Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Programming control
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-09
2004-05-25
Tran, Sinh (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Programming control
C455S414100, C455S041200, C455S445000, C709S223000, C709S230000, C709S219000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06741853
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to wireless communications and, more particularly, to the device-dependent delivery of data to a wireless device.
BACKGROUND
With the advent of wireless communications has come a multitude of wireless devices fulfilling specific needs of wireless device users. The devices have given users increased mobility and a greater access to information, all in an effort to better and easily manage their daily lives. The devices, however, are typically limited to a specific function, requiring users to maintain multiple devices for the various aspects of their lives. Additionally, since the current technologies and protocols in the wireless communications network do not allow interchangeable devices, the same information is not accessible on all devices.
This problem, although applicable in any information network, is particularly apparent in wireless access to the Internet, as illustrated in FIG.
1
. The Mobile Station (MS)
110
-
16
user subscribes to a Wireless Access Network Provider (WANP)
120
-
126
that provides users with a Radio Frequency (RF)
130
-
36
interface to the Wireless Communications Network (not shown) and the Internet
150
. The RF interface comprises a RF carrier and a protocol. The RF carrier, which includes the messaging format for control and user data such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), among others, vary widely, and, as a result, a single MS typically supports only one of the possible RF interfaces. Furthermore, it is common for a WANP, such as AT&T, Sprint PCS, or AirTouch, to provide services for only a single RF carrier. As a result, MS users are typically restricted to not only a specific RF interface, but also to a particular WANP within any given area.
Moreover, the protocol and presentation formats vary between devices. In comparison with wired data networks, wireless networks must support a variety of MSs: voice-only cellular phones, mini-browser enabled cellular phones (commonly referred to as a WAP phone), Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), one-way pagers, two-way pagers, and laptop computers. These devices, however, employ different communication protocols, such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and voice communication links. Additionally, the application typically employ different presentation formats, such as Hyper-Text Markup Language (HTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), and Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML). Because of the relationship between the MS and the RF interfaces and presentation formats, a user is limited to service providers that support a particular RF carrier, protocol, and presentation format. As a result, a user typically subscribes to multiple service providers, one for each MS owned.
Additionally, the MS and its capabilities vary. Unique characteristics of each MS, such as the input capabilities, display capabilities, amount of memory, and bandwidth, create a situation such that the preferred method of communication with one may be inappropriate for another. While some MSs have significant capabilities, such as a laptop computer, other MSs, such as PDAs, mini-browser enabled cellular phones, or voice-only phones, have significantly limited capabilities.
PDAs are becoming an increasingly popular way for MS users to remain connected. While a PDA has considerable capabilities, such as e-mail, contacts, and calendar functions, a PDA's capabilities are limited compared to a laptop computer. The display size is smaller, the processing capability is less, and, most importantly, the data entry is significantly limited. Data entry in particular is a limiting factor in the use of a PDA, as well as others, to send or retrieve information.
While a device such as a PDA is capable of entering the same data as a laptop or desktop computer, the ease of use and the amount of time required to enter the data significantly limits the functionality of the device. Data entry with a PDA is typically achieved through the use of a stylus and a touch sensitive screen. Generally, a miniature diagram of a keyboard is displayed on which a stylus is used to indicate the keys. The size of the displayed keyboard and the use of a single stylus significantly limit the ability of a user to enter large amounts of data on a PDA.
A mini-browser phone is more limiting. The display is large enough for only a small amount of data, and alphanumeric character entry is extremely difficult, typically requiring depressing a combination of keys or a sequence of keys to enter a single character. Other wireless devices, such as wireless phones and pagers, are typically capable of displaying only the most basic messages.
After the MS has access to a WANP, the MS must also subscribe to one or more wireless portals
140
-
46
. The portal provides the MS with links to content and service sites, web server functionality, and network access to the Internet
150
. It is common in the industry for the WANP to provide the dial-up access and the web server functionality. Unfortunately, each WANP and MS vendor typically supports only a single type of device and/or RF interface.
Therefore, the MS user typically maintains as many portals as devices. The various accounts, however, are separate and distinct services providing little or no integration between MSs. Information and services available on one MS are generally unavailable on other MSs, regardless of the information content or MS capabilities.
Once connected to a wireless portal, the MS has Internet access to information provided by Internet Content Providers (ICPs)
160
, which typically allow customization of the displayed information to suit a user's specific needs. The information, however, is not specific to a particular device and as such may be displayed in a unusable format to the MS user.
As a result, the current architecture does not support operation of multiple MSs while maintaining a single means of access to a variety of information and services. The requirement for an MS user to subscribe to separate WANPs and ISPs for each MS device prevents a seamless integration between the devices. As a result, for the MS user to have access to all information, the MS user must simultaneously possess and operate the various devices, complicating instead of easing the MS user's life.
In addition to problems in providing a seamless integration of devices and services, the architecture described above results in specific problems: providing information that requires data entry, providing location-based services, and providing automatic notification of specified events, as well as others. Furthermore, since the device characteristics vary, it is difficult to determine how best to display the requested information.
ONE-CLICK DATA ENTRY
Data entry in the wireless environment is particularly challenging because, as stated above, many of the wireless devices have limited, or an extremely difficult, means of entering alphanumeric data, in addition to being susceptible to security breaches as someone eavesdrops on the RF signal. Devices such as PDAs and wireless Internet browsers typically have only a few keys with which to enter data. Often, the entering of a single character entails depressing a single key multiple times or depressing a combination of keys. The entering of character strings becomes increasingly difficult and time consuming as the length of the string increases.
Other devices, however, may have more capability to enter alphanumeric data but are not secure methods to enter secret data. Wireless devices communicate via RFs that are available to anyone with the appropriate equipment and technology to intercept and decode the signal. Therefore, if secret data, such as passwords and account numbers, are sent, the possibility that someone gains access to private information increases.
These limitations particularly restrict a wireless device's use of many applications. For instance, many Internet web sites pr
Basu Kalyan K.
Jiang Hua
Lee Hee C.
Yu Chang
Afshar K
Carr LLP
Tran Sinh
LandOfFree
Device aware internet portal does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Device aware internet portal, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Device aware internet portal will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3230530