Wireless messaging systems and methods

Abstract

A messaging system for selectively performing an action on information, for remote retrieval of messages, for performing action on information at different times, for selective paging, for providing a user interface for message access and having integrated audio visual messaging.

1 - 105 . (canceled) 
     
     
         106 . A method that indicates presence of a first cell phone on a cellular network to a second cell phone comprising:
 (a) detecting that the first cell phone is present on the cellular network; and   (b) reporting to the second cell phone that the first cell phone is present on the cellular network.   
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 106  wherein detecting that the first cell phone is present on the cellular network comprises determining the status of the first cell phone using a home location registry (HLR). 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 106  wherein detecting that the first cell phone is present on the cellular network comprises determining that the first cell phone logged onto an internet messaging service. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 106  further comprising the first cell phone enabling a setting that allows the user's presence on the cellular network to be detected by the second cell phone. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 106  further comprising the cell phone instructing a remote message processor to inform other devices of its online presence. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 106  further comprising sending a message from the first to the second cell phones upon detecting that the first cell phone is present on the cellular network. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 111  wherein the message comprises multimedia information. 
     
     
         113 . A method that reports presence of a wired computer online to a cell phone comprising:
 (a) detecting the presence of the wired computer online; and   (b) generating a signal indicating that the wired computer was detected online;   (c) using the signal to report to the cell phone that the wired computer was detected online.   
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 113  wherein detecting the presence of the wired computer online comprises detecting that the wired computer signed into an internet messaging service. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 113  further comprising the wired computer enabling a setting that allows the presence of the wired computer online to be detected by the cell phone. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 113  further comprising sending a message between the wired computer and the cell phone upon detecting the presence of the wired computer online. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 116  further comprising sending the message at the request of the cell phone. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 116  wherein the message comprises multimedia information. 
     
     
         119 - 182 . (canceled) 
     
     
         183 . A content communication system, comprising:
 a. a memory configured to store content;   b. a first memory controller including a processor coupled to the memory configured to cause a paging call comprising a notification of content to be directed to a cellular phone,   c. wherein the paging call includes an address identifier that identifies the cellular phone, a content identifier that identifies the content and the content's location, the content identifier configured to be displayed by the cellular phone, and a type identifier that identifies the content's type;   d. wherein a second memory controller, that is coupled to the memory, is configured to direct the content corresponding to the content identifier from the memory to the cellular phone only upon receiving a request from the cellular phone to do so.   
     
     
         184 . The system of  claim 183  wherein the paging call comprises a Short Message Service (“SMS”) message. 
     
     
         185 . The system of  claim 183  wherein the content comprises video. 
     
     
         186 . The system of  claim 183  wherein the paging call is caused to be directed to the cellular phone via a global system for mobile communications (“GSM”) network. 
     
     
         187 . The system of  claim 183  wherein the notification includes descriptive text related to the content. 
     
     
         188 . A method that communicates data from a content provider through a mobile radiotelephone network to a wireless communication device, utilizing a content notification system having an interface with a home location registry comprising:
 the content provider initiating a paging call that communicates a notification of data to the wireless communication device, the notification including an information identifier that corresponds to the data stored by the content provider and identifies the location of the stored data, wherein the data is not included in the notification and is not stored in the wireless communication device;   the content provider receiving a request message that is wirelessly transmitted from the wireless communication device over the mobile radiotelephone network directly or through another system; and   the request message including a request to receive the data.   
     
     
         189 . The method of  claim 188  wherein the paging call comprises a Short Message Service (“SMS”) message. 
     
     
         190 . The method of  claim 188  wherein the paging call further includes descriptive text relating to the data. 
     
     
         191 . The method of  claim 190  wherein the descriptive text identifies the content sender. 
     
     
         192 . The method of  claim 188  wherein the data comprises an advertisement. 
     
     
         193 . The method of  claim 188  wherein the data comprises video. 
     
     
         194 . The method of  claim 188  wherein the notification is configured to be displayed on a cellular phone. 
     
     
         195 . A system, comprising:
 a. a storage unit that stores information for transmission to one or more devices;   b. a transmitter coupled to the storage unit that transmits a notification, the notification causing a selective call signal comprising an information identifier identifying the information and an acknowledgment request to be transmitted at least one of the one or more devices,   wherein the information is not included in the selective call signal;   a receiver coupled to the storage unit that receives a request transmitted from any one of the one or more devices, wherein the request is transmitted via a cellular data network and   the request identifies the information and an action to be performed on the information; and   a processor configured to perform the action.   
     
     
         196 . The system of  claim 195  wherein the information comprises video. 
     
     
         197 . The system of  claim 195  wherein the information comprises an advertisement. 
     
     
         198 . The system of  claim 195  wherein the notification or information identifier is configured to be displayed on a cellular phone. 
     
     
         199 . The system of  claim 195  wherein the notification or information identifier includes descriptive text related to the content. 
     
     
         200 . A mobile wireless device comprising:
 a radio receiver including an antenna, the radio receiver configured to receive a selective call signal initiated by a remote system that includes: (i) an identifier of remotely stored information and (ii) a system address of a system to be contacted to trigger retrieval of the remotely stored information;   memory coupled to the radio receiver configured to store the identifier and system address;   a radio transmitter coupled to the memory configured to transmit a signal that includes at least a portion of the identifier and system address;   the radio receiver further configured to receive the information corresponding to the identifier and system address following a request to receive the information;   the memory further configured to store the information corresponding to the identifier and system address; and   the memory further configured to retain the identifier and system address upon the information being deleted by the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         201 . The mobile wireless device of  claim 200 , wherein the radio transmitter is further configured to transmit a signal that includes at least a portion of the identifier and system address again. 
     
     
         202 . The mobile wireless device of  claim 200 , wherein the system to be contacted to trigger retrieval of the remotely stored information comprises a system other than the storage system storing the information. 
     
     
         203 . A method that provides a cell phone a notification of a message that is available for download from a content storage and retrieval system, wherein the content storage and retrieval system is coupled to a paging terminal, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving the message from a sender and storing the message at the content storage and retrieval system;   (b) causing the notification to be sent to the cell phone, the notification including an information identifier, the location of the content in the content storage and retrieval system, and an indication of the priority of the content from among a plurality of priorities.   
     
     
         204 . The method of  claim 203  wherein the priority indicated in the notification is determined, at least in part, according to preferences indicated by a user of the cell phone and which preferences were received from the cell phone at the content storage and retrieval system. 
     
     
         205 . The method of  claim 203  wherein the paging terminal generates the notification in response to the message being stored at the content storage and retrieval system and sends the notification to the cell phone. 
     
     
         206 - 212 . (canceled) 
     
     
         213 . A cell phone configured to disable transmissions of response signals, comprising:
 (a) the cell phone configured to determine if it is allowed to transmit response signals;   (b) if it is determined that it is not allowed to transmit response signals, then the cell phone being configured to not transmit response signals while the cell phone remains powered on.   
     
     
         214 . The cell phone of  claim 213  wherein the cell phone is configured to determine, by checking a user-selectable setting of the cell phone, if it is allowed to transmit response signals. 
     
     
         215 . A method that automatically performs an action in a cell phone in response to receiving a notification of a message comprising:
 (a) receiving input regarding (i) a message parameter for the cell phone to monitor for a specific condition and (ii) an action to be performed on the message when the specific condition of the message parameter is detected; and   (b) performing the action on the message when the message parameter meets the specific condition.   
     
     
         216 . The method of  claim 215  wherein the message parameter comprises a message type, and the action comprises automatically forwarding the message. 
     
     
         217 . The method of  claim 215  wherein the message parameter comprises a message sender, and the action comprises automatically forwarding the message. 
     
     
         218 . The method of  claim 215  wherein the message parameter comprises a message source and the action comprising automatically forwarding the message. 
     
     
         219 . The method of  claim 215  wherein the received notification indicates a time that a message is available for downloading. 
     
     
         220 . The method of  claim 219  wherein the action comprises automatically downloading the message at a time indicated by the notification. 
     
     
         221 . The method of  claim 219  wherein a remote message system specifies the time that the message is available for downloading. 
     
     
         222 . A method that delivers content to a cell phone comprising:
 (a) sending a notification that the content is available for delivery to the cell phone, the notification including: (i) information identifying the content, and (ii) a system address indicating a system to be contacted to trigger retrieval of the content;   (b) receiving a request from the cell phone to retrieve the content; and   (c) thereafter, causing at least a portion of the content to be transmitted to the cell phone.   
     
     
         223 . The method of  claim 222  wherein the content comprises video information. 
     
     
         224 . The method of  claim 222  wherein the content comprises multimedia information. 
     
     
         225 . A method of sending content to a mobile phone comprising:
 (a) causing an initial notification to be sent to a mobile phone by paging call, the notification including an address identifier providing an identification of an address of a system to which a request to deliver the content be sent, the address identifier configured for display on the mobile phone and such that a user of the mobile phone can select the address identifier and thereby request delivery of the content; and   (b) causing the content to be delivered to the mobile phone in response to a request for delivery of the content from the mobile phone.   
     
     
         226 . The method of  claim 225  wherein the notification further includes retrieval instructions comprising a designated time the content is available. 
     
     
         227 . The method of  claim 225  wherein the address identifier comprises an address of an internet-accessible system. 
     
     
         228 . The method of  claim 225  wherein the address identifier provides an identification of an address of a system other than the system sending the notification. 
     
     
         229 . The method of  claim 225  wherein the notification further includes information about the subject of the content. 
     
     
         230 . The method of  claim 225  wherein the notification further includes the name of the originator of the content.