Abstract:
A method and apparatus for remotely performing tasks in a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) by a user is provided. A user can perform tasks, such as, retrieving information and locking the PDA, by sending a controlling or special SMS message to the PDA. The special SMS message has a predetermined format which describes at least a task required and a user-input password. According to the needs of the task, the special SMS message may also include a source or an identifier from which the information is to be retrieved, and a destination to which the retrieved information is to be sent. The retrieved information may be sent as an SMS message or an electronic mail message or both.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to wireless Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). More particularly, the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for remotely performing tasks in a wireless PDA by a user.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Background Information  
           [0004]    PDAs have become indispensable to many people for their everyday needs, which include storing appointment information, managing electronic mail messages and word processing. In recent years, wireless PDAs have integrated wireless and personal information management capabilities to allow ready access to information while on the go.  
           [0005]    PDAs have also become a trusted necessity for storing confidential information like bank accounts, passwords and documents containing sensitive information. Existing PDAs provide password-protect features to ensure that only the authorized user will be able to access the PDA. Such features include password-protecting the device upon timeout, or password-protecting folders or files. However, many users do not activate password protection, as they do not like to be inconvenienced by recurring password prompts. When the PDA is lost, a finder of the PDA will be able to access sensitive information for possible malicious intent. Thus, there is a need to remotely access and lock a wireless PDA when it is lost.  
           [0006]    At times when a user does not have his wireless PDA with him, he may need to access information from his PDA or lock his PDA from unauthorized users. Information from his PDA is infeasible if the PDA is not in a location proximate to him.  
           [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need for a method and an apparatus for remotely performing tasks in a wireless device by a user.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention comprises a method and an apparatus for remotely performing tasks in a wireless PDA. Some tasks include (1) password-locking the wireless PDA and (2) retrieving information from the wireless PDA and sending it to another device.  
           [0009]    When a user wants to remotely perform a task in a wireless PDA, he sends a special Short Message Service (SMS) message to the wireless PDA. The special SMS message contains at least a predefined character sequence (or header), which describes the task required, and a user-input password. Depending on the tasks, parameters like source, filename and destination may also be required from the user. After the wireless PDA device receives an SMS message, the message type is determined. If the SMS message is a normal SMS message, contents of the message are displayed in a manner known to a person skilled in the art. If the SMS message is a special SMS message, it is validated on parameters, e.g., password, contained in the message. If the parameters are valid, a task is performed at the PDA according to the contents in the special SMS message, e.g., retrieving information. The retrieved information can then be sent back to the remote user as an SMS message or as an electronic mail message or both. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a representation of a wireless module and a PDA module in a wireless PDA.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a flowchart describing a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing a second embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]    In accordance with the present invention, a wireless PDA has a wireless module  103  for providing communication capabilities and a computing module  104  for providing PDA computing capabilities. Each module includes a microprocessor that handles activities for its respective module. The wireless module  103  and the computing module  104  may also have separate random access memories (RAMs)  105 , operating systems (OS)  106 , display panels  101 ,  102 , and data caches. Both modules may share resources such as a display panel  101 , a keyboard, speakers and microphones. Each respective module may utilize shared resources or communicate with the other module by events and commands in a manner known in the art. In the following description, the present invention is implemented on a computing module  104  operating on a Windows® CE Operating System. A representation of both the wireless  103  and computing module  104  is shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0014]    Reference is now made to FIG. 2. A wireless PDA is in an idle or ready state in step  201 , where it is ready to receive SMS messages and calls. Step  201  proceeds to step  202  when an SMS message is received by the wireless module  103 . Step  202  then proceeds to step  203 , where the SMS message is passed from the wireless module  103  to the computing module  104 . Within the computing module  104 , the SMS message is received and stored in a Pocket Inbox application provided by Windows® CE Operating System. Step  203  proceeds to step  204 , where an SMS decoder program is notified of the new SMS message in the Pocket Inbox application. Step  204  then proceeds to a decision step  205 , where the SMS decoder program residing in a memory of the computing module  104  checks whether the SMS is a special message or not.  
         [0015]    An example of a special message for locking a PDA has a format “HPREMOTELOCK:[OS-password]”. “HPREMOTELOCK” is a predefined header (or character sequence) that makes up part of the text body of a special SMS message. The contents of the header determine the tasks to be performed by the wireless PDA. “[OS-password]” contains a user-input password for validating against the actual password to activate the locking feature. In a decision step  205 , the decoder checks whether the SMS message is a special message or not by checking the header against a predetermined list of headers. If the header of the SMS message does not match any of the header in the predetermined list, step  205  proceeds to step  206 , where the SMS message is handled as a normal text message and the contents of the SMS message are displayed. If the SMS message contains a header that matches a predetermined header, step  205  proceeds to step  207 , where the SMS message is handled as a special message.  
         [0016]    In an example where a special SMS message “HPREMOTELOCK:1234” has been received, step  205  proceeds to a decision step  207 . In step  207 , the computing module  104  checks whether any password has been set for the computing module  104 . If no password has been set, step  207  proceeds to step  201 , where the wireless PDA returns to an idle or ready state for receiving messages or calls, and the PDA is not locked. If a password has been set, step  205  proceeds to a decision step  208 , where the user-input password is validated against the password set in the computing module  104 . If the user-input password is invalid, step  208  proceeds to step  201 , where the PDA returns to an idle state and the PDA is not locked. If the user-input password is valid, step  208  proceeds to step  209 , where an event is triggered to lock the computing module  104 . Optionally, the computing module  104  can be switched off. Optionally, a pop-up screen may be displayed to prompt the user for a password for unlocking the PDA.  
         [0017]    Optionally, the present invention may also be configured to lock the wireless module  103  when the computing module  104  is locked in this manner.  
         [0018]    In a second embodiment of the present invention, a special SMS message is used to retrieve information from a wireless PDA. The retrieved information is then returned as an SMS message to the sender of the special SMS message or to another destination. Information that can be retrieved includes contact information, calendar information, bank account number, files, documents, and the like. For this purpose, he may use the present invention as described below.  
         [0019]    An example of an SMS message format for retrieving contact information is “HPRETRIEVECONTACT:[OS-password][Name of contact]”. Similar to the foregoing description, “HPRETRIEVECONTACT” is a header of a special message predefined for retrieving contact information. Similarly, “[OS-password]” contains a user-input password. “[Name of contact]” contains the name of the contact whose information is required by the user, and identifies a source from which information is to be retrieved.  
         [0020]    Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which shows a flowchart of the second embodiment. A wireless PDA is in an idle state in step  301 , where it is ready to receive SMS messages and calls. Step  301  proceeds to step  302 , where an SMS message is received by the wireless module  103 . Step  302  then proceeds to step  303 , where the SMS message is passed from the wireless module  103  to the computing module  104 . Within the computing module  104 , the SMS message is received and stored in a Pocket Inbox application. Step  303  then proceeds to step  304 , where an SMS decoder program is notified of the new SMS message in the Pocket Inbox application. Step  304  proceeds to a decision step  305 , where the SMS decoder program residing in a memory module of the computing module  104  checks whether the SMS is a special message. The decoder does this by checking the header of an SMS message against a predetermined list of headers. If the header of the SMS message does not match any of the header in the predetermined list, step  305  proceeds to step  306 , where the SMS message is handled as a normal text message and the contents are displayed. If the SMS message contains a header that matches a predetermined header, step  305  proceeds to step  307 , where the message is handled as a special message.  
         [0021]    In an example, a special message “HPRETRIEVECONTACT:1234:John” is received. The header “HPRETRIEVECONTACT” matches with a predetermined header and step  305  proceeds to step  307 . In step  307 , the computing module  104  checks whether any password has been set. If no password has been set, step  307  proceeds to step  301 , where the PDA returns to an idle state and there is no action, i.e., the computing module  104  does not retrieve contact information. Optionally, a return SMS message may be sent to notify the sender of a failed request. If a password has been set, step  307  proceeds to step  308 , where the user-input password is validated against the password set in the computing module  104 . If the user-input password is invalid, step  308  proceeds to step  301 , where there is no action. If the user-input password is valid, step  308  proceeds to a decision step  309 , where the presence of a contact entry “John” is checked. If the contact database does not contain an entry “John” as a complete or a partial entry, decision step  309  proceeds to step  310 . In step  310 , a return SMS message is sent to the sender to notify him of a failed request, i.e., that the requested contact cannot be located in the contact database. Thereafter, step  310  proceeds to  301 , where there is no action and the wireless PDA is ready to receive SMS messages and calls. If the contact database contains an entry “John”, decision step  309  proceeds to a decision step  311 . In step  311 , the presence of a destination is checked. If there is no destination specified in the special SMS message, step  311  proceeds to  313 , where the contact information of “John” is retrieved, passed to the wireless module  103  and thereafter sent as an SMS message in a manner known to a person skilled in the art. The retrieved information is then sent to the sender of the special message. Thereafter, step  313  proceeds to step  301 , where the wireless PDA is ready to receive SMS messages and calls. If at least one destination is specified in the special SMS message, step  311  proceeds to step  312 , where the retrieved information is sent by SMS to the destination(s) specified. An example of a special SMS message containing a destination is “HPRETRIEVECONTACT:1234:John:94567890”.  
         [0022]    Optionally, the retrieved information can be sent as an electronic mail message in step  312 . An example of a special message indicating a destination electronic mail address for receiving the retrieved information is “HPRETRIEVECONTACT:1234:John:leeyy@abc.com”. While additional steps like dialing to an Internet Service Provider may be needed, they can be automatically implemented as known to a person skilled in the art.  
         [0023]    In the foregoing description, a special SMS message for retrieving contact information has a format “HPRETRIEVECONTACT:[OS-password][Name of contact][Destination]”. A blank [Destination] returns the retrieved information to the sender of the special SMS message. Optionally, [Destination] may contain an electronic mail address for sending the retrieved information as an electronic mail message. Optionally, [Destination] may contain destination phone numbers, or electronic mail addresses, or a combination of both. Further examples of special SMS messages for other retrieval tasks include (1) “HPRETRIEVECALENDAR:[OS-password][Date in mm/dd/yy][Destination]” for retrieving calendar information of a particular date, where [Date in mm/dd/yy] is a source identifier parameter identifying a source from which information is to be retrieved; and (2) “HPRETRIEVEFILE:[OS-password)][Pathname or Filename][Destination]” for retrieving particular files, where [Pathname or Filename] is a source identifier parameter identifying a source or location or filename for the task.  
         [0024]    Since the present invention allows a variety of tasks to be performed by a remote user, the special SMS message formats may be stored in wireless phones or PDAs in the same manner as existing SMS message templates. Further, the special SMS message formats may also be accessed by a user of a web site which offers SMS messages text messaging services. Optionally, a program may be installed in the wireless devices to manage the list of tasks available and to provide a user interface.  
         [0025]    In the present invention, all incoming SMS messages are stored in the Pocket Inbox application so that a user may track all incoming special messages regardless whether the task has been performed or has failed.  
         [0026]    In the present invention, a special SMS message may be sent from a wireless phone, or a wireless PDA, or computing devices capable of sending and receiving SMS, or from a web site providing SMS messages text messaging services. Similarly, the receiving device may be any like devices capable of at least receiving SMS messages and/or electronic mail messages.