CONTEST
Competed
$5,000
This contest is closed.
Problem
Patexia seeks prior art for US Patents RE41,490 (‘490) and RE43,306 (‘306), with a focus on claims 17, 20, and 24 of ‘490, and 17 and 18 of ‘306. The patents allegedly describe a method of transferring a multimedia message between mobile devices on different mobile operator networks by using e-mail as an intermediary format.
The system is composed of:
- a sending mobile device and a multimedia message server on a first mobile operator’s network
- a receiving mobile device and a multimedia message server on the network of a different mobile operator
This system goes through the following steps:
- the multimedia message is sent by the sending mobile device to a multimedia message server
- the multimedia message server determines that the intended recipient is associated with a different mobile operator’s network
- the multimedia message server obtains address information of a multimedia message server on the network of a different mobile operator with which the intended recipient is associated
- in certain instances, the obtained address information may include a mobile subscriber number correlated to a Domain Name Server (DNS) address
- the multimedia message server then converts the multimedia message into an e-mail and sends it to the multimedia message server on the receiving mobile device’s mobile operator network
- the receiving multimedia message server converts the e-mail back into a multimedia message for delivery on its network
- the receiving multimedia message server finally notifies the receiving mobile device
The system also generates billing information based on initial receipt of the multimedia message by the multimedia message server (1.) for conversion.
Finally, if allowed by the available features on the receiving mobile device, the receiving multimedia message server can also transmits the multimedia message to the receiving mobile device after notification (7.).
Figure. Simple diagram showing the use of multimedia messages and e-mail to transfer a message between mobile operator networks
Submission Boundaries
- references filed or published before 11/05/1999
- patents or non-patent literature references
- no geographic restrictions for references
- no references allowed from the known references list
Contest icon from Ivlichev Victor Petrovich used under CC BY 2.5.
Questions
| # | Question | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is the reference either a US patent filed, a foreign patent published, or a non-patent document published before November 5th, 1999? | T/F |
| 2 | Does the reference describe transferring a multimedia message from an originating mobile device on an originating mobile operator network to a destination mobile device on a different destination mobile operator network, using e-mail as the intermediary format? | 30 |
| 3 | Does the reference describe an originating multimedia message server on the originating mobile operator network that receives a multimedia message from the originating mobile device and obtains address information associated with the destination mobile device from the multimedia message? | 8 |
| 4 | Does the originating multimedia message server also generate billing information based upon initial receipt of the multimedia message? | 8 |
| 5 | Does the address information associated with the destination mobile device include a mobile subscriber number that is correlated to a Domain Name Server (DNS) address? | 8 |
| 6 | Does the multimedia message server then generate and transmit via a network interface an e-mail message to transfer the multimedia message to the destination multimedia message server on the different mobile operator network? | 15 |
| 7 | Does the destination multimedia message server receive the e-mail message from the originating mobile operator network and convert it back into a multimedia message for transmission on the destination mobile operator network? | 15 |
| 8 | Does the destination multimedia message server then notify the destination mobile device that the multimedia message has been received? | 8 |
| 9 | Does the destination multimedia message server finally send the multimedia message to the destination mobile device based on the available features of the destination mobile device? | 8 |
Additional Notes
This is a Prior Art Search contest aimed at determining if a patent idea was known and publicly available before a patent was filed.
+5 bonus points will be awarded for non-patent literature and for foreign language references.
This contest will close on Sunday, February 15th, 2015 at 11:59 PM PST and is subject to modified prize distribution awards:
- the top submission will be designated as a winner and receive $3,000
- the next scored 2 submissions will be designated as winners and receive $500 each
- the next scored submissions (to a maximum of 10) will be designated as runners up and receive a minimum of $100 each
Please review the Contest Rules. For more information on how to submit to this Contest type, please read the Intro to Prior Art Search page.
