(12) United States Patent
`(10) Patent N0.:
`US 6,754,833 B1
`
`Black et al.
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Jun. 22, 2004
`
`U8006754833B1
`
`(54) METHOD FOR GENERATING AND
`DISTRIBUTING TELECOM AND INTERNET
`REVENUE
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Alan J. Black, Cupertino, CA (US);
`Alain S. ROSSIIlaIlIl, Palo Alto, CA
`(US); Christophe Francois, Neuilly sur
`Seine (FR)
`
`(73) Assignee: Openwave Systems Inc., Redwood
`City, CA (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U-S-C- 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No: 09/408,278
`(22)
`Filed:
`Sep. 29, 1999
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(63)
`
`Continuation—in—part of application No. 08/987,346, filed on
`Dec. 9, 1997, now pat. No. 6,065,120.
`
`(51)
`Int. Cl.7 .................................................. G06F 1/24
`.
`.
`.
`(52) US CL """""""""""" 713/201’ 713/169’ 7711351853
`(58) Field 0f Search
`713/169 182
`713/183, 184, 202
`
`5,825,759 A
`5,884,312 A
`5,905,251 A
`5,907,547 A
`
`10/1998 Liu
`3/1999 Dustan et al.
`5/1999 Knowles
`5/1999 Foladare et al.
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`EP
`W0
`W0
`
`0890907 A1
`0891062 A2
`WO 99/07108 A2
`W0 99/44146 A1
`
`1/1999
`1/1999
`2/1999
`9/1999
`
`Primary Examiner—Thomas R, Peeso
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Blakely, Sokoloff, Taylor &
`Zafman LLP
`
`57
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`)
`(
`The present invention is directed to a business model and
`method for generating and distributing Telecom and Internet
`revenue between a eréless network operator and an Internet
`Partner company. The Inventive busmess model pr0v1des an
`Internet web-site for
`the carrier’s subscribers, with the
`.
`.
`web-Site bemg developed by the Internet Partner. The web-
`site features applications and services tailored to the sub-
`scribers in their role as users of a mobile wireless commu-
`nications device. The invention provides incentives to
`increase network usage and conduct transactions that gen-
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`erate value for both the wireless network operator and the
`Internet Partner.
`
`5,815,665 A
`
`9/1998 Teper et al.
`
`33 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`122
`
`.,
`
`
`
`120
`
`121
`
`/
`
`104
`
`1
`
`APPLE 1044
`
`APPLE 1044
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`1
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`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 2004
`
`Sheet 1 0f4
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`US 6,754,833 B1
`
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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 2004
`
`Sheet 3 0f4
`
`US 6,754,833 B1
`
`Wireless Carrier
`
`502
`
`Telecom 512
`
`Revenue
`
`Telecom Value
`
`\08
`
`Internet Revenue
`
`514
`
`fletValue
`
`510
`
`Internet Partner
`
`504
`
`FIGURE 3
`
`4
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 22, 2004
`
`Sheet 4 0f 4
`
`US 6,754
`
`’
`
`833 B1
`
`vWEDGE
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`

`US 6,754,833 B1
`
`1
`METHOD FOR GENERATING AND
`DISTRIBUTING TELECOM AND INTERNET
`REVENUE
`
`RELATED APPLICATION(S)
`
`This is a continuation-in-part application of allowed US.
`patent application Ser. No., 08/987,346, entitled “Method
`and System for Self-Provisioning a Rendezvous to Ensure
`Secure Access to Information Access to Information in a
`
`Database from Multiple Devices”, filed Dec. 9, 1997 now
`US. Pat. No. 6,065,120, assigned to the assignee of the
`present invention, and the contents of which are hereby
`incorporated by reference.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of Invention
`
`This invention relates to methods for generating and/or
`distributing revenue when a user accesses a web portal or
`web-site. More specifically, the invention is directed to a
`business model and method for generating and distributing
`the Telecom and Internet revenue produced when a sub-
`scriber of a wireless carrier accesses a group of specialized
`services and applications through a web-site. The web-site
`carries the brand characteristics of the carrier, but is typically
`established by a separate entity.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`Two-way interactive mobile communication devices are
`among the fastest emerging communication devices. Such
`devices enable users to receive, collect, analyze, review and
`disseminate information as they travel or move about. The
`newer mobile devices combine voice, data, and personal
`digital assistant (PDA) functions into a single portable
`device that enables a user to place phone calls as well as
`access a myriad of public and enterprise information ser-
`vices from a business network or the Internet. These services
`
`or applications may be accessed through the mobile devices
`from anywhere at anytime, permitting a user to have enor-
`mous flexibility with regards to how and when they use the
`information available. This frees the user from the need to be
`
`physically co-located with the source of information or to
`have access to the more traditional means of accessing such
`information, e.g., a desktop or portable computer. The
`evolution of these mobile devices has been fueled by the
`demand for immediate access to information and has been
`
`assisted by the convergence of computing and communica-
`tions technologies.
`The services for the mobile devices provided by service
`providers (e.g., wireless network operators (carriers) work-
`ing with applications developers) are based on the produc-
`tion and dissemination of data,
`including voice and
`messages, over wireless communication networks. Provid-
`ers offer multiple services through the mobile devices,
`including timed delivery of previously subscribed-to
`information, user accessible customer care (customer
`service), and customized group communications.
`However, there are also other types of application pro-
`grams that wireless device users may desire to have access
`to in their efforts to obtain and manage the information
`available from the Internet and other sources. These appli-
`cations include both system-oriented applications
`(electronic mail, account management features, configura-
`tion of available features, etc.) and applications that enable
`a specific type or form of information to be accessed and
`processed. Other desirable applications include those that
`enable some form of electronic commerce to be carried out
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`over a wireless network (direction finding, banking, credit
`checking, real estate searches, location of and purchases of
`goods, etc.). Thus, it is desirable for wireless carriers to have
`a means for providing their subscribers with access to such
`services and applications, especially those that are specifi-
`cally directed to and tailored for users of mobile devices.
`One method of enabling a user to have access to a
`multitude of services and applications is through what is
`termed a “web portal”, i.e. an Internet web-site or pages that
`presents a user with a set of links to pages for services or
`applications. The links may be grouped or organized accord-
`ing to topic, function, or type of service offered. In this
`respect,
`the web-site or portal provides a collection of
`applications which offers the benefits of a centralized and
`highly integrated Internet site designed to serve the user’s
`needs. The web-site or portal operator (the entity that
`manages and controls the set of links made available at the
`site) is able to generate revenue by selling advertising space
`on the site home page. These features make portal operation
`a potentially lucrative form of business, as well as a method
`of establishing and/or maintaining brand strength.
`However,
`in order to function as a portal operator, a
`company requires access to financial and employee
`resources, and to content and applications for linking to the
`portal site. Typically, at least some of the content or appli-
`cations will be developed internally, while others will be
`obtained by paying fees to the source(s) of the content or
`applications. Furthermore, the employee or human capital
`required is of a specialized nature, in that it must be familiar
`with the Internet environment,
`relevant cycle times,
`advertising, marketing, sales, and customer service
`requirements, and the prevailing business environment.
`These requirements are difficult to satisfy for Internet based
`companies, and even more so for businesses which are not
`used to operating in such an environment.
`The enormous financial rewards that can be obtained by
`operating an Internet portal make such a venture an attrac-
`tive option for many companies. Such companies desire to
`participate in the Internet economy, but may prefer not, or be
`unable to make the up front investments needed to set up and
`operate their own portal. At the same time, these companies
`do not want to see their customers being drawn to a portal
`that offers services or applications that compete with their
`own. These companies desire to establish an Internet pres-
`ence that can be a source of revenue, a platform for
`launching additional services or features, and a method of
`reinforcing their brand strength.
`On the other hand, a company capable of setting up and
`operating a portal may not have the financial resources
`required to engage in the advertising, marketing, and sales
`activities needed to attract enough customers to the portal to
`make it a reliable source of revenue. This process of acquir-
`ing and retaining users is an important aspect of the success
`of any Internet based business and typically requires a set of
`skills different from those involved in developing Internet
`sites. In addition, building up a customer base typically
`requires a substantial amount of time, a situation that may
`not be compatible with the relatively fast
`time cycles
`involved in the Internet economy.
`What is desired is a method for generating revenue from
`users accessing an Internet web portal or site, without
`requiring the up front capital and time commitments typi-
`cally required to establish and operate a portal.
`It is also desired to have a method for enabling a wireless
`network operator (i.e., a wireless carrier) to reinforce brand
`strength by operating an Internet web portal for the carrier’s
`
`6
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`

`

`US 6,754,833 B1
`
`3
`subscribers, with the portal providing access to services and
`applications tailored to users of wireless communications
`devices. Such a portal may be used to reduce the churn rate
`of a carrier’s subscribers as they seek access to new services
`and applications, and to attract new subscribers to the
`carrier’s services.
`
`It is also desired to have a method for generating revenue
`from customers accessing an Internet web portal and utiliz-
`ing a wireless network to use services and applications
`linked to that portal, without having to make the typical
`investments to acquire subscribers to the wireless carrier
`whose brand is associated with the portal.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is directed to a business model and
`method for generating and/or distributing Telecom and Inter-
`net revenue between a wireless network operator and an
`Internet Partner company. The inventive business model
`includes an Internet web-site for the carrier’s subscribers,
`with the web-site being developed and operated by the
`Internet partner. The web-site features applications and
`services directed to users of mobile wireless communica-
`
`tions devices. The services and applications are optimized
`for such users in terms of the information that is made
`
`available, the data processing methods, and the user inter-
`faces. The services and applications are intended to result in
`increased use of the wireless network. The inventive model
`
`may include a portal or web-site for each of one or more
`carriers, where the portals are branded for the respective
`companies and accessible by the subscribers of the respec-
`tive companies.
`The invention provides incentives to increase network
`usage and conduct
`transactions that generate value and
`revenue for both the wireless network operator and the
`Internet Partner.
`Incentives eXist for subscribers of the
`
`network operator to utilize the network and participate in
`transactions because they are provided with access to a
`desirable set of services and applications that are developed
`and optimized for users of wireless devices. The model also
`provides incentives for “downstream” companies to enter
`into relationships with the Internet Partner to permit cus-
`tomers of those companies to have access to the services and
`applications that are made available on the web-site, since
`such companies can share in the revenue generated from that
`access. Thus, the inventive model provides benefits for the
`network operator, the subscribers to that network, the Inter-
`net Partner, and to the downstream companies.
`The revenue generated by the inventive business model
`may be generally classified as either Telecom or Internet
`derived revenue. These revenue streams result from the
`creation of both Telecom and Internet Value from the users
`
`of the web-site, with that value being translated into revenue
`that is shared between the wireless network operator(s) and
`the Internet Partner company (and also the downstream
`companies, if such are present). The wireless network pro-
`vides a group of users that use the network to access a
`branded or co-branded web-site that contains services and
`
`applications tailored to users of such devices. The web-site
`is provided by the Internet partner and generates network-
`derived revenue (or supports existing levels of use) when
`users utilize the network to access the services or applica-
`tions. The web-site thus provides Telecom Value to the
`wireless carrier because it encourages subscribers to main-
`tain and hopefully increase their usage of the network. A
`payment for this value, or a portion of the web-site generated
`Telecom revenue may be provided to the Internet Partner
`
`4
`since they provided an incentive for the subscribers to
`increase their use of the network. Customers of the down-
`stream companies having access to the web-site will also
`increase use of the network by using the services and
`applications available at the site.
`The services and applications available through the web-
`site generate Internet Value for the Internet Partner, in the
`form of advertising revenue, sponsor revenue, placement
`fees, fees from transactions (“e-commerce”) engaged in by
`the users, or some combination of such fees. Aportion of this
`web-site generated Internet Value may be provided to the
`wireless carrier since they have provided the customer base
`responsible for generating the Internet Value. Internet Value
`generated by customers of the downstream companies may
`be distributed between the Internet Partner and those com-
`
`panies in some form of revenue sharing.
`The Internet Partner provided web-site enables a wireless
`carrier to offer its subscribers specially tailored services and
`applications without some or all of the up front capital costs
`associated with developing those services and applications,
`or of establishing a portal. This is accomplished in a manner
`that maintains the brand strength of the carrier. The portal or
`web-site may also be co-branded to establish brand recog-
`nition for the Internet Partner.
`One benefit of the inventive model is that the Internet
`Partner is able to establish a branded or co-branded web-site
`
`for multiple carriers, and thus receive revenue derived from
`a plurality of customer groups without the need to eXpend
`resources on acquiring and retaining those customers. As a
`consequence of providing access to an aggregation of groups
`of customers or subscribers, advertising revenues for ser-
`vices or applications common to multiple web-sites can be
`higher than for advertisements targeted at smaller customer
`groups. In addition, since the services and applications are
`tailored to the category of users accessing the web-site(s),
`the advertising rates may be higher as a result of the
`availability of a targeted audience. This situation places the
`Internet Partner in a position to provide access to services
`and applications for a large number of potential customers
`and generate revenue from companies willing to pay a fee
`for that access. The Internet Partner is also able to benefit by
`serving as a gateway for the customers of the downstream
`companies desiring access to the wireless device directed
`services and applications.
`From the perspective of the wireless carriers whose brand
`is on the web-sites or portals, the inventive model provides
`entry into the Internet economy without some or all of the
`normally associated costs. It also provides the carriers with
`a means of reducing customer churn rates and a platform for
`offering services related to the carrier’s core business. The
`web-site and its associated services and applications can be
`used to acquire new customers for the carrier whose brand
`is on the portal. As noted,
`the services and applications
`accessible through the web-site will also increase the sub-
`scriber’s use of the carrier’s wireless network, and in some
`cases will be responsible for generating additional carrier
`revenue.
`
`Other objects, together with the foregoing are attained in
`the exercise of the invention in the following description and
`resulting in the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying
`drawings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
`present invention will become better understood with regard
`to the following description, appended claims, and accom-
`panying drawings where:
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`US 6,754,833 B1
`
`5
`FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a data network
`architecture in which the inventive business model and
`
`method may be implemented;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the architecture of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the Telecom and Internet
`value and respective revenue flows created by the inventive
`business model and method; and
`FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how templates may be used
`to provide a plurality of differently branded portals or
`web-sites for different carriers, based on a common set of
`content and applications.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`Notation and Nomenclature
`
`In the following detailed description of the present
`invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to
`provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.
`However, it will become obvious to those skilled in the art
`that the present invention may be practiced without some of
`these specific details.
`In other
`instances, well known
`methods, procedures, components, and circuitry have not
`been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring
`aspects of the present invention.
`The detailed descriptions of the present invention in the
`following are sometimes presented in terms of procedures,
`steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic repre-
`sentations that resemble data processing devices coupled to
`networks. These process descriptions and representations
`are the means used by those experienced or skilled in the art
`to most effectively convey the substance of their work to
`others skilled in the art.
`
`The present invention is a business model and method for
`generating and/or distributing Telecom and Internet derived
`revenue by providing access to a set of services and appli-
`cations tailored for users of wireless mobile communications
`
`the subscribers of a plurality of wireless
`devices (e.g.,
`network operators). The model and method described in
`detail below are a self-consistent sequence of processes or
`steps leading to a desired result. These steps or processes
`may require physical manipulations of physical quantities.
`Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities may take
`the form of electrical signals capable of being stored,
`transferred, combined, compared, displayed and otherwise
`manipulated in a computer system or electronic computing
`devices.
`
`It proves convenient at times, principally for reasons of
`common usage,
`to refer to these signals as bits, values,
`elements, symbols, operations, messages, terms, numbers,
`or the like. It should be borne in mind that all of these terms
`
`are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities
`and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities.
`Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the
`following description, it is appreciated that throughout the
`present invention, discussions utilizing terms such as “pro-
`cessing” or “sending” or “verifying” or “displaying” or the
`like, refer to the actions and processes of a computing
`device. The computing device manipulates and transforms
`data represented as physical quantities within the computing
`device’s registers and memories into other data similarly
`represented as physical quantities within the computing
`device or other electronic devices.
`
`The Preferred Embodiment
`
`Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals
`refer to like parts throughout the several views. FIG. 1 shows
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`a schematic representation of a data network architecture in
`which the inventive business model and method may be
`implemented. Landnet 100 is a landline network that may be
`the Internet, the Intranet, or a data network formed from
`other private networks. Coupled to landnet 100 are a per-
`sonal computer (PC) 110 and a network server 104. Personal
`computer 110 may, for example, be a Pentium II-based
`desktop personal computer. Preferably, personal computer
`110 runs a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) browser,
`such as Netscape Navigator from Netscape Communications
`Corporation, via landnet 100 using HyperText Transfer
`Protocol (HTTP) to access information stored in network
`server 104. Network server 104 may be a workstation from
`SUN Microsystems Inc. The information stored in network
`server 104 may be hypermedia, such as mark-up language
`based pages.
`Also shown in FIG. 1 is a private network 120 including
`a computer 124 and a server 122. Private network 120 is
`protected by a firewall 121 protecting resources of the
`private network from users on other networks. Private
`network 120 is typically used in a corporate configuration in
`which secure information is kept
`in server 122 and is
`accessible only by computing devices, such as computer
`124, on private network 120.
`Serviced by airnet 102 are a number of two-way wireless
`interactive communication devices, referred to as mobile
`stations herein. One such device is represented by element
`106 in FIG. 1. Mobile station 106 is one of a group of
`two-way interactive communication devices that include,
`but are not limited to, cellular phones, palm-sized personal
`assistant devices, and Internet-capable appliance controllers,
`and are capable of communicating wirelessly with antenna
`108 via airnet 102. For simplicity, antenna 108 also repre-
`sents a wireless carrier (wireless network operator) infra-
`structure that generally comprises a base station and an
`operations and maintenance center. The base station controls
`radio or telecommunication links with the mobile stations.
`
`The operations and maintenance center typically includes a
`mobile switching center that performs switching of calls
`between the mobile stations and other fixed or mobile
`
`network users. The operations and maintenance center man-
`ages mobile account services, such as authentication, and
`oversees the proper operation and setup of the wireless
`network. Each of the hardware components and processes in
`carrier infrastructure 108 are known to those skilled in the
`
`art and are not described herein to avoid unnecessarily
`obscuring aspects of the present invention.
`Between landnet 100 and airnet 102 is positioned a server
`device 114 functioning as a bridge between the landnet and
`airnet, and which is generally referred to as a proxy server.
`It may also be referred to as a link server, a network gateway
`server, or a wireless data server. Proxy server 114 may be a
`workstation or a personal computer. Generally, the commu-
`nication protocol
`in airnet 102 is different from that
`in
`landnet 100. Hence, one of the functions proxy server 114
`performs is to map or translate one communication protocol
`to another. Proxy server 114 may also be responsible for
`translating content expressed in one markup language to a
`second markup language that is better suited for use with the
`mobile devices. As a result of the operations of proxy server
`114, a mobile station 106 coupled to airnet 102 can com-
`municate and share data with any of the devices coupled to
`landnet 100.
`
`According to one embodiment, the communication pro-
`tocol in the Internet 104 is the HyperText Transfer Protocol
`(HTTP) or HTTPS, a secure version of HTTP, that runs on
`TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). The protocol controls
`
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`

`

`US 6,754,833 B1
`
`7
`the connection of the HTML web browser in, for example,
`PC 110 to server 104, and the exchange of information
`between them. The communication protocol between mobile
`station 106 and proxy server 114 via airnet. 102 may be
`Handheld Device Transport Protocol (HDTP)
`(formerly
`known as Secure Uplink Gateway Protocol (SUGP)), which
`preferably runs on User Datagram Protocol (UDP). This
`protocol controls the connection of an HDML web browser
`in mobile station 106 to proxy server 114 (HDML stands for
`Handheld Device Markup Language and has been referred
`to as “TIL” (terminal interaction language)). HDML is a
`tag-based document markup language and comprises a set of
`commands or statements specified in a card that provides
`instructions for how information is to be displayed on a
`screen 116 of the mobile station 106. Normally a number of
`cards are grouped into a deck that is the unit of HDML
`information exchanged between the mobile station 106 and
`proxy server 114. Further details regarding the protocols and
`markup languages that may be used to practice the invention
`may be found in US. Pat. No. 5,809,415, entitled “Method
`and Architecture for an Interactive Two-Way Data Commu-
`nication Networ ”, issued Sep. 15, 1998 and assigned to the
`assignee of the present invention, the contents of which are
`hereby incorporated by reference.
`HDTP is a session-level protocol that resembles HTTP
`but does not incur the overhead of HTTP, and is optimized
`for use in “thin” devices, such as the mobile stations, that
`have less computing power and memory than that of a
`desktop or portable personal computer. It should be under-
`stood by those skilled in the art that UDP does not require
`a connection to be established between a client and a server
`
`before information can be exchanged. This eliminates the
`need of exchanging a large number of packets during session
`creation between a client and a server. Exchanging only a
`small number of packets during a transaction to enable
`effective interaction with a landline device is one of the
`
`desired features of a mobile device having limited comput-
`ing power and memory.
`It should be noted that although the preceding discussion
`has been directed to a specific architecture in which the
`present invention may be practiced, such practice is not
`limited to that architecture. In particular, practice of the
`present invention is not limited to use with the coupled
`wired/wireless network shown or the particular communi-
`cations protocols or markup languages cited. The invention
`may be practiced in any architecture within the general
`context of Internet sites, web-sites, and portals, as those
`terms would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
`The architecture of FIG. 1 simply provides an example of a
`system in which the inventive business model may be
`implemented.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the architecture of FIG. 1. As
`described above, airnet 102 communicates simultaneously
`with a plurality of two-way wireless mobile communication
`devices, 122, 124 and 126, generally selected from a group
`consisting of mobile phones,
`two-way pagers and tele-
`phones. Due to efforts directed toward reducing the size and
`weight of such devices, most of the mobile devices (which
`may be considered as “thin clients”) have a limited com-
`puting power compared to a desktop, laptop, or other type of
`portable computing device. In addition, the display size and
`graphics capabilities of the mobile devices are limited, and
`the user interface is typically a keypad having smaller and
`fewer keys than a desktop computer’s keyboard.
`As a result of these limitations, many transactions desired
`to be carried out by users through such clients are preferably
`predetermined or previously configured in a user account
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`8
`resident in a host server 128. Host server 128 is typically
`resident at and under the control of a wireless carrier that
`operates airnet 102. The user account permits the users to
`access desired services or perform transactions by activating
`a small number of keys on the keypads of the mobile
`devices. For example, given a list of stock symbols of
`interest stored in a user account associated with a mobile
`phone, a user of the mobile phone is not required to enter the
`symbols every time she desires to look up the price of one
`of those stocks. Instead, the list of stock symbols is previ-
`ously entered and associated with the user account. This
`permits retrieval or updating of the stock data by entry of a
`small number of keystrokes.
`A convenient method for entering such data and associ-
`ating it with the mobile device user’s account is by using a
`computing device that has enhanced information entering
`capabilities compared with the mobile device. A desktop or
`portable PC is a typical example of such a computing device,
`where the PC may be equipped with a well-known HTML
`browser that provides a comparatively rich graphic user
`interface and a desirable environment in which a user can
`
`manage the personalized information in their account.
`In this regard, the architecture of FIGS. 1 and 2 provides
`access to a common data file or account from both a desktop
`and mobile device. This permits a user to establish an
`account, configure, or re-configure a common data file or
`application from a device best suited for that purpose, and
`then access that data file or application from a different
`device best suited for the present needs of the user. This also
`permits data to be transferred between the two devices for
`use at the time and location desired by the user. For example,
`data entered on the keypad of the mobile device can be
`accessed and processed by the desktop device, permitting
`updating of data used by applications executed on the
`desktop device based on inputs from the mobile device.
`Similarly, data entered on the keypad of the desktop device
`can be accessed and processed by the mobile device, per-
`mitting updating of data used by applications executed on
`the mobile device based on inputs from the desktop device.
`As is known, the Internet may be represented as a network
`of networks connecting computers that are provided with a
`HTML browser. Referenced by 110 is a PC representing one
`of the computers that use the HTML browser running on
`HTTP to hyperlink to other computers/servers 104 to update/
`fetch information on line or copy files.
`It
`is generally
`understood that a database or an allocation of memory, as
`referenced by 130 in the figure, hosts a plurality of user
`accounts, in each of which managed or personalized infor-
`mation is stored. Database 130 can be an independent
`storage location or a part of the host server 128.
`A One method of accessing the personalized information
`is for a user to provide an account entry (sometimes termed
`a “rendezvous”) to a user account in host server 128 or
`database 130. The account entry typically includes a set of
`credential information, e.g., a username and a password.
`Each mobile phone is assigned a device ID, where the ID can
`be the phone number of the phone or a combination of an IP
`address and a port number,
`for example:
`204.163.165.132201905, where 204.163.165.132 is the IP
`address and 01905 is the port number. The device ID is
`further associated with a subscriber number (sub #) autho-
`rized by a wireless carrier as part of the procedures used to
`activate the mobile device. Each of the mobile devices 122,
`124 and 126 has a unique device ID that corresponds to a
`respective user account in a server. It will be appreciated by
`those skilled in the art that link server 114 does not have to
`
`be a separate sever to perform the communication protocol
`
`9
`
`

`

`US 6,754,833 B1
`
`9
`mapping and other data processing tasks involved in estab-
`lishing and maintaining communication between a PC (for
`example) and a mobile device. Link server 114 can be a part
`of the host server 128, in which case the protocol mapping
`and/or other processing functions are provided by the host
`server 128.
`
`The wireless carrier or network operator that operates
`airnet 102 may desire to operate a portal for its subscribers.
`The motivations