IP Library Granted Patent US 7,336,928
Granted Patent B2
US 7,336,928 · App. 11/173,292 · Granted Feb 26, 2008

System and method for generating a list of devices in physical proximity of a terminal

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,336,928
App. No.
11/173,292
Granted
Feb 26, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

This invention relates to generating a list of devices in physical proximity of each other and utilizing said list, for example, for sharing of content between a plurality of mobile devices applying individual media items such as address book entries, calendar entries, and/or Short Messaging Services (SMS) or Multimedia Messaging Services (MMS) messages.

Claims (47)

1. A method comprising:

(a) utilizing a communication network to identify one or more devices in physical proximity of a terminal;

(b) generating a list of said identified one or more devices in response to a user controlled operation of said terminal;

(c) associating said list with said user controlled operation; wherein said user controlled operation has a recording nature and provides an item

(d) selecting one or more recipients from said list; and

(e) sharing said item with said one or more recipients, wherein said sharing involves distribution on said communication network.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said item comprises a text recording, an image recording, an audio recording or any combination thereof.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said communications network comprises a Bluetooth network, wireless local area network, a mobile telecommunications network, an inter-network such as the Internet, or any combination thereof.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said identifying one or more devices comprises receiving a communication network identity for a device in physical proximity of said terminal.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said communication network identity comprises Bluetooth ID, radio frequency ID, wireless communication protocol ID, cell ID, or any combination thereof.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said physical proximity is defined by a transmission range within said communications network, by a border at a geographical distance from said terminal, or by any combination thereof.

7. A method according to claim 4 , further comprises associating said communication network identity of said device with a personal identity of a user of said device.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprises associating said personal identity with a sharing means.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein said sharing means comprises a short messaging services message, a multimedia messaging services message, an email, a server system having a shared memory accessible by said terminal and said one or more devices, or any combination thereof.

10. A method according to claim 1 , further comprises clustering said item with any other item of said terminal according to recording time of said item and said any other item.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein said clustering further comprises clustering said item with any other item of said terminal according to associated geographical recording position of said terminal.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprises drafting a sharing message comprising said item or a link to a shared memory storing said item.

13. A system comprising:

(a) means for utilizing a communication network to identify one or more devices in physical proximity of a terminal;

(b) means for generating a list of said identified one or more devices in response to a user operation of said terminal;

(c) means for associating said list with said user controlled operation, wherein said user controlled operation has a recording nature and provides an item;

(d) a selector for selecting one or more recipients from said list; and

(e) a sharing medium for sharing an item with one or more recipients of said list; wherein said sharing involves distribution on said communications network.

14. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said item comprises a text recording, an image recording, an audio recording or any combination thereof.

15. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said means for utilizing is located in said terminal, is located in a positioning server communicating with said terminal, or any combination thereof.

16. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said means for generating a list is located in said terminal, is located in a positioning server communicating with said terminal, or any combination thereof.

17. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said means for utilizing is adapted to communicate a communication network identity for an identified device to said means for generating a list.

18. A system according to claim 17 , wherein said communication network identity comprises Bluetooth ID, radio frequency ID, wireless communication protocol ID, cell ID, or any combination thereof.

19. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said means for generating a list is adapted to receive said communication network identity for said identified device.

20. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said communications network comprises a Bluetooth network, a wireless local area network, a mobile telecommunications network, an inter-network such as the Internet, or any combination thereof.

21. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said sharing medium comprises a short messaging services message, a multimedia messaging services message, an email, a server system having a shared memory being accessible by said terminal and said one or more devices, or any combination thereof.

22. A system according to claim 13 , wherein said one or more devices comprise a communication terminal, such as a mobile or cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a computer, an accessible storage facility, a accessible display facility, a digital television, or any combination thereof.

23. A communication terminal comprising means for utilizing a communication network to identify one or more devices in physical proximity of said terminal; means for generating a list of said identified one or more devices in response to a user operation of said terminal; means for associating said list with said user controlled operation, where said user controlled operation has a recording nature and provides an item; means for selecting one or more devices from said list; and means for sharing said item with said one or more devices, wherein said sharing involves distribution on said communications network.

24. A system according to claim 23 , wherein said item comprises a text recording, an image recording, an audio recording or any combination thereof.

25. A communication terminal according to claim 23 , wherein said means for utilizing is adapted to receive a communication network identity for an identified device from a positioning server.

26. A communication terminal according to claim 23 , wherein said means for utilizing is adapted to communicate said communication network identity to said means for generating a list.

27. A communication terminal according to claim 23 , wherein said terminal is adapted to cluster said item with any other item of said terminal according to recording time of said item and said any other item.

28. A communication terminal according to claim 27 , wherein said terminal is adapted to cluster said item with any other item of said terminal according to associated geographical recording position of said terminal.

29. A communication terminal according to claim 23 , wherein said terminal further comprises a message generator adapted to draft a sharing message comprising said item or a link to said shared medium.

30. A communication terminal according to claim 23 , wherein said terminal comprises a communication terminal, such as a mobile or cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a computer, an accessible storage facility, a accessible display facility, a digital television, or any combination thereof.

31. A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer code for utilizing a communication network to identify one or more devices in physical proximity of a terminal;

computer code for generating a list of said identified one or more devices in response to a user controlled operation of said terminal;

computer code for associating said list with said user controlled operation, wherein said user controlled operation has a recording nature and provides an item;

computer code for selecting one or more recipients from said list; and

computer code for sharing said item with said one or more recipients, wherein said sharing involves distribution on said communication network.

32. A computer readable medium according to claim 31 , further comprises computer code for associating a communication network identity of said device with a personal identity of a user of said device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2015
From: NOKIA CORPORATION
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 035280/0875 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2005
From: PAALASMAA, JOONAS; SORVARI, ANTTI; SALMENKAITA, JUKKA-PEKKA
To: NOKIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017047/0662 →