Delivering Files to a Mobile Device

Abstract

Among other things, in controlling a download of one or more files from a server to a mobile device, account is taken of at least two of: an urgency of the file, the existence of a user-indicated preference about the download, a power status of the mobile device, and a network connectivity status of the mobile device.

1 . A method comprising:
 downloading a file over a communication channel to a mobile device,   monitoring an availability of a WiFi communication facility through which the mobile device can communicate and a charge state of a battery of the mobile device relative to a given state, and   causing suspension and resumption of the downloading of the file based on the monitoring, when there is a degrading or improvement in the availability of the WiFi communication facility or of the battery charge state relative to the given state, or both.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the suspension of the download is based on rules or heuristics. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which the resumed download does not include at least some of the file that was downloaded before the suspension. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  in which the resumed download does not include one or more pieces of the file that were downloaded before the suspension. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  in which the monitoring is done after each piece of multiple pieces of the file is sent and before download of a subsequent piece has begun. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  comprising
 enabling a user of the mobile device, to which the file would normally be downloaded automatically based on preferences of the user, to initiate the downloading by invoking an option on a user interface of the mobile device. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  comprising
 at the mobile device, receiving a sync signal from a server with respect to the file to be downloaded, and 
 responding to the sync signal by requesting and accepting a download of the file. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  comprising
 at the mobile device, displaying to a user an indication of a time when the download of the file to the mobile device is expected to occur. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  comprising
 sending from the mobile device to the server, a log of downloading activity with respect to the file. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  comprising
 enabling a user of the mobile device to specify one or more types of files that are to be downloaded to the mobile device, for storage in a server in association with an identification of the mobile device or the user. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  comprising
 downloading files at the mobile device that have been selected based on stored preferences of a user of the mobile device and stored information about files that were previously downloaded to the user's device. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  comprising
 displaying to a user of the mobile device a list of files that are in process of being downloaded to the device from the server, but which have not yet been completely downloaded to the device. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  12  in which the displaying includes showing a percentage of at least one of the listed files which has been downloaded. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  12  in which the displaying occurs at the mobile device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  12  in which the displaying occurs on a web page. 
     
     
         16 . A mobile device comprising:
 a WiFi network interface,   a battery, and   an application to cause
 downloading of a file over a communication channel to a mobile device, 
 monitoring of an availability of a WiFi access point through which the mobile device can communicate and a charge state of a battery of the mobile device relative to a given state, and 
 causing suspension and resumption of the downloading of the file based on the monitoring, when there is a degrading or improvement in the availability of the WiFi access point or of the charge state relative to the given state, or both.