Patent Publication Number: US-2005136952-A1

Title: Wireless instant messaging and multi-media conferencing solution

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Patent application Ser. No. 10/307335 entitled “Improved method for implementing an Open Charging (OC) middleware platform and gateway system”. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      Not Applicable  
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
      Not Applicable  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      Instant messaging technologies have been around for well over a decade, and with the new ‘wireless boom’, the migration of the technology to wireless platforms (handsets, PDAs, and the like) remained inevitable. For instance, U.S. patent application 20030014488 by Dalal et al., entitled system and method for enabling multimedia conferencing services on a real-time communications platform, outlines a system and method for enabling multimedia, real-time group communications on real-time communications platforms. Although, the art does not particularly embrace and/or remain directed at the wireless aspects thereof, including aspects relating to presence and location, and furthermore, nor does it intimate or suggest any of the push to talk (PTT) elements and/or functionality described in our application of present.  
      Other prior art may be gleaned from U.S. patent application 20030126213 by Betzler, entitled establishing direct instant messaging communication between wireless devices, provides techniques for establishing direct instant messaging (IM) communication between wireless devices (whereby an IM session is initiated on a client/server paradigm and responsive to identifying at least one additional wireless device belonging to a same piconet, the IM session is transformed into a peer-to-peer communication by establishing a direct instant messaging connection between wireless devices). However, such art remains inextricably tied to peer-to-peer communications, whereas our art may be directed at peer-to-peer, peer-to-many, many-to-many communications, as well as the coupling of location and presence/availability information, SMS/USSD/MMS integration (among others), together with an innovative ‘single stroke’ PTT initiation mechanism. Furthermore, with the application by Betzler, the communications appear to be limited within the geographic scope of the same ‘Piconet’ (our invention of present facilitates communications between wireless devices on a macroscopic basis (including different networks (e.g. GPRS (cellular) versus WLAN hotspots)). U.S. patent application 20030126213.by Betzler also appears to be limited to communications between two (2) wireless devices on the same ‘Piconet’—that is there is no means of initiating communications among several (more than two (2)) wireless devices.  
      U.S. patent application 20020035605 by McDowell et al., entitled use of presence and location information concerning wireless subscribers for instant messaging and mobile commerce, generally provides art aimed at integrating elements of presence and location (determination), instant messaging and m-commerce into a wireless provider&#39;s network. However, the art remains constrained in not providing or intimating elements relating to voice, and PTT mechanism and related art.  
      UK Patent Application 2380633 entitled, allowing GSTN/PSTN subscribers access to internet, instant messaging and presence/multimedia services, remains focused upon and tied to integrating legacy devices. In particular, the application requires the use of a ‘gateway’ platform in order to provide for a form of instant messaging service. Our invention of present leverages the considerable computational power inherent in contemporary wireless devices (including mobile phones and mobile computational devices including laptops and personal digital assistants), and in particular, permits such wireless devices to connect to an instant messaging server using IP based communication protocols as opposed to circuit switched protocols as disclosed in UK Patent Application 2380633.  
     REFERENCES CITED  
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 U.S. Patent Application 
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 20030126213 
                 July, 2003 
                 Betzler, B. 
                 709/206 
               
               
                 20030014488 
                 January, 2003 
                 Dalal et al. 
                 709/204 
               
               
                 20020035605 
                 March, 2002 
                 McDowell et al. 
                 709/206 
               
               
                 Foreign Patent Documents 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 2380633 
                 April, 2003 
                 GB 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates generally to telecommunications network implementations for facilitating wireless messaging and conferencing; and in particular to a wireless instant messaging and multi-media conferencing solution.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Disclosed is a wireless instant messaging and multi-media conferencing solution, which may at the outset be functionally divided among a first computer program product (CPP 1 ) which is articulated within wireless handsets and/or similar devices capable of supporting such art, thereby enabling the receipt, manipulation, transmission and even storage (locally) of text, images, voice, and audio. (As Symbian represents one of larger, more widespread open, standard operating system (OS) initiatives for mobile phones, the art has been articulated principally against such platforms, largely owing to the support of ‘soft buttons’ wherewith one or more buttons may be assigned specific functions, however, practitioners may well appreciate that functionally equivalent ‘Symbian-like’ platforms may well be substituted as the art evolves or becomes known).  
      As well as a multi-cast server or like network element intended to provide similar functionality imbibed with a further second computer program product (CPP 2 ) encompassing like logical instructions, algorithms and advances to the art which enables real-time simultaneous multi-media communication(including client-based multicasting) between suitably equipped wireless handsets and/or devices (loaded locally with the aforementioned computer program product (CPP 1 )). Said CPP 2 , in utilizing the existing bearer capabilities of GPRS networks, provides multi-cast server functionality for real-time distribution of content (text messages, pictures, media (e.g. voice)) between registered and authenticated clients of the solution.  
      In other embodiments, integration with MSN&#39;s proprietary Messenger enriches the overall subscriber experience via a presence capability and extends connectivity to non CPP 1  enabled devices. Additionally, the invention promotes existing legacy devices through SMS messaging support for distribution of Instant Messages between designated groups/peers. In further alternate embodiments, there remains support for Wireless Village IMPS specification to facilitate inter-carrier IMPS services.  
      To connect to CPP 2 , the user will need to enter connection information such as the IP address of the server, port, username, password (among others in varying embodiments). Upon initiating CPP 1 , the application connects to CPP 2  using well-known programmatic and telecommunications authentication and like means, and the client ‘Contact List’ is populated with the list of on-line contacts (in the preferred embodiment). CPP 2  also sends updates to other connected clients (which have CPP 1  articulated within their handsets) to inform them of the new connection. A status icon within the client displays the current online/offline status of the user.  
      The invention (CPP 1  and CPP 2 ) supports multiple simultaneous chat conversations on a single client instance. The multiple conversation windows are navigable via a tabbed user interface. One conversation window is opened for each conversation in which the user is participating and each conversation independently maintains a browsable message history. In addition to receiving voice messages, the client software (CPP 1 ) allows users to initiate new conversations with both voice and text messages. A single instantiation of CPP 1  is required to access all the functionality of CPP 2  and the solution in general.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a typical, non-limiting embodiment of the system level architecture employed in the disclosure of present.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Members skilled in the art will recognize that the ensuing represents an illustrative recital of the preferred embodiments of the invention of present and other embodiments may be articulated, gleaned and articulated from such while still remaining with in its spirit and scope. Indeed, equivalents found within the state of the art, and those which may reasonably and effectively be deemed equivalent in the future should also be understood as being incorporated by reference hereto and such. Furthermore, much of the language has been illustrative and is to be construed as expressly for pedagogical purposes in helping elucidate the art as concisely and beneficially as practical.  
      For simplicity and ease of instruction practitioners will recognize the totality of the wireless instant messaging and multi-media conferencing solution consists of certain discrete elements of which CPP 1 , and CPP 2  form elements, but only when combined with other telecommunications and/or network elements does the full potency of the invention become apparent.  
      With reference now to  FIG. 1 , which demonstrates the multi-cast functionality  100 A as it relates to certain elements of the invention articulated as part of a computer program product (CPP 2 )  100 . Certain elements of the invention which are articulated as part of a computer program product (CPP 2 )  100 , are imbibed with multi-cast server functionality  100 A, which permit Symbian-based clients in compliant handsets  10 ,  11  to enable real-time simultaneous multi-media communications with peers or group members. Practitioners skilled in the art may well appreciate that functionally equivalent ‘Symbian-like’ platforms may well be substituted as the art evolves or becomes known, without diluting the intent and scope of the totality of the invention disclosed herewith. Said multi-cast server functionality  100 A enables instant and chat-based multi-media communication between suitably equipped handsets  10 ,  11  and provides for the distribution of content (voice messages, text messages, pictures, video) between registered and authenticated clients. Such clients may establish sessions using techniques well-known and documented in the state of the art.  
      Said client device  10 ,  11 , has been pre-loaded with an application (CPP 1 ) for accessing the multi-cast server functionality  100 A through Messaging API to initiate/respond to messaging sessions. Technicians skilled in the art will also recognize that any number of protocols, triggers and interfaces may be employed herewith, and indeed, remain only bound by the state of the art and the reference to any one protocol (or similar rules, methods and means for the transmission of data) remains purely for the purposes of simplicity and ease of instruction, and do not serve to dilute the application and scope of the invention as such.  
      Thus, with respect to this embodiment of the invention as it relates to multi-cast server functionality  100 A, a mobile user  10  (in this instance) may log onto a telecommunication carrier&#39;s data network (and the network will therewith authenticate and authorize user for Internet usage). Said user  10  logs into the multi-cast server functionality  100 A of the invention  100 , upon which, said functionality will authorize and authenticate the user, and update the internal user database (not shown but logically incorporated into  100 ). Users  11 ,  12  (in this instance), will already have user  10  on their contact list and thus, a user update message will be sent to them. Said user  10  sends a voice, text or other multi-media message to the other users  11 ,  12 . The multi-cast server functionality of the invention  100 , accepts message and initiates multicast stream to destination users. Upon receiving the message from  10 , the recipients  11 ,  12  reply through any number of multi-media means. And so forth. Where a user  10  decides to leave chat session, and logoff, messages are sent to multi-cast server functionality of the invention (CPP 2 )  100  and updates are accordingly passed to other users  11 ,  12 .  
      To satisfy billing concerns and needs, certain elements of the invention articulated as part of a computer program product  100  may interface, with credit bureaus (and other external billing (or voucher) systems)  50 . The invention  100 , may in alternate embodiments, be juxtaposed and co-articulated with an Open Charging (OC) middleware platform and gateway system  110  as detailed in patent application Ser. No. 10/307335, for mediation with a prepaid or postpaid platform  60  (for account decrement, balance inquiry and other similar purposes). Noble technicians skilled in the art will recognize that the invention of present need not be limited to the aforementioned Open Charging (OC) middleware platform and gateway system and other similar network implementations may be employed without diluting the intent and scope as such.  
      The wireless instant messaging and multi-media conferencing solution supports ‘walkie-talkie’ style communication capabilities over existing GPRS/1XRTT networks. As before, where said client software  10 ,  11 ,  12  (CPP 1 ) runs on Symbian 6.x and 7.x operating system and next-generation handsets. Practitioners skilled in the art may well appreciate that functionally equivalent ‘Symbian-like’ platforms may well be substituted as the art evolves or becomes known, without diluting the intent and scope of the totality of the invention disclosed herewith. Indeed, in its most rudimentary state, the ‘push to talk’ (PTOT) system allows one-to-one and one-to-many chat sessions. For example, a user  10  is able to send voice messages to one person  11 , or a group of people  11 ,  12  simply by pressing and holding a button. The message is then streamed to CPP 2   100  before being ‘pushed’ to all conversation participants  11 ,  12  (and even  13  if suitably equipped). In this basic mode of operation (in alternate embodiments), upon receipt of the message, the client plays a signaling beep followed by the message in its entirety. In the preferred embodiment, a PTOT event is stored in the client conversation history window.  
      In alternate embodiments, the PTOT aspects of the art, will remain configurable in that it may optionally operate in an ‘invite mode’ and ‘floor control mode’ consistent with the Push-To-Talk over Cellular (PoC) specifications, where the terminating parties are paged and explicitly indicate whether they will receive any subsequent communications from the originator (once they accept a page, they can automatically communicate back to the originator assuming that they are granted control of the floor). (Indeed, in advancing the art, said ‘floor control mode’ is invoked to avoid ‘collisions’ of simultaneous one-to-many conversations).