Method for establishing bi-directional messaging communications with wireless devices and with remote locations over a network

Abstract

A method, server, device and computer readable medium for establishing a bi-directional communication session between a first device and a server is provided. During the method, a first transport layer connection between the first device and the server is established. The first device is then authenticated with the server over the first transport layer connection. In the event that authenticating the first device is successful, the server and the first device establish a persistent, bi-directional communication session over the first transport layer connection.

1 . A method of establishing a bi-directional communication session between a first device and a server, the method comprising:
 establishing a first transport layer connection between the first device and the server;   authenticating the first device with the server over the first transport layer connection; and   in the event that authenticating the first device is successful, the server and the first device establishing a persistent, bi-directional communication session over the first transport layer connection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing a first transport layer connection comprises the server creating a first thread to handle the first transport layer connection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a second transport layer connection between a second device and the server;   authenticating the second device with the server over the second transport layer connection; and   in the event that authenticating the second device is successful, the server and the second device establishing a second persistent, bi-directional communication session over the second transport layer connection.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein establishing a second transport layer connection comprises the server creating a second thread to handle the second transport layer connection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 one of the first and second devices sending a message to the server over its respective persistent, bi-directional communication session, the message comprising recipient data;   the server processing the message to determine that the recipient data corresponds to the other of the first and second devices;   the server sending the message to the other of the first and second devices over its respective persistent, bi-directional communication session.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein messages over the first persistent, bi-directional communication session are sent and received in accordance with a point-to-point bidirectional messaging protocol. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the point-to-point, bidirectional messaging protocol comprises a data layer, a control layer and an information layer. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, at the data layer, encrypting message data packets. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising, at the data layer, compressing message data packets. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each encrypted message data packet comprises a flag indicating whether a receiver of the data packet is required to acknowledge receipt of the data packet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each encrypted message data packet comprises a flag indicating how many times the data packet should be re-sent in the event that receipt of the data packet is not acknowledged within a threshold time period. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the encrypted message data packet comprises data establishing the threshold time period. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, at the control layer, establishing whether acknowledgement of receipt of messaging data packets is required. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, at the control layer, establishing how many times a messaging data packet is to be re-sent in the event that acknowledgement of receipt is not received within a threshold time period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, at the control layer, establishing the threshold time period. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transport layer comprises at least one transport protocol in accordance with which data from respective messaging applications on the first device and the server is encapsulated into data packets suitable for transmission. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one transport protocol is transmission control protocol (TCP). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transport layer connection is established over a TCP/IP intelligent network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one messaging application on the first device employing the point-to-point bi-directional messaging protocol to send and receive messages over a respective persistent bi-directional communication session. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first device is capable of establishing multiple persistent bi-directional communication sessions. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first device is capable of establishing multiple persistent bi-directional communication sessions with the server. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein an information layer of the point-to-point, bidirectional messaging protocol supports an expandable data structure for supporting functionality of the one or more messaging applications. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the expandable data structure is capable of including at least one string of text. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the expandable data structure is capable of including multiple different strings of text. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the expandable data structure is capable of including at least one unique message identifier. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the expandable data structure is capable of including at least image file data. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in the event that authenticating the first device is not successful, the first transport layer connection is closed. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authenticating comprises:
 confirming that a message sent over the first transport layer connection by the first device is well-formed.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authenticating comprises:
 confirming that an authentication structure sent over the first transport layer connection by the first device is acceptable.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first transport layer connection is closed when a number of unsuccessful authentication attempts by the first device have exceeded a threshold number. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein a further attempt by the first device to establish a transport layer connection with the server is denied by the server. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein in the event that the message has not been read by the recipient at the recipient device within a predetermined time after sending, the message is automatically sent to an alternative recipient. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the sender device is informed that the message has been read by the recipient at the recipient device. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the sender device is informed of the date and time that the message has been read by the recipient at the recipient device. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the sender device is informed that one or more attachments to the message have been viewed by the recipient at the recipient device. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the sender device is informed of the date and time that each of the attachments to the message have been viewed by the recipient at the recipient device. 
     
     
         37 . A computer readable medium embodying a computer program for instructing a processor on a mobile device to establish a bi-directional communication session between the mobile device and a server, the computer program comprising:
 computer program code establishing a first transport layer connection between the mobile device and the server;   computer program code authenticating the mobile device with an application on the server over the first transport layer connection; and   computer program code for, in the event that authenticating the mobile device is successful, establishing a persistent, bi-directional communication session over the first transport layer connection between the mobile device and the server.   
     
     
         38 . A computer readable medium embodying a computer program for instructing a processor on a server to establish a bi-directional communication session between the server and a first network device, the computer program comprising:
 computer program code establishing a first transport layer connection between the first network device and the server;   computer program code authenticating the first network device based on credentials provided by the first network device over the first transport layer connection; and   computer program code for, in the event that authenticating the first network device is successful, establishing a persistent, bi-directional communication session over the first transport layer connection between the first network device and the server.   
     
     
         39 . The computer readable medium of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 computer program code for receiving a message comprising recipient data;   computer program code for processing the message to determine that the recipient data corresponds to the first network device;   computer program code for sending the message to the first network device over its respective persistent, bi-directional communication session.   
     
     
         40 . The computer readable medium of  claim 39 , further comprising:
 computer program code establishing a second transport layer connection between a second network device and the server;   computer program code authenticating the second network device based on credentials provided by the second network device over the second transport layer connection; and   computer program code for, in the event that authenticating the second network device is successful, establishing a persistent, bi-directional communication session over the second transport layer connection between the second network device and the server.   
     
     
         41 . The computer readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein the message is received by the server from the second network device over the persistent, bi-directional communication session over the second transport layer connection. 
     
     
         42 . The computer readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein the second network device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         43 . The computer readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein the second network device is another server. 
     
     
         44 . The computer readable medium of  claim 38 , wherein the first network device is a mobile device. 
     
     
         45 . The computer readable medium of  claim 38 , wherein the first network device is another server. 
     
     
         46 . A mobile device comprising a processor and a computer readable medium embodying computer program code for instructing the processor to establish a persistent bi-directional communication session over a transport layer connection between a server and the mobile device. 
     
     
         47 . A server comprising a processor and a computer readable medium embodying computer program code for instructing the processor to establish at least one persistent bi-directional communication session with a respective mobile device over a respective transport layer connection.