U.S. patent application number 14/230170 was filed with the patent office on 2014-07-31 for logging in a user mobile device at a server computer system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Clear Channel Management Services, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Clear Channel Management Services, Inc.. Invention is credited to Evan Schwartz.
Application Number | 20140215593 14/230170 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42038182 |
Filed Date | 2014-07-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140215593 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schwartz; Evan |
July 31, 2014 |
LOGGING IN A USER MOBILE DEVICE AT A SERVER COMPUTER SYSTEM
Abstract
The invention provides a computer-based method for logging a
user mobile device onto a server computer system including
registering a unique identifier of a user mobile device, receiving
a first message from the user mobile device, detecting an Internet
Protocol address associated with the user mobile device, receiving
the unique identifier corresponding to the Internet Protocol
address; and transmitting to the user mobile device a second
message.
Inventors: |
Schwartz; Evan; (Brooklyn,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Clear Channel Management Services, Inc. |
San Antonio |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Clear Channel Management Services,
Inc.
San Antonio
TX
|
Family ID: |
42038182 |
Appl. No.: |
14/230170 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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13746171 |
Jan 21, 2013 |
8706112 |
|
|
14230170 |
|
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|
12234488 |
Sep 19, 2008 |
8359031 |
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13746171 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
726/7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 63/08 20130101;
H04L 51/38 20130101; H04W 4/14 20130101; H04L 29/12783 20130101;
H04L 67/06 20130101; H04L 61/35 20130101; H04L 67/34 20130101; H04W
12/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
726/7 |
International
Class: |
H04L 29/06 20060101
H04L029/06 |
Claims
1. A computer-based method comprising: performing a first
determination at the server computer system, the first
determination comparing login information with registered user data
stored in a database supported by the server computer system to
determine whether the login information is received from a user
computer system associated with a user; in response to determining
that login information is received from the particular user
computer system, performing a second determination, the second
determination comparing the login information with the registered
user data stored in the database supported by the server computer
system to determine whether the user is a registered user; and in
response to a favorable comparison of the login information and the
registered user data, providing the user access, via the user
computer system, to a registered user area of a web site supported
by the server computer system.
2. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the registered
user data includes user information associated with a particular
user, the user information including a unique identifier of a user
mobile device associated with the user.
3. The computer-based method of claim 2, wherein the unique
identifier is a unique phone number of the user mobile device.
4. The computer-based method of claim 2, wherein providing the user
access to the registered user area of the web site comprises
transmitting a user-specific homepage associated with the
particular user to the user computer system, the user-specific
homepage providing functionality that allows the user to select
media files to be transmitted to the user mobile device.
5. The computer-based method of claim 4, wherein the user-specific
homepage includes links to a file database corresponding to media
files the particular user is authorized to access.
6. The computer-based method of claim 4, the user-specific homepage
includes links to a file database corresponding to media files the
particular user has previously accessed.
7. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising: in
response to determining that the login information is received from
a computer system unassociated with the user, providing the user
restricted access to an unregistered user area of the web site, the
unregistered area configured to display a general homepage
providing functionality that allows the user to select media files
to be transmitted to the user mobile device upon receipt of a
unique identifier of the user mobile device at the server computer
system.
8. The computer-based method of claim 7, further comprising: in
response to receiving registration information from the user
computer system via the unregistered user area of the web site,
storing the registration information as registered user data and
providing the user access to the registered user area of the web
site.
9. A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying a
program of instructions configured to be executed by at least one
processor, the program of instructions comprising: at least one
instruction to perform a first determination at the server computer
system, the first determination comparing login information with
registered user data stored in a database supported by the server
computer system to determine whether the login information is
received from a user computer system associated with a user; at
least one instruction to perform a second determination in response
to determining that login information is received from the
particular user computer system, the second determination comparing
the login information with the registered user data stored in the
database to determine whether the user is a registered user; and at
least one instruction to provide the user access to a registered
user area of a web site supported by the server computer system in
response to a favorable comparison of the login information and the
registered user data, wherein the access is provided via the user
computer system.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the registered
user data includes user information associated with a particular
user, the user information including a unique identifier of a user
mobile device associated with the user.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the unique
identifier is a unique phone number of the user mobile device.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein providing the
user access to the registered user area of the web site comprises
transmitting a user-specific homepage associated with the
particular user at the user computer system, the user-specific
homepage providing functionality that allows the user to select
media files to be transmitted to the user mobile device.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the
user-specific homepage includes links to a file database
corresponding to media files the particular user is authorized to
access.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the
user-specific homepage includes links to a file database
corresponding to media files the particular user has previously
accessed.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising: at
least one instruction to provide the user restricted access to an
unregistered user area of the web site in response to the first
determination indicating that the login information is received
from a computer system unassociated with the user, wherein the
unregistered area is configured to display a general homepage
providing functionality that allows the user to select media files
to be transmitted to the user mobile device upon receipt of a
unique identifier of the user mobile device at the server computer
system.
16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:
at least one instruction to, store registration information as
registered user data and provide the user access to the registered
user area of the web site, in response to receiving the
registration information from the user computer system via the
unregistered user area of the web site.
17. A system comprising: at least one processor; memory coupled to
at least one processor; and a program of instructions stored in the
memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the program
of instructions including: at least one instruction to perform a
first determination at the server computer system, the first
determination comparing login information with registered user data
stored in a database supported by the server computer system to
determine whether the login information is received from a user
computer system associated with a user; at least one instruction to
perform a second determination in response to determining that
login information is received from the particular user computer
system, the second determination comparing the login information
with the registered user data stored in the database to determine
whether the user is a registered user; and at least one instruction
to provide the user access to a registered user area of a web site
supported by the server computer system in response to a favorable
comparison of the login information and the registered user data,
wherein the access is provided via the user computer system.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the registered user data
includes user information associated with a particular user, the
user information including a unique identifier of a user mobile
device associated with the user.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein providing access to the
registered user area of the web site comprises transmitting, to the
user computer system, a user-specific homepage associated with the
particular user, the user-specific homepage providing functionality
that allows the user to select links corresponding to media files
the particular user is authorized to access, and wherein selection
of the links causes media files to be transmitted to the user
mobile device.
20. The system medium of claim 18, wherein the user-specific
homepage includes links to a file database corresponding to media
files the particular user has previously accessed.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present U.S. Utility Patent Application claims priority
pursuant to 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120 as a continuation of U.S. Utility
application Ser. No. 13/746,171, entitled "COMPUTER BASED METHOD
AND SYSTEM FOR LOGGING IN A USER MOBILE DEVICE AT A SERVER COMPUTER
SYSTEM," filed Jan. 21, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S.
Utility Application Serial No. 12/234,488, entitled "COMPUTER BASED
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LOGGING IN A USER MOBILE DEVICE AT A SERVER
COMPUTER SYSTEM," filed Sep. 19, 2008, both of which are hereby
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and made part of
the present U.S. Utility Patent Application for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1). Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a computer-based method and system
for manipulating electronic media such as ringtones and videos.
[0004] 2). Discussion of Related Art
[0005] Mobile phones usually have a number of ringtones that are
installed by a manufacturer. A user can select a ringtone from a
drop-down list, and it is also sometimes possible to associate
different ringtones with different incoming phone numbers.
[0006] A user may wish to download a ringtone from a remote server
and store the ringtone in memory of the mobile phone. However, a
mobile phone and the network that it is connected to are usually
too slow and the viewing capabilities on the mobile phone are too
limited for finding media on a remote server. A company that
provides mobile media content for use on mobile phones will usually
also have a website that is accessible from a user computer system
over the Internet. The user of the mobile phone may make use of the
user computer system to find listings of mobile content on the
website through browsing or searching functionality built into the
website, and then instruct the website to facilitate downloading of
the media content to the mobile phone. A message may, for example,
be sent to the mobile phone, and the message can include a link to
the media content on the server.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The invention is further described by way of example with
reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network system in which
aspects of the invention are manifested;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a screenshot of a browser view that displays a
view of a website;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, after a search has been
conducted for media files in a database in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, wherein registration and
login information are completed and an instruction is sent to a
server computer system to transmit a media file to a user mobile
device;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a front view of a user mobile device displaying an
SMS message that is received by the user mobile device, the message
including a link;
[0013] FIG. 6 displays a view on a WAP browser of the user mobile
device to confirm downloading of a media file into memory of the
user mobile device;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a view that is displayed on the user mobile device
following successful downloading and saving of the media file;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating components that are
used primarily for processing a search request in a message from
the user mobile device;
[0016] FIGS. 9 to 14 are views that are displayed on the user
mobile device to illustrate the functioning of the system of FIG.
8;
[0017] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of components of a server
computer system in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 16 is a screen shot of an Internet browser view
displaying a user-specific homepage from a registered user
area;
[0019] FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a general
homepage from an unregistered user area;
[0020] FIG. 18 illustrates a computer and network system that can
be used for automatic login of mobile device;
[0021] FIG. 19 illustrates signals that are transmitted between the
server computer system, the carrier computer system, and the user
mobile device; and
[0022] FIG. 20 is a block diagram of components of a server
computer system in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1. Network Overview
[0023] FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a network
system 20 that embodies features of the invention. The network
system 20 includes a server computer system 22, a plurality of user
computer systems 24, 26, and 28 that are connected to the server
computer system 22 over a network in the form of the Internet 30,
and a plurality of user mobile devices 32, 34, and 36 that are
connected over a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) network 38 and
over a Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service
(MMS) network 40 to the server computer system 22.
[0024] The server computer system 22 includes a file store in the
form of a file server 42, a data store in the form of a file
database 44, a content delivery platform and content management
system 46, a Web site 48, a WAP site 50, an SMS/MMS gateway 52, and
a transcoding service 54. The file database 44 is connected to the
file server 42. The content delivery platform and content
management system 46 forms the center of the server computer system
22, and all other components including the Web site 48, WAP site
50, SMS/MMS gateway 52, transcoding service 54, file server 42, and
file database 44 are directly connected to the content delivery
platform and content management system 46. The content delivery
platform and content management system 46 indexes files such as
ringtones (reduced media content), full-track content, games,
wallpaper, and graphics from the file server 42 into the file
database 44 and in a structured manner, as will be required for
downloading and for the Web site 48, WAP 50, SMS/MMS gateway 52,
and transcoding service 54. The transcoding service 54 prepares
communications suitable for transmission over the Internet 30, WAP
network 38, and SMS/MMS network 40.
2. Web Site
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a home page 163 within a browser view 53
at the user computer system 24, 26, or 28 in FIG. 1. The browser
view 53 forms part of an Internet browser application such as
Internet Explorer.RTM., Netscape.RTM., or Firefox.RTM.. The browser
view 53 includes a viewing pane 55 within which the home page 163
is displayed. The browser view 53 also includes a vertical scroll
bar 56 that can be moved up or down to view portions of the home
page 163 if the entire home page 163 does not fit vertically within
the viewing pane 55. The browser view 53 also has an address box 58
and back and forward buttons 60. A user can use a mouse to move a
cursor 62 into the address box 58, and then depress a button on the
mouse to select the address box 58. The user can then utilize a
keyboard to enter text such as "http://www.thumbplay.com" in the
address box 58, and can then depress an "enter" key on the keyboard
to transmit a signal and a request for a page. The text within the
address box 58 can also be automatically updated, for example when
a user logs into the home page 163. The back and forward buttons 60
can be used to view earlier or subsequent pages.
[0026] The home page 163 is in a general area of the Web site 48 in
FIG. 1. The home page 163 includes tabs 165A to 165F that provide
links to other pages of the general area. In the home page 163, the
tab 165B is highlighted, indicating that the home page 163 is in a
portion of the general area relating to ringtones.
[0027] The home page 163 is typically displayed at one of the user
computer systems 24, 26, or 28 in FIG. 1, and provides the user
computer systems 24, 26, or 28 access to ringtones through a browse
menu 169 or by entering text in a search box 171. Text can, for
example, be entered in the search box 171, and an acquiring user
can then either select a "go" button 172 or hit "enter" on a
keyboard to cause transmission of a signal from the user computer
systems 24, 26, or 28 over the internet 30 to the Web site 48 in
FIG. 1. The signal includes an address for the Web site 48, a query
that is entered in the search box 171, and a return address for the
user computer systems 24, 26, or 28. The query is used at the Web
site 48 to extract one or more search results. A signal is then
transmitted from the Web site 48 over the internet 30 to the user
computer systems 24, 26, or 28, the signal including the search
result or search results and an address corresponding to the return
address received from the user computer 24, 26, or 28.
[0028] Not every signal is described in detail herein. One skilled
in the art will appreciate that a signal is generated by and
transmitted from one computer system and received and processed at
another computer system, and will also appreciate what the contents
of such a signal will be. One skilled in the art will also
appreciate that a computerized step is typically carried out by a
respective module of software code stored in memory of a computer.
For example, a transmission step is typically carried out by a
transmission module, a receiving step is carried out by a receiving
module, a password generation step is carried out by a password
generation module, etc. These modules are connected to one another
so that a step carried out by one module can be followed by a step
carried out by another module.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a view 176 that includes a download page with a
plurality of search results 178 that are received at the user
computer systems 24, 26, or 28 over the Internet 30 from the Web
site 48. Each search result 178 includes a ringtone name, an artist
name, and a ringtone download button 180, among other things.
[0030] FIG. 4 shows a view 182 that is displayed upon selection of
one of the ringtone download buttons 180 in the view 176 of FIG. 3.
A profile of the acquiring user computer system 24 is previously
stored on the content delivery platform and content management
system 46 of FIG. 1, including a mobile phone number 184 and a
password 186. The view 182 includes the mobile phone number 184 and
a password text box 188 for entering the password 186. The view 182
also has a "transmission" button 190. Upon selection of the
"transmission" button 190, a signal is sent from the user computer
system 24 over the Internet 30 to the Web site 48. The Web site 48
communicates with the content delivery platform and content
management system 46, which uses the selected search result to
access one of the ringtones on the media file server 42. The
content delivery platform and content management system 46 then
transmits a link corresponding to the accessed ringtone on the
media file server 42 over the SMS/MMS network 40 to a user mobile
device 32, 34, or 36 having the mobile phone number 184 in the view
182 of FIG. 4.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 5, the link 190 that is received at for
example the user mobile device 32 comes in the form of an SMS
message 192 that includes the link 190. An acquiring user can
utilize "arrow" and "enter" keys 194 of the user mobile device 32
to select the link 190.
[0032] Upon selection of the link 190 and confirmation of the
download as shown in FIG. 6, the user mobile device 32 transmits a
requesting signal over the WAP network 38 in FIG. 1 to the content
delivery platform and content management system 46. The content
delivery platform and content management system 46 then
automatically transmits a copy of the selected ringtone (or other
media file) from the media file server 42 over the WAP network 38
to the respective user mobile device 32. The respective user mobile
device 32 then automatically stores the copy of the selected
ringtone in memory. As shown in FIG. 7, the user mobile device 32
then displays a message that confirms that the file has been
downloaded and stored in memory of the user mobile device 32.
3. SMS with a Search Identifier
[0033] FIG. 8 illustrates components of the content delivery
platform and content management system 46 that are used for
responding to an SMS message with a search identifier "Get" that is
received directly from for example the user mobile device 32 in
FIG. 1. The components of the content delivery platform and content
management system 46 shown in FIG. 8 provide a system that is
different from and in addition to the system as hereinbefore
described that utilizes the Website 48 in FIG. 1.
[0034] The content delivery platform and content management system
46 further includes a search engine, hereinafter referred to as an
"extraction module" 200, a message generation and transmissions
module 202, a results page request receiving module 204, a results
page generation and transmissions module 206, a selection command
receiving module 208, a download page 210, a download command
receiving module 211 and a file transmissions module 214. The
functioning of the system shown in FIG. 8 will now be described
with reference to FIGS. 9 to 14 in conjunction with FIG. 8.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 9, the user of the user mobile device 32
prepares a message to an address 48000 with the text "Get Fergie"
and then selects a "send" button to transmit the message. The
message is transmitted from the user mobile device 32 over the
SMS/MMS network 40 and is received by the SMS/MMS gateway 52. FIG.
10 shows a view that is displayed on the user mobile device 32
following transmission of the message.
[0036] SMS/MMS gateway 52 is connected to the extraction module
200. The extraction module 200 recognizes the text "Get" and the
search query "Fergie" in the SMS message. The text "Get" serves as
a search identifier. Upon detection of the search identifier "Get"
by the extraction module 200, the extraction module 200 thus
determines that the message includes a search identifier and then
utilizes the search query "Fergie" to extract a plurality of search
results from the file database 44.
[0037] The message generation and transmissions module 202 is
connected to the extraction module 200 and transmits a message
through the SMS/MMS gateway 52 and the SMS/MMS network 40 to the
user mobile device 32. If, as in the present example, the
extraction module 200 has detected the search identifier "Get" in
the SMS message of FIG. 9, the message that is transmitted by the
message generation and transmissions module 202 as received by the
user mobile device 32 and is shown in FIG. 11. The message includes
a link 214 that can be selected by a user utilizing the "arrow" and
"enter" keys 194 of the user mobile device 32 in FIG. 5. The link
214 includes the search request "Fergie" and a return address (the
phone number) of the user mobile device 32. If, on the other hand,
the search identifier "Get" was not present in the text, a message
is sent to the mobile user device 32 with text stating that the
message from the user mobile device 32 was in error.
4. WAP Site
[0038] FIG. 12A shows a view of a WAP browser that automatically
launches upon selection of the link 214 in FIG. 11. Upon selection
of the link 214, a results page request command is transmitted by
the user mobile device 32 over the WAP network 38 and is received
by the results page request receiving module 204. The command
includes the entire link 214. The results page generation and
transmissions module 206 is connected to the results page request
receiving module 204 and to the extraction module 200. The results
page generation and transmissions module 206 generates a results
page that includes the search results that are extracted by the
extraction module 200 and transmits the results page via the WAP
site 50 and the WAP network 38 to the user mobile device 32. FIG.
12A shows the results page and the search results 216 that are
displayed by the WAP browser of the user mobile device 32.
[0039] FIG. 12B shows an alternative where a WAP browser is
directed to an artist-specific page. An artist-specific page is
displayed when a one-to-one match can be made between the search
query and the artist-specific page. A track-specific page can be
displayed when a one-to-one match can be made between the query and
the track. A results page such as in FIG. 12A is displayed when a
one-to-one relationship cannot be made between the query and either
an artist or a track. The results page thus displays results from
more than one artist or track.
[0040] In the present example, the user selects the first search
result "pedestal" to cause transmission of a selection command from
the user mobile device 32 over the WAP network 38 and the WAP site
50. The selection command receiving module 208 is connected to the
WAP site 50 and to the download page 210 so that the download page
210 is transmitted over the WAP site 50 and the WAP network 38 to
the user mobile device 32. FIG. 13 shows a view of the download
page 210 on the user mobile device 32. The download page 210
includes a "download" button 218. The buttons of the user mobile
device 32 can be used to select the download button 218, which
causes transmission of a download command from the user mobile
device 32 over the WAP network 38.
[0041] The download command receiving module 211 is connected to
the WAP network 38 so as to receive the download command. The file
transmissions module 212 is connected to the file server 42 and to
the download command receiving module 211. The download command
includes the name of the particular file in the file server 42,
i.e., the file corresponding to the entry "pedestal" in the file
database 44. The file transmissions module 214 utilizes the name of
the entry in the download command to extract the corresponding file
from the file server 42, and then transmits the file over the WAP
network 38 to the user mobile device 32. FIG. 14 shows a view that
is displayed on the user mobile device 32 to confirm downloading of
the respective file. Upon selection of a confirmation button 220,
the file is downloaded and saved in memory of the user mobile
device 32 as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGS. 6 and
7.
[0042] It can also been seen that the SMS messaging capabilities of
the user mobile device 32 can be used to transmit a request for a
media file. There is thus no need to utilize the WAP browser on the
user mobile device 32 to search for and request a media file or to
use a Web browser on a personal computer to search for and request
a media file.
5. Registration and Login of User Computer
[0043] As shown in FIG. 15 the file database 44 includes content
data and registered user data. The content data includes a
plurality of tracks, each track having an associated artist and an
associated graphic. Each track corresponds to a respective media
file in the file database 44. The registered user data includes a
plurality of user names, each with an associated phone number,
email address and password.
[0044] The Web site 48 includes an unregistered user area 260 and a
registered user area 262. A user at one of the user computer
systems 24, 26 or 28 in FIG. 1 can log onto the Web site 48 by
entering login information or by automatically transmitting a
cookie to the server computer system 22. The server computer system
22 compares the login information or the cookie with registered
user data in the file database 44 and, upon a favorable comparison,
provides the user computer system 24, 26 or 28 access to the
registered user area 262. In the event of an unfavorable comparison
or if login information or a cookie is not received at the server
computer system 22, the respective user computer system 24, 26 or
28 is only provided access to the unregistered area 260. A user
computer system 24, 26 or 28 that is provided only access to the
unregistered user area 260 can still obtain access to the
registered user area 262 following completion of a registration
process.
[0045] FIG. 16 illustrates a browser view 276 that displays a
user-specific homepage 278 at the user computer system 24 in FIG.
1. Because the server computer system 22 has detected login
information, the user-specific homepage 278 includes a username 288
from the file database 44 in FIG. 15 corresponding to the login
information. The user-specific homepage 278 also includes links 290
from the file database 44 corresponding to media files that have
previously been purchased by the specific user of the specific user
computer system 24 and represented by the username 288. The
user-specific homepage 278 also includes search and browsing
functionality that allows the user of the user computer system 24
to search or find other media files for transmission to the user
mobile device 32. Upon selection of such media files and
instructions for downloading such media files, the media files will
be transmitted to the user mobile device 32 without transmitting an
intervening page from the server computer system 22 to the user
computer system 24 requesting a phone number or login information
such as a username or password.
[0046] FIG. 17 illustrates a general homepage 292 that is displayed
at the user computer system 24 if a login is not detected. The
general homepage 292 includes the same search and browse
functionality as the user-specific homepage 278 in FIG. 16.
However, the username 288 and links 290 in the user-specific
homepage 278 of FIG. 16 are not displayed in the general homepage
292 of FIG. 17. A different user-specific homepage is transmitted
to each user computer system from which login information is
detected, but the same general homepage 292 of FIG. 17 is
transmitted to all user computer systems from which login
information is not received or cannot be validated.
6. Automatic Login of Mobile Device
[0047] FIG. 18 illustrates a computer and network system 10 that
can be used for automatic login of mobile device. The computer and
network system 10 includes the user computer system 24, the server
computer system 22, the mobile carrier computer system 12, and the
user mobile device 32. Although only one user computer system 24
and one user mobile device 32 are shown in FIG. 18, there may be a
plurality of user computer systems and a plurality of user mobile
devices in the computer and network system 10. The user computer
system 24 is connected to the server computer system 22 over the
Internet 30 or other forms of network. The server computer system
22 has a file database 44 for storing registered user data 442 and
has memory for storing data such as an Internet Protocol (IP)
address. The registered user data 442 includes username, password,
phone number, and email address that is associated with a
particular user 72. It also includes user-specific settings, for
example, a user-specific homepage that is presented to the user 72
when the user is first logged into the server computer system
22.
[0048] The user mobile device 32 is connected to the server
computer system 22 over the WAP network 38 which is maintained by
the mobile carrier computer system 12. Both the user mobile device
32 and the mobile carrier computer system 12 have memories for
storing IP addresses. In addition, the mobile carrier computer
system 12 also has memory for storing unique identifier of the user
mobile device, for example, a telephone number.
[0049] In use, the mobile carrier computer system 12 dynamically
assigns an IP address to the user mobile device 32. Although the IP
address assigned to the user mobile device 32 may stay the same for
long periods of time, it can generally change. In contrast to
static IP addresses which do not change, dynamic IP addresses have
several advantages. They avoid the administrative burden of
assigning specific static addresses to each user mobile device on a
network. In some instances, they also allow many user mobile
devices to share limited address space on a network when not all of
them are online at the same time. In use, the mobile carrier
computer system 12 keeps track of the unique identifier of a
particular user mobile device, to which a particular dynamic IP
address is assigned.
[0050] In use, the user 72 has control of both the user computer
system 24 and the user mobile device 32. FIG. 19 illustrates
signals that are transmitted between the server computer system 22,
the carrier computer system 12, and the user mobile device 32 in
FIG. 1. At step 800, the user 72 may register both the user
computer system 24 and the user mobile device 32 at the server
computer system 22 using the user computer system 24. Details of
the registration process are described in the last section. When
the registration is completed, an entry is created in the
registered user data 442 in FIG. 18 that includes the unique phone
number of the user mobile device 32. A user-specific homepage
associated with the user mobile device 32 is also saved in the
registered user data 442.
[0051] At step 802, when the user 72 enters the URL
http://www.thumbplay.com in the WAP browser on the user mobile
device 32, the device sends a homepage request to the server
computer system 22 via WAP network. At step 804, the server
computer system 22 detects the IP address of the user mobile device
32 via the mobile carrier computer system 12. At step 806, the
carrier computer system 12 sends to the server computer system 22 a
phone number that corresponds to the IP address. At step 808, the
server computer system 22 then compares the phone number with
registered user data 442. At step 810, upon a favorable comparison
of the phone number, the server computer system 22 retrieves from
registered user data 442 the user-specific homepage associated with
the phone number, and sends the homepage to the user mobile device
32. In this way, the mobile device 32 is automatically logged onto
the server computer system 22 without the need to transmit any
login information such as user name and password.
[0052] Alternatively, the user 72 may send an SMS message with a
homepage identifier "Homepage" to the server computer system 22.
The server computer system 22 goes through steps 804, 806, and 808
above. Upon a favorable comparison of the phone number, the server
computer system 22 sends an SMS message to the user mobile device
32 with a link to the user-specific homepage. When the user 72
selects the link, the WAP browser on the user mobile device will be
launched with the user-specific homepage.
7. Computer System
[0053] FIG. 20 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in
the exemplary form of a computer system 900 within which a set of
instructions, for causing the machine to perform any one or more of
the methodologies discussed herein, may be executed. In alternative
embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be
connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked
deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or
a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a
peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network
environment. The machine may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet
PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a
cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or
bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions
(sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that
machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the
term "machine" shall also be taken to include any collection of
machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple
sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the
methodologies discussed herein.
[0054] The exemplary computer system 900 includes a processor 902
(e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit
(GPU) or both), a main memory 904 (e.g., read only memory (ROM),
flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as
synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), etc.), and a
static memory 906 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory
(SRAM), etc.), which communicate with each other via a bus 908.
[0055] The computer system 900 may further include a video display
910 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube
(CRT)). The computer system 900 also includes an alpha-numeric
input device 912 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 914
(e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit 916, a signal generation device
918 (e.g., a speaker), and a network interface device 920.
[0056] The disk drive unit 916 includes a machine-readable medium
922 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions 924 (e.g.,
software) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or
functions described herein. The software may also reside,
completely or at least partially, within the main memory 904 and/or
within the processor 902 during execution thereof by the computer
system 900, the main memory 904 and the processor 902 also
constituting machine-readable media.
[0057] The software may further be transmitted or received over a
network 928 via the network interface device 920.
[0058] While the machine-readable medium 924 is shown in an
exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term
"machine-readable medium" should be taken to include a single
medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed
database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one
or more sets of instructions. The term "machine-readable medium"
shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of
storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution
by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or
more of the methodologies of the present invention. The term
"machine-readable medium" shall accordingly be taken to include,
but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic
media, and carrier wave signals.
[0059] While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and
shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that
such embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive of the
current invention, and that this invention is not restricted to the
specific constructions and arrangements shown and described since
modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.
* * * * *
References