`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`28 February 2002 (28.02.2002)
`
`
`
`PCT
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 02/17075 A2
`
`(51) International Patent Classification’:
`
`G06F 9/46
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`Stephen [GB/GB]; 24 Hillside Gardens, London N6 (GB).
`FORSYTH, John, Matthew [GB/GB]; 7a Park Road,
`London N8 8TE (GB).
`
`(22) International Filing Date: 22 August 2001 (22.08.2001)
`
`(74) Agent: ORIGIN LIMITED; 52 Muswell Hill Road, Lon-
`don N10 3JR (GB).
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`0020735.7
`0110780.4
`
`22 August 2000 (22.08.2000)
`2 May 2001 (02.05.2001)
`
`GB
`GB
`
`(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): SYM-
`BIAN LIMITED [GB/GB], Sentinel House, 16 Harcourt
`Street, London W1LII 1DS (GB).
`
`(81) Designated States (national); CN, JP, US.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): European patent (AT, BE,
`CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR,IE, IT, LU, MC,
`NL,PT, SE, TR).
`
`Published:
`
`without international search report and to be republished
`upon receipt of that report
`
`(72) Inventors; and
`(75) Inventors/Applicants
`
`(for US only):
`
`RANDALL,
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid-
`ance Notes on Codes andAbbreviations" appearing at the begin-
`ning ofeach regular issue ofthe PCT Gazette.
`
`O02/17075A2
`
`2
`
`(54) Title) A METHOD OF ENABLING A WIRELESS INFORMATION DEVICE TO ACCESS DATA SERVICES
`
`(57) Abstract: A method of enabling a wireless information device to access data from several data services providers in whichthe
`method comprises the stcp of the devicc using an extensible framework which handles data passing to and from several applications
`resident on the device, the framework being shared by each ofthe applications resident on the device and also being shared by each
`of the data services providers.
`
`Google Exhibit 1008
`Google Exhibit 1008
`Google v. Mullen
`Google v. Mullen
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`A METHOD OF ENABLING A WIRELESS INFORMATION DEVICE TO
`
`ACCESS DATA SERVICES
`
`BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION
`
`1.
`
`Field of the Invention
`
`‘This invention relates to a method of enabling a wireless information device to access data
`
`10
`
`services, particularly from several data services providers. The term ‘wireless information
`device’ used in this patent specification should be expansively construed to cover any kind of
`
`device with one or two way wireless information capabilities and includes without limitation
`
`radio telephones, smart phones, communicators, personal computers, computers and
`
`application specific devices. It includes devices able to communicate in any manner over any
`
`15
`
`kind of network, such as GSM or UMTS, CDMA and WCDMA mobile radio, Bluetooth,
`
`IrDA etc. A data service provider is an entity which supplies information of interest to a
`
`user; the term encompasses commercial entities, as well as individuals.
`
`Description of the Prior Att
`2.
`The convetgence of communications and computing is delivering a new generation of
`witeless information devices, often referred to as smatt phones or communicators. The
`
`most capable of these devices utilise operating systems and related applications such as the
`
`Symbian platform from Symbian Limited of the United Kingdom. Wireless information
`devices based on the Symbian platform,are ‘smarter’ than cutrent generation GSM phones
`in being able to offer multiple, advanced, robust client based applications. For example,
`
`current designs of communicators based on the Symbian platform include all of the
`
`applications found on a fully featured PDA, such as a contacts manager, messaging
`application, word processor, spreadsheet, synchronisationetc.
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`2
`
`Onedifficulty faced by designers ofwireless information devices is how toeffectively allow a
`uset to obtain data from data service providers (e.g. commercial organisations who can
`
`supply news, sport, weather, shopping information, location information - in essence any
`
`data which users are willing to pay for.). One common approach in WAP enabled mobile
`
`telephones is to use a micro-browser to access a WAP portal with links to varioussites of
`
`interest; another is to use a search engine (e.g. Google.com). But each of these PC based
`
`approaches fails to transfer effectively to wireless information devices. There are three main
`
`reasons for this.
`
`First, the small screen size in, for example, a WAP enabled mobile
`
`telephone, is such that using a micro-browser can be difficult for many people.
`
`Secondly,
`
`10
`
`experience shows that the non-computerliterate users of mobile telephones find using a
`
`portal and also a search engine inherently difficult. Thirdly, the small screen size and lack of
`
`computer skills makes it unlikely that a user will follow multiple hyperlinks or scroll though
`
`multiple windowsto find the information they need. Yet without a compelling and simple
`
`approach to allowing people to find the information they need, theyare unlikely to be willing
`
`15
`
`to pay money to obtain data. Since 3G systems are commercially based on the premise of
`
`users paying to obtain data, this is a serious problem.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE PRESENT INVENTION
`
`20
`
`In a first aspect there is provided a method of enabling a wireless information device to
`
`access data from several data services providers in which the method comprises the step of
`
`the device using an extensible framework which handles data passing to and from several
`
`applications resident on the device, the framework being shared by each ofthe applications
`
`25
`
`resident on the device and also being shared by each ofthe data services provider.
`
`The present invention therefore moves away from the conventional model of the internet
`
`browser as being the sole application which displays on the user’s device information from
`
`30
`
`data services providers.
`Instead,
`it proposes that multiple applications on the device
`(although clearly not all applications on the device) can each receive data from multiple data
`setvices providers. The consequences and advantages are described below.
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`The framework may comprise standardised APIs presented by several applications resident
`
`on the wireless information device to data services components, also resident on the wireless
`
`information device (or which can be loaded onto or plugged-into the device). These
`
`components allow each application to obtain and display data provided by commercial data
`
`service providers. The APIs may share common elements, leading to significant code
`
`savings, a major advantage in a wireless information device with limited resources.
`
`A data services component can provide new functionality to more than one application
`
`10
`
`resident on the wireless information device and will typically be a plug-in. Coupling an
`
`application (e.g. a calendar application) with a component which provides a mechanism and
`
`pathway for data services for that application and any others with which it is compatible has not
`
`been done before and leads to several advantages. For example, a directory application
`
`(which contains a user’s contacts list, and is capable of acting as a directory for any other
`name/contact data), a location application (which gives a user’s location and includes digital
`
`15
`
`maps) and a shopping application (which allows a user to pay for purchases using the
`
`wireless information device) mightall be resident on a device; each present a commonset of
`
`APIs. A Yellow Pages™data services plug-in is downloaded off air and is accessed by each
`
`of these applications, although in different ways. The Yellow Pages plug-in allows different
`
`20
`
`services to be located through the directory application; for example, a search request
`
`performed in the directory application (e.g. search: ‘cameras’) could be routed to a Yellow
`
`Pages remote server, which responds with the required data, including detailed maps in the
`
`location application; special shopping offers are be pushed into the shopping application;
`nearby shops/services ate shown in the location application. The Yellow Pages data
`services provider may charge a fee per hit to each shop etc. featured in a uset’s search and a
`further fee if an e-commerce transaction results from the quety. An Amazon™plug-in
`
`25
`
`could integrate into a calendar and a shopping application, giving daily special offers and
`
`information on when books etc have been dispatched to the calendar and allowing shopping
`
`via the Amazonsite etc. This would also allow Amazon functionality (e.g. Find books on
`
`30
`
`this topic’ ) to be accessed in various applications — e.g. when reading a newspaper in a
`News application, or reading e-mail in an e-mail client. Another example would be a digital
`
`
`
`WO02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`4
`
`tights management plug-in which could work with (a) a digital music player for compressed
`audio (e.g. mp3 format) and (b) a conventional CD audio format player and (c) a still image
`manipulation program (e.g. Photoshop) and (d) a digital video player . Data from multiple
`sources could be subject to the DRM technique or techniques supported by the plug-in and
`
`be available to the device.
`
`The APIs may be extensible, with extensions conforming to a commonstandard so that new
`functions offered by a component are defined by certain new APIs; these APIs can then be
`re-used whenever the same new functionality has to be offered by a different application. A
`
`10
`
`new data service can be readily written since there is a common, standardised set of APIs;
`once loaded onto a device, the device simply has to work out which existing, resident
`
`applications can use the features offered by the new service.
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`Data component plug-ins can be dynamically added as a user moves into new locations —
`e.g, in an airport, there could be a flight schedule plug-in, which automatically loads (subject
`to user consent) when the useris in or close to the airport, generating an icon in the uset’s
`
`the user can locate flight details and these will
`calendar application. When selected,
`subsequently appear, regularly updated, in the user’s calendar entry — with, for example,
`
`‘Proceed to Gate 3’ at occurringat the relevant time with an alarm.
`
`Another feature of an implementation is that data sent from a commercial data service
`ptovider can automatically populate one or more applications (such as PIM applications) on
`the wireless information device. Because the data goes automatically into an application on a
`uset’s witless information device, whereit is likely to be looked at and found useful, this
`approach ovetcomes the drawback with the browsing model — (a) people give up before they
`find the information of interest because navigating to it takes too many clicks and (b)
`browsing on a small screen device is difficult.
`Instead, getting the right data becomes fast
`and convenient.
`For example, sporting fixtures and entertainment
`listings could be
`transmitted from a data service provider placed straight into a user’s calendar application,
`with the entries being listed at the applicable times and dates; the user could click on these
`for more information and to perform e-commerce actions(e.g. buy tickets). News headlines
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`5
`
`and weather could besent straight into a usert’s calendar application too (with perhaps only
`today’s news visible).|Hence, if one subscribes to a BBC™data service, one could get
`current news sent straight into one’s calendar or indeed any other user specified application.
`
`Headlines could be provided ftee and pushed into an appropriate application; if the user
`
`wished to obtain moredetailed information on a particular headline, then it could select that
`
`headline, which would cause an information request to be sent to a BBC server, which would
`then supply more detailed information, possibly with an associatedfee (either per item, or on
`
`a subscription basis).
`
`10
`
`A combined data push and data pull model is therefore envisaged, with pushed data being
`free and delivered to the device for automatic display in an appropriate application (and not
`
`just a genetic browser) and giving links which if selected allowing the user to pull related
`
`enriched data from external sources with an associated fee.
`
`15
`
`20
`
`Some further example are thatbills could go straight into a calendar application on the day
`received ot date payment is due and also go into an electronic banking application, which
`stotes account balances and is able to issue secure payment instructions. Bills can then
`readily be paid, with the instruction to pay going to a user’s bank from the banking
`application. In a digital radio application, a message ‘Buy the CD now?’ could accompany a
`song (e.g. appeating in the digital radio application user interface); if selected, the banking
`application could sanction automatic payment and send a request to a CD fulfilment house
`(e.g. Amazon™),
`
`The data sent from a data service provider may be a data object, such as an object which
`conforms to or is an extension of the Smart Message standard supported by Nokia Mobile
`
`25
`
`Phones Limited of Finland. The data may be transported over the SyncML, IrMC or OBEX
`wireless transport standards. SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) may be used by the
`client device to pull information relating to a data object; for example, SOAP calls may be
`included in the data object
`itself. These data objects are typically signed to enable
`authentication to occur. Another feature is that data objects pushed to a wireless information
`
`30
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`6
`
`device can be shated with others, who can also then request (i.e. pull) further information
`from a data service provider using that data object, giving the data objects a viral quality.
`
`The extensible framework may be defined by a schema. Hence, in another aspect, there is a
`method of enabling a wireless information device to access data from several data service
`providers in which the method comprises the step of each of several applications resident on
`the device using at least in part a common, extensible schema which:
`
`(a)
`(b)
`
`defines objects from each ofthe data service providers; and
`permits each data service provider to define a new object with additional
`attributes, in which the new object can be used by any such application on
`
`the device to the extent that the attributes of the new object are recognisable
`
`by that application.
`
`The objects are typically sent by commercial data providers and interface to client resident
`applications using standardised APIs. The term ‘schema’ covers any consistent description
`of data, including data in a database (such as the extensible database described morefully in
`
`sections D — I Detailed Description) and data in an object (such as the objects described
`
`motefully in section C Detailed Description which are handled by the data component plug-
`
`ins).
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`In many prior art systems, hard-coded data structures are typically used and not flexible
`schemas. Hence, extending such an infrastructure typically requires either a proprietary
`
`extension by one software company, which other companies may not be able to interpret
`correctly, or else a consensus re-writing of the hard-coded data structures, which can be slow
`
`25
`
`to achieve. With the present invention, a data service provider can choose to enhance an
`
`object with additional fields or attributes; because these are defined in a schema (which term
`includes a DTD — Document Type Definition) which accompanies the object, any
`
`application capable of using the additionalfields or attributes can make immediate, full use
`of the enhanced objects. An application which cannot make use of the enhanced object, is
`simply unaffected by the enhancements. A data service provider can, perhaps responding to
`consumer suggestions, enhance an existing object with new attributes; the user can then
`
`30
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`7
`
`download the enhancements to applications resident on its device, or entirely new
`
`applications, which are needed to make full use of the enhanced objects.
`
`As an example, take the object to be information relating to an individual and held on an
`extensible framework which is a database defined by a schema (Table 1 gives an example of
`this). As new fields are thoughtof, the object can be readily extended. Hence, a user might
`choose to subscribe to a service which allowed others to track his or her location — location
`
`could be a new attribute. The user’s friends or parents etc who wish to track the uset’s
`
`location mightinitially have applications resident on their devices which allow them to see
`
`the user’s current telephone number and address (perhaps integrated into a contacts
`application). Once the user has subscribed to the location service, then the friends/parents
`could add a ‘map’ application to their own devices, which could show their position on
`digital maps and also, by using the location attribute of the user’s data object, it could also
`show the position of the user. Objects can have many different attributes, although
`primarily it is likely that core attributes will fall under the general headings of personal
`information, time based information and location based information. As such, they can be
`handled by contacts, calendar and maptypeapplications. Many extensions beyond this core
`categorisation are possible; a strength of the present
`invention is
`that it can readily
`accommodate them as and when they are conceived. Hence, the present invention is flexible
`and extensible in a way that prior art systems cannot achieve.
`
`The objects may be pushed from a data service provider to a device; the object may be
`limited in the attributes initially used by the device, for example, the device may use only
`those attributes which allow it to display an icon or other shorthand (e.g. name/title)
`
`correctly in the applicable application(s). But when a user selects the icon or shorthand,
`additional options derived from other attributes of the object may be made visible. For
`example, a weather object may initially just display on a device as a ‘sun’ symbol (or other
`symbol relevant to the local weather conditions at the device location) in the calendar
`application open at today’s date. If the ‘sun’ icon is selected by a user, additional options are
`displayed(e.g. pollen count, CO2levels etc.); these are derived from furtherattributes of the
`object. When a userselects one of these options, a link to the network could be initiated to
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`8
`
`pull down the required additional information; a fee could belevied for this. In this way, the
`present invention allows users to rapidly access information of relevance to them and
`provides a straightforward charging model, based on free, pushed data displayed in relevant
`applications (and not just a generic browser) and charged-for, pulled data to enrich thefree,
`pushed data.
`
`The objects may be enhanced with additional attributes only once a user has paid a fee or
`subscription;
`since the objects can be sent between usets, some form of access
`control/digital rights management systems may need to be invoked to ensure that access to
`enriched data is only providedto those entitled.
`
`The objects may contain attributes at different levels of granularity — for example, location
`might be defined in very approximate terms withoutcharge; it may be no better than a given
`city. But a user might be able to obtain more precise information by paying more — so a
`location attribute could include not simply the nameofthe city in which a person was based,
`
`but also a call (such as a SOAPcall) to be used by a client if it wishes to pull in enriched
`
`location information, perhaps from a service which can track the location of users to within
`
`a few meters.
`
`A further feature i8 that all directory/contacts type applications in a wireless information
`device may be grouped together; a single search can then be conducted across all
`directory/contacts type applications to unify the experience of looking up names and finding
`things. A search or other data setvice request can use additional information derived from
`an application currently in use the wireless information device to provide additional search
`or request criteria. A browser based search could in theory also do this, but building links
`into other applications in the browser is difficult. But in the present invention, the linkage is
`inherent because the data components work across multiple applications.
`
`Various specific implementations of the invention and additional aspects are further
`
`particularised in the claims.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`A.
`
`Overview of the ADS System
`
`The present invention will be described with reference to an implementation from Symbian
`Limited of London, United Kingdom. This implementation is called the ADS™ system.
`The ADSsystem addresses the pervasive requirement for wireless applications to access and
`
`share information: the ADS system is an ‘information distribution architecture’, optimised
`
`for witeless computing, offering an extensible framework for the fast and efficient design,
`
`10
`
`build and roll-out of applications which need to securely and reliably access and share
`
`information. The ADS system’s flexible and extensible architecture supports a potentially
`unlimited set of these kinds of client-based wireless applications. The term ‘information
`distribution architecture’ should be broadly construed to cover any system which enables
`
`information (including voice, text data, video etc.) to pass between entities.
`
`15
`
`The core structures of the ADS system information distribution architecture are (a) internet
`
`servers hosting extensible databases;
`
`(b) wireless information devices which can access
`
`information on these databases; and (©) applications resident on these devices which present
`
`a common set of APIs to plug-ins from commercial service providers. Hence, three modes
`
`20
`
`of data access ate possible in ADS:
`
`1.
`
`An application resident on the device queries and receives data from the
`
`remote, extensible database. No plug-in components are used and the application is stand
`
`alone.
`
`2.
`
`An application resident on the device uses a plug-in to receive data from a
`
`25
`
`commercial service provider, but the service provider does not use the extensible database,
`
`but a conventional, dedicated server.
`
`3.
`
`A combination of the two above: an application resident on the device uses a
`
`plug-in to receive data from a commercial service provider and that data service provider
`
`uses the extensible database.
`
`30
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`10
`
`‘The present invention focuses on options 2 and 3. But for completeness, a complete ADS
`
`description is provided. Because of this quite complex structure, the Detailed Description of
`
`this specification is organised as follows:
`
`Section A:=Ovetview of the ADS system
`Section B:=The ADS System - core advantages
`
`Section C;—Client side aspects: data plug-ins which work across multiple applications to
`
`allow data services to be delivered directly into applications
`
`Section D:_—_Identities — userinteraction aspects
`
`10
`
`Section E:
`
`Shared content - ~ user interaction aspects
`
`Section F;|ADS — server side aspects — general comments on the enabling technology
`
`
`
`SectionG: ADS-server side architecture — ServML
`
`Section H:
`
`An illustration — how the ADS System framework is used in making a
`
`telephonecall
`
`15
`
`SectionI:
`
`An illustration — the ADS system database
`
`SectionJ:
`
`New services and functions
`
`Appendix 1: More new services and functions
`
`20
`
`In more depth, the ADS system includesthe following:
`
`(a)
`
`internet servers hosting extensible databases with attributes remotely extensible by
`
`‘The database contains
`application authors using @ standard protocol over a network.
`information from ofrelating to many different entities; it is organised into information fields
`
`25
`
`which an entity can complete or have completed. Table 1 (Section I) includes examples of
`
`the kinds of information fields which are possible for an individual.
`
`Information is placed
`
`onto the database by an entity so that it can be readily shared with other entities: the
`database in effect represents a web page containing information specific to that entity. The
`information on the database can be thought of as a ‘mastet’ version of information. The
`database can be readily extended to include new tagged fields relevant to new applications.
`
`30
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`11
`
`The database can define which entities can read different fields: Alice can therefore give Bob
`
`rights to read only certain fields in her database.
`
`wireless information devices running applications which access data by interacting
`(b)
`with data component plug-ins supplied by commercial data services providers using a
`standardised set of APIs to access data. Data may be (but does note have to) come from the
`
`extensible databases.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`wireless information devices running applications which access the information held
`(c)
`on the extensible databases running on central servers and other wireless information
`devices without the plug-ins described above. A wireless information device (as well as web
`browsers) can access an entity’s database by sending to the server an unchanging pointer or
`
`key (an ‘ADS Number’) which is unique to that entity. The ADS number may include more
`
`attributes than just a number; further, an individual entity cold have multiple AADS
`numbers, each appropriate for a different circumstance. ADS numbers are typically
`constructed using text strings and can be though of as defining a namespace. When Bob’s
`device sends Alice’s ADS Number tothe server, then the server recognises Bob’s device and
`
`allows that device to read Alice’s information held on the database which is specified as
`
`being accessible to Bob. The ADS system is an extensible framework which offets secure
`and persistent entity to entity information distribution. Each of these key terms can be
`
`expanded on as follows:
`
`Extensible —'The ADSsystems is designed so that new data service functionality can be
`dynamically added to existing client resident applications using data component plug-ins.
`The ADS system is also designed so that a new application can be created on a wireless
`information device with no new server-side application by remote application authors using
`a standard protocol to extend the database fields or (equivalently) attributes. All that is
`needed is for the database (on the remote server or client resident) to be expandable to
`accommodate the new fields Gf any) required by the new application and for the new
`application to be able to extract information from the required fields in the database. XML
`tags conforming to a standardised schema can beused to facilitate this.
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`12
`
`Framework — The ADS system is a general purpose architecture which can be used by
`many different applications which require information sharing;it is in essence a frarmework.
`
`Secure — As noted above, the ADSsystem allows signed data objects to be directly inserted
`
`into a uset’s device resident application; the data object can therefore be fully authenticated
`
`using an automated process.
`
`In ADS, a user can also specify the remote database access
`
`tights given to different people or groups: an arbitrary group of entities may be stored as an
`
`attribute which gives access permissions to data in the database. The ADS system includes
`
`10
`
`additional access control mechanisms, such as checking the identity of the calling device at
`
`the setver or the called device and assessing the access rights appropriate to that device.
`
`This protection is extended to the voice call mechanism, providing a flexible call-screening
`
`methodology.
`
`15
`
`Persistent — As also noted above, the framework borrows the concept of the computer
`
`software pointer. Consider Alice, who is publishing some information, and Bob who is
`accessing it. Usually Bob would store a local copy of the information on his device, andthis
`data would atrophyas time went by. Using the ADS system, Alice stores her data on a server
`
`on the Internet, and Bob merely stores a pointer to that data or a local copy ofthat data (or a
`subsetofit) in conjunction with the pointer. Then as Alice changes her data, Bob’s view ofit
`can readily remain up-to-date as (i) the new data can be automatically pushed to Bobor(ii)
`Bob can pull the new data into his device whenever he needs to make sure that any local
`
`copy he may have is up to date.
`
`Entity to Entity — since the framework contains an indirection mechanism, it can be used
`to link two entities, and not merely 2 devices. Via a variety of mechanisms (programming by
`the owner, time andlocation information, information on device currently in use) the server
`transparently decides which device an entity should be contacted on at any particular time.
`
`20
`
`25
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`13
`
`B.
`
`The ADS System: Core Advantages
`
`Core Advantage 1: Extensible Framework
`There is currently no commoninfrastructute for wireless information devices which can be
`used by applications for information distribution. Consequently, data applications for
`wireless information devices have to be built using bespokesolutions, often causing them to
`
`be slow to market, costly and complex. The ADSsystem offers an extensible framework for
`the fast and efficient design, build and roll-out of client-based applications which involve an
`element of secure and reliable information distribution. ADS provides the common, data
`
`infrastructure for wireless information exchange.
`
`Core Advantage 2: Rehable entity to entity communtcations
`
`One important example ofthe class of applications which require information distribution is
`entity to entity communication via mobile clients over wireless networks. The ADS system
`
`allows entity to entity communication which is re4abk. Currently, the contact information
`on a typical user’s PDA or PIM will contain significant amounts of out of date information,
`with the remainder atrophying in a non-transparent way. Hence, communication using such
`information is inherently unreliable. Yet further, the burden of adding and maintaining
`contacts using: many conventional systems is considerable, so that even up to date contact
`information can too easily not be entered into a user’s PDA or PIM. ADS exemplifies a
`
`reliable communications system in that a communication channel can be opened even if the
`called entity, Alice, has changed her telephone number and has failed to notify the calling
`entity, Bob. But unlike other proposed solutions to the problem of enabling reltable
`communication, the ADS system is not directed merely to person to person communication,
`but
`acknowledges
`and accommodates
`the
`reality that whilst much commercial
`communication is between persons (i.e. individuals), those persons are communicating on
`behalf of a larger entity, such as an employer. Hence, the ADS system enables entity to entity
`communications, where the term ‘entity’ embraces not only individuals, but also companies,
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`organisations, and positions within an organisation (e.g. vice president, sales etc), and devices
`
`which may be associated with any entity.
`
`
`
`WO 02/17075
`
`PCT/GB01/03788
`
`14
`
`ADS adds further to its inherent reliability by introducing the concept of indicating the
`freshness of data. This can be implemented through a date stamp indicating when particular
`
`data was obtained from the server, or a graphical icon representative of freshness. For
`example, if Alice updates her contact information on her device, that device informs Alice’s
`setver, which in turn informs Bob’s server (if we are dealing with a multiple server
`
`implementation). Bob’s server might then do one of several things. It could send a SMS or
`similar to Bob’s device stating that Alice’s information was out of date and asking him if he
`
`warts to refresh it. Less obtrusively it could send a SMS to Bob’s device which would result
`
`10
`
`in an ‘Out of Date’ message or ‘data staleness’ icon appearing next to Alice’s contact
`
`information when Bob chooses to view that information. Alternatively, it could actually
`
`update Bob’s device with Alice’s new information. Each option would impose a different
`band of useage and Bob might therefore be charged differentially depending on which
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`option he chooses.
`
`Core Advantage 3: chent device centric
`
`The ADS system also advances ov