Patent ID: 8649314

Claim:
A method of establishing a direct data transfer session between mobile devices that support a data packet-based communications service over a digital mobile network system, the method comprising: upon receiving an indication by a user of an initiating mobile device to initiate a direct data transfer session with a target mobile device, opening a listening software port on the initiating mobile device to receive communications through the data packet-based communications service from the target mobile device; transmitting an invitation message to the target mobile device through a push messaging service, wherein the invitation message comprises a network address associated with the initiating mobile device and port information corresponding to the opened listening software port, and wherein the target mobile device is located by providing a unique identifier to the push messaging service; receiving a message from the target mobile device addressed to the listening software port of the initiating wireless device; and establishing a data transfer session through the data packet-based communications service between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device, wherein the data transfer session is established in a peer-to-peer fashion using the network address and port information received without a server intermediating communications through the established data transfer session between the initiating mobile device and the target mobile device.