 200B to the
selected attachment displayer 216. The host system 202 then
notifies the mobile device 214B, in step 236 that the attachment
200B has been redirected to the attachment displayer 216.
[0077] Alternatively to the method described in FIG. 7, instead of
the host system 202 selecting the appropriate attachment displayer
216, the selection could be made at the mobile device 214B. For
example, knowing the type of attachment at the mobile device 214B,
which could be provided in the datagram 200A, and having discovered
the available attachment displayers 216, the mobile device 214B
could then select the appropriate attachment displayer 216, either
automatically or based on input from the user of the mobile device
214B. Electronic address information of the selected attachment
displayer 216 would then be routed to the host system 202, which
would then transmit the attachment 200B directly to the selected
attachment displayer 216 by whatever network connection is
appropriate.
[0078] FIG. 8 is a flow diagram setting forth a method of
redirecting a message attachment to an attachment displayer 216,
where the attachment displayer 26 is identified by the host system
202. In step 240, the host system 202 receives a datagram 200 with
an attachment. The redirector component 202B sends the datagram
(minus the attachment) 200A to the mobile 214B with information
about the attachment in step 242. In step 244, the host system 202
determines the attachment format type. From a database of
attachment displayers 216 coupled to the attachment component 202C
of the host system 202, the host system 202 will match the
attachment format type with a suitable attachment displayer 216 in
step 246. In step 250, the host 202 redirects the attachment 200B
to the selected attachment displayer 216 based on the information
in the attachment component database. In step 252, the host sends a
notification to the mobile device 214B when the attachment has been
redirected and at which attachment displayer 216 the attachment
will be available.
[0079] If the attachment is not compatible with any of the
attachment displayers 216 in the attachment component database in
step 248, then the host 202 may query the mobile device 214B in
step 254. In step 256 the mobile device 214B interrogates
attachment displayers 216 within the mobile device's vicinity,
preferably via a short-range wireless communication exchange 215A,
215B. The mobile device 214B then displays the information that the
responsive attachment displayers 216 sent back to the device 214B
in step 258. This information can include routing address,
compatibility and physical location. The user of the mobile device
214B may then make the selection of the attachment displayer 216 in
step 260. In step 262, the mobile device 214B then sends the host
system 202 the selection of the attachment displayer 216 including
the routing information for the selected device 216.
[0080] Alternatively, the host system 202 may make the selection of
the appropriate attachment displayer 216 using location information
of the mobile device 214B. This location information can be derived
based upon communications between the mobile device 214B and the
wireless network 212, or it can be based upon a query of the mobile
device 214B to transmit its location information to the host system
202, which may be obtainable by a variety of methods, such as an
internal GPS receive, a triangulation methodology with a plurality
of base stations of the wireless network, etc. In any event, the
host system 202 uses the mobile device's location information to
select the most appropriate attachment displayer 216 by first
selecting the attachment displayers 216 in the database of
displayers that are capable of processing the transaction and then
by comparing location information of the selected displayers 216
with the location information of the mobile device 214B.
[0081] An alternative embodiment to FIG. 6 is illustrated in FIG.
10. FIG. 10 sets forth a system for redirecting messages having
attachments 200, preferably using the redirector program discussed
above. This system preferably includes an attachment processing
component 202C that provides the additional functionality described
below. The attachment processing component 202C converts
attachments 200B into one or more formats that are acceptable for
the mobile device 214B, prior to transmission to the mobile device
214B, such that the mobile device 214B can display the attachment
202B to the user thereby not requiring the use of attachment
displayers 216. In this manner, the attachment displayers may be
circumvented. However, in this case the wireless network 212
preferably is robust and has a large bandwidth to accommodate large
attachment transmissions.
[0082] In one embodiment of the attachment processing component
202C, attachments are "trimmed" in that only a portion of the
attachment 200B is sent to the mobile device 214B. If the user
after viewing the attachment desires to see the rest of the
attachment, then the user may send a command to push the remaining
portion of the attachment to the mobile device 214B. Alternatively,
the user may request the attachment to be sent to an attachment
displayer 216. When the attachment processing component 202C
converts the attachments, the converted attachment is preferably
compressed in size and may be encrypted. The packaging of the
attachments, if needed, is accomplished as discussed above.
Advantageously, the processing and overhead associated with
conversions from a plurality of attachment formats to one or more
common formats compatible with the mobile device 214B is
accomplished at the host system 202.
[0083] Having described in detail the preferred embodiments of the
present invention, including the preferred methods of operation, it
is to be understood that this operation could be carried out with
different elements and steps. This preferred embodiment is
presented only by way of example and is not meant to limit the
scope of the present invention which is defined by the following
claims.
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