Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02638873 2009-06-05
WIRELESS EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM PROVIDING DEVICE
CAPABILITY SET UPDATE FEATURES AND RELATED METHODS
Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of
communications systems, and, more particularly, to
wireless electronic mail (email) communications systems
and related methods.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Electronic mail (email) has become an integral
part of business and personal communications. As such,
many users have multiple email accounts for work and home
use. Moreover, with the increased availability of mobile
cellular and wireless local area network (LAN) devices
that can send and receive emails, many users wirelessly
access emails stored in source mailboxes of different
email storage servers (e.g., corporate email storage
TM TM TM
server, Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, etc.).
[0003] Yet, email distribution and synchronization
across multiple mailboxes and over wireless networks can
be quite challenging, particularly when this is done on a
large scale for numerous users. For example, different
email accounts may be configured differently and with
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non-uniform access criteria. That is, different user
devices will have different capabilities such as the
ability to display images, receive file attachments, etc.
Moreover, different devices may access the email system
through different interfaces (e.g., HTML, WML, etc.).
Further, individual user accounts may have different
services or features enabled. Accordingly, it may become
difficult to maintain service account information when
certain events occur, such as a user switching to a
different mobile wireless communications device or when a
service provider updates service platforms.
[0004] Various attempts have been made in the prior
art to modify mobile telephone subscriber services. Once
such example is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,449,479 to
Sanchez. This patent is directed to an apparatus for
changing a mobile subscriber's feature profile in a
telecommunications network. The apparatus includes a Home
Location Register (HLR) with a memory for storing the
feature profile, which includes one or more service
features, such as call waiting, call blocking, etc. The
apparatus also includes a node that communicates
electronically with the HLR. The node recognizes a
subscriber feature profile change request, validates the
request, determines whether the subscriber is currently
using the mobile phone to which the profile is assigned,
and prevents changes in the profile except for changes
specifically requested by the subscriber if the
subscriber is not using the mobile phone to which the
profile is assigned.
[0005] While such systems may be helpful for allowing
users to update basic phone service features, a user
typically does not have the knowledge or the access
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CA 02638873 2009-06-05
required to make changes to information such as
device/subscriber identifications (ID_s), personal
identification numbers (PINS), and device capability
settings in wireless email service accounts. As a result,
the user typically has to contact a wireless network
provider's customer service when switching devices or
when system upgrades are made that effect the user's
ability to send and receive emails. Not only is this an
inconvenience for users, but the increased man hours
needed staff a service center to handle large call
volumes can be expensive for'the network provider as
well.
[0006] WO 2005/015935 is directed to a mobile wireless
communication device capability proxy server, The server
includes a database of subscriber data including customer
data, handset profiles, and application profiles. For
example, data may include the IMSI, equipment serial
number,. or ecu,a.ipment phone number (MSISDN) An event
handler checks for the existence of a consumer or device,
and if the device has changed, details of the change are
requested. The changes are recorded in the database, and
.subscribed applications.are notified of the capability
changes.
(0007] MAES C KUANG R LIMA R CROMWELL V HA E CHIU J DAY R
AHAD ORACLE CORPORATION WOOK-HYUN JEONG SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
CO S H ET AL: "Push Extensions to the IMAP Protocol (P-IMAP)"
IETF STANDARD-WORKING-DRAFT, INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE,
IETF, CH, no. 6, February 2005 (2005-02), XPO15039363 ISSN:
0000-0004 discloses Push Extensions to the IMAP protocol
(P-IMAP) and defines extensions to the IMAPv4 Rev1 protocol
for optimization in a mobile setting. It is aimed at
delivering extended functionality for mobile devices with
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CA 02638873 2009-06-05
limited resources. The first enhancement of P-IMAP is
extended support to push crucial changes actively to a
client, rather than requiring the client to initiate contact
to ask for state changes. In addition, P-IMAP contains
extensions for email filter management, message delivery, and
maintaining up-to-date personal information. Bindings to
specific transport are also defined.
[0008] US 2006/030368 is directed to a system for
alerting a mobile network subscriber to capabilities of a
mobile station associated with a contact of the subscriber.
The system includes a database including the IMEI numbers and
phone numbers of mobile stations. When a phone call to the
mobile station is received, the system associates the phone
number with the mobile IMEI number stored in the database.
Information including the contact mobile station capabilities
stored in the IMEI database are then forwarded to the mobile
station and displayed on the mobile station.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[00093 FIG. 1 is schematic block diagram of a wireless
communications system in accordance with the present
invention.
[00101 FIGS. 2 and 3 are flow charts of wireless
communications methods in accordance with the present
invention.
[00111 FIG. 4 is schematic block diagram of an
alternate embodiment of a wireless communications system
in accordance with the present invention.
[0012] FIGS. 5 and 6 are flow charts of alternative
embodiments of wireless communications methods in
accordance with the present invention.
[00131 FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram
illustrating an unreconciled user service account,
(00141 FIGS. 8-18 are flow diagrams illustrating logic
paths for updating the user service accounts of FIG. 7.
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[00151 FIG. 19 is another schematic block diagram
illustrating unreconciled user service accounts.
= [0016] FIGS. 20 and 21 are tabular views of user
accounts illustrating various unreconciled information
therein. -
t0017] FIG. 22 is a schematic block diagram
illustrating exemplary components of a mobile wireless
communications device for use with the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
[0018] The present description is made with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred
embodiments are shown. However, many different
embodiments may be used, and thus the description should
not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth
herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that
this disclosure will be thorough and complete. hike
numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime and
multiple prime notation are used to indicate similar
elements in alternative embodiments..
[00191 Generally speaking, a wireless communications.
system is disclosed herein which may include a plurality
of mobile wireless communications devices each having a
subscriber. account associated. therewith including a
respective personal identification number (PIN) and a
device identification (ID). Furthermore, each device It
may have associated therewith a device capability set
from among a plurality of device capability sets, where
the device capability sets may include features supported
by particular devices, for example, The system may
further include at least one electronic mail (email)
server including a database of subscriber accounts and
for sending emails to and receiving emails from the
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mobile wireless communications devices based upon the
PiNs and device lDs. The at least one email server may
compare a given PIN and device ID, based upon a
communication from a given mobile wireless device, with a
corresponding PIN and device ID for the corresponding
subscriber account in the database, and update a
corresponding device capability set for the corresponding
subscriber account based upon a discrepancy.
[0020] More particularly, the device capability sets
may include at least one of an image display capability,
a file attachment handling capability, and a
communications interface capability. The discrepancy may
be a difference between the device In associated ' with the
communication from the given mobile wireless device and
the device ID in the corresponding subscriber account.
Also, the at least one email server may prompt the given
mobile wireless communications device to provide the
communication.
[0021] By way of example, the device Ins may be
International Mobile Station Equipment identities
(IMBIs). Additionally, the at least one email server may
interface with the given wireless communications device
via a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) interface and/or a
.Wireless Markup Language (WML) interface.
[0022] The wireless communications system may further
include at least one wireless communications network for
establishing wireless communications links with the
mobile wireless communications devices. Moreover, the at
least one email server may send emails to and receive
emails from the mobile wireless communications devices
via the at least one wireless communications network.
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[0023] 2, wireless ccmmuriications method aspect may
include establishing respective subscriber accounts for a
plurality of mobile wireless communications devices. Each
subscriber account may include a respective personal
identification number (PIN) and a device identification
(ID), and each device ID may have associated therewith a
device capability, set from among a plurality of device
capability sets. The method may further include sending
:mails to and receiving emails from the mobile wireless
communications devices based upon the PIN's and device
:Ds. The method may also include comparing a given PIN
and device IT), based upon a communication from a given
mobile wireless device, with a corresponding PIN and
device ID for the corresponding subscriber account, and
updating a corresponding device capability set for the.
corresponding subscriber account based upon a
discrepancy.
[0024] Referring initially to FIG. 1, a wireless
communications system 30 illustratively includes a
plurality of mobile wireless communications devices 31a-
31n each having a subscriber account associated
therewith. More particularly, the subscriber accounts
include a respective personal identificatioii number (PIN)
and a unique identification (UID). In the case of a
Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) based
system, the unique identifiers may be Internatibnal
Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSIs) and/or International
Mobile Station. Equipment Identities .(IMEIs), for example,
as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Of
course, other unique identifiers may also be included in
different systems and/or implementations. The service
accounts may-also have associated therewith user
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integrations or settings (email filters,
archiving/deleting parameters, etc.), as well as the
capabilities of the particular device associated with the
account, as will be discussed further below.
[0025] The system 30 further illustratively includes a
wireless communications network 32 for establishing
wireless communications links with the mobile wireless
communications device's. By way of example, the wireless
communications network 32 may be a cellular
communications network and/or a local/wide area network,
[0026] One or more email servers 33 are used for
sending emails to and receiving emails from the mobile
wireless communications devices 31a-31n. More
particularly, the email server 33 may aggregate emaile
TM
from one or more user email accounts (e.g., Gmail,
TM TM
Hotmail, AOL, etc.) and send the email messages to the
user, as well as distribute emaila generated on the
mobile wireless communications devices 31a-31n to
designated addressees via the World Wide Web, as will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art.
[0027] The email server 33 illustratively includes a
controller 34 and a subscriber account database 36. It
should be noted that while these components are shown as
being in a same email server, it will be appreciated that
the control and database functions may in fact be
distributed across multiple servers or computing, devices
in some embodiments, particularly in large scale network
implementations.
[0028] The subscriber account database 35 is where
subscriber account information is stored. By way of
example, each account may include the PINS, IMSls, and
IMEIs associated with the given subscriber/device, as
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well as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) identifier
associated with the given device, the particular wireless
network (i.e., carrier) and services a subscriber uses,
user settings (e.g., filters, notification preferences,
etc.), and account status information (e.g., active,
suspended, etc.).
10029] Knowing the given device, carrier, and services
a user has allows the controller 34 to determine a device
capability set that the given device can support. For
example, some mobile wireless communications devices have
enhanced processing, display, and memory capabilities and
can therefore upload and view images, videos,
attachments, etc., while older model devices may not
support such features. Moreover, even if a given device
can support certain features, these features may not be
permitted under the subscriber's service plan. with the
carrier. Thus, the controller 34 may cooperate with the
database 35 to determine and keep track of the respective
device capability sets respectively associated with the
mobile wireless communications devices 3la-31n based upon
knowledge of the various device types and carrier systems
that the email server 33 is operating with, as will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art.,
10030] The controller 34 uses the PINS and unique IDs
(e.g., IMEIs and/or IMSIs) to associate emai]s with
respective mobile wireless communications devices 31a-
31n. In particular, when a given device attempts to
access the email server 33, it communicates a request to
the server, Depending upon the type of interface used
between the given device and the server 33, the request
may already include the PIN and unique ID (e.g., IMEI) of
the requesting device. or example, with a Wireless
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Markup Language (ti+7ML) interface, this information may be
automatically embedded in the request. With other
interfaces, such as a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
interface, the server 33 may be required to prompt the
given device for such information, as will be discussed
further below.
[0031] As noted above, there are circumstances when
the PIN/unique ID stored in a subscriber account do not
match the FIN/unique TO provided by a given device. For
example, if a user upgrades to a new device and switches
his SIM card from an old device to the new one, the
PIN/ID information provided by the device to the email
sever 33 will not match the information stored in the
subscriber's account (i.e., the given device ID (IMEI)
provided by the device will not match the device ID in
the account). As a result, the email server 33 may
otherwise fail to complete an email request from the
given device until the account information is
reconciled/updated, which ordinarily would require the
subscriber to call customer 'service, and a representative
would manually update the account information.
[0032] Another circumstance in 'which the given PIN/ID
provided by a given device may not match the information
stored in the user account is when the carrier or email
server 33 administrator updates the platform or software
of the server. In particular, when the email server
administrator rolls out new versions of the server
platforms customer accounts may need to be migrated to
the new platform. For a variety of reasons, it is
possible that during the migration. certain account
information (IDs, settings, etc.) is not readily
available or cannot be moved to the new accounts on the
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new platforms. In such case, the accounts may have nulls
or placeholders for certain IDs, settings, etc., which do
not match the actual PIN/ins provided by the given
device,
[00331 Accordingly, the contxQller 34 advantageously
compares a given PIN and unique ID, based upon a
communication from a given mobile wireless device 31,
with a corresponding PIN and unique ID for the
corresponding subscriber account in the database 35, and
updates the corresponding subscriber account based upon a
discrepancy. More particularly, the discrepancy may be a
difference between the unique ID (e.g., IME1 and/or IMSI)
associated with the communication from the givei mobile
wireless device 31 and the unique XD in the corresponding
subscriber account. As noted above, the given PIN/ID may
be included in the communication (i.e., request) from the
given mobile wireless device 31, or the server 33 may
prompt the given device for this information upon
receiving a request (and the given device provides the
information in a follow up communications). As such, the
email server 33 may therefore automatically detect when
account discrepancies occur and update .the account
accordingly with the need for subscriber and/or customer
se trice intervention.
00034] Turning now additionally to FIGS. 2 and 3, a
wireless communications method aspect illustratively
begins at Slack 50 with establishing a respective
subscriber account for a plurality of mobile wireless
communications devices 3la-31n, at Block B1. As discussed
further above, each subscriber accounting includes a
respective PIN, unique ID(), etc. Further, etnails are
sent to and received from the mobile wireless
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communications devices 31a-31x1 based upon the PINS and
unique IDs, at Block 52. The method further includes
comparing a given PIN and unique ID, based upon a.
communication from a given mobile wireless device,' with a
corresponding PIN and unique ID for the corresponding
subscriber account, and updating the corresponding
subscriber account based upon a discrepancy, at Blocks
53-54, as discussed above, thus concluding the
illustrated method (Block 55).
[00351 As noted above, for some interfaces (e.g.,
RTML), it may be necessary for the email server 33 to
prompt the given mobile wireless communications device 31
to provide the given PIN/unique ID via a follow up
oommu,znication to the original request (Block 561). More
particularly, the discrepancy may be a difference between
the unique ID (e.g., IMEI and/or IMSI) associated with
the communication from the given mobile wireless device
31 and the unique ID in the corresponding subscriber
account, at Block 53'.
(0036] Referring now additionally to FIGS..4 through.
6, the email server 33' may not only update the unique
IDs (e.g., IMEI, IMSI) associated with a given account,
it may also update the device characteristic set for the
account . This could be done, for example, when it is
detected that a subscriber is using a new device which
has enhanced display, processing, memory, or
communication capabilities. Of course, if a user switches
to a device with lesser capabilities than a prior device,
the device characteristic set may also be downgraded
accordingly.
10037] In particular, the email server 33' compares a
given PIN and device ID (e . g. , .IMEI) , based upon a
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communication from- a given mobile wireless device, with a
corresponding PIN and device ID for the corresponding
subscriber account in the database, as discussed above,
and updates a corresponding device capability set for the
corresponding subscriber account based upon a discrepancy
(Blocks 57--58"") . Again, the device capability set may
includ8 capabilities such as image display capabilities,
file attachment handling capabilities, communications
interface type/capability, etc. (Block 58,11).
[0038] A set of scenarios centered around migration to
an email system platform BIS from a prior platform :WC
will now be described. In the following scenarios, a
subscriber/user is unable to associate his device PIN
(e.g. IMDI), as recorded in an account maintained by a
provisioning system PRV (which conceptually corresponds
to the above-noted subscriber account database 33), with
the BIS account that he is being logged into via a
carrier ID (e.g., an TMSI) via an HITML or WML user
interface.
[0039] Referri .g to FIG. 7, when the migration occurs
an initial subscriber account A is created for the BIS
system. However, for reasons which will be described
further below, in some situations the data being
populated in the new account may be incomplete, i.e., the
PIN is not properly associated with a carrier subscriber
ID (IMSI), etc. In these scenarios, the user's PIN may
therefore be "held hostage1 by the prior )PRV account
(i . e . , SIS account A), which has a carrier ID A. In some
scenarios the PRAT account belongs to the user and may
include integrations (i.e., user-defined preferences,
available services, etc.) that the user wishes to retain.
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[00401 The effects of the above-described
discrepancies will depend upon the particular scenario.
More particularly, in a scenario where the PIN cannot be
set, the user may be unable to login. In, any scenario
where a "wrong" PIN is set, the user will be unable to
control the email being sent to his device. Further, in a
scenario where a PIN is being held hostage, the
integrations in that account will continue to send email
to the PIN, which might be acceptable if the other
account (HIS account B) also belongs to the user, and the
user is still interested is those integrated, sources, but
if not, then the result will likely require user/customer
service intervention to correct.
[0041] Various logic and user interface (UI) changes
may be made to the HTML and WAP proxies to help users
self-sevice themselves in reclaiming their PINs and/or
integrations. Some of these changes may be made in the
carrier login code. This code will detect the scenarios
where a user's PIN cannot be set because it is already
associated with another account. in a case where Pv
gives the "wrong" PIN and this is not detectable, then
the problem may be addressed when the user uses a change
handheld feature. Part of the reclaiming logic may
require user input for the user to prove that the PIN
belongs to him. Furthermore, there may also be
integrations for which the user may need to provide
"proof" of ownership.
[0042I The potential changes tQ the login process will
now be discussed, including detection, UT flow, and
resolution. FIG. 7 illustrates a general situation where
a PIN is detected as being held hostage. When the user
enters the HTML or WML site an ID, injected by the
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carrier gateway, is passed in. The ID can be used to
lookup the account, or if the account does not exist can
be used to create a new one. A PIN is associated with
that account by correlating the ID to an IMSI via the
carrier Application Program. Intextacei (API), and then
correlating the IMSI to a PIN via PRV. if the PIN is
already associated with another account then a failure to
set up the PIN will occur and the PIN hostage situation
is detected.
[0043] 'Referring now. to FIGS. 8 through 18, these flow
diagrams illustrate the seamless login and account
creation logic, and how the various scenarios are dealt
with. Table 1, below describes conventions used in the
flowcharts.
Table 1
Account The account identified by the external ID I
Mobile Station International ISDN Number
(MSISDN) passed in the request header.
Hostage The account that is associated with the PIN that
Account has been determined to belong to another
account.
PIN A Pin is determined to be free if it is NOT
Free? associated with any other account other than the
desired account to be associated with.
Prompt Describes re iced user input.
(0044] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate typical login, flows
with one branch, 1, detecting a hostage pin situation and
another .branch, A, detecting either a lack of a PRV PIN
(PRV.PIN) or an invalid PRV.FIN..A typical login flow
will resolve the correct PIN for the user, make sure it
is free, create the account if it does not exist, and
prompt the user if the PIN is changed. For the WML., login
case 90, the PIN is retrieved from, the WML request, and
for the HTML login case 80 it is retrieved from PRV.
However, the PRV data may not always have the correct
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IMSI to PIN mapping for the user, so it is therefore
desirable to prompt the user for confirmation.
(0045] In the case where the PRV.PIN does not exist
but the account does exist with a PIN, it may he assumed
that the current account PIN is correct and the user is
logged 'ire.. The path B is entered when the retrieved PIN
is not associated with the user's account and the user, s
account already has a PIN associated therewith. In such
case, a decision is made as to whether the user desires
to change pins.
[0046] PIG, 10 illustrates the logic for when PRV has
no associated PIN for the user/IMSI. This occurs in the
HTML case. When this flow executes it is known that the
PRV.PIN does not exist, and if the account exists it has
no PIN. If the PIN entered is being held hostage, then
the logic returns to path. B. Otherwise, a new account is
created if it does not exist and the PIN is set, at 100.
[0047] FIG. 11 illustrates the logic for when the PIN
is determined, and it is determined that the PIN is being
held hostage by another account, at 110. The PIN is
determined either by looking it up in PRV, harvesting it
from WML, or from a validated user input. Xf the user has
an account with a PIN and mailbox, then the PIN is taken
from the hostage account to avoid merging integrations
from both accounts. The user is only able to reclaim the
hostage account if this account has a take ID, a hosted
mailbo, and the user can enter the mailbox address of
the account. If these conditions are met then the ID and
MSISLI are copied to the hostage account. If another
account has already been created for the user, then the
other account is preferably deleted first.
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[0048] If a user does not claim to have a mailbox or
fails to prove ownership of it, then a new account may be
created if it does not already exist, The PIN is taken
from the hostage account, which is disabled. While
prompting for the User ID, the T7z may advantageously
allow the user to go back and respond differently to
having a mailbox already.
[0049] The logic flow for HTML for the scenarios noted
above will now be described. The WML case only varies
from the following scenarios in the way in which the PIN
is retrieved, as noted above. In the first scenario (FIG.'
12), the user's account is migrated to BIS with a fake
ID. When the user logs in, PRV reports the correct PIN
for the user, which of course is being held hostage by
the fake account, along with his mailbox, at 120.
[0050] A second scenario, illustrated in FIG. 13, is
essentially the same as scenario 1, except that the
user's account has an old PIN. The logic flow therefore
remains the same, except that the user is asked if he
wishes to change the PIN, at 130. A third scenario is
also similar to scenario 1, with the exception that the
account holding the user's PIN does not include the
user's integrations. As such, the user would either
answer no to having a mailbox, or fail to enter the BWC
UserID associated with the account, at 140.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 15, for the WML case, it is
possible that the user is using a different device than
the one on record. It may be assumed that the device the
user is currently using is the one specified in the WML
request, and pre-populate the PIN/IMEI based thereon.
When a user enters the PIN/IMEI, the same hostage PIN
detection logic applied during login may be applied, at
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150. Of course, it is simplified in this case since it is
known that the account exists and it has a PIN.
t00521 The UI is now described with reference to PIGS.
15 through 18. For HTML, when both the PRV and the user's
account have no PIN, then the user is asked for a
PIN/IMEI. If the PIN/IMEI entered by the user is valid
but is being held hostage by a.faked account with a
hosted mailbox, at 160, then the logic jumps to UI logic
flow E (at 170). That is, UT logic flow n is entered
when; (1) a PIN is proven to belong to a user; (2) the
pin is being held hostage by a faked account; and (3) the
user's current account (if it exists) has no mail
sources.
[0053] A third UI logic flow C is entered when the PRV
PIN is free and the user does not have an account with a
PIN, at 180. The idea here is that PRV may not
necessarily be trustworthy, and it will be. verified with
the user that this is h:Ls 'PIN. If it is not his PIN, then
the user is prompted to enter a PIN, at which point the
logic flow is similar to logic flow A. The logic flow for
a new handheld would be the same as for UT logic flow A.
100541 Some exemplary action handlers for implementing
the above-'noted logic flows are now provided. The
following action handlers are written is Java script, and
the first action handler (Action. Handler 1) is for a
seamless sign on scenario. It should be noted that in the
following action handlers "context" refers to an object
that. contains a user's session state information (e.g.,
an account data). "Froxystate is an object stored in the
context which pertains to a transient workflow state. For
example, this may include data that is used for a process
such as a. login or a configuration wizard.
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Action Handler 1
Input ; pin (will be 1= null in wml scenario)
Pseudocode;
If (i.sEdaEnabled) {
if (pin == null) {
Get imsi from [carrier] ;
prvIin = Get pin from pry;
if (prvPin == null) {
try {
Account acct
context.authenticate();
if (acct,pin null) {
Forward to prompt pin/ i.me i
handler;
}
Else
Forward to ma.i.lboxes screen
(user is logged in)
}
}
Catch (authent icat ionexcept ion) {
Forward to prompt pin,/ Lmei handler;
}
}
Proxystate.setPrvPin(prvPin);
Proxystate. setL7evicePin (prvPin) ;
}
Else {
Pin = decrypt (pin.) ;
L roxystate . setPrvPin (null) ;
Proxystate. setDevicepin (pin) ;
}
Forward to pincheckhandler () ;
}
Xnstead of going to PRV to get the PIN, in some scenarios
the PIN is simply retrieved from the proxy state because
it will have been set previously by the login handler.
[0055] A second action handler (Action Handler 2)
validates the PIN/IMEI entered by the ,.z.cer.
Action on Handler 2
input: pin, imei
Pseudocode
If (pin == null 11 imei == null) {
Show pin/imie screen;
}
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Else {
If (pin/imei are valid) {
Pozwaa:d to PincheckHandler;
}
Else {
Show pin/imei screen w/ error msg;
}
)
[0056] A third action handler (Action Handler 3), code
checks it the user's PIN has been taken hostage by
another account, or if the user' s P'IN needs to be
changed.
Action Handler 3
Input: none
Pseudocode:
pin = proxystate.gstDevicepin();
prvPin = proxystate. getPrvPin ( ) ;
{
i f (pin is free?)
If (pin = prvPi .) httnl scenario
Try {
Account acct = context. authenticate () ;
If (acct.pin == null) {
Forward to prvpinhandl=er; .
}
Else if (acct.pin == pin) {
Forward to mailboxes screen (user is
logged in)
}
Else
Show change pin prompt;
}
}
Catch (AuthenticationException) {
Forward to prvpinhandler;
}
}
Elee {
Try
Account acct = context authenticate();
if (acct.pin != pin) {
Acct .pin = pin;
Forward to mailboxes screen (User is
logged in)
}
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Else {
Show change pin prompt;
}
}
Catch (AuthenticationExc6ption) {
Forward to CarrierAcctHandler;
}
}
}
Else {
Try {
Account acct context. authenticate () ;
If (a.cct.pin null) {
Forward to hostage acct handler;
}
Else
Forward to chaage piri handler;
}
}
Catch (authenticatianException) {
Forward to Hostage acct handler;
}
}
[00573 A fourth action handler (Actioza. Handler 4) code
is used in both the HTML and WML scenarios.
Action Handler 4
Input : none
k'seudocode :
If (context.isAuthenticate() r& acct has mailbox(es)) {
Steal pin from hostage;
Disable hostage acct;
forward to mainmenu mailboxes (user is logged in)
}
Else{
If (hostage acct is ' fake && has hosted mailbox) C
Forward to reclaimhostageaccthan.dler;
}
Flee {
If (acct does not exist) {
Create acct;
}
Steal pin from hostage acct;
Disable hostage acct;
Context. authenticate ( ;
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Forward to mainmenu mailboxes (user is logged
in)
}
[00581 A fifth action handler (Action Handler 5) code
io a continuation of the. hostage account handler logic,
prompting the user for information proving they can
reclaim the hostage account.
Action Handler 5
Input: prompt, bwctTserld
Pseudocode:
if (bwcUserld is null) {
If (prompt is null) {
Show prompt screen;
}
Else {
If (prompt is yes) {
Show prompt for BWC User ID screen;
}
Else {
If (acct does not exist) {
Create acot;
}
Steal pin from hostage acct;
Disable hostage a cat;
Context. authenticate () ;
Forward to mainmenu mailboxes screen (user
is logged in) ;
}
}
}
Else {
if (bwcUserld matches hosted mailbox) {
If (acct (--xist) {
deleteMailboxAccount () ;
}
Assign extern.alld and I!SISDN' to hostage acct;
Context. authenticate () ;
Forward to mainmenu (user becomes logged in) ;
}
Else {
Show prompt for bwct.TserID screen (w/ err msg) ;
}
}
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[00591 A sixth action handler (Action Handler 6)
handles the situation where an account needs to be
created or updated with a PIN provided by PRV. This is
used only in the HTML scenario. It is used for new
account creation in the HTML scenario.
Action. Handler 6
Input : prompt
Pseudcc=ode :
If (prompt '_= null) {
Show verify PIN screen;
}
Else {
If (prompt is yes) {
If (context. isAuthenticated)
Acct.pin = pin;
}
Else
Forward to CarrierAccountHandler;
}
}
Else {
Show pin:imei_validate screen;
}
}
[00601 Another potential issue involved in the above
noted email service platform migration is that there may
be some accounts to which the external ID cannot be
resolved. To correlate the account to an external ID, the
PIN of the BWC account may be used to find the IMSI is
PRV. The IMSI may then be used to find the External ID
from the carrier, as shown in FIG. 19.
[00611 'In one use case, when the External= could not
be correlated, a temporary-or fake XD was generated. In
particular, two types of fake IDs were generated. if the
PIN had no IMSI in PRV, then an ID was generated with ,a
pattern 1,PRV9999!". otherwise, if the Carrier IMSI did
not exist then an ID was generated with the pattern
"[Carrier]9999:". The reason this was done was to ensure
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there was at least a temporary account in BIS so that the
user would continue to get his email delivered to his
device.
[00623 A new BIS account is created for a user without
a PIN (FIG. 21), because his PIN is associated with
another prior account which has faked IDs (FIG, 20).
However, the result of this condition prevents the user
from logging in and being able to manage his integrated
sources, as the integrations are still associated with
the prior account.
[00633 Accordingly, during a first use case scenario
there was no IMSI in PRV related to a BWC account PIN, so
the account was created with a fake ID. At some point
later the BWC account PIN in PRV was re-associated. with
an IMSI, perhaps because of a device registration. Next a
user logged in with an Ext.ernallf not related to any
account in IS, and the account creation logic was
invoked. The IMSI was looked up from the carrier via the
ExternalID. The IMSI was then used to lookup the PIN in
PRV. The account was then created, but the PIN could not
be set because it belonged to the faked account.
[00643 One potential approach for addressing this
scenario is that when the user enters the system and this
scenario is detected, then the user is "a uth.enticated".
if authentication is successful the account is updated
with the proper ExternallD and MSISDN, for example.
Authenticating the user will include validating the
PIN/IMEI of the device and then prompting the user for
their BWC user ID. As noted above, in the WML case the
PIN/IMEI can be harvested from the request. However, for
HTML the user may need to be prompted to. enter his IMEI.
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Once the account has been re-possessed, the prior PIN-
less account, if it exists, can be deleted.
[00653 A second use case scen.ax'io is when a new 2IS
account is created for a user with an old PIN. The user's
current PIN is associated with another account which has
a - faked ID and the user's integrations. One potential
approach for addressing this scenario is the same as for
the. first use case scenario described above, with the
addition that PRV is updated with the new PIN so that the
user is not prompted as to whether they would like to
change*to the old PIN each time he accesses the system.
[00663 A third use case scenario is when a new HIS
account is created for a user without a PIT, because his
PIN is associated with another account which has a faked
I17. Additionally, the faked account with its PIN has
another user's integrations. Here again, the same
approach may he used in this use case ecena.ric as for the
first use case scenario noted above. If a. user is unable
to identify the integrations (i.e., via a RWC user id),
then the user may only own the PIN and not the accouxit,
In such case, the PIS' may simply be moved from the fake
account to the new account.
100673 one example of a hand-held mobile wireless
communications device 1000 that may be used in accordance
the system 20 is' further described in the example below
with reference to FIG. 22. The device 1000 illustratively
includes a housing 1200, a keypad 1400 and an output
device 1600. The output device shown is a display 1600,
which is preferably a full graphic LCD. Other types of
output devices may alternatively be utilized. A.
processing device 1800 is contained withixi the housing
1200 and is coupled between the keypad 1400 and, the
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display 1600. The processing device 1800 controls the
operation of the display 1600, as well as the overall
operation of the mobile device 1000, in response to
actuation of keys on the keypad 2400 by the user.
[0068] The housing 1200 may be elongated vertically,
or may take on other sizes and shapes (including
clamshell housing structures). The keypad may include a
mode selection key, or other hardware or software for
switching between text entry and telephony entry.
[0069] in addition to the processing device 1800,
other parts of the mobile device 1000 are shown
schematically in FIG. 22. These include a communications
subsystem 1001; a short-range communications subsystem
1020; the keypad 1400 and the display 1600, along with
other input/output devices 1060, 1080, 1100 and 1120; as
well as memory devices 11600 1180 and various other
device subsystems 1201. The mobile device 1000 is
preferably a two-way RF'communications device having
voice and data communications capabilities., In addition,
the mobile device 1000 preferably has the capability to
communicate with other computer systems via the Internet.
(0070] Operating system software executed by the
processing device 1800 is preferably stored in a
persistent store, such as the flash memory 1160, but may
be stored in other types of memory devices, such as a
read only memory (ROM) or similar. storage element. In
addition, system software, specific device applications,
or parts thereof, may be temporarily loaded into a
volatile, store, such as the random access memory (RAM)
1180. Communications signals received by the mobile
device may also be stored in the RM 1180.
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[0071] The processing device 1800, in addition to its
operating system functions, enables execution of software
applications 1300A-1300N on the device 1000. A
predetermined set of applications that control basic
device operations, such as data and voice communications
1300A and 1300$, may be installed on the device 1000
during manufacture. In addition, a personal information
manager (PIM) application may be installed during
manufacture. The PIM is preferably capable of organizing
and managing data-items, such as e-mail, calendar events,
voice mails, appointments, and task items. The PIM
application is also preferably capable of sending and
receiving data items via a wireless network 1401.
Preferably, the PIM data items are seamlessly integrated,
synchronized arid updated via the wireless network 1401
with the device user's corresponding data items stored or
associated with a host computer system.
[00721 Communication functions, including data and
voice communications, are performed through the
communications subsystem 1001, and possibly through the
short-range communications subsystem. The communications
subsystem 1001 includes a receiver 1500, a transmitter
1520, and one or more antennas 1540 and 1560, in
addition, the communications subsystem 1001 also includes
a processing module, such as a digital signal processor
(DSP) 1580, and local oscillators (LOs) 1601. The
specific design and implementation of the communications
subsystem 1001 is dependent upon the communications
network in which the mobile device 1000 is intended to
operate. Por example, a mobile device 1000 may include a
communications subsystem 1001 designed to operate with
the MobitexTM, 'Data TAC' or General Packet Radio Service
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(GPRS) mobile data communications networks, and also
designed to operate with any of a variety of voice
communications networks, such as AMPS, TDMA, CDMA., PCS,
GSM, etc. Other types of data and voice networks, both
separate and integrated, may also be utilized with the
mobile device 1000.
[0073] Network access requirements vary depending upon
the type of communication system, For example, in the
Mobitex and DataTAC networks, mobile devices are
registered on the network using a unique personal
identification number or PIN associated with each device.
In GPRS networks, however, network access is associated
with a subscriber or user of a device. A GPRS device
therefore requires a subscriber identity module, commonly
referred to as a SIM card, in order to operate on a GARS
network.
[0074] when required network registration or
activation procedures have been completed, the mobile
device 1000 may send and receive communications signals
over the communication network 1401. Signals received
from the communications network 1401 by the antenna 1540
are routed to the receiver 1500, which provides for
signal amplification, frequency down conversion,
filtering, channel selection, etc., and may also provide
analog to digital conversion. Analog-to-digital
conversion of the received signal allows the DSP 1580 to
perform more complex communications functions, such as
demodulation and decoding. in a similar manner, signals
to be transmitted to the network 1401 are processed (e.g.
modulated and encoded) by the DSP 1580 and are then
provided to the transmitter 1520 for digital to analog
conversion, frequency up conversion, filtering,
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amplification and transmission to the communication
network 1401 (or networks) via the antenna 1560.
10075] In addition to processing 'communications
signals, the DSP 1580 provides for control of the
receiver 1500 and the transmitter 1520. For example,
gains applied to communications signals in the receiver
1500 and transmitter 1520 may be adaptively controlled
through automatic gain control algorithms implemented in
the DSP 1580.
[00761 in a data communications mode, a received
signal, such as a text message or web page download, is
processed by the cornmun.ications subsystem 1001 and is
input to the processing device 1800. The received. signal
is then further processed by the processing device 1800
for an output to the display 1600, or alternatively to
some other auxiliary I/O device 1060. A device user may
also compose data items, such as e-mail messages, using
the keypad 1400 and/or some other auxiliary I/O device
1060, such as a touchpad, a rocker switch, a thumb wheel,
or some other type of input device. The composed data
items may then be transmitted over the communications
network 1401 via the communications subsystem 1001.
[0077] In a voice communications mode, overall
operation of the device is substantially similar to the
data communications mode, except that received signals
are output to a speaker 1100, and signals for
transTni sion are generated by a microphone 3.120.
Alternative voice or audio I/O subsystems, such as a
voice message recording subsystem, may also be
implemented on the device 1000. In addition, the display,
1600 may also be utilized in voice communications mode,
for example to display the identity of a calling party,
2g
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the duration of a voice call, ,or other voice call related
information.
[00783 The short-ranee communications subsystem
enables communication between the mobile device 1000 and
other proximate systems or devices, which need not
necessarily be similar devices. For example, the short--
range communications subsystem may include an infrared
device and associated circuits and components, or a
BluetcothTM communications' module to provide for
communication with similarly-enabled systems and devices.
[0079] Many modifications and other embodiments will
come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the
benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing
descriptions and the associated drawings.
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