Granted Patent B2

US 8,185,736 · App. 12/661,754 · Granted May 22, 2012

Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC

Abstract

Claims (93)

1. A method for transmitting a file from a first device to a second device over a communications network, comprising:

displaying, on the first device, a file identifier, wherein the file identifier represents a selectable file;

receiving, at the first device, a user selection of the file identifier representing a selection of the selectable file for transmission to the second device that has a file transfer instruction set that enables file transfers between the first device and the second device and that is functionally equivalent to a file transfer instruction set of the first device;

displaying, on the first device, a destination identifier, wherein the destination identifier represents a remote device having an address;

receiving, at the first device, a user selection of the destination identifier as selection of the second device; and

transmitting, from the first device to the second device, the selected file such that the selected file is not stored on an intervening device, whereby the second device displays an identification of the first device in relation to the selected file, wherein the identification includes at least one of the address of the first device, a name of the first device, or a username associated with the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 , whereby the second device also detects reception of the selected file, provides an alert in response to the reception of the selected file, and displays at least a portion of content of the selected file.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying, on the first device, a data entry field in which a text message can be entered;

receiving, at the first device, the text message;

associating the text message to the selected file as a text file; and

transmitting, to the second device, the associated text file.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein transmitting the selected file and the associated text file further includes:

compressing, at the first device, the selected file and the associated text file into a single combined file;

transmitting, to the second device, the single combined file;

generating, at the first device, a unique transaction identifier identifying the transmitting of the single combined file; and

receiving a delivery report generated by an authenticating device based on a delivery confirmation receipt generated by the second device in response to the transmitting of the single combined file to the second device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting, from the first device to a specific command port of the second device, a sender identification, and sender authentication information;

receiving, at the first device, an identification of a specific data port of the second device from a range of data ports of the second device according to an evaluation of the sender identification and the sender authentication information; and

transmitting, from the first device to the identified data port of the second device, portions of the selected file.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, at the second device, the sender identification and the sender authentication information;

evaluating, at the second device, the received sender identification and sender authentication information; and

selectively transmitting, from the second device to the first device, the identification of the specific data port of the second device according to the evaluated sender identification and sender authentication information, and wherein the selectively transmitting the identification of the specific data port includes:

authenticating the sender identification and sender authentication information according to at least one of an address, destination file, serial number, license code, or authentication code.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying the file identifier includes displaying a collection of file identifiers and wherein the displaying the destination identifier includes displaying a collection of destination identifiers.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected file is at least one of an image file, audio file, or video file, and wherein the first device and the second device are mobile telephones or wireless computing devices.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

deferring the transmitting of the selected file to a specified date and time.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the selected file further includes:

determining, at the first device, whether a connection to the second device is available; and

selectively transmitting, to the second device, the selected file without intermediate storage of the selected file on an intervening communications device of the communications network according to the determined connection availability.

11. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing processor-readable instructions which cause a first device to perform operations for transmitting a file to a second device via a communications network, the operations comprising:

displaying, on the first device, a file identifier, wherein the file identifier represents a selectable file;

receiving, at the first device, a user selection of the file identifier representing a selection of the selectable file for transmission to the second device that has a file transfer instruction set that enables file transfers between the first device and the second device and that is functionally equivalent to a file transfer instruction set of the first device;

displaying, on the first device, a destination identifier, wherein the destination identifier represents a remote device having an address;

receiving, at the first device, a user selection of the destination identifier as selection of the second device;

transmitting, from the first device to the second device, the selected file such that the selected file is not stored on an intervening device so as to enable the second device to display an identification of the first device in relation to the selected file, wherein the identification includes at least one of the address of the first device, a name of the first device, or a username associated with the first device.

12. A system for transmitting a file, comprising:

a first device that:

displays a file identifier that represents a selectable file,

receives a user selection of the file identifier representing a selection of the selectable file,

displays a destination identifier representing a remote device having an address,

receives a user selection of the destination identifier as the selection of a second device to which to transmit the file for display along with an identification of the first device in relation to the selected file, and

uses a file transfer instruction set that enables file transfers between the first device and the second device and that is functionally equivalent to a file transfer instruction set of the second device to transmit to the second device the selected file such that the selected file is not stored on an intervening device, wherein the identification includes at least one of the address of the first device, a name of the first device, or a username associated with the first device.

13. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium storing processor-readable instructions which cause a first device to perform operations for transmitting a file to a second device via a communications network, the operations comprising:

displaying, on the first device, a file identifier, wherein the file identifier represents a selectable file;

receiving, at the first device, a user selection of the file identifier representing a selection of the selectable file for transmission to the second device that has a file transfer instruction set that enables file transfers between the first device and the second device and that is functionally equivalent to a file transfer instruction set of the first device;

displaying, on the first device, a destination identifier, wherein the destination identifier represents a remote device having an address;

receiving, at the first device, a user selection of the destination identifier as selection of the second device; and

transmitting, from the first device to the second device, the selected file such that the selected file is not stored on an intervening device so as to cause the second device to display an identification of the first device in relation to the selected file, wherein the identification includes at least one of the address of the first device, a name of the first device, or a username associated with the first device.

14. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:

displaying, on the first device, a data entry field in which a text message can be entered;

receiving, at the first device, the text message;

associating the text message to the selected file as a text file; and

transmitting, to the second device, the associated text file.

15. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

compressing, at the first device, the selected file and the associated text file into a single combined file;

transmitting, to the second device, the single combined file;

generating, at the first device, a unique transaction identifier identifying the transmitting of the single combined file; and

receiving a delivery report generated by an authenticating device based on a delivery confirmation receipt generated by the second device in response to the transmitting of the single combined file to the second device.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting, from the first device to a specific command port of the second device, a sender identification, and sender authentication information;

receiving, at the first device, an identification of a specific data port of the second device from a range of data ports of the second device according to an evaluation of the sender identification and the sender authentication information; and

transmitting, from the first device to the identified data port of the second device, portions of the selected file.

17. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the selected file is at least one of an image file, audio file, or video file, and wherein the first device and the second device are mobile telephones or wireless computing devices.

18. The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein transmitting the selected file further includes:

determining, at the first device, whether a connection to the second device is available; and

selectively transmitting, to the second device, the selected file without intermediate storage of the selected file on an intervening communications device of the communications network according to the determined connection availability.

19. An apparatus for transmitting a file to a remote device via a communications network, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores at least one program, wherein the apparatus is configured to:

display a file identifier, wherein the file identifier represents a selectable file;

receive a user selection of the file identifier representing a selection of the selectable file for transmission to the remote device that has a file transfer instruction set that enables file transfers to the remote device and that is functionally equivalent to a file transfer instruction set stored in the memory;

display a destination identifier, wherein the destination identifier represents an address or a device;

receive a user selection of the destination identifier as selection of the remote device; and

transmit to the remote device, the selected file such that the selected file is not stored on an intervening device so as to cause the remote device to display a device identifier in relation to the selected file, wherein the device identifier includes at least one of a device address, a device name, or a username.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the selected file is at least one of an image file, audio file, or video file, and wherein the remote device is a mobile telephone or a wireless computing device.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

determine whether a connection to the remote device is available; and

selectively transmit, to the remote device, the selected file without intermediate storage of the selected file on an intervening communications device of the communications network according to the determined connection availability.

22. An apparatus for transmitting a file, comprising:

means for displaying a file identifier, wherein the file identifier represents a selectable file;

means for receiving a user selection of the file identifier representing a selection of the selectable file for transmission;

means for displaying a destination identifier, wherein the destination identifier represents a remote device having an address, the remote device also having a file transfer instruction set that enables file transfers and that is functionally equivalent to a local file transfer instruction set;

means for receiving a user selection of the destination identifier as selection of the remote device; and

means for transmitting the selected file to the remote device such that the selected file is not stored on an intervening device, whereby the remote device displays a device identification in relation to the selected file, wherein the device identification includes at least one of a device address, a device name, or a username.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , further comprising:

means for associating a text message to the selected file as a text file;

means for compressing the selected file and the associated text file into a single combined file;

means for transmitting the single combined file to the remote device;

means for receiving a delivery report generated by an authenticating device based on a delivery confirmation receipt generated by the remote device in response to a reception of the single combined file by the remote device.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (9)