`
`~ra
`~o
`
`~o
`
`UTILITY PATENT APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL
`Submit an original and a duplicate for fee processing
`(Only for new nonprovisional applications under 37 CFR 1.53(b))
`
`ADDRESS TO:
`
`Assistant Commissioner for Patents
`Box Patent Application
`Washington, D.C. 20231
`
`Attorney Docket No.
`
`MBHB00-399
`
`First Named Inventor
`
`Edward F. Bachner, III
`
`Express Mail No.
`
`EL028731226US
`
`Total Pages
`
`51
`
`ACCOMPANYING APPLICATION PARTS
`[] Assignment Papers
`8.
`[] Power of Attorney
`9.
`10. [] English Translation Document (if applicable)
`11. [] Information Disclosure Statement (IDS)
`[] PTO-1449 Form
`[] Copies of IDS Citations
`Preliminary Amendment
`Return Receipt Postcard
`(Should be specifically itemized)
`Small Entity Statement(s)
`[] Enclosed
`[] Statement filed in prior application;
`status still proper and desired
`Certified Copy of Priority Document(s)
`Other:
`
`12. []
`13 []
`
`14. []
`
`APPLICATION ELEMENTS
`1. [] Transmittal Form with Fee
`2. [] Specification (including claims and
`[Total Pages 40 ]
`abstract)
`3. [] Drawings
`[Total Sheets 3 ]
`4. [] Oath or Declaration
`[Total Pages 4 ]
`a. [] Newly executed
`b. [] Copy from prior application
`[Note Boxes 5 and 17 below]
`i. [] Deletion of Inventor(s) Signed
`statement attached deleting inventor(s)
`named in the prior application
`5. [] Incorporation by Reference: The entire
`disclosure of the prior application, from which a
`copy of the oath or declaration is supplied under
`Box 4b, is considered as being part of the
`disclosure of the accompanying application and is
`hereby incorporated by reference therein.
`6. [] Microfiche Computer Program
`7. [] Nucleotide and/or Amino Acid Sequence
`Submission
`a. [] Computer Readable Copy
`b. [] Paper Copy
`c. [] Statement verifying above copies
`17. [] This is a CONTINUING APPLICATION. Please note the following:
`
`15. []
`16. []
`
`7=.
`
`i:= ~-
`
`a. [] This is a [] Continuation [] Divisional [] Continuation-in-part
`of prior application
`
`b, [] Cancel in this application original claims
`filing fee.
`
`of the prior application before calculating the
`
`c. [] Amend the specification by inserting before the first line the sentence:
`This is a [] continuation [] divisional [] continuation-in-part
`of application Serial No.
`
`d. [] The prior application is assigned of record to
`
`[Page 1 of 2]
`
`LG Electronics, Inc. et al.
`EXHIBIT 1015
`IPR Petition for
`U.S. Patent No. 7,149,511
`Page 1 of 398
`
`
`
`’U~[U~ ~A~,E.NT, I~PLICATION’;’TRANSMITTAL ¯ ’ ’;~":;’:’"’""1 ,Attorney Docket No: MBHB00-399
`: :: A~PL!CATION FEES, .......... ,, ¯ .............. ~ ........... ~ ’~
`
`¯ NUMBER FILED :’,:",~NUMBER, EXTRA .........
`-20=
`35
`55
`Total Claims
`5
`2
`- 3=
`Independent Claims
`[] Multiple Dependent Claims(s)if applicable
`¯
`I ....
`~" /",~ ¯
`!~i~li
`~"~ ’:~ ............ ~ ...................
`"~’ ""’ :"i i¯, ,’,,,~ ’, ,Total of above calcu at ons:¯~
`’
`, ,,,:,,, ,,,, ,,:, ,, !,,:,! ’: I, ,,,’,, ,::,, ,", : ..... .....................
`Reduction by 50% for filing by Small eniiiy = ....
`+ $40.00
`
`[] Assignment fee if applicable
`
`x$18.00 $ 630
`$ 156
`x $78.00
`$
`+$270.00
`$ 1476
`$(738)
`$ 40
`$ 778
`
`18. [] Please charge my Deposit Account No. 13-2490 in the amount of $
`
`19. [] A check in the amount of $778 is enclosed.
`
`20. The Commissioner is hereby authorized to credit overpayments or charge any additional fees of the
`following types to Deposit Account No. 13-2490:
`Fees required under 37 CFR 1.16.
`a.
`[]
`Fees required under 37 CFR 1.17.
`b.
`[]
`Fees required under 37 CFR 1.18.
`c.
`[]
`
`21. [] The Commissioner is hereby generally authorized under 37 CFR 1.136(a)(3) to treat any future
`reply in this or any related application filed pursuant to 37 CFR 1.53 requiring an extension of time as
`incorporating a request therefor, and the Commissioner is hereby specifically authorized to charge
`Deposit Account No. 13-2490 for any fee that may be due in connection with such a request for an
`extension of time.
`
`22. CERTIFICATE OF MAILING
`I hereby certify that I directed that the correspondence identified above be deposited with the
`United States Postal Service as "Express Mail Post Office to Addressee" under 37 CFR § 1.10 on
`the date indicated below and is addressed to the Asst. Commissioner for Patents, Box Patent
`Application, Washington, DC 20231.
`23. USPTO CUSTOMER NUMBER
`PATEI, IT ~ TRRD[HA!~Y, Off Ig[
`
`Name
`
`24. CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
`McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff
`
`Address
`City, State, Zip
`
`300 South Wacker Drive, Suite 3200
`Chicago, Illinois 60606
`
`25. SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT, ATTORNEY, OR AGENT REQUIRED
`Richard A. Machonkin
`41,962
`
`Name
`Reg. No.
`
`Signature
`
`Date
`
`[Page 2 of 2]
`
`Page 2 of 398
`
`
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICI~
`
`(A1zor~y’s Docket No. MBHS00-399)
`
`Applicant or
`Patentee"
`
`Edward F. Ba~nerjII. ~t ~.
`
`Filed or
`Issued:
`
`Title: Wl’R~t’.r.g~ I’NTELLIGENT PERSONAL S]~RVER
`
`VERIFIED STATI~MENT CLOG SMALL ENTITY STATUS
`07 C.F.P~ § 1.9(0 AND § L27{0) - SMALL BUSINF~S CONCFA~
`
`I hereby declare "chat ]
`
`[]
`
`the owner of the small buslne,~s ooR~¢m identifimt below:
`an offioiat oF the small business (cid:128)oncern empowered ~o act on behalf of the c.onc~m identifird
`below:
`
`NAME OF CONCI~RN Double-Time Corporation
`
`ADDRI~SS OF CONC£RN
`
`110 F.a~t $¢hi|lex Sm~et, Suite 203. Iilmhur~t, Illinois 60126
`
`I h~mby declare that the ahove-identi.ficd small busiaess ¢oncm’n qualili¢~ ~s a small business concern as defined in
`13 C.F.R. § 121, and referenced in "~7 C,F.R. § 1.9(d), for purposes of paying redu¢~ fees m [h¢ Unitr~d States P~n~
`and Ttademaxk Office, m that the number of employees of the cons(cid:128)m, LnMuding those of fls affiliates, does not
`(cid:128))tccmd 500 pvrson~. For p~pose.,s of ~his stag-llqcn~, (1) the number of ernploye~ of the business c~ucexn is the
`,voragc ov~ tim pzcvlom fi~c,,.l year ,,f ~e cou0orn of the l~ea’som empbyc, d on a full-tim~, part-time, or mmpora~
`basis during eaoh of the pay periods of the fiscal year, and (2) concerns are aflRiar¢o of each o~er whe. eider,
`dlrecr.ly or ir~a’¢cfly, one (cid:128)or~mm oonl~ols or ha~ the power tO control the other, or a third party or parties conlzols or
`has the power to eerie01 both.
`
`I hereby declare lba~ rights under oou~aet or law tm-cv been conveyed Io and remain with the small business concern
`identified above with regard to tho inv=tdon, entitled W.ireleas I_ntelligettt Personal Serv.er by invemtor(s) ~xt, Ward F.
`B~ehnexJIL $ohn Ma_ior. ~q,d ~ Do.
`
`MC~ONNLLL ~0 ~NIEN
`
`CmC,-’t~3, ~tLt¢Ol8 ~O~Oa
`
`-I-
`
`Page 3 of 398
`
`
`
`d~-ibed in
`
`the specification fil~d herewi~.
`Appllcgtion Serial No.
`Patent Nn. , issavd
`
`file~
`
`D
`[]
`
`If the rights h~ld by the above idc~tifl~ small busingss concern at0 not =olasiw, eaCh individual oono~’a or
`organizat/on having righcs in th© invention must 61e verified Gtatament~ averrin~ to their s~a~s as small ~ntities, and
`no rights to th¢ inwntion are held by any person, othm’ than the inv~mr, who would not qth’~lify as an independent
`inventor under 37 CFR § 1.9((cid:128)) if tha~ person mad= th~ invention, or by any concern which would not qualify as a
`smaU business con~¢ra under 37 CFR § 1.9(d), or a nonprofit organization ~ndvr 37 CFR .~ 1.9(o).
`
`Each person, concern or organization having any rights to the invention is listed below:.
`
`[]
`[]
`
`No such i~,rsoa, ~onc=m or organization ~xlsts.
`lgsch such person, concor~ or organization is listvd below.
`
`S~parat¢ w~rifi¢d smtemcnl~ are required from e.a~k namod p~gm, concern or orgardzatioa having rights In the
`iavcntie, a =ve~rin~ t~ their ,tats= a~ ~ eatities. (37 CFR ~ 1.27).
`
`I acknowledge the duty to file, in this appticmion or patent, notification of" any cIumge in slatas tvsulfmg in loss of"
`vatitloracnt to small anti~ status prior to paying, or at thv time of paying, the e.arllost of tho issuo f-¢c or any
`msmmaance t¢(cid:128) t~ue after th= date on whioh st~t,,~ ~ a ~all entity i~ ac longer appropriate. (37 C.F.R. § 1.28(b))
`
`I hereby deolar¢ that all s~atements mad¢ hvrcha of my own knawledga are trus a.sd "dxat al| Stat~racats mad# on
`inforraation and belief ~ro believed to be true; and fun~er that those stat~.’m¢~ts wcm ready with the knowledge that
`willful false stat~aonts arai the like so made are punishable by fine or impri~nmeat, or both, t~nd~ S~d,~n 100! of
`Title 18 of thv Unitc, d St~t~s Code, and that such wiUfuI fals~ s~tc~aeats my jeopardize the validity of th~
`application, any pate~ issuing therein, or any patent ~o whiol~ this verified statcm~t is directed,
`
`NAME OD PERSON SIONI~O; l~dw’a~ F. ]~I~r, HI
`
`TfTLE IN ORGANIZATION: Ckicf Technology Off]cot and Vi~ Chairman
`
`ADDRESS OF PERSON SIGNrNo: ] 10 East Se.izillcr Slrect, Suke 203, ~lmhta~t, Illinois 60126
`
`I
`
`--
`
`"
`
`/
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`-2-
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`¯ oLrn-~ wA~lm ~R|vll
`
`Page 4 of 398
`
`
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`Express Mail Label No. EL028731226US
`
`APPLICATION FOR UNITED STATES LETTERS PATENT
`
`(Case No. MBHB00-399)
`
`Title:
`
`Wireless Intelligent Personal Server
`
`10
`
`15
`
`Inventor(s):
`
`Edward F. Bachner, III, a citizen of U.S.A., residing at 15522 West Hawk
`Haven Road, Lockport, Illinois 60441
`
`John Major, a citizen of U.S.A., residing at 16720 Las Cuestas, Rancho
`Santa Fe, California 92067
`
`Xin Du, a citizen of China, residing at 1536 Knoll Crest, Bartlett, Illinois
`60103
`
`Assignee:
`
`Double-Time Corporation
`110 East Schiller Street
`Suite 203
`Elmhurst, IL 60126
`
`Page 5 of 398
`
`
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`A. Field of the Invention
`
`This invention relates to the field of wireless telecommunications. More
`
`particularly, this invention relates to a wireless intelligent personal server that receives
`
`data transmitted over a wireless communications channel and automatically processes it
`
`so as to maintain a copy of at least one electronic file stored in a source computer.
`
`B. Description of Related Art
`
`A typical modem office uses a number of different databases of information that
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`i= :~
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`~=~10
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`are frequently updated. Examples of such databases include schedules, contact lists,
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`i=i
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`i~=
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`price lists, real estate lists, and incoming e-mails. Such databases are typically stored as
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`electronic files on either an office-wide server or on individual personal computers
`
`located in the office space. Typically, individual workers in the office space are able to
`
`use personal computers, usually with network connections, to access the databases. More
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`particularly, the personal computers typically run applications that retrieve the desired
`
`information from the databases and display it to the user. With this configuration, the
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`most up-to-date versions of the databases are typically available to the individual
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`workers, even though the electronic database files are frequently updated.
`
`However, many workers often work outside of the office environment at least one
`
`2O
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`day per week, and, typically, it is more difficult to gain access to the most up-to-date
`
`versions of important electronic files when outside of the office environment. A
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`currently used solution is to use portable computers to "dial in" to the office network
`
`using the PSTN, Intemet, or other wireline networks. However, mobile workers do not
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`Page 6 of 398
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`always have access to wireline connections at all desired times. Accordingly, wireless
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`communications systems have been developed by which mobile workers can aeeess their
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`office databases even without a wireline connection. As an example, some wireless
`
`telephones are able to send and receive limited amounts of data using the wireless
`
`application protocol (WAP).
`
`However, most of these wireless communications approaches, including the WAP
`
`approach, use a "pull" methodology, whereby the user first requests the information and
`
`then waits for a response. This "pull" methodology has the disadvantage of high latency
`
`and, typically, high cost. The high latency arises from the delay that typically occurs in
`
`each step of the process of retrieving the desired information. In particular, there is the
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`time spent entering the keystrokes needed to make the request, the airtime spent
`
`transmitting the request, the delay in having the request reaching the office network
`
`through intermediate networks, the delay in having the office network search through its
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`::= 5
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`!:= ~i
`
`databases to formulate a response, and the delay in transmitting the response through the
`
`intermediate networks and then over the air interface. The high latency is not only
`
`troublesome to the user; it leads to high costs due to the airtime needed to process the
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`request and the response.
`
`The problem becomes more acute the more interactive the transaction becomes.
`
`A user using WAP to retrieve a new e-mail message with an attachment provides a
`
`20
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`simple illustration of the problem. First, the user requests the new e-mail message and
`
`receives it after waiting for the latency period described above, for which the user is
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`typically charged airtime. Second, the user reads the new e-mail message and sees that it
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`has an attachment. Then the user must make another request to receive the attachment.
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`Page 7 of 398
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`
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`The user waits for another latency period to receive it, thereby typically incurring
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`additional airtime charges. Moreover, the latency period may be quite long, because files
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`attached to e-mails are often quite large. Accordingly, existing "pull" approaches, such
`
`as WAP have substantial disadvantages.
`
`5
`
`Another problem with many technologies for receiving data over wireless
`
`channels is that they are highly device-specific, i.e., they are based on providing wireless
`
`functionality to existing devices, such as specific models of personal digital assistants
`
`(PDAs). However, there are a number of problems with device-specific approaches.
`
`First, many people use different computing devices at different times, so that providing
`
`only one of the user’s computing devices with wireless functionality is, at best, only a
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`partial solution. Second, different computing devices differ in their abilities to handle
`
`different types of data. For example, desktop PCs typically have much more memory
`
`than PDAs, and desktop PCs often have access to high quality monitors, speakers, and
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`peripherals to display information and provide functionality to the user in ways that are
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`! = ii
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`unavailable to typical PDAs. On the other hand, PDAs also have many advantages over a
`
`desktop PC, such as portability. In addition to the availability of different hardware,
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`different computing devices may have different operating systems and applications
`
`available to them. Accordingly, approaches that provide wireless functionality only to
`
`specific devices have substantial disadvantages.
`
`2o
`
`For example, Kaufman, U.S. Patent No. 6,034,621, discloses systems and
`
`methods for communicating changes made to a data file on a personal computer (PC) to a
`
`personal digital assistant (PDA). In accordance with some of the disclosed embodiments,
`
`when the data file on the PC is changed, synchronization information is transmitted over
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`Page 8 of 398
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`
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`a paging network to a pager that is connected to the PDA, such as by a serial or parallel
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`connection. A synchronization routine in the PDA then interacts with the
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`synchronization information output from the pager to update the data file in the PDA.
`
`While potentially reducing the latency problem, at least for small amounts of data,
`
`the Kaufman approach suffers from a number of disadvantages. First, PDAs are not
`
`typically on all of the time. Thus, update information may be missed because of the PDA
`
`being off. Second, PDAs typically have a very limited memory, i.e., 8 megabytes or less.
`
`Because of this limited memory, mobile workers may not be able to access some of the
`
`very large electronic files that they can access at their offices.
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`L:::, i
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`Page 9 of 398
`
`
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In a first principal aspect, the present invention provides a wireless intelligent
`
`personal server that comprises a radio frequency (RF) receiver for receiving downstream
`
`data transmitted over a wireless communications channel, a memory, a central processing
`
`unit (CPU), a set of embedded machine language instructions that are executable by the
`
`CPU for processing the downstream data to provide at least one electronic file in the
`
`memory, and a first interface for allowing an external display device to access the at least
`
`one electronic file.
`
`In a second principal aspect, the present invention provides a wireless data
`
`communication system that comprises a wireless intelligent personal server and a
`
`wireless telephone in communication with the wireless intelligent personal server. The
`
`wireless intelligent personal server includes a memory and a radio frequency (RF)
`
`receiver. The RF receiver receives downstream data transmitted over a first wireless
`
`communications channel, and the wireless intelligent personal server processes the
`
`downstream data to provide at least one electronic file in the memory. The wireless
`
`telephone transmits an acknowledgement over a second wireless communications
`
`i:i
`
`: = 5
`
`channel when the wireless intelligent personal server receives the downstream data.
`
`In a third principal aspect, the present invention provides a wireless data display
`
`system that comprises a wireless intelligent personal server and a display device in
`
`2O
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`communication with the wireless intelligent personal server. The wireless intelligent
`
`personal server includes a memory and a radio frequency (RF) receiver. The RF receiver
`
`receives downstream data transmitted over a wireless communications channel, and the
`
`wireless intelligent personal server processes the downstream data to provide at least one
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`Page 10 of 398
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`
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`electronic file. The display device has at least one application that accesses the at least
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`one electronic file to display information to a user.
`
`In a fourth principal aspect, the present invention provides a method for updating
`
`a target electronic file to reflect changes made to a source electronic file. In accordance
`
`with the method, the target electronic file is stored in a wireless intelligent personal
`
`server. The wireless intelligent personal server receives downstream data transmitted
`
`over a wireless communications channel. The downstream data reflects changes made to
`
`the source electronic file. The wireless intelligent personal server automatically updates
`
`the target electronic file with the downstream data to provide an updated electronic file.
`
`A display device is brought into communication with the wireless intelligent personal
`
`server, and the display device accesses the updated electronic file.
`
`In a fifth principal aspect, the present invention provides a method for creating,
`
`without user intervention, an electronic file on a wireless intelligent personal server. In
`
`accordance with the method, the wireless intelligent personal server receives downstream
`
`i:;. !J 15
`
`data transmitted over a wireless communications channel. The wireless intelligent
`
`personal server automatically creates the electronic file from the downstream data. A
`
`display device is brought into communication with the wireless intelligent personal
`
`server, and the display device accesses the electronic file.
`
`20
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`Page 11 of 398
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`
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a wireless synchronization system, in
`
`accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
`
`Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a wireless intelligent personal server, in
`
`accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
`
`Figure 3 is a front plan view of the wireless intelligent personal server of Figure 2,
`
`in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
`
`Figure 4 is a side plan view of the wireless intelligent personal server of Figure 2,
`
`in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`
`Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of a wireless communication system 10 in
`
`~ :i¸
`
`accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. System 10 includes
`
`an enterprise information technology (IT) system 12, which typically includes a plurality
`
`of computers and other devices networked together to provide computing and
`
`information technology services for a business or other organization. As shown in Figure
`
`1, one or more personal computers, such as personal computer (PC) 14, are connected to
`
`enterprise IT system 12. Enterprise IT system 12 may also have access to a centralized
`
`database for the enterprise, such as enterprise database 16, as shown
`
`in Figure 1.
`
`2O
`
`Enterprise IT system 12 may be located entirely within one office area,
`
`or it may be
`
`distributed over various remote locations.
`
`System 10 also includes a first wireless network 20 and a second wireless network
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`22.
`
`First wireless network 20 is able to transmit data, at least intermittently, over one or
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`Page 12 of 398
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`
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`more downstream wireless channels to wireless receivers operating within its wireless
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`coverage area. Preferably, first wireless network 20 uses subcarriers of fi’equency
`
`modulated (FM) radio transmissions and/or televisions transmissions to provide the
`
`downstream wireless channels. Most preferably, the subcarriers used by first wireless
`
`5 network 20 are modulated using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (ODFM) in
`
`order to minimize multipath effects, such as fading and distortion, and to increase data
`
`throughput. Alternatively, first wireless network 20 may be a one-way paging network,
`
`which may use the FLEXTM protocol of Motorola, Inc., a two-way paging network, which
`
`may use the REFLEXTM protocol of Motorola, Inc., or it may wirelessly transmit data by
`
`some other means.
`
`Second wireless network 22 is preferably a cellular or PCS network that provides
`
`two-way wireless communications, in a format, such as AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, or
`
`GSM, for wireless telephones, such as wireless telephone 24. Thus, with reference to
`
`Figure 1, wireless telephone 24 is able to transmit to wireless network 22 over an
`
`upstream channel 26 and is able to receive from wireless network 22 using a downstream
`
`channel 27.
`
`An intermediate network 28 is connected to first wireless network 20 and to
`
`second wireless network 22, and enterprise IT system 12 uses a wireless network
`
`management system 29 to communicate with wireless networks 20 and 22, via
`
`20
`
`intermediate network 28. Intermediate network 28 maybe any wide-area network (WAN)
`
`or local-area network (LAN) capable of transmitting digital data between enterprise IT
`
`system 12 and wireless networks 20 and 22. Preferably, intermediate network 28 is either
`
`the Internet or a private corporate network.
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`Page 13 of 398
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`
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`A wireless intelligent personal server (WIPS) 30 is able to receive data wirelessly
`
`transmitted by first wireless network 20. When WIPS 30 receives data transmitted by
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`wireless network 20, WIPS 30 stores it in its memory, as described in more detail below.
`
`WIPS 30 is able to transfer the data stored in its memory to and from different types of
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`display devices 32, on at least an intermittent basis, as indicated by the dotted line in
`
`Figure 1. WIPS 30 may also be able to transfer data from its memory to and from
`
`wireless telephone 24 on at least an intermittent basis, as indicated by the dotted line in
`
`Figure 1.
`
`Display device 32 is a device that has a user interface for displaying the data
`
`~::{i lo
`
`!:-
`
`stored in WIPS 30. More particularly, display device 32 typically runs one or more
`
`applications to access the data stored in WIPS 30 and to display it to the user. The
`
`applications on display device 32 may also allow the user to modify the data stored in
`
`WIPS 30. Display device 32 may be a fixed-mounted device, such as a desktop PC, an
`
`advanced video game device, such as a Sony "PlayStation 2" device, or a set-top
`
`television controller box, such as the type used to access services such as WebTV© (and
`
`which may also provide game-type functionality), or display device 32 may be a portable
`
`device, such as a laptop PC or a personal digital assistant (PDA). Moreover, WlPS 30
`
`preferably allows different kinds of display device 32 to access the data stored on it at
`
`different times. For example, a user may use a first desktop PC as display device 32 to
`
`20
`
`access the data stored in WIPS 30 at work, may use a PDA as display device 32 to access
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`the data stored in WIPS 30 while traveling, and may use a Sony "PlayStation 2" device as
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`display device 32 while at home.
`
`10
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`Page 14 of 398
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`
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`Data transfer between WIPS 30 and wireless telephone 24 and display device 32
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`may occur in various ways. For example, WIPS 30 may be electrically connected to
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`wireless telephone 24 and/or display device 32. Such electrical connection may be direct,
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`i.e., so that electrical contacts on WIPS 30 directly contact electrical contacts on wireless
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`5 telephone 24 and/or display device 32. Alternatively, the electrical connection may be
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`through electrical cables, which may be provided with standard connectors, such as USB
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`connectors. Data transfer between WIPS 30 and wireless telephone 24 and display
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`device 32 may also be wireless. For example, WIPS 30 and either wireless telephone 24
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`or display device 32 may be provided with infrared ports, such as IrDA ports.
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`10
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`Alternatively, WIPS 30 and either wireless telephone 24 or display device 32 may use
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`short-range RF communication, such as the Bluetooth protocol, to transfer data. Other
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`methods for data transfer may also be used. For example, WIPS 30 may be provided
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`with a flash memory card, in which case data transfer to display device 32 may be
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`effected by removing the flash memory card from WIPS 30 and connecting it to display
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`device 32. In any event, the connections between WIPS 30 and wireless telephone 24
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`and display device 32 may be only intermittent. For example, in some embodiments,
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`wireless telephone 24 may be directly electrically connected to WIPS 30 most of the
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`time. However, the user may disconnect wireless telephone 24 from WIPS 30 in order to
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`make or receive calls.
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`2O
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`WIPS 30 receives data transmitted by first wireless network 20 over a
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`downstream channel 34. Because this data transmission may occur at any time, WIPS 30
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`is preferably always on in order to receive the transmission. When WIPS 30 receives a
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`data transmission, WIPS 30 determines whether the transmission is intended for it, and, if
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`it is, WIPS 30 processes the data transmission accordingly. Typically, this means that
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`WIPS 30 uses the data from the transmission either to update one or more of the files
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`stored in its memory or to add a new file to its memory. Preferably, WIPS 30 performs
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`these functions automatically, so that the user can receive the data while performing other
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`tasks. As described in more detail below, the user is then able to use display device 32 to
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`access the data stored in WlPS 30.
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`Once WIPS 30 has successfully received the data transmission, WIPS 30
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`preferably sends an acknowledgement signal. In preferred embodiments, WIPS 30 uses
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`wireless telephone 24 to send the acknowledgement signal to second wireless network 22
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`...... 10
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`over an upstream channel 36. To accomplish this, WIPS 30 may make use of electrical
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`F~-
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`contacts, provided in most types of wireless telephone 24, that enable wireless telephone
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`24 to be remotely controlled. Thus, WIPS 30 sends signals to wireless telephone 24 to
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`cause it to dial a predetermined telephone number and then, once the call is established,
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`to transmit the acknowledgement signal. Because the acknowledgement signal will
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`typically be a digital signal, WIPS 30 may use different techniques for transmitting it,
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`depending on the type of wireless telephone 24.
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`For example, if wireless telephone 24
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`can only transmit analog signals, then WIPS
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`30 preferably modulates the digital
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`acMlowledgement signal before transmitting it to wireless telephone 24. If wireless
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`telephone 24 can transmit digital signals, such as signals in CDMA, TDMA, or GSM
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`2O
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`format, then WIPS 30 may transmit the acknowledgement signal to wireless telephone 24
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`in digital packet form.
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`However, at certain times when WIPS 30 is ready to send the acknowledgement
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`signal, wireless telephone 24 may not available. For example, wireless telephone 24 may
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`not be connected to, or in the range of wireless communication with, WIPS 30. Wireless
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`telephone 24 may also be unavailable because it is turned off or because it is engaged in a
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`telephone call. When wireless telephone 24 is unavailable, WIPS 30 preferably postpones
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`the acknowledgement until wireless telephone 24 becomes available for use. First
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`wireless network 20 will typically re-transmit the data intended for WIPS 30 until the
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`acknowledgement from WIPS 30 is received.
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`As an alternative approach, WIPS 30 may be able to transmit wireless signals on
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`its own, without the need for wireless telephone 24. For example, WIPS 30 may use
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`cellular digital packet data (CDPD) technology to transmit signals to second wireless
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`’?il lo
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`network 22 over upstream channel 26. As another approach, first wireless network 20
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`may be a two-way network, in which case, WIPS 30 may use the upstream channels of
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`first wireless network 20.
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`As noted above, the data stored in WIPS 30 may be accessed by display device
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`32. Preferably, display device 32 accesses the memory in WIPS 30 as it would an
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`"~ 15
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`i,:: =
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`!’~ !:
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`external device, such as an external hard drive or a server on a local area network (LAN).
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`In this way, display device 32 can take advantage of the much larger memory that may be
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`available in WIPS 30.
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`In addition, a user may use different display devices to access the data stored in
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`WIPS 30 at different times. For example, a user may use a desktop PC to access WIPS
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`20
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`30 while at home, a laptop PC to access WIPS 30 while at work, a customer’s device to
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`access WIPS 30 while visiting a customer, and a PDA to access WIPS 30 while traveling.
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`In this way, WIPS 30 may serve as a convenient storage device so that a user’s important
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`files are available wherever the user goes and are automatically and continually updated
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`with new information wherever the user travels within the range of wireless network 20.
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`In this way, the electronic files stored in WIPS 30 may be automatically updated
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`to reflect changes in the corresponding electronic files of enterprise IT system 12. This
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`capability can be very important to a user who maintains important data files on
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`enterprise IT system 12 at work but who also needs to access the information while the
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`user is traveling. Such important data files may include the user’s calendar of
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`appointments, inventory availability and current pricing, contacts, and incoming e-mail
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`messages.
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`i= :)
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`=: 10
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`For example, if the user is out of the office, the user’s secretary may use computer
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`14 to enter a new appointment into the user’s calendar. The calendar is typically stored
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`as an electronic file on computer 14, enterprise database 16, or elsewhere on enterprise IT
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`system 12. By means of WIPS 30, the user is able to have access to the updated calendar
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`in the following way. Enterprise IT 12 sends the information needed to update the
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`calendar to wireless network management system 29, which, in turn, transmits it to first
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`wireless network 20 via intermediate network 28. First wireless network 20 then
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`transmits the update information to WIPS 30 over downstream channel 34. WIPS 30
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`receives the transmission and uses the information to update the calendar stored as an
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`electronic file in its memory. To signal that it has successfully received the update
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`20
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`information, WIPS 30 uses wireless telephone 24 to transmit an acknowledgement over
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`upstream channel 26 to second wireless network 22. Second wireless network 22, in
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`turn, transmits the acknowledgement to wireless network management system 29, via
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`intermediate network 28. Preferably, wireless network management system 29 resends
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`the update information, via intermediate network 28, to first wireless network 20 for re-
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`transmission until management system 29 receives the acknowledgement, in or