`
`United States Patent
`Lazaridis et al.
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`*Jun. 4, 2002
`
`US006401113B2
`
`(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PUSHING
`INFORMATION FROM A HOST SYSTEM TO
`
`A MOBILE DATA COMMUNICATION DEVICE
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`
`g1? EP
`
`0736989
`
`10/1996
`
`(75) Inventors: Mihal Lazaridis; Gary P. MOusseau,
`both of Waterloo (CA)
`
`-
`-
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`(73) Assignee: Research In MOtiOn Limited, Waterloo
`CA
`(
`)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`gusenct 1; sz?gnsei) Cara agilusted under 35
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Feibus,“A Desktop In Your Palm”, InformationWeek, Aug.
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`Behr,“Handheld Solutions”, InformationWeek, Oct. 27,
`
`'
`
`'
`
`'
`
`y
`
`y '
`
`1997, pp. 106—113.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`Moody’s Investors Service, Socket Communications Inc.—
`History & Debt, InvesteX Report No. 3240276.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/781,989
`(22) Filed:
`Feb. 13, 2001
`_
`_
`Related U-S- Apphcatlon Data
`f
`1_ f N 09/087 623 ?l d M 29
`_
`(62) D_ _
`IVISIOII O app 1C8. 1011
`O.
`,
`,
`e 011
`?y
`,
`1998’ now Pat‘ NO‘ 672197694‘
`
`(51) Int. c1.7 ..................... .. G06F 15/16; G06F 15/173;
`G06F 17/00; H04Q 7/00
`(52) US. Cl. ..................... .. 709/207; 709/206; 709/245;
`709/219; 709/238; 709/253; 707/201; 340/721;
`340/729; 455/556
`_
`(58) Field Of Search ............................... .. 709/206, 245,
`709/253> 238> 207; 455/555_557; 340/7~21>
`7-29, 751; 707/201
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`Primary Examiner—Dung C. Dinh
`Assistant Examiner—Bradley Edelman
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Jones, Day, Reavis &
`.
`'
`'
`.
`Pogue, Krishna K. Pathiyal, Charles B. Meyer
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A system and method for pushing information from a host
`System to a mobile data Communication device upon Sensing
`a triggering event is disclosed. A redirector program oper
`ating at the host system enables a user to continuously
`redirect Certain usepselected data items from the host sys_
`tem to the user’s mobile data communication device upon
`detecting that one or more user-de?ned triggering events has
`occurred. The redirector program operates In connection
`With event generating applications and repackaging systems
`at the host system to con?gure and detect a particular
`user-de?ned event, and then to repackage the user-selected
`data items in an electronic Wrapper prior to pushing the data
`items to the mobile device. The host system can be a desktop
`computer that redirects messages received from a netWork to
`the mobile device and that redirects reply messages from the
`mobile device to the netWork.
`
`34 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets
`
`DESKTOP
`BZQ'IPUTER
`REDIREELIUN SOFTWARE
`
`Page 1 of 18
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`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`Page 2
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`1
`
`,
`
`,
`
`Page 2 of 18
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`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`Page 3
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`
`* cited by eXarniner
`
`Page 3 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 4, 2002
`
`Sheet 1 0f 5
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`26
`
`510
`
`K30
`9 FAX 0R VOICE
`MACHINE
`
`.\_ WIRELESS
`GATEWAY
`
`Page 4 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 4, 2002
`
`Sheet 2 0f 5
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`A LOCAL AREA NETWORK
`
`(LAN)
`
`l 1
`
`SERVER
`COMPUTER
`
`l2 2. REUIREETION SERVER
`
`[30
`FAX OR VOICE
`MACHINE
`
`WIRELESS (___ __, MOBILE
`GATEWAY g COMPUTER —
`\24
`22
`
`Page 5 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 4, 2002
`
`Sheet 3 of5
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`LOCAL AREA NETWORK [LAN]
`
`[14
`
`I
`
`IOA /
`
`42 x
`
`TEP/IP
`SUB-SYSTEM
`
`/’ 44
`
`SUB-SYSTEM
`
`PRIMARY STORE
`
`ALTERNATE LINK
`
`MAIN LINK
`
`12
`PROGRAM \g
`REDIRECTOR
`
`SETUP EVENTS
`TRIGGER
`
`SETUP EVENTS
`TRIGGER
`
`SCREEN SAVER
`SUB-SYSTEM
`
`KEYBOARD
`SUB-SYSTEM
`
`DESKTOP COMPUTER
`
`Fig. 3
`
`Page 6 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 4, 2002
`
`Sheet 4 of5
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`REDIRECTION
`SOFTWARE 5 5O
`STARTED
`
`V
`INSTALL TRIGGER J- 52
`POINTS IN
`SYSTEM
`
`54
`r
`“5%3“ QND
`NAL
`
`( ‘56
`WAIT FOR
`MESSAGES AND-
`SIGNALS
`H
`
`72
`
`-
`
`EoRwARn
`T0 uSER
`
`70
`ADD OUTER _S
`ENVELOPE
`
`No
`IS
`
`60
`/
`SET TRIGGER
`FIRED FLAG
`
`58
`
`YES
`
`TRIGGER
`FIRED FLAG
`0N ?
`
`‘
`
`NEH E-MAIL
`MESéAGE
`
`M
`
`Fig. 4
`
`Page 7 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun. 4, 2002
`
`Sheet 5 015
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`f 88
`E0NP0SE AND
`SEND TO DESKTOP
`
`f 80
`MOBILE
`SGETNARE
`STARTED
`2
`
`84
`f
`MESSAGE AND
`—-—SIGNALS + NATT FOR
`~ MESSAGES AND
`SIGNALS
`\/- s2
`
`98 )
`PRESENT
`T0 USER
`Obj
`ROEMTOEVRE
`u
`ENVELOPE
`
`M
`
`M
`
`94 )
`SET DESKTOP
`REDIRECTION
`FLAG ON
`
`4
`
`NO
`
`100
`
`f T06
`SENG T0
`— DESTINATION
`ADDRESS
`
`TS USER
`uSTNG DESKTOP
`SOFTJTIARE
`
`f- 1 TO
`PUT OUTER ENVELOPE
`ON MESSAGE AND
`ADDRESS TO DESKTOP
`
`108
`
`IS DESKTOP
`REDIREETION
`FLAG ON ?
`
`A
`
`Fig. 5
`
`Page 8 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PUSHING
`INFORMATION FROM A HOST SYSTEM TO
`A MOBILE DATA COMMUNICATION
`DEVICE
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`
`This application is a divisional application of US. patent
`application Ser. No. 09/087,623, ?led on May 29, 1998, now
`US. Pat. No. 6,219,694.
`
`10
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is directed toWard the ?eld of
`replicating information from a host system Where the infor
`mation is normally stored to a mobile data communication
`device. In particular, the system and method of the present
`invention provide an event-driven redirection computer pro
`gram (“redirector program”) operating at the host system,
`Which, upon sensing a particular user-de?ned event has
`occurred, redirects user-selected data items from the host
`system to the user’s mobile data communication device. The
`mobile data communication device is preferably coupled to
`the host system via a Wireless netWork and one or more
`landline netWorks. Due to the bandWidth limitations of
`Wireless networks, only a portion of a user-selected data
`item is generally redirected to the user’s mobile device, With
`the user given the option of then retrieving the entire data
`item (or some other portion of the data item) from the host
`system.
`Instead of Warehousing (or storing) the user’s data items
`at the host system and then “synchronizing” the mobile data
`communication device to data items stored at the host
`system When the mobile device requests that such items of
`information be communicated to it, the present invention
`employs a “push” paradigm that continuously packages and
`retransmits the user-selected items of information to the
`mobile data communication device in response to a trigger
`ing event detected at the host system. Wireless mobile data
`communications devices, especially those that can return a
`con?rmation signal to the host that the pushed data has been
`received are especially Well suited for this type of push
`paradigm.
`Present systems and methods for replicating information
`from a host system to a user’s mobile data communication
`device are typically “synchronization” systems in Which the
`user’s data items are Warehoused (or stored) at the host
`system for an inde?nite period of time and then transmitted
`in bulk only in response to a user request. In these types of
`systems and methods, When replication of the Warehoused
`data items to the mobile device is desired, the user typically
`places the mobile device in an interface cradle that is
`electrically connected to the host system via some form of
`local, dedicated communication, such as a serial cable or an
`infrared or other type of Wireless link. SoftWare executing on
`the mobile data communication device then transmits com
`mands via the local communications link to the host system
`to cause the host to begin transmitting the user’s data items
`for storage in a memory bank of the mobile device. In these
`synchronization schemes, the mobile unit “pulls” the Ware
`housed information from the host system in a batch each
`time the user desires to replicate information betWeen the
`tWo devices. Therefore, the tWo systems (host and mobile)
`only maintain the same data items after a user-initiated
`command sequence that causes the mobile device to doWn
`load the data items from the host system. A general problem
`With these synchronization systems is that the only time that
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`2
`the user data items are replicated betWeen the host system
`and the mobile data communication device is When the user
`commands the mobile device to doWnload or pull the user
`data from the host system. Five minutes later a neW message
`could be sent to the user, but the user Would not receive that
`message until the next time the user fetches the user data
`items. Thus, a user may fail to respond to an emergency
`update or message because the user only periodically syn
`chronizes the system, such as once per day. Other problems
`With these systems include: (1) the amount of data to be
`reconciled betWeen the host and the mobile device can
`become large if the user does not “synchronize” on a daily
`or hourly basis, leading to bandWidth dif?culties, particu
`larly When the mobile device is communicating via a Wire
`less packet-sWitched netWork; and (2) reconciling large
`amounts of data, as can accrue in these batch-mode syn
`chronization systems, can require a great deal of communi
`cation betWeen the host and the mobile device, thus leading
`to a more complex, costly and energy-inef?cient system. A
`more automated, continuous, ef?cient and reliable system of
`ensuring that user data items are replicated at the user’s
`mobile device is therefore needed.
`An additional feature of the present invention is that the
`push paradigm, in combination With a return communica
`tions pathWay, lends itself Well to a system that permits a
`user to control remotely, through the user’s mobile device,
`a number of aspects of the host system.
`There remains a general need in this art for a system and
`method of continuously pushing user-selected data items (or
`certain portions of the selected data items) stored at a host
`system to a user’s mobile data communication device.
`There remains a more particular need for such a system
`and method Where user-selected data items are continuously
`“pushed” from the host system to the mobile data commu
`nication device upon the occurrence of one or more user
`de?ned triggering events.
`There remains an additional need for such a system and
`method that provides ?exibility in the types and quantities of
`user data items that are pushed from the host system to the
`mobile data communication device and that also provides
`?exibility in the con?guration and types of events that can
`serve to trigger the redirection of the user data items.
`There remains yet an additional need for such a system
`and method that can operate locally on a user’s desktop PC
`or at a distance via a netWork server.
`There remains still another need for such a system and
`method that provides for secure, transparent delivery of the
`user-selected data items from the host system to the mobile
`device.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention overcomes the problems noted
`above and satis?es the needs in this ?eld for a system and
`method of pushing user-selected data items from a host
`system to a user’s mobile data communication device upon
`detecting the occurrence of one or more user-de?ned event
`triggers. As used in this application, the term host system
`refers to the computer Where the redirector softWare is
`operating. In the preferred embodiment of the present
`invention, the host system is a user’s desktop PC, although,
`actively, the host system could be a netWork server con
`nected to the user’s PC via a local-area netWork (“LAN)”, or
`could be any other system that is in communication With the
`user’s desktop PC.
`A redirector program operating at the host system enables
`the user to redirect or mirror certain user-selected data items
`
`Page 9 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
`
`
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`3
`(or parts of data items) from the host system to the user’s
`mobile data communication device upon detecting that one
`or more user-de?ned triggering events has occurred. Also
`operating at the host system are various sub-systems that can
`be con?gured to create triggering events, such as a screen
`saver sub-system or a keyboard sub-system, as Well as
`sub-systems for repackaging the user’s data items for trans
`parent delivery to the mobile data device, such as a TCP/IP
`sub-system or one or more E-Mail sub-systems. Other
`sub-systems for creating triggering events and repackaging
`the user’s data items could also be present at the host system.
`The host system also includes a primary memory store
`Where the user’s data items are normally stored.
`Using the redirector program, the user can select certain
`data items for redirection, such as E-mail messages, calendar
`events, meeting noti?cations, address entries, journal
`entries, personal reminders etc. Having selected the data
`items for redirection, the user can then con?gure one or
`more event triggers to be sensed by the redirector program
`to initiate redirection of the user data items. These user
`de?ned trigger points (or event triggers) include external
`events, internal events and netWorked events. Examples of
`external events include: receiving a message from the user’s
`mobile data communication device to begin redirection;
`receiving a similar message from some external computer;
`sensing that the user is no longer in the vicinity of the host
`system; or any other event that is external to the host system.
`Internal events could be a calendar alarm, screen saver
`activation, keyboard timeout, programmable timer, or any
`other user-de?ned event that is internal to the host system.
`NetWorked events are user-de?ned messages that are trans
`mitted to the host system from another computer coupled to
`the host system via a netWork to initiate redirection. These
`are just some of the examples of the types of user-de?ned
`events that can trigger the redirector program to push data
`items from the host to the mobile device. Although in the
`preferred embodiment it is anticipated that the con?guration
`that speci?es Which data items Will be redirected and in What
`form Will be set at the host system, it is Within the scope of
`this invention that such con?guration may be set or modi?ed
`through data sent from the mobile communications device.
`In addition to the functionality noted above, the redirector
`program provides a set of softWare-implemented control
`functions for determining the type of mobile data commu
`nication device and its address, for programming a preferred
`list of message types that are to be redirected, and for
`determining Whether the mobile device can receive and
`process certain types of message attachments, such as Word
`processor or voice attachments. The determination of
`Whether a particular mobile device can receive and process
`attachments is initially con?gured by the user of that mobile
`device at the host system. This con?guration can be altered
`on a global or per message basis by transmitting a command
`message from the mobile device to the host system. If the
`redirector is con?gured so that the mobile data device cannot
`receive and process Word processor or voice attachments,
`then the redirector routes these attachments to an external
`machine that is compatible With the particular attachment,
`such as an attached printer or netWorked fax machine or
`telephone. Other types of attachments could be redirected to
`other types of external machines in a similar fashion,
`depending upon the capabilities of the mobile device. For
`example, if a user is traveling and receives a message With
`an attachment that the user’s mobile device can process or
`display, the user may from a mobile communications device
`send a command message to the host system indicating that
`that attachment is to be sent to a fax machine at a hotel where
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`the user Will be spending the evening. This enables the user
`to receive important E-mail attachments as long as the host
`system is provided With suf?cient information about the
`destination Where the attachment is to be forWarded.
`Once an event has triggered redirection of the user data
`items, the host system then repackages these items in a
`manner that is transparent to the mobile data communication
`device, so that information on the mobile device appears
`similar to information on the user’s host system. The pre
`ferred repackaging method includes Wrapping the user data
`items in an E-mail envelope that corresponds to the address
`of the mobile data communication device, although,
`alternatively, other repackaging methods could be used With
`the present invention, such as special-purpose TCP/IP Wrap
`ping techniques, or other methods of Wrapping the user
`selected data items. The repackaging preferably results in
`E-mail messages generated by the user from the mobile
`device to be transmitted from the host system, thus enabling
`the user to appear to have a single E-mail address, such that
`the recipients of messages sent from the mobile communi
`cations device do not knoW Where the user Was physically
`located When the message Was ?rst sent. The repackaging
`also permits both messages to the mobile device and sent
`from the mobile device to be encrypted and decrypted as
`Well as compressed and decompressed.
`In an alternative system and method, the redirector pro
`gram executes on a netWork server, and the server is
`programmed to detect numerous redirection event triggers
`over the netWork from multiple user desktop computers
`coupled to the server via a LAN. The server can receive
`internal event triggers from each of the user desktops via the
`netWork, and can also receive external event triggers, such
`as messages from the users’ mobile data communication
`devices. In response to receiving one of these triggers, the
`server redirects the user’s data items to the proper mobile
`data communication device. The user data items and
`addressing information for a particular mobile device can be
`stored at the server or at the user’s PC. Using this alternative
`con?guration, one redirector program can serve a plurality
`of users. This alternative con?guration could also include an
`internet- or intranet-based redirector program that could be
`accessible through a secure Webpage or other user interface.
`The redirector program could be located on an Internet
`Service Provider’s system and accessible only through the
`Internet.
`In another alternative con?guration of the present
`invention, a redirector program operates at both the host
`system and at the user’s mobile data communication device.
`In this con?guration, the user’s mobile device operates
`similarly to the host system described beloW, and is con?g
`ured in a similar fashion to push certain user-selected data
`items from the mobile device to the user’s host system (or
`some other computer) upon detecting an event trigger at the
`mobile device. This con?guration provides tWo-Way push
`ing of information from the host to the mobile device and
`from the mobile device to the host.
`The primary advantage of the present invention is that it
`provides a system and method for triggering the continuous
`and real-time redirection of user-selected data items from a
`host system to a mobile data communication device. Other
`advantages of the present invention include: (1) ?exibility in
`de?ning the types of user data to redirect, and in de?ning a
`preferred list of message types that are to be redirected or
`preferred senders Whose messages are to be redirected; (2)
`?exibility in con?guring the system to respond to numerous
`internal, external and netWorked triggering events; (3) trans
`parent repackaging of the user data items in a variety of
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`Page 10 of 18
`
`Unified Patents Exhibit 1021
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`
`
`US 6,401,113 B2
`
`5
`Ways such that the mobile data communication device
`appears as though it Were the host system; (4) integration
`With other host system components such as E-mail, TCP/IP,
`keyboard, screen saver, Webpages and certain programs that
`can either create user data items or be con?gured to provide
`trigger points; and (5) the ability to operate locally on a
`user’s desktop system or at a distance via a netWork server.
`These are just a feW of the many advantages of the present
`invention, as described in more detail beloW. As Will be
`appreciated, the invention is capable of other and different
`embodiments, and its several details are capable of modi?
`cations in various respects, all Without departing from the
`spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the draWings and
`description of the preferred embodiments set forth beloW are
`to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The present invention satis?es the needs noted above as
`Will become apparent from the folloWing description When
`read in conjunction With the accompanying draWings
`Wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a system diagram shoWing the redirection of user
`data items from a user’s desktop PC (host system) to the
`user’s mobile data communication device, Where the redi
`rector softWare is operating at the user’s desktop PC.
`FIG. 2 is a system diagram shoWing the redirection of user
`data items from a netWork server (host system) to the user’s
`mobile data communication device, Where the redirector
`softWare is operating at the server.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram shoWing the interaction of the
`redirector softWare With other components of the host sys
`tem in FIG. 1 (the user’s desktop PC) to enable the pushing
`of information from the host system to the user’s mobile data
`communication device.
`FIG. 4 is a How chart shoWing the steps carried out by the
`redirector softWare operating at the host system.
`FIG. 5 is a How chart shoWing the steps carried out by the
`mobile data communication device to interface With the
`redirector softWare operating at the host system.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`Where. The LAN 14, in turn, is connected to a Wide area
`netWork (“WAN”) 18, preferably the Internet, Which is
`de?ned by the use of the Transmission Control Protocol/
`Internet Protocol (“TCP/IP”) to eXchange information, but
`Which, alternatively could be any other type of WAN. The
`connection of the LAN 14 to the WAN 18 is via high
`bandWidth link 16, typically a T1 or T3 connection. The
`WAN 18 in turn is connected to a variety of gateWays 20, via
`connections 32. A gateWay forms a connection or bridge
`betWeen the WAN 18 and some other type of netWork, such
`as an RF Wireless netWork, cellular netWork, satellite
`netWork, or other synchronous or asynchronous land-line
`connection.
`In the eXample of FIG. 1, a Wireless gateWay 20 is
`connected to the Internet for communicating via Wireless
`link 22 to a plurality of Wireless mobile data communication
`devices 24. Also shoWn in FIG. 1 is machine 30, Which could
`be a FAX machine, a printer, a system for displaying images
`(such as video) or a machine capable of processing and
`playing audio ?les, such as a voice mail system. The present
`invention includes the ability to redirect certain message
`attachments to such an eXternal machine 30 if the redirector
`program con?guration data re?ects that the mobile device 24
`cannot receive and process the attachments, or if the user has
`speci?ed that certain attachments are not to be forWarded to
`mobile device 24, even if such device can process those
`attachments. By Way of eXample, consider an E-mail sent to
`a user that includes three attachments—a Word processing
`document, a video clip and an audio clip. The redirection
`program could be con?gured to send the teXt of the E-mail
`to the remote device, to send the Word processing document
`to a netWorked printer located near the user, to send the
`video clip to a store accessible through a secure connection
`through the internet and to send the audio clip to the user’s
`voice mail system. This eXample is not intended to limit the
`breadth and scope of the invention, but rather to illustrate the
`variety of possibilities embodied in the redirection concept.
`The preferred mobile data communication device 24 is a
`hand-held tWo-Way Wireless paging computer, a Wirelessly
`enabled palm-top computer, a mobile telephone With data
`messaging capabilities, or a Wirelessly enabled laptop
`computer, but could, alternatively be other types of mobile
`data communication devices capable of sending and receiv
`ing messages via a netWork connection 22. Although it is
`preferable for the system to operate in a tWo-Way commu
`nications mode, certain aspects of the invention could be
`bene?cially used in a “one and one-half” or acknoWledg
`ment paging environment, or even With a one-Way paging
`system. The mobile data communication device 24 includes
`softWare program instructions that Work in conjunction With
`the redirector program 12 to enable the seamless, transparent
`redirection of user-selected data items. FIG. 4 describes the
`basic method steps of the redirector program 12, and FIG. 5
`describes the steps of the corresponding program operating
`at the mobile device 24.
`In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, not
`explicitly shoWn in the draWings, the mobile device 24 also
`includes a redirector program. In this embodiment, user
`selected data items can be replicated from the host to the
`mobile device and vice versa. The con?guration and opera
`tion of the mobile device 24 having a redirector program is
`similar to that described herein With respect to FIGS. 1—4.
`A user of the present invention can con?gure the redirec
`tor program 12 to push certain user-selected data items to the
`user’s mobile data communication device 24 When the
`redirector 12 detects that a particular user-de?ned event
`trigger (or trigger point) has taken place. User-selected data
`
`Referring noW to the draWings, FIG. 1 is an eXample
`system diagram shoWing the redirection of user data items
`(such as message A or C) from a user’s of?ce PC (host
`system) 10 to the user’s mobile data communication device
`24, Where the redirector softWare 12 is operating at the
`user’s PC. Message A in FIG. 1 represents an internal
`message sent from desktop 26 to the user’s host system 10
`via LAN 14. Message C in FIG. 1 represents an eXternal
`message from a sender that is not directly connected to LAN
`14, such as the user’s mobile data communication device 24,
`some other user’s mobile device (not shoWn), or any user
`connected to the Internet 18. Message C also represents a
`command message from the user’s mobile data communi
`cation device 24 to the host system 10. As described in more
`detail in FIG. 3, the host system 10 preferably includes,
`along With the typical hardWare and softWare associated
`With a Workstation or desktop computer, the redirector
`program 12, a TCP/IP subsystem 42, a primary