WO2001033807A2

WO2001033807A2 - Portal configuration in wireless medium

Info

Publication number: WO2001033807A2
Application number: PCT/US2000/030393
Authority: WO
Inventors: Scott Moeller; Awele Ndili
Original assignee: Mshift, Inc.
Priority date: 1999-11-02
Filing date: 2000-11-02
Publication date: 2001-05-10
Also published as: WO2001033807A3; AU1462701A

Abstract

A method and system are provided to extend communications from a wireless device. Information specific to a wireless device is received under a first communication, from a network such as the Internet. The information is stored. A communication from the wireless device is received under a second communication protocol, such as a wireless access protocol. The communication includes an identification and a request to access a network site on the first network. The communication is configured for the wireless device using the stored information so that the wireless device can access the network site.

Description

PORTAL CONFIGURATION IN WIRELESS MEDIUM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Related Applications

This application claims benefit of provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/163,115, filed November 2, 1999, and hereby incorporated by reference.

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of wireless technology. In particular, the invention relates to accessing broadband networks through a wireless medium such as used for cell phones. Description of the Related Art

Wireless devices such as cell phones have limited band width and data entry capacity. The limited bandwidth significantly reduces the number of web-sites that can be made available to the user. As a result, users of wireless mediums such as cell-phone networks often have limited choices in which web-sites they can visit. Wireless devices are also very compact, making data entry into the device difficult to the user in comparison to using traditional computer devices such as laptops and desktop computers. As such, entering data to visit web-sites is more difficult with current wireless devices such as cell-phones.

Further, e-commerce sites require visitors to respond to queries for personal information. Personal information includes name, billing address, shipping address, credit card number and items purchased. These queries require users to respond with multiple alpha-numeric type entries.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide broadband access to devices operating in a wireless medium such as used for cell-phones.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic data entry to websites contacted by a device via the wireless medium. The automatic data entry may be used to respond to queries by web-sites for personal information. Another object of the invention is to push user-interactive features to devices in the wireless medium, allowing users to connect to web-sites by selecting the user- interactive features.

It is another object of the invention to enable a wireless device to communicate with a network, where the wireless device and network have different communication protocols.

It is another object of the invention to enable a wireless device to access network sites, where the wireless device and network sites have different formats or programming languages. It is still another object of the invention to supplement a communication from a wireless device with prestored information entered by a user on another terminal. In an embodiment, a method is provided to extend communications from a wireless device. Information specific to a wireless device is received under a first communication, from a network such as the Internet. The information is stored. A communication from the wireless device is received under a second communication protocol, such as a wireless access protocol. The communication includes an identification and a request to access a network site on the first network. The communication is configured for the wireless device using the stored information so that the wireless device can access the network site. In another embodiment, a method is provided to extend communications from a wireless device. A plurality of network addresses are received for use with the wireless device. The network addresses are received from an Internet terminal. The plurality of network addresses are stored, preferably in a database. A display of the wireless device is configured to provide a plurality of user-interactive features. Each user-interactive feature is selectable to identify an Internet site located by one of the plurality of network addresses. A selection is received for one or the user-interactive features. The Internet site located by the network address is accessed, where the network address corresponds to the selected user-interactive feature.

In another embodiment, a method is provided to extend communications from a wireless device. Configuration information is received for the wireless device. The configuration information is signaled over an Internet protocol network. The configuration information is stored. Communications are extended between the wireless device and the Internet protocol network by converting the communications between the wireless protocol and the Internet protocol using the stored configuration information.

In another embodiment, a method is provided to extend communications from a wireless device. A database is coupleable to a first network to receive information that is specific for a wireless device identification. The information is received from a terminal coupled to the first network, operating under an Internet protocol. A gateway is coupleable to the wireless device to receive a communication under a wireless communication protocol. The gateway uses the communication to identify the identification of the wireless device. The gateway also uses the communication to identify a request to access a site on the first network. The gateway is coupleable to the database to access the information specific for that identification. The gateway signals the communication with the information stored in the database to the site.

In another embodiment, a method is provided to extend communications from a wireless device. A configuration is signaled to a gateway. The configuration is received over a network using a first terminal. The first terminal and the network site signal and receive communications under an Internet protocol. The gateway signals from the wireless device to retrieve a response from the site on the network using the configuration.

Still, in another embodiment, a method is provided to extend communications from a wireless device, where the wireless device includes a plurality of input mechanisms positioned on a face of the wireless device. A configuration is signaled to a gateway for communicating with a network site using a first terminal. The first terminal includes a keyboard. The gateway signals from one of the plurality of input mechanisms on the faceplate to retrieve a response from the network site using the configuration.

In another embodiment, a parameter is received for use on the mobile device. The parameter is signaled under an Internet protocol. The mobile device is configured using the parameter under a wireless communication protocol.

In another embodiment, a system extends communications to a wireless device. The system includes a database that is coupleable to an Internet protocol network to receive information specific to an identification of the wireless device. A gateway is coupleable to the wireless device to receive the identification. The gateway uses the identification to retrieve the information for that wireless device. In another embodiment, a server is provided to couple to the mobile device using a wireless communication protocol. The server couples the mobile device to a Internet protocol network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram under an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart under an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram illustrating signals conveyed through architecture, under an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 illustrates another block diagram for pushing user-interactive features to a wireless device based on information entered over a broadband network, under an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A. System Overview

Embodiments of the invention enable users to configure wireless operations of mobile devices from an Internet terminal. For example, users may access desktop or laptop computers to configure how their cell-phones and handheld devices will communicate wirelessly with a network. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a gateway. The gateway enables the wireless devices to access broadband networks such as the Internet. In particular, the gateway communicates with wireless devices to enable wireless devices to exchange communications with a network having a communication protocol that is different than those of the wireless devices. As a result, the system enhances the network communication abilities of wireless devices, which would otherwise be limited to communication with smaller networks having the same communication protocols as the wireless devices. In an embodiment, an Internet protocol (IP) network is used to receive information entered by users for a specific to a wireless device. The information is stored for use with subsequent communications to and from the wireless device. The communication includes an identification and a request to access a network site on the first network. The communication is signaled under a wireless communication protocol, but the request can be for a network site using any Internet protocol. In response to receiving the communication, the stored information is used to configure the wireless device so that the wireless device can access the network site, regardless of differences in communication protocols. Reference to configuring or configuration information means that a communication from the wireless device is altered in protocol, format (i.e. programming language) and structure.

In other embodiments, the information entered on the terminal is supplemental information. Supplemental information adds information to the communication signaled from the mobile device. For example, a user may specify to have additional information be included with communications to network sites when the gateway receives a certain communication from the wireless device.

An IP network includes a network using an Internet protocol for enabling network communications. Examples of IP networks include networks that use Transport Control Protocol (TCP) and UDP. Examples of IP networks include the Internet, corporate local area networks (LANs) and proprietary wide area networks (WANs) such as provided by America Online. The networks provide sites accessible by network addresses, such as provided by uniform resource locators (URLs). The sites provide resources, such as content, files and other data, that is formatted for the particular protocol. Examples of formats for TCP/IP protocols include hypertext markup language (HTML) files and extendible markup language (XML) files. Other examples of IP protocols include KTP, Telnet, POP3, Gopher, and UDP-based protocols.

Wireless communication protocols enable mobile devices to wirelessly transmit and receive data from computers coupled to base stations and uplink servers. Most wireless protocols have limited bandwidth when compared to IP protocols. A typical wireless protocol is provided by an industry standard, referred to as wireless access protocol (WAP). Formats for wireless communication protocols include handheld device markup language (HDML), wireless markup language (WML), and compact HTML (CHTML).

The information entered onto the IP protocol may include selected network addresses on the IP network. These addresses may be signaled as URLs. The information may also include demographic information about the user, such as name, email address, etc. Virtually any information the user may wish to subsequently transmit to a particular network site when using a wireless device may be included in the information. For example, a user may wish to enter credit card information, or other account information (such as checking account number) to enable an e- commerce transaction. Other examples of information that may be provided include log-ins and passwords.

One advantage provided by an embodiment of the invention is that wireless devices can easily be coupled to networks such as the Internet. Furthermore, users can enter information using other terminals to configure future communications from the wireless device. Therefore, the limited entry mechanisms provided on wireless devices do not have to be used to configure the wireless devices. Furthermore, a broadband network can be accessed directly to configure the wireless network, giving the user more freedom than the relatively limited capabilities of wireless networks. In another embodiment, a user can select network addresses to sites on the

Internet. These addresses can then be accessed for the mobile device in response to receiving a corresponding request from the user operating the mobile device. A display on the wireless device can be configured to provide user-interactive features that correspond to the selected network addresses. Each user-interactive feature is selectable to identify an Internet site located by one of the plurality of network addresses. Once the user selects one of the user-interactive features, the corresponding network address can be accessed from, for example, a database. The mobile device can then be coupled to the network site located by the network address identified from the selection of the corresponding user-interactive feature. Still, other embodiments enable users to enter configuration information using an Internet terminal. The user can specify a wireless device. Subsequent communications from the wireless device may be configured for access to the Internet using the configuration information. A system for use with an embodiment of the invention includes a database and a gateway. The database may be coupleable to a network such as the Internet to receive information that is specific for a particular wireless device. The information is received from an IP network. Subsequently, the wireless device signals for access to the IP network. The gateway may receive the communication, identify the wireless device making the request, and use the identification to locate the information previously stored from the IP network. The information stored in the database may be signaled to the requested network site.

Components of the system may be provided on one or more servers. The servers include computers that can communicate with networks, terminals, and wireless devices over a network.

In another embodiment, the wireless device includes a plurality of input mechanisms. The input mechanisms may be positioned on a face of the wireless device. The user enters a communication for the wireless device using an Internet terminal having a keyboard.

In this way, the user can enter configuration information for wireless communications on the wireless device using a terminal in which input entry is relatively easy. This enables the user to avoid having to use the mobile device for purpose of entering configuration information, which is typically limited in enabling users to make detailed entries.

In an embodiment, the gateway provides a link to push information from a desktop computer to a wireless device such as a cell-phone. Information that may be pushed to wireless devices include bookmarks to favorite web-sites. The bookmarks may be presented onto a display of the wireless device in the form of user-interactive features.

In another embodiment, the gateway provides the wireless device with access to anyone of a plurality of web-sties. The wireless device may select access to a web-site using one of the user-interactive features. The gateway includes an engine to convert signals transmitted between the wireless device and the broadband network. The signals may be converted to and from a wireless data format and a broadband data format.

The gateway may also include a module that visits multiple web-sites automatically, based on a query by a user of the wireless-device. The web-sites are visited to compare one or more classes of information available about the query from the web-site, and to determine a result based on a predetermined or selected field.

For example, the query may request comparative shopping for an item such as a book. The engine of the gateway searches web-sites according to information about the book, such as by the book's ISBN number. The engine then provides results of the search based on the lowest price.

As used herein, user-interactive features include display features that allow users to enter data into the wireless device. Examples of user-interactive features include icons, menus, and data fields. A gateway includes a module or a server, or a plurality of modules and servers, combining to couple a wireless network to a broadband network.

Personal information includes information pertaining to a user, including demographic information, name, billing address, shipping address, password, login identification, shipping address, credit-card number etc. Examples of wireless devices and clients include any device that uses a wireless medium to couple to a wide-area-network such as the Internet. Examples of such devices include cell-phones, PCS phones, and handheld devices.

B. System for Accessing Broadband Network from Wireless Medium

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an architecture of an embodiment of the invention. The system 100 includes a gateway 30 coupling a wireless network 25 to a broadband network 50. The wireless network 50 includes a wireless device 15 such as a cell-phone, and an uplink server 20. The wireless network 25 is coupled to the gateway 30.

A broadband network 50 includes a plurality of servers 55 representing web- sites in which a device may visit. The broadband network 50 also includes a terminal coupled 80 to a web server 85. The web server 85 couples to a data base 50. The gateway 30 can communicate with the data base to access information therein. The broadband network 50 and components contained therein preferably communicate in a broadband protocol such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). In an embodiment, the gateway 30 operates in a wireless access protocol

(WAP). Preferably, the gateway 30 is an HDML based system. The database 45 preferably maintains information in a raw database format. An engine 45 converts signals between the gateway 30 and the database 45. The gateway 30 also exchanges communication with the broadband network 50 including servers 55 that may be visited by the wireless device 15. An engine 35 may be provided to convert communications from the gateway from WAP to a broadband format as HTTP. In an embodiment, a user of the system has access to the terminal 80 which coupled to the Internet, as well as access to the wireless device 15 such as the cellphone. Initially, the user enters personal information into the broadband network. The information is passed through the web-server 85 to be retained in the database 45. Information that may be entered into the database 45 includes personal information, such as listed above.

The user can then use the cell-phone to exchange information with the broadband network 50, including e-commerce sites 55, using the wireless device. In an embodiment, a user makes a request through the wireless device 15. The request may be in the form of a class of information. Included with the request is an identification. The identification may be used to access pre-stored information, including information stored on the database 45.

Based on the request, the gateway visits one or more web-sites. The websites visited by the gateway 30 are based on pre-stored information. The pre-stored information may be provided by the database 45, or may be determined from other means such as past transactions of the user. Once communication with a web-site is established, the gateway 30 exchanges information stored in the database 45 about the user with the web-site. Additional details on how the gateway 30 accesses and exchanges information with the web-sites is provided below.

An example of how a database can be populated and used for purpose of extending communication abilities of wireless devices to broadband networks is provided by U.S. Patent App. No. 09/513,554, entitled System for Automatic Data Retrieval on an Internet Protocol Network, filed February 25, 2000, and naming A. Ndili and S. Moeller as inventors. This application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of the invention. Reference to numerals shown in FIG. 1 are intended to indicate an exemplary device or mechanism for carrying out a stated task or operation. In step 110, a gateway 30 receives a request from the wireless device 15. The request includes an identification. The request may be to visit web-sites, such as e- commerce sites. The request may be in the form of a bookmark, signifying one or more web-sites, or a search string. In particular, the search string may be a commercial product such as a book.

As an example, a request maybe punched in using keys of a cell-phone. The cell-phone communicates with the uplink server 20. The uplink server 20 then communicates with the gateway 30. The device 15 may be a WAP enabled wireless phone, including a display, and/or user-interface. The network may be a system such as provided by Sprint PCS.

In step 120, the gateway 30 communicates with the database 45 to access information about the user. The identification in the signal may be used to point to identify the information in the database that is pertinent to the user and or the user's request. Preferably, the communication to and from the gateway 30 in steps 110 and

120 are in a WAP format. The gateway accesses information on the database 45 and converts the information from a raw database format into, for example, HDML. A conversion engine may be used to access information in the raw database format from the gateway 30. In step 130, the gateway 30 converts the request and the information to the broadband format, such as HTTP. The gateway 30 sends a query to one of the servers specified for the request . In step 140, the gateway 30 receives the reply to the query. In step 150, the gateway 30 exchanges information with the web-site. The information includes personal information for the user stores in the database 45. Preferably, step 150 is accomplished by first requesting information from the database 45. The gateway 30 passes the request to the database 45 using the identification provided from the wireless device 15. The information is then interfaced with an engine to convert the information from a raw data format to the broadband format (HTTP). The process of sending requests and queries (steps 130 and 140) is repeated for the next web-site. Step 150 is repeated for each web-site queried.

Preferably, the number of web-sites queries is predetermined. The web-sites to be queried may be pre-selected by the user accessing the database 45 via the terminal 80. The web-sites to be visited may also be specified from the device 15.

The user of device 15 may specify web-sites to be visited using terminal 80.

Under an embodiment described with FIG. 4, the user enters bookmarks to web-sites at the terminal 80. The user may access the listing of the bookmarks from the device 15, preferably through a one-action event such as pressing of one button on the cell-phone. The bookmarks may be pushed to the device to be displayed for the user's selection.

With each web-site, information is exchanged by converting the information from a WAP format to a broadband format. In the embodiments specified above, the information is converted from HDML format to an HTTP format. The engine 35 may couple to an output of the gateway 30 to convert information transmitted from the gateway 30 into HTTP format. Information received by the web-site is then converted from the HTTP format to the WAP format (such as HDML) and processed by the gateway 30. Information exchange is a multi-step process. The information may be dependent on the type of request being made. Each visitor may use device 15 to request transactions from one or more web-sites via gateway 30. Each transaction may require multiple requests, so that multiple types of information are exchanged.

Depending on the request, information to be exchanged between the gateway 30 and the web-sites include (1) search engine information/request; (2) selection request; (3) and personal information request.

The web-site requests fields depending on the request or information sought to be exchanged. The gateway 30 identifies the field, and responds to the field based on the identity of the field. The response to the field may be based on personal information stored on database 45.

In step 160, once information is fully-exchanged, the gateway 30 receives the results from the web-site or web-sites and formats an output for the device 15. For example, the format may display results of a search requested by the device for multiple web-sites, or just one web-site. To format the output, the gateway 30 strips information provided from the web-site for display or output on the device 15. Web-sites may provide images, advertisement, unwanted text etc. in response to inquiries. The gateway 30 identifies unnecessary information, so that only the necessary information is displayed on the wireless device 15.

In an example, the user enters a search for a product such as a book. The gateway 30 receives the request, takes the user identification, accesses database 45 for information about the user, uses engine 40 to convert the information to a WAP format, converts the information to broadband format using engine 35, and searches a web-site pre-selected by the user from terminal 80. Once the book is found, an output may be provided to the user. The output is, preferably only limited text information regarding the book, such as first words in the title of the book, and price. In an alternative embodiment discussed above, the gateway 30 may visit many web-sites, search for the book, compare prices for the book, and display the book with the cheapest price available.

The gateway 30 may also process a request to purchase the book. The request may find the book and purchase it, or purchase a previously found book. Purchasing request then causes personal information to be exchanged, based on requests by the web-site.

The gateway 30 is preprogrammed to anticipate requests based on the identity of the web-sites that the gateway 30 visits. For example, the web-site may visit three retailers to locate a book. Each retailer may require different input information to find the book. If the book is found on one retailer, personal information required to purchase the book may have to be entered in a specific order. If the book is found on a different web-site, purchasing the book may require other fields to be entered. An e-retailer may only require an identification from gateway 30, and then access stored information from that web-site to complete the transaction. FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary system 300 in which communications signaled for configuring the mobile device are retrieved and converted to be signaled to network sites. The system 300 comprises a web server 305, an engine 310, and a database 345. The server 305 communicates with mobile device 315. A gateway module (such as described by element 30 FIG. 1) is assumed to reside on server 305. The system 300 is used to access a plurality of network sites 302, located on network 306. For purpose of illustration, the network sites 302 are assumed to be e- commerce sites, such as provided by AMAZON.COM, EBAY and TRA VELOCITY. The network 306 is assumed to be the Internet. In other examples, the network sites 302 may be any site which requires user-input, such as in the form of log-ins, passwords, account information, cookies, etc. The engine 310 may form a component of a gateway (such as shown by numeral 30 in FIG. 1).

The system 300 may apply to an instance when a user uses a terminal (not shown) to control subsequent network access from wireless device 315. For example, the user may input information using system 300 to cause engine 310 to initiate communications with sites 302 over network 306. A response may be returned to the mobile device 315. The user may request that the communications take place independent of requests made from a mobile device. For example, the user may signal to retrieve a response from network sites 302 at a particular time of day. Alternatively, system 300 may be initiated by a request entered from the mobile device 315. The communications described by FIG. 3 may take place as a result of a single request received from mobile device 310, or as a result of multiple requests and inquiries made. In any case, system 300 is intended to illustrate a series of communications, in which engine 310 converts communications to and from network 306, as well as to and from database 345. For purpose of this illustration, a gateway that exchanges communications with a mobile device is assumed.

Table 1 provides a list of communication signals, provided by signals 1-12. The engine 310 is assumed to be WAP enabled, and formatted to communicate in HDML. This enables engine 310 to exchange communications with a large class of wireless devices. The network 306 is assumed to be web based, with communications signaled to and from network 306 being formatted in HTML. The database 345 stores information in a raw database format. /// /// /// LOG NUMERALS / DATA FORMAT

TABLE 1

With reference to FIG. 3, signal 1 corresponds to a request from device 15 via uplink server 20. The request goes to a server 305 in HDML format. An engine

310 is coupled to the server 305. The request is transmitted to the engine 310 as signal 2. The engine 310 signals the request as a raw database request 3 to database

345. From database 345, information is pulled out as needed based on request 3.

The information is pulled out as response 4. The response 4 is returned engine 310 in a raw database request format.

The engine 310 does a conversion of all the information it has at that point. This information includes a combination of the incoming request 2 and response 4.

In response, engine 310 creates an HTML request which it signals one of the network sites 302 as request 5. A response 6 is returned from network sites 302 in HTML format. The engine 310 stores information provided by response 6. Upon completion with that web-site, the engine 310 generates a second request 7 to one of the other network sites 302. The next web-site provides a response 8. Request 7 and response 8 are both formatted in HTML. The process described with exchanges 5, 6, 7 and 8 may be repeated for other network sites 302.r.

Once engine 310 completes it queries to network sites 302, engine 310 may access database 345 to retrieve additional information entered by the user for use on one or more of the network sites 302. In the example shown, a request 9 is signaled to database 345 in a raw database format. The response 10 comes back from the database 345 with information pertaining to request 9. Both the request 9 and the response 10 are in the raw database format.

The additional information may be signaled to network sites 302 as request 13. An example of information that can be transmitted with request 13 includes credit card information for purchasing a product from a select site. Alternatively, request 13 can retrieve additional information about a product. For example, user can prestore information in database 345 to check the products quantity, price, physical location etc once the product is found on network sites 302. Response 14 is generated by network sites 302 upon receiving request 13. As an alternative, a gateway module on server 305 may analyze responses from the network sites to automatically generate new requests to network sites 302. The new requests may require additional access to the user's prestored information in database 345. For example, a module on server 305 may be programmed to perform a comparison of prices retrieved from various network sites 302. The analysis may choose an item from a network site 302 based on price. When that analysis is performed, the module may generate a signal to retrieve credit card and shipping information for that user from database 345. The retrieved information may then be signaled to the selected network site 302, in the manner described above.

In either case, database 345 may be equipped to enable engine 310 and server 305 to exchange additional communications without input from mobile device 315. The additional exchange 315 may be based or dependent on what kind of responses are received from network sites 302. Engine 310 signals response 10 to server 305 as signal 11. This data is put together in the transition from response 10 to signal 11 (from engine 310 to server 305) and formatted and transmitted from server 305 to the wireless device 10 via response 12. Response 12 is signaled under a wireless communication protocol to the wireless device 315. The response 12 may also be signaled in a format for the wireless communication protocol. Preferably, signal 12 is signaled under WAP, and formatted as HDML, although other embodiments may use a format such as CHTML or WML.

In an embodiment, engine 310 and the server 305 combine to convert the information, content and other data in response 10 to a signal 12. This involves formatting the content, stripping away extraneous information from the content, and presenting the content in a format that is simple enough to be communicated through a wireless communication protocol. This includes removing graphics, borders, background, essentially everything except what is required by the for the initial request. As a result, output information is a very small subset of what is returned.

The embodiment shown by FIG. 3 has applications in comparative shopping requests, since multiple e-commerce sites are queried automatically based on one request. The server 305 may then perform a comparison analysis and provide the results to the device 10 as response 12.

C. Push Information for Wireless Device

In an embodiment, a gateway is provided to receive user-specified information in a broadband network format, and to push data to the wireless device based on the information received over the broadband network. The information is made available on the wireless device by the creation of a user-interactive framework, including user-interactive features. Information pushed to the device is in the form of user-interactive features for controlling input to the framework.

Preferably, information entered to the broadband network is packaged to form a selection of user-interactive features appearing on the framework of the wireless device. The user-interactive features may be selected to cause an action specified by the information provided to the broadband network.

In a specific embodiment, a gateway couples to a computer via a wide-area network such as the Internet. The user may enter information into the computer. The information is then converted and pushed to the wireless device in the form of user-interactive features that appear on a framework of the wireless device. The user-interactive feature appear as icons in one specific embodiment, so that the user may select icons for certain actions. Selection of user-interactive features such as icons cause a communication to occur between the wireless device and the gateway. The communication may be a request to visit a specific web-site. The gateway then establishes communication with the desired web-site.

An embodiment of the invention may be implemented on the system 400 shown in FIG. 4. The gateway 430 couples to a wireless network 425 and a broadband network 450 such as the Internet. The terminal 480 is coupled to the database 445 via network 450. In one embodiment, terminal 480 enters information for database 445 via gateway 430. The gateway 430 couples to a wireless device 410 in the wireless network 425. Database 445 stores information entered into the terminal 480 and passed to the database 445 in a raw data storage format. In an embodiment, the information entered is preferences of the user to web-sites on the Internet. The user may specify bookmarks to favorite e-commerce sites, made available from a selection of a class of e-commerce sites or any other type of web-site. The gateway 430 is prompted to access the information from the database 445. The information is converted into wireless format such as HDML. The information is then pushed in HDML to the device 410, via uplink server 420.

In one embodiment, a framework on the device 410 receives the pushed information, and displays the bookmark selections as user-interactive features. Preferably, the user-interactive features are presented in limited text format, such as by way of icons or menu items. The user selects the icon, menu item or other graphic feature on the display of mobile device 415 to generate the request.

Subsequently, the user may be displayed the bookmarks on request, or even continuously. For example, the user may be displayed the icons upon selecting a function key, or digital button on the device 410. The bookmarks may be stored in the memory of the device 410, or elsewhere such as on the uplink server 420. Selection of a bookmark via the user-interactive feature sends a request to the gateway 430. The request is processed such as described by FIGS. 1-3. In an embodiment, mobile device 415 includes a faceplate 412 having input mechanisms. The input mechanisms 416 may include keys for entering phone numbers and operating a cell-phone. The keys may have mode selections to enable the user to switch from entering numbers to performing designated functions, or entering letters rather than numbers. Alternatively, mobile device 415 may be a handheld device such as a PALM organizer of WINDOWS POCKET CE device. These devices may include a stroke input area, such as provided by GRAFFITI. In these embodiments, input mechanisms 415 of wireless device 415 may be too cumbersome for users to make repeated entries for purpose of wireless communications.

Under an embodiment of the invention, the displays 414 of such devices are reconfigured to provide selectable graphic features that indicate a network address, function, or identifier for information on database 445. Still further, other embodiments may provide that the input mechanisms 416, such as the keys or the stroke input areas, can be reconfigured from gateway 430 to perform fimctions. The functions that can be performed from the reconfigured input mechanisms include indicating a network address selection, and indicating a class of information be signaled to a particular network site.

D. Conclusion

The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and equivalent arrangements are intended to be included under embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for extending communications from a wireless device, the method comprising: receiving information specific to an identification transmitted from the wireless device, the information being received over a first network operating under a first communication protocol; storing the information; receiving a communication from the wireless device communicating under a second communication protocol, the communication comprising the identification and a request to access a network site on the first network; and configuring the communication for the wireless device using the stored information so that the wireless device communicating under the second communication protocol can access the network site.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving information specific to an identification includes receiving information formatted in a hypertext markup language (HTML).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein storing the information includes converting the information from the hypertext markup language (HTML) to a raw database format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a communication from a wireless device includes receiving the communication formatted in a handheld device markup language (HDML) and signaled under a wireless access protocol (WAP).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving a communication from a wireless device includes receiving the communication formatted in a wireless markup language (WML) and signaled under a wireless access protocol (WAP).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information specific to an identification comprises receiving a predetermined request that is to be automatically signaled to the selected network site once a response from the selected network site is received.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving a predetermined request comprises receiving a name entry to signal to the selected network site once a response is received that comprises a prompt for a login.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving a predetermined request comprises receiving a name entry and a password to signal to the selected network site once a response is received that network site that signals a prompt for a login and a password.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving a predetermined request comprises receiving a credit card number for a user that is to be signaled to the selected network site once a response is received from that network site that signals a prompt for a credit card number.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving a predetermined request comprises receiving account access information that are to be signaled to the selected network site once a response is received from that network site that signals a prompt for a currency exchange.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving a predetermined request comprises receiving a stock ticker symbol that is to be signaled to the selected network site once a response is received from that network site that signals a prompt for a currency exchange.

12. A method for extending communications from a wireless device, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of network addresses for use with the wireless device, the plurality of network addresses being received from a terminal coupled to the Internet; storing the plurality of network addresses; configuring a display of the wireless device to provide a plurality of user- interactive features, the user-interactive features being selectable to identify an Internet site located by one of the plurality of network addresses; receiving a selection of one of the user-interactive features; and accessing the Internet site located by the network address corresponding to the selected user-interactive feature.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising retrieving a content for the wireless device from the Internet site located by the network address corresponding to the selected user-interactive feature.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein configuring a display of the wireless device comprises configuring the display to show a bookmark display feature for one or more of the plurality of network addresses.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein configuring a display of the wireless device comprises configuring the display to show an icon for one or more of the plurality of network addresses.

16. A method for extending communications from a wireless device, the wireless device using a wireless communication protocol to signal communications, the method comprising: receiving configuration information for the wireless device signaled over an

Internet network; storing the configuration information; and extending communications between the wireless device and the Internet network by converting communications between the wireless communication protocol and a protocol of the Internet network using the stored configuration information.

17. A method of claim 16, further comprising supplementing communications between the wireless device and the Internet network using the stored configuration information.

18. A method of claim 16, wherein the protocol of the Internet network is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless communication protocol is a Wireless Access Protocol (WAP).

20. A method for extending communications from a wireless device, the wireless device using a wireless communication protocol to signal communications, the method comprising: receiving user-specified information over an Internet network having a first protocol, the first protocol being different than the wireless communication protocol; storing the user-specified information; and supplementing communications between the wireless device and the Internet network using the stored user-specific information.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring communications between the wireless device and the Internet network using the stored user-specific information.

22. A system for extending communications from a wireless device, the system comprising: a database coupleable to a first network to receive information specific for a wireless device identification, the information being received from a terminal coupled to the first network, the first network operating under a first communication protocol; and a gateway coupleable to the wireless device to receive a communication under a second communication protocol, the gateway using the communication to identify the identification of the wireless device, and to identify a request to access a site on the first network, the gateway being coupleable to the database to access the information specific for that identification, and the gateway signaling the communication with the information stored in the database to the site.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the database stores information from the first network in a database format.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the database stores the information from the first network in a raw database format.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising a first engine to convert the information stored by the database to a format under the second communication protocol.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a second engine to convert the information received by the gateway from the format for the second communication protocol to a format for the first communication protocol.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second engine converts a response received from the site of the first network from the format for the first communication protocol to the format for the second communication protocol.

28. A method for extending communications from a wireless device that signals and receives communications using a wireless communications protocol, the method comprising: signaling a configuration to a gateway for communicating with a network using a first terminal, the first terminal and the network site signaling and receiving communications under a network protocol, the network protocol being different than the wireless communications protocol; and signaling the gateway from the wireless device to retrieve a response from a site on the network using the configuration.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein signaling a configuration to a gateway includes signaling the configuration from an Internet terminal to a database that is coupleable to the gateway.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein signaling a configuration to a gateway includes signaling a network address for a selected site on the network, to be used by the gateway in response to the gateway receiving a request from the mobile device to access the selected site.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising configuring the mobile device using the configuration signaled to the gateway.

32. Th method of claim 31 , wherein signaling a configuration to a gateway includes signaling at least one of a password, a login, or an account number for use on the selected network site.

33. A method for extending communications from a wireless device, the wireless device including a plurality of input mechanisms positioned on a face of the wireless device, the method comprising: signaling a configuration to a gateway for communicating with a network site using a first terminal, the first terminal including a keyboard; and signaling the gateway from one of the plurality of input mechanisms on the faceplate to retrieve a response from the network site using the configuration.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein signaling a configuration to a gateway includes assigning a key on the faceplate to perform a function for communicating with the network site, the function being defined from the first terminal.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein assigning a key on the faceplate to perform a function includes assigning the key to perform the function when a mode of the key is switched to perform the function.

36. The method of claim 33 , wherein the plurality of input mechanisms include a stroke input area, and wherein signaling a configuration to a gateway includes assigning a function to a specific stroke entered on the stroke input area.

37. A method for extending communications from a mobile device, the method comprising: receiving a parameter for use on the mobile device signaled from a terminal under a first protocol; and configuring the mobile device using the parameter under a wireless protocol, the wireless protocol being different than the first protocol.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein receiving a parameter for use on the mobile device includes receiving one or more selected addresses for sites on a network using the first protocol, and configuring the mobile device includes displaying one or more user-interactive features that correspond to the selected network addresses, wherein the user-interactive features are each selectable to cause a corresponding selected network address to be used to access a site on the network.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein receiving a parameter for use on the mobile device includes receiving a class of information from a user of the mobile device, and configuring the mobile device includes displaying a user-interactive features that corresponds to the class of information, wherein the user- interactive feature is selectable to cause the class of information to be signaled to a site on the network.

40. A system for extending communications to a wireless device, the system comprising: a database coupleable to an Internet protocol network to receive information specific to an identification of the wireless device; a gateway coupleable to the wireless device to receive the identification, the gateway using the identification to retrieve the information specific to that identification, the gateway accessing a network site using the information.

41. A server coupleable to a mobile device, the server comprising: a gateway module programmed to receive a request from a wireless device signaled under a wireless protocol, to identify a network site from the request, and to signal the request to the identified network site, and signaling a response to the wireless device; and an engine programmed to convert the request from a format of the wireless protocol to a format of the Internet protocol, and to convert the response from the network site from the format of the Internet protocol to the format of the wireless protocol.