U.S. patent application number 11/925811 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-20 for notification system and method for a mobile data communication device.
This patent application is currently assigned to RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED. Invention is credited to Mihal Lazaridis, Harry Major, Gary P. Mousseau, Krishna K. Pathiyal.
Application Number | 20080288604 11/925811 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37950886 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080288604 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Major; Harry ; et
al. |
November 20, 2008 |
Notification System and Method for a Mobile Data Communication
Device
Abstract
A message notification scheme operable at a mobile data
communication device, comprising one or more of the following:
receiving data items redirected from a computer system; determining
if the data items include characterization information based on a
characterization scheme; and if so, extracting the characterization
information and comparing the characterization information to a
plurality of stored notification schemes at the mobile data
communication device to provide an appropriate alert associated
with a select notification scheme.
Inventors: |
Major; Harry; (Waterloo,
CA) ; Pathiyal; Krishna K.; (Waterloo, CA) ;
Mousseau; Gary P.; (Waterloo, CA) ; Lazaridis;
Mihal; (Waterloo, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RESEARCH IN MOTION;ATTN: GLENDA WOLFE
BUILDING 6, BRAZOS EAST, SUITE 100, 5000 RIVERSIDE DRIVE
IRVING
TX
75039
US
|
Assignee: |
RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
Waterloo
CA
|
Family ID: |
37950886 |
Appl. No.: |
11/925811 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11789670 |
Apr 24, 2007 |
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11925811 |
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09545962 |
Apr 10, 2000 |
7209955 |
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11789670 |
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09087623 |
May 29, 1998 |
6219694 |
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09545962 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/207 ;
707/E17.109 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/9535 20190101;
G06Q 10/109 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/207 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Claims
1. A message notification method operable at a mobile data
communication device, comprising: receiving data items redirected
from a computer system; determining if the data items include
characterization information based on a characterization scheme;
and if so, extracting the characterization information and
comparing the characterization information to a plurality of stored
notification schemes at the mobile data communication device to
provide an appropriate alert associated with a select notification
scheme.
2. The message notification method of claim 1, wherein the data
items are selected from at least one of e-mail messages, calendar
events, meeting notifications, address entries, journal entries,
personal reminders, and instant messaging notifications.
3. The message notification method of claim 1, wherein the
characterization information comprises at least one of a unique
data item identifier and a unique priority ranking identifier in a
header field of a particular data item.
4. The message notification method of claim 1, further comprising:
upon determining that the received data items do not include
characterization information, characterizing the received data
items based on a local characterization scheme executing on the
mobile data communication device; and applying a corresponding
notification scheme based on reviewing the plurality of stored
notification schemes at the mobile data communication device.
5. The message notification method of claim 2, wherein the alert
comprises at least one of an audible alert, a visual alert and a
vibration alert.
6. The message notification method of claim 5, wherein the audible
alert comprises one or more tunes.
7. The message notification method of claim 5, wherein the audible
alert comprises one or more verbal notifications.
8. A mobile data communication device, comprising: means for
receiving data items redirected from a computer system; means for
determining if the data items include characterization information
based on a characterization scheme; means for storing a plurality
of notification schemes; and means for extracting the
characterization information from the data items and comparing the
characterization information to the plurality of stored
notification schemes to provide an appropriate alert associated
with a select notification scheme.
9. The mobile data communication device of claim 8, wherein the
data items are selected from at least one of e-mail messages,
calendar events, meeting notifications, address entries, journal
entries, personal reminders, and instant messaging
notifications.
10. The mobile data communication device of claim 8, wherein the
characterization information comprises at least one of a unique
data item identifier and a unique priority ranking identifier in a
header field of a particular data item.
11. The mobile data communication device of claim 8, further
comprising: means, operable responsive to determining that the
received data items do not include characterization information,
for characterizing the received data items based on a local
characterization scheme executing on the mobile data communication
device; and means for applying a corresponding notification scheme
based on reviewing the plurality of notification schemes stored at
the mobile data communication device.
12. The mobile data communication device of claim 8, wherein the
alert comprises at least one of an audible alert, a visual alert
and a vibration alert.
13. The mobile data communication device of claim 12, wherein the
audible alert comprises one or more tunes.
14. The mobile data communication device of claim 12, wherein the
audible alert comprises one or more verbal notifications.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/545,962, now issued as U.S. Pat. No.
7,209,955, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Utility
application Ser. No. 09/087,623, entitled System and Method for
Pushing Information from a Host System to a Mobile Data
Communication Device, filed May 29, 1998, issued as U.S. Pat. No.
6,219,694, and assigned to the assignee of the present
invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is directed toward the field of
notifications for a mobile communications device.
[0003] 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] Instead of warehousing (or storing) the user's data items at
the host system and then "synchronizing" the mobile data
communication device to data items stored at the host system when
the mobile device requests that such items of information be
communicated to it, the present invention employs a "push" paradigm
that continuously packages and retransmits the user-selected items
of information to the mobile data communication device in response
to a triggering event detected at the host system. Wireless mobile
data communications devices, especially those that can return a
confirmation signal to the host that the pushed data has been
received are especially well suited for this type of push
paradigm.
[0005] Present systems and methods for replicating 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 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, such as a serial
cable or an infrared or other type of wireless link. Software
executing on the mobile data communication 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. In these
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. 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.
[0006] The user's mobile device is in many instances removably
stored in a holster that is detachably connected to the user's belt
or other piece of clothing. Traditionally, upon the detection of a
new data item, an audible signal and/or the vibration of the device
is the form of notification provided to the user. Such traditional
notification is problematic at best and do not provide the user any
flexibility for rapid decision-making. A heavy user of the system
and method for pushing information from a host to a mobile
communication device disclosed herein is quickly overcome with
persistent data item notification during the busiest time periods
in a business day. After receiving a traditional notification, the
user reaches for his mobile device in the holster to examine the
displayed data item associated with the notification. Frequent
traditional notifications can become annoying to a heavy user;
thereby causing the user to switch off the audible and/or vibrate
notifications all together.
[0007] Traditional mobile communication devices, which implement
the system and method of pushing information from a host as
described herein, also lack the facility of an assistant or
secretary to screen pages, emails, voice mails, etc that arrive at
the mobile communication device. In many ways, more work is created
for the user when using such a device because a form of wireless
umbilical cord extends from the user's host system to the user via
the mobile communication device without the facility of a secretary
or assistant to manage and/or screen the notifications. The user
cannot differentiate unimportant data item notifications from those
data items that are relevant or very important without having to
commit to the physical action of reviewing the display of the
device. An additional feature of the present invention is that the
push paradigm, in combination with a return communications pathway,
lends itself well to a system that permits a user to control
remotely, through the user's mobile device, a number of aspects of
the host system.
[0008] There remains a general need in this art for a system and
method of continuously pushing user-selected data items (or certain
portions of the selected data items) stored at a host system to a
user's mobile data communication device.
[0009] There remains a more particular need for such a system and
method where user-selected data items are continuously "pushed"
from the host system to the mobile data communication device upon
the occurrence of one or more user-defined triggering events.
[0010] 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
w 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.
[0011] 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.
[0012] 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.
[0013] There remains still another need for such a system and
method that provides for notification in a user-selectable manner
of user-selectable data items arriving at the mobile device.
[0014] There remains yet another need for such a system and method
that provides for notification of mobile-specific event occurrences
such as, but not limited to calendar event reminders and
unsuccessful transmission of user data items originating from the
mobile device.
[0015] There also remains still another need for such a system and
method that provides for notification of user-selected data items
from the host system to the mobile device in a user-selectable
manner that allows the user of the mobile communication device the
quick and hands-free ability to determine whether or not to act on
a notification.
[0016] There also remains yet another need to integrate
secretarial-like features into a mobile communication device using
the system and method of pushing information from a host to a
mobile communication device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] 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.
[0018] According to the present invention a system and method is
provided such that an event-driven redirection computer program
("redirector program") operating at the host system, which, upon
sensing a particular user-defined event has occurred, characterizes
user-selected data items and then redirects them from the host
system to the user's mobile data communication device. Upon arrival
of the user-selected data items at the mobile data communication
device, the present invention notifies the user in a
user-selectable manner. In addition to the arrival of data items on
the device, the occurrence of certain events that are specific to
the mobile communication device and the transmission status of data
items are events that are within the scope of the invention to
notify the user.
[0019] 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. 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.
[0020] Using the redirector program, the user can select certain
data items types 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.
[0021] 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 initially configured by the user of that mobile
device at the host system. This configuration can be altered on a
global or per message 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.
[0022] 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. In one embodiment of the present invention,
the repackaging of these items includes characterizing the data
item type and the priority ranking associated therewith. As
discussed above, data item types preferably include E-mail
messages, calendar events, meeting notifications, address entries,
journal entries, personal reminders, instant email notifications,
etc. Priority rankings preferably include regular importance, very
important and emergency. It is to be understood that it is clearly
within the scope of the invention to expand or decrease the levels
of priority rankings in an alternative embodiment of the invention.
By characterizing the data item, the mobile data communication
device can act on the characterization according to the
user-selectable notification scheme as set forth on the mobile
device, or alternatively as set forth on the 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.
[0023] 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. An
example of an Internet-based redirector program can allow various
Internet-based email and calendar event information companies to
redirect their user data items to a particular mobile device.
Instant message notifications are one such type of data items that
would fall into this category.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a
client-based software program operates at the mobile communication
device to manage and execute the user-selectable notification
scheme ("notification module"). Preferably, the notification module
is a component of the primary client software program residing on
the mobile device that manages the redirected data items arriving
and departing therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, the
notification module is called upon on or before presenting any
information on the display of the mobile device that is the result
of a (1) data item arriving onto the mobile device from the
wireless network, (2) data item event reminder, or (3) data item
transmission status report. Collectively, these examples and others
like them are herein referred to as "notifiable data items".
[0025] 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.
[0026] In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a
method of pushing and pulling data items from a host system from a
mobile communication device, comprising the steps of: receiving a
message at the mobile communication device; determining a
characterization of the received message; if the received message
is characterized as a priority message, then: (a) determining if
the complete message was pushed from the host system to the mobile
communication device; if not, then automatically requesting a
remaining portion of the message from the host system; pushing the
remaining portion of the message from the host system to the mobile
communication device via a wireless network; notifying the user of
the mobile data communication device that a priority message has
been received; and, displaying the priority message on the mobile
data communication device. The method further comprises the step of
sending a command to the host system for the remaining portion of
the message at the requesting step.
[0027] 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 with user-selectable
notification of the data items at the 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) flexibility in defining a
user-selectable notification scheme to notify the user; (7)
provides for notification in a user-selectable manner of
user-selectable data items arriving at the mobile device; (8)
provides for notification of mobile-specific event occurrences such
as, but not limited to calendar event reminders and unsuccessful
transmission of user data items originating from the mobile device;
(9) provides for notification of user-selected data items from the
host system to the mobile device in a user-selectable manner that
allows the user of the mobile communication device the quick and
hands-free ability to determine whether or not to act on a
notification; and, (10) provides for integrated secretarial-like
features into the mobile communication device. 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
[0028] 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:
[0029] 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.
[0030] 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.
[0031] 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.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the steps carried out by the
redirector software operating at the host system.
[0033] 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.
[0034] FIG. 6 is illustrative of the variety of notification
options for a typical notification scheme available to the
user.
[0035] FIG. 7 is illustrative of the steps undertaken by the
notification module at the mobile device 24 of the present
invention prior to presenting to the user a notifiable data
item.
[0036] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the major subsystems and
elements comprising a palm-sized, mobile, two-way messaging device
24 that preferably incorporates the invention.
[0037] FIG. 9 is an alternative embodiment of FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] 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
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.
[0039] 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.
[0040] 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) or a
machine capable of processing and playing audio files, such as a
voice mail system. 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. By way of 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.
[0041] 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.
[0042] 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. 1-4.
[0043] 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. 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.
[0044] Among the user-defined event triggers that can be detected
by the redirector program 12 are in the preferred embodiment
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.
[0045] 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.
[0046] 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.
[0047] The data items that are exchanged between the host system
and the mobile device via the wireless network may include
sensitive information or confidential information, for example in a
corporate or other local area network in which the host system is
arranged to operate. A user of a mobile device may also prefer that
data items are not accessible outside the secure environment of the
host system. It is therefore contemplated that all or some data
items will be encrypted before transmission. In the case of
transmissions/redirections from the host system, the encryption
preferably takes place prior to the data item departing beyond the
security of the one or more corporate firewalls protecting the
information stored at or associated with the host system. In the
case of transmission/redirections from the mobile device, the
encryption preferably takes place prior to the data item departing
the secure environment of the device or prior to transmission from
the device itself. An encryption scheme is therefore preferably
implemented between each host and any device with which the host
communicates. In a private key encryption scheme, the device and
all hosts communicating with the device share a key using which
encrypted messages may be decrypted. Public key encryption involves
encrypting a message with a publicly available encryption key
associated with the message addressee. A resultant encrypted
message may only be decrypted using a private key held by the
addressee. Public or private key encryption may be implemented
within a system according to the invention. Since data items are
repackaged at the host, device and gateway without regard to
message content, an encrypted message remains encrypted between a
host and device thereby creating an end-to-end secure communication
link. Unlike known encryption schemes, encrypted messages are only
encrypted to recover the contents of the messages at the
communication endpoints, i.e. the host and device. In a preferred
embodiment, the gateway merely repackages encrypted messages and
need not decrypt such messages, the gateway does not have access to
host or device encryption keys and therefore is unable to decrypt
any messages routed therethrough. If the host operates in a
corporate network behind a corporate firewall (not shown) for
example, data items therein that are encrypted at the host system
behind the corporate firewall, remain encrypted and thus secure
until decrypted by a recipient device, effectively extending the
firewall to the device. Messages encrypted at a device similarly
remain secure until decrypted at a host system (preferably behind
the corporate firewall). In order to reduce wireless network
bandwidth requirements, data items may also be compressed prior to
encryption. A message recipient then simply decompresses a received
data item following decryption of the message.
[0048] 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.
[0049] 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.
[0050] In yet another aspect of the present invention, a
description of the notification system and method is now further
described. In general, each data item that is redirected to the
mobile preferably is characterized as to the data item type and the
priority ranking associated therewith. Data item types preferably
include E-mail messages, calendar events, meeting notifications,
address entries, journal entries, personal reminders, instant email
notifications, etc. Priority rankings preferably include at least
three different levels of importance, namely regular importance,
very high importance and emergency. It is to be understood that it
is clearly within the scope of the invention to expand or decrease
the levels of priority rankings in an alternative embodiment of the
invention. By characterizing the data item, the mobile data
communication device can act on the characterization according to a
user-selectable notification scheme. In addition to the
user-selectable notification scheme, the mobile preferably executes
a variety of secretary-like actions. The collective features of the
present invention provide the mobile the ability to advantageously
operate very much like a virtual secretary thereby providing many
of the aforesaid advantages of the present invention.
[0051] Characterization preferably takes place at the host system.
In a second embodiment, the characterization may take place at the
mobile. In a third embodiment, a first portion of characterization
may take place at the host system and a second portion of
characterization may take place at the mobile. In this third
embodiment, the user can set which of the two characterizations can
take precedence (i.e. which wins in a conflict). In the preferred
embodiment, the characterization as to the type of the data item
and as to the priority ranking are undertaken at the host system.
However, the user, preferably, may override the host-side
characterization settings regarding the priority rankings at the
mobile. It is to be understood that it is preferable that the host
system and the mobile are initially synchronized at either an
initial hard link or via an over-the-air synchronization to match
characterization protocols and notification schemes.
[0052] By way of example of the characterization process, after
step 68 in FIG. 4, the redirector program may characterize the data
item with a unique data item type identifier and a unique priority
ranking in the header of the data item. The data item type
information may be taken from the results of the determinations at
steps 62, 64 and 66. Other suitable means of determining the data
type are well within the scope of the present invention.
Characterization as to the priority ranking of the data item may be
accomplished in a number of ways. For instance, a data item
software application, such as an email messaging client or a
message server such as Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes Domino,
may associate priority ranking with outbound data items such as
email messages. This ranking is generally embedded in the header of
the email message. However, solely relying on the sender and/or the
sender's software package to embed priority ranking is not
desirable for the following reasons: (1) some software packages do
not have the ability to characterize the priority associated with
the data item or where is the ability priority ranking is not
associated with all outgoing data items, (2) the sender does not
prioritize the data item as the mobile user desires, (3) the
priority rankings created by the sender are in conflict with the
user-defined rankings. In the preferred embodiment, the priority
ranking is created and incorporated into the data item header by
the notification element of the redirector program prior to
wrapping the outer envelope, such as at step 70 of FIG. 4. In the
preferred embodiment, the filter rules described herein for the
redirection of data items from the host system to the mobile device
may include priority ranking characterization of data items. In
such an instance, the priority ranking may be incorporated into the
headers of data items as they successfully qualify for redirection
to the mobile. Data items may be prioritized according an infinite
number of user-selected criteria including but not limited to:
sender of the data item; recipients of the data items and, subject
of the data item. It is within the scope of the present invention
to create a number of other criteria where the priority ranking may
differ according to user-selected criteria.
[0053] In addition to characterization, the present invention
utilizes what is known herein as a "notification scheme". The
notification scheme is a plurality of filtering and action rules
that are applied to a notifiable data item using some or all of the
characterization of the data item. In the preferred embodiment, a
set of default rules will be available in the interim for the user
until he gets an opportunity to personalize his notification
scheme. In the preferred embodiment, there is a plurality of
notification schemes on the device, each customizable for the
user's benefit. As an example, a first notification scheme may
apply only to meeting requests from a certain group of individuals,
while a second notification scheme may apply only to the failure of
any data items transmitted from the mobile. A third notification
scheme may apply to email messages from a certain sender. The
infinite variety of combinations will be appreciated with the
following description.
[0054] The notification scheme provides the user with a plurality
of notification alerts such as, but not limited to, audible, visual
and vibrating alerts. Continuing with the example, the user would
then select whether any reminders are necessary. If so, the user
may select the same alert scheme earlier selected or alternatively,
choose a different style of reminder. In this manner, the level of
intrusion to the user due to the notification may be minimized and
yet still be beneficial to the user. To illustrate this point, take
for example a calendar event such as a meeting request that
includes party Y is to be audibly alerted, but an email message
from the same party is just visually alerted.
[0055] FIG. 6 is illustrative of the variety of notification
options for a typical notification scheme available to the user. In
the preferred embodiment, the user at his mobile will have a
notification scheme screen that will intelligently navigate the
user through the various options and combinations illustrated in
FIG. 6. The reference numerals 222-272 identify some of the user
selectable choices available for any one notification scheme. Not
all choices are illustrated for brevity sake. In essence, the user
is prompted through a first series of restriction criteria.
Preferably, some of these restriction criteria would then be
further restricted a second series of restriction criteria, if so
desired by the user.
[0056] As a first step 222, in the notification scheme screen, the
user is prompted on whether the current scheme is to be
party-specific 224 or to be generally applied 226. When the
party-specific option 224 is activated, the notification scheme
only applies to certain predetermined individuals or groups of
individuals identified in notifiable data items. User may select
from pre-existing individuals in the mobile's address book or
create new ones. User may then set parameters of where the
individual must be identified. For instance, in the preferred
embodiment, the user may require that the individual be identified
in any number of ways including at least one of: (1) senders of the
data items, (2) attendees of calendar events, (3) individuals
listed in the cc: of an email message, or (4) recipients of the
data items. In the preferred embodiment, a variety of combinations
are possible and user-selectable. In the alternative, the user may
choose option 226 such that the notification scheme 220 applies
generally without reference to the party identified in the
notifiable data item.
[0057] At step 228, the user is prompted to choose from a plurality
of data item types. By choosing at least one of the plurality of
data item types 230, 232, 234, the notification scheme is
restricted in its applications to those data items types selected.
It is preferable that a user restriction selection may initiate the
user to further restrict in sub-selections. In this manner, the
notification scheme may be more finely tuned. For example, in the
preferred embodiment, if the user selects email message 230 as a
data item restriction to be applied, the user is further prompted
to select from one of at least, preferably, three sub-choices,
namely: inbound email messages 236, outbound email messages 238, or
transmission status of email messages 240.
[0058] As a pre-step before selecting the alert at step 242, the
user is prompted as to the priority ranking the data item must have
before the alert is executed. Such ranking restriction is
designated as steps 241, 261 and 271. Although not fully
illustrated in FIG. 6, it is to be understood that the alert
selection (steps 242-260) is repeated for each different priority
ranking the user selects. Therefore, the user may have a certain
alert selection for data items having regular importance, while a
completely different alert selection for data items having very
high importance. Preferably, however, such subsets of alert
selections will be make up only one notification scheme.
[0059] At step 242, the user is prompted to choose from a plurality
of alert types, including preferably, audible 244, visual 246 and
vibrate 248 signals. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the user is provided
in the case of an audible signal 244, a plurality of audible
variants 250-256. In the case where the user has selected audible
signal, the user is given the opportunity to choose from a
plurality of tune variants and a plurality of verbal variants. The
verbal variants are very useful in the case where the mobile
includes a cooperating headset that includes an earpiece. By way of
example, a verbal variant may be the spoken name of the sender of
the email message. The mobile would audibly present a computer
generated verbal announcement of the fact that an email message was
received from a particular sender via a speaker in the mobile or
via a headset device. In the present invention, notification may be
delivered via the mobile device itself and/or an associated headset
device. The headset device preferably includes an ear and
integrated mouthpiece. In a preferred embodiment, the headset
device may have all the notification signal capabilities, but the
vibrating signal.
[0060] Returning back to FIG. 6, at step 262, the user is prompted
to choose from a plurality of reminder features 264-272. Choice 264
relates to the number of times the user is reminded of the
notifiable data item with the foregoing user-selected alert. Choice
266 is the auto snooze feature. This feature allows the user to
acknowledge an alert in any number of ways such as pulling the
mobile of the holster or opening and viewing notifiable data item
while at the same returning the mobile to a rest mode such as
returning the mobile to the holster, but get reminded of the
notifiable data item in a user-selected predetermined time
interval. It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a
wide number of reminder styles are possible, and such styles are
within the scope of the invention. The mobile device 24 will
reference a user-selectable notification scheme store (not shown)
at step 206 to make a determination of whether or not the data item
requires notification. If a determination at step 206 results in
the affirmative, a series of possible notification types and
actions are possible as set forth in steps 208-218. It is to be
understood that other notification types and combinations thereof
are within the scope of the present invention. The user-selectable
notification scheme store will preferably have a default
notification scheme that the user may modify. As can be inferred
from the description of the present invention, a plurality of
combinations may be applied to the notification scheme.
Advantageously, the notification rules may be fine-tuned and very
comprehensive so as to allow a user an extremely wide ambit of
freedom and control of reviewing notifiable data items. In effect,
notification is optimized for the user; thereby creating for the
user a virtual secretary at the mobile device.
[0061] Virtual Secretary.
[0062] The virtual secretary may be invoked in a number of ways.
For example, a message arrives having an emergency ranking, the
mobile notifies the user accordingly, the users reviews the
message, upon cursoring to the end of the message, software on the
mobile either (1) prompts the user to reply to the sender, or (2)
opens a new message to reply to the sender. In this manner, time
which may be of the essence is advantageously saved and navigation
through GUIs are avoided for a response.
[0063] To further illustrate another feature of the virtual
secretary described in the present invention, take for example, an
attachment to an email message arrives at the handheld that is not
openable or viewable at the mobile. In one embodiment of the
present invention, the mobile device will upon or while
contemporaneously acting on the user-selected notification scheme
will locate a suitable peripheral or other device that will allow
the attachment to be presented to the user. More specifically, the
software on the mobile will, upon detection of an attachment not
presentable to the user, automatically wirelessly transmit an
attachment agent from the handheld through a cooperating wireless
LAN or WAN. The attachment agent will seek and locate a peripheral
or device that is willing and capable to open and present the
attachment for the user. The agent will use a variety of
user-selectable parameters to determine the most suitable external
device to present the attachment. Such parameters include what will
constitute a reasonable distance for the user to walk (i.e anywhere
on the same floor of an office building, but no further than 250
metres). Upon successfully seek and locate, the agent will return
to the device, or alternatively, some form of acknowledgment will
be reported to the mobile about the opportunity and details
regarding logistics to present the attachment to the user. At that
time the user can choose to either view the attachment at the
suggested external device or ignore the same.
[0064] Ambient Noise Detection.
[0065] In another embodiment of the present invention, the mobile
modifies the audible alert of notifiable data-items according to
the noise level around the user. FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the
major subsystems and elements comprising a palm-sized, mobile,
two-way messaging device 24 that preferably incorporates the
invention. In this embodiment, the device prior to notifying the
user of a notifiable data item carries through with the following
additional steps: (1) detecting the ambient noise, (2) measuring
the ambient noise, (3) determining whether to adjust the volume
level associated with notification, (4) if adjustment is required,
adjusting the volume of audible signal accordingly. Naturally, the
ambient noise detection routine is only executed where there is an
audible signal associated with the notification. Preferably, the
messaging device 24 includes a transmitter/receiver subsystem 300
connected to a digital signal processor (DSP) 302 for digital
signal processing of the incoming and outgoing data transmissions,
power supply and management subsystem 304, which supplies and
manages power to the overall messaging device components,
microprocessor 306, which is preferably an X86 architecture
processor, that controls the operation of the messaging device,
display 308, which is preferably a full graphic LCD, FLASH memory
310, RAM 312, serial input and output 314, keyboard 316, thumbwheel
318 and thumbwheel control logic (not shown). In its intended use,
a message comes via a wireless data network into subsystem 306,
where it is demodulated via DSP 302 and decoded and presented to
microprocessor 306 for display on display 308. To acknowledge a
notification provided pursuant to the present invention, access the
display of the message, the user may choose from functions listed
under a menu presented as a result of user interaction with
thumbwheel 318. If the message is an email message, the user may
chose to respond to the email by selecting "Reply" from a menu
presented on the display through interaction via thumbwheel 318 or
via menu selection from keyboard 316. When the microprocessor 306
receives an indication that the message is to be sent, it processes
the message for transport and, by directing and communicating with
transmitter/receiver subsystem 300, enables the reply message to be
sent via the wireless communications data network to the intended
recipient. Similar interaction through I/O devices keyboard 316 and
thumbwheel 318 can be used to initiate full-text messages or to
forward messages to another party. The device 24 is preferably
Bluetooth.TM. enabled.
[0066] After the redirector has determined that a particular
message should be redirected, and it has prepared the message for
redirection, the 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.
[0067] 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.
[0068] 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 resend it to the user's mobile data device, as
described above.
[0069] 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.
[0070] 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, 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. 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.
[0071] 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.
[0072] 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.
[0073] 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.
[0074] 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.
[0075] 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; (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.
[0076] 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.
[0077] 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.
[0078] 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.
[0079] As described previously, the present invention can be
triggered to begin 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; 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 that is connected to the host system via a network to
initiate redirection.
[0080] 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 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. 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. 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.
[0081] 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.
[0082] 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 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. The configuration process may also include the
priority ranking of certain data items that are to be redirected.
For instance, email messages from individual K may be marked as
very important priority ranking while email messages all other
individuals are regular importance priority ranking. Likewise,
calendar events having individual K as an attendee are marked as
very important priority ranking while all other calendar events are
normal priority. In this manner the redirector program may mark the
data items as data items are redirected in the user-selected
prioritization for appropriate notification at the user's mobile
communication device.
[0083] 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.
[0084] 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. At
step 72, the repackaging may also include the marking of the data
item as to its data item type and/or priority level. 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.
[0085] 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.
[0086] 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. 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; (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; (3) a message to instruct the host system to modify the
priority level associated with classes or subclasses of data
items.
[0087] 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.
[0088] In an alternative embodiment of the invention relating to
the notification method and system of the present invention,
following step 96 or step 92, control passes to step 200, which
notifies the user of the data item according the present invention.
FIG. 7 is illustrative of the steps undertaken by the notification
module at the mobile device 24 of the present invention prior to
presenting to the user at step 98. As will be understood upon the
review of FIG. 7, the notification module will allow notification
to the user of not only the arrival of data items from the host
system, but also is useful in circumstances where the user would
like distinct notification of (1) an unsuccessful transmission of a
data item from the mobile device 24 to the host system x; (2) the
arrival at the mobile device 24 of regular importance data items;
(3) the arrival at the mobile device 24 of high importance data
items (4) reminders of calendar events such as appointments having
regular importance; (5) reminders of calendar events such as
appointments having high importance; (6) the arrival at the mobile
device 24 of calendar events; and (7) the arrival at the mobile
device 24 of emergency notifications. At step 202, the mobile
device 24 examines the data item and subsequently determines the
data item type and the priority ranking at step 204, if any,
associated with the data item. In the preferred embodiment of the
notification module, a counter number embedded in the header of the
data item may associate the data item type and priority associated
therewith. Alternative marking methods may used in replace of or in
conjunction with the counter number to indicate the data type and
priority, and such alternative methods are well within the scope of
the present invention. The mobile device 24 will get the data item
type and any priority ranking associated with the data item at step
206. Next, the notification module will make reference to a
user-selectable notification scheme store (not shown) at step 208.
Upon reviewing the notification schemes in the store, the module
will be able to make a determination of whether or not the data
item requires notification via steps 210 and 212. More
specifically, at step 210, the module determines whether there is a
party-specific notification scheme for the data item. If a
determination at step 210 results in the affirmative, the
appropriate party-specific alert is called and acted upon at step
214. At step 216, the notification module will apply any reminder
as set forth in the party-specific notification scheme. Control
passes then back to step 204.
[0089] An emergency notification setting is defaulted as true. When
the setting remains in this state, the emergency notification is
useful in the instance where the user chooses to power down his
entire mobile device 24 or just the radio component of the device.
In such an instance, the assumption is that the user still desires
to receive only extremely important data items, hence the name
"emergency notification". In such an occurrence, a data item having
a command associated therewith re-activates the mobile device only
long enough to be received by the mobile device and powers down the
radio component of the mobile device promptly thereafter so as to
prevent any other transmission from arriving or departing from the
device.
[0090] The present invention provides flexibility to the user by
providing the user the capability to predetermine a set of
notification rules. For instance, depending on the type of data
item received by the notification module, the user may choose the
notification module to act differently. In the preferred
embodiment, notification types include visual, vibrate and audible
notifications and within theses types of notifications there are
sub-types of notifications such as tune 1, tune 2 and tune 3 for
the audible signal notification. The user has control over this
selection via a user interface (not shown) on the device.
Alternatively, the user has control at the host system via a UI
interface with the message server, or further alternatively,
control is available at the host and on the device.
[0091] 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 marked as to its
data item type and priority level and 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.
[0092] 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
message is marked for data item type and priority level and 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.
[0093] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of yet another mobile
communication device 24 in which the instant invention may be
implemented. The mobile communication device 24 is preferably a
two-way communication device having at least voice and data
communication capabilities. The device preferably has the
capability to communicate with other computer systems on the
Internet. Depending on the functionality provided by the device,
the device may be referred to as a data messaging device, a two-way
pager, a cellular telephone with data messaging capabilities, a
wireless Internet appliance or a data communication device (with or
without telephony capabilities).
[0094] Where the device 24 is enabled for two-way communications,
the device will incorporate a communication subsystem 911,
including a receiver 912, a transmitter 914, and associated
components such as one or more, preferably embedded or internal,
antenna elements 916 and 918, local oscillators (LOs) 913, and a
processing module such as a digital signal processor (DSP) 920. As
will be apparent to those skilled in the field of communications,
the particular design of the communication subsystem 911 will be
dependent upon the communication network in which the device is
intended to operate. For example, a device 24 destined for a North
American market may include a communication subsystem 911 designed
to operate within the Mobitex.TM. mobile communication system or
DataTAC.TM. mobile communication system, whereas a device 24
intended for use in Europe may incorporate a General Packet Radio
Service (GPRS) communication subsystem 911.
[0095] Network access requirements will also vary depending upon
the type of network 919. For example, in the Mobitex and DataTAC
networks, mobile devices such as 24 are registered on the network
using a unique personal identification number or PIN associated
with each device. In GPRS networks however, network access is
associated with a subscriber or user of a device 24. A GPRS device
therefore requires a subscriber identity module (not shown),
commonly referred to as a SIM card, in order to operate on a GPRS
network. Without a SIM card, a GPRS device will not be fully
functional. Local or non-network communication functions (if any)
may be operable, but the device 24 will be unable to carry out any
functions involving communications over network 919. When required
network registration or activation procedures have been completed,
a device 24 may send and receive communication signals over the
network 919. Signals received by the antenna 916 through a
communication network 919 are input to the receiver 912, which may
perform such common receiver functions as signal amplification,
frequency down conversion, filtering, channel selection and the
like, and in the example system shown in FIG. 9, analog to digital
conversion. Analog to digital conversion of a received signal
allows more complex communication functions such as demodulation
and decoding to be performed in the DSP 920. In a similar manner,
signals to be transmitted are processed, including modulation and
encoding for example, by the DSP 920 and input to the transmitter
914 for digital to analog conversion, frequency up conversion,
filtering, amplification and transmission over the communication
network 919 via the antenna 918.
[0096] The DSP 920 not only processes communication signals, but
also provides for receiver and transmitter control. For example,
the gains applied to communication signals in the receiver 912 and
transmitter 914 may be adaptively controlled through automatic gain
control algorithms implemented in the DSP 920.
[0097] The device 24 preferably includes a microprocessor 938 which
controls the overall operation of the device. Communication
functions, including at least data and voice communications, are
performed through the communication subsystem 911. The
microprocessor 938 also interacts with further device subsystems
such as the display 922, flash memory 924, random access memory
(RAM) 926, auxiliary input/output (I/O) subsystems 928, serial port
930, keyboard 932, speaker 934, microphone 936, a short-range
communications subsystem 940 and any other device subsystems
generally designated as 942.
[0098] Some of the subsystems shown in FIG. 9 perform
communication-related functions, whereas other subsystems may
provide "resident" or on-device functions. Notably, some
subsystems, such as keyboard 932 and display 922 for example, may
be used for both communication-related functions, such as entering
a text message for transmission over a communication network, and
device-resident functions such as a calculator or task list.
[0099] Operating system software used by the microprocessor 938 is
preferably stored in a persistent store such as flash memory 924,
which may instead be a read only memory (ROM) or similar storage
element (not shown). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that
the operating system, specific device applications, or parts
thereof, may be temporarily loaded into a volatile store such as
RAM 926. It is contemplated that received communication signals may
also be stored to RAM 926.
[0100] The microprocessor 938, in addition to its operating system
functions, preferably enables execution of software applications on
the device. A predetermined set of applications which control basic
device operations, including at least data and voice communication
applications for example, will normally be installed on the device
24 during manufacture. A preferred application that may be loaded
onto the device may be a personal information manager (PIM)
application having the ability to organize and manage data items
relating to the device user such as, but not limited to e-mail,
calendar events, voice mails, appointments, and task items.
Naturally, one or more memory stores would be available on the
device to facilitate storage of PIM data items on the device. Such
PIM application would preferably have the ability to send and
receive data items, via the wireless network. In a preferred
embodiment, the PIM data items are seamlessly integrated,
synchronized and updated, via the wireless network, with the device
user's corresponding data items stored or associated with a host
computer system. Further applications may also be loaded onto the
device 24 through the network 919, an auxiliary I/O subsystem 928,
serial port 930, short-range communications subsystem 940 or any
other suitable subsystem 942, and installed by a user in the RAM
926 or preferably a non-volatile store (not shown) for execution by
the microprocessor 938. Such flexibility in application
installation increases the functionality of the device and may
provide enhanced on-device functions, communication-related
functions, or both. For example, secure communication applications
may enable electronic commerce functions and other such financial
transactions to be performed using the device 24.
[0101] In a data communication mode, a received signal such as a
text message or web page download will be processed by the
communication subsystem 911 and input to the microprocessor 938,
which will preferably further process the received signal for
output to the display 922, or alternatively to an auxiliary I/O
device 928. A user of device 24 may also compose data items such as
email messages for example, using the keyboard 932, which is
preferably a complete alphanumeric keyboard or telephone-type
keypad, in conjunction with the display 922 and possibly an
auxiliary I/O device 928. Such composed items may then be
transmitted over a communication network through the communication
subsystem 911.
[0102] For voice communications, overall operation of the device 24
is substantially similar, except that received signals would
preferably be output to a speaker 934 and signals for transmission
would be generated by a microphone 936. Alternative voice or audio
I/O subsystems such as a voice message recording subsystem may also
be implemented on the device 24. Although voice or audio signal
output is preferably accomplished primarily through the speaker
934, the display 922 may also be used to provide an indication of
the identity of a calling party, the duration of a voice call, or
other voice call related information for example.
[0103] The serial port 930 in FIG. 9 would normally be implemented
in a personal digital assistant (PDA)-type communication device for
which synchronization with a user's desktop computer (not shown)
may be desirable, but is an optional device component. Such a port
930 would enable a user to set preferences through an external
device or software application and would extend the capabilities of
the device by providing for information or software downloads to
the device 24 other than through a wireless communication network.
The alternate download path may for example be used to load an
encryption key onto the device through a direct and thus reliable
and trusted connection to thereby enable secure device
communication.
[0104] A short-range communications subsystem 940 is a further
optional component which may provide for communication between the
device 924 and different systems or devices, which need not
necessarily be similar devices. For example, the subsystem 940 may
include an infrared device and associated circuits and components
or a Bluetooth.TM. communication module to provide for
communication with similarly-enabled systems and devices.
[0105] 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.
* * * * *