Abstract:
The use of messaging systems such as multimedia messaging system (MMS) and short message system (SMS) for remotely triggering a camera-equipped mobile communications device to capture multimedia data and sending the captured multimedia data to a remote communications device is disclosed.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to mobile communications, and more specifically to remotely triggering multimedia data delivery in the context of mobile communications.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Mobile communications technologies such as the 2.5G technology lack the infrastructure for supporting a call setup for real-time video connections. Thus, for video conferencing and monitoring applications to be possible using 2.5G networks, a method for setting up a video connection between 2 communicating devices in the 2.5G network is needed. Further, handheld mobile communications devices are easily misplaced. A method is needed to locate the misplaced handheld mobile communications device.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  is a high-level block diagram that illustrates some of the logical components of a mobile communications device.  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a high-level block diagram that illustrates the remote triggering of multimedia delivery by a mobile communications device, according to certain embodiments of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0005]     Mobile communications devices can be used for myriad auxiliary applications such as uses as video conferencing. However, due to the current limitations in the 2G network such as GSM and CDMA (Global System for Mobile communications, Code Division Multiple Access) and 2.5G network such as GPRS and EDGE (General Packet Radio Service, Enhanced Data GSM Environment), real-time video transmission cannot be achieved using either a circuit-switched network or a packet-switched network alone. Some of the limitations include the following: 
        Circuit-switched networks, currently used for voice transmissions, are limited by the available bandwidth. For example, 3G circuit-switched networks are limited to 64 kbps and the 2G and 2.5G networks are limited to about 9.6 kbps. Real-time video transmission (streaming video) normally requires more than 40 kbps to enable a reasonable Quarter Common Intermediate Format (QCIF) data rate at about 10 frames per second and where each frame contains 176×144 pixels.     The call setup for packet-switched in the context of a mobile network does not exist.     Packet-switched networks cannot be used in conjunction with circuit-switched networks at the same time using current technology. Thus, mobile device video conferencing cannot be performed using both networks at the same time.        
 
         [0009]     To enable video streaming over a 2.5G network, a mechanism is needed to establish a video connection using the extant 2,5G infrastructure.  
         [0010]     A triggering mechanism can be integrated with a mobile communications device to establish a call-setup for a video connection between the triggered mobile communications device and another communications device, according to certain embodiments. According to certain embodiments, such a triggering mechanism is also used for remotely activating the mobile communications device. For example, a misplaced mobile communications device can be activated to relay information about its surroundings to enable discovery of the misplaced device. According to certain embodiments, the triggering mechanism used for remotely activating the mobile communications device can be used to activate the mobile communications device to be a room monitor.  
         [0011]     According to certain embodiments, a monitoring module can be loaded or implanted onto a camera-equipped mobile communications device such as a camera-equipped mobile phone. The monitoring module is adapted to constantly listen for incoming special command messages at the messaging mailboxes that are associated with and accessible by the mobile communications device. The messaging mailboxes can be but are not limited to Short Message System (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging System (MMS) mailboxes. The types of messaging mailboxes may vary from limitation to limitation.  
         [0012]     According to one aspect of certain embodiments, when the monitoring module detects, at the SMS or MMS mailbox, an incoming special command message that contains a remote command to commence monitoring or to commence video conferencing, the monitoring module activates the camera and/or microphone of the mobile communications device to commence capturing multimedia data. The incoming message can be sent from a remote host. The incoming message may also contain a pre-arranged security password and/or security passkey so as to only allow authorized remote host devices to send special command messages to the mobile communications device. The remote host device can be a computer or another mobile communications device.  
         [0013]     According to certain other aspects, the monitoring module causes the mobile communications device to capture and transmit still images and/or audio data of the surrounding environment when it is desired to remotely monitor the surrounding environment where the mobile communications device is located. Further, the transmitted still images and/or audio data of the surrounding environment can provide useful information for locating the mobile communications device if the mobile communications device is misplaced. The monitoring module can also cause the mobile communications device to capture and stream video data of the surrounding environment.  
         [0014]     According to certain embodiments, in the case of video conferencing, the monitoring module can cause a call-setup for a video connection to be established between the triggered mobile communications device and the remote host device that sent the special command messages. Audio and text messages can also be transmitted between the mobile communications device and the remote monitoring host. For video conferencing, real-time video can be streamed between the camera-equipped mobile communications device and the remote monitoring host using either the SMS or MMS triggered packet-switched network. Video can be streamed through the packet-switched network using either a direct video connection or an intermediate gateway.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a high-level block diagram that illustrates some of the logical components of a mobile communications device. In  FIG. 1 , mobile communications device comprises a camera  102 , a speaker or microphone  104 , and operating system (OS) and kernel  106 , an MMS mailbox  108  and an SMS mailbox  110 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a high-level block diagram that illustrates the remote triggering of multimedia delivery by a mobile communications device, according to certain embodiments of the invention. In  FIG. 2 , mobile communications device  201  comprises a camera  202 , a speaker or microphone  204 , and operating system (OS) and kernel  206 , an MMS mailbox  208 , an SMS mailbox  210 , and a monitoring module  212 .  FIG. 2  also shows a monitoring host  224 , such as a computer or another communications device (i.e., another mobile phone, for example).  
         [0017]     Monitoring module  212  is adapted to constantly listen to the MMS mailbox  208  and SMS mailbox  210  for incoming special command messages such as messages  214  sent by an authorized monitoring host such as monitoring host  224 .  
         [0018]     When monitoring host  224  desires either to commence monitoring the environment surrounding mobile communications device  201  or to commence video conferencing with the mobile communications device  201 , monitoring host  224  sends a special remote command message  214  through the signaling system 7 (SS7) channel  216 . SS7 is a global standard for telecommunications defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). According to certain embodiments, the special remote command message  214  may also contain a pre-arranged security password and/or security passkey so as to only allow authorized remote host devices to send special command messages to the mobile communications device  201 . For purposes of explanation, assume that special remote command message  214  is sent to MMS mailbox  208 . When remote command message  214  reaches MMS mailbox  208 , monitoring module  212  detects and acts upon the remote command message  214 . Monitoring module  212  acts by communicating with operating system and kernel  206  to cause camera  202  and microphone  204  to activate and capture and transmit multimedia data of the surrounding environment. Depending on the type of remote command message, still pictures, audio data, and/or text messages may be transmitted. Alternatively, the remote command message may be such that video data is streamed to the remote monitoring host.  FIG. 2  shows that multimedia data  218  can be transmitted to monitoring host  224  via gateway  220 .  
         [0019]     If remote monitoring host  224  desires to commence video conferencing with mobile communications device  201 , then remote sends a remote command message either to the MMS mailbox  208  or the SMS mailbox  210 . Upon detection of the remote command message received at the mailbox, the monitoring module  212  activates camera  202  and/or microphone  204  to commence capturing video data for streaming to remote monitoring host  224 . Mobile communications device  201  can also receive streaming video from remote monitoring host  224 . Real-time video can be streamed between the camera-equipped mobile communications device  201  and the remote monitoring host using either the MMS network or a packet-switched network. Video can be streamed through the packet-switched network using either a direct video connection or an intermediate gateway.  
         [0020]     In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.