ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT NOTIFICATION TO ONE OR MORE MOBILE
DEVICES
FIELD OF INVENTION
lOOOl] The invention generally relates to electronic documents. More specifically the invention relates to electronic document notification to one or more mobile devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
[0004] In a communication network, when a computing device requires sending an electronic document to a mobile device, the computing device may need to convert the display format of the electronic document in a display format file compatible with the mobile device. The display format file is stored in a server. Thereafter, the display format file is sent to the mobile device directly.
[0005] However, if the mobile device is switched of, is out of communication range or is in an area which is serviced by an unknown service provider then the display format file may not reach the mobile device. In another case, the display format file may be lost during communication, or partially damaged during transmission or stranded on the server.

[0006] There is therefore a need for a method and a system which prevents partial/complete loss of information in an electronic document transferred to a mobile device from a computing device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0007] The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an environment (that is exemplary) in which various embodiments of the invention can function.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method for providing access to an electronic document to a mobile device, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for updating a predetermined display format file to a mobile device, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a system for providing access to an electronic document to a mobile device, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0002] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the present invention.
[0003] The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term pluraUty, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms including and/or having, as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term coupled, as used herein, is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The terms program, software application, and the like as used herein, are defined as a sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system. A program, computer program, or software application may include a subroutine, a function, a procedure, an object method, an

object implementation, an executable application, an applet, a servlet, a source code, an object code, a shared library/dynamic load library and/or other sequence of instructions designed for execution on a computer system.
[0004] Various embodiments of the invention provide system and method for providing access of an electronic document to a mobile device in a communication network. Examples of the communication network may include, but are not limited to, internet. Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), terrestrial digital TV, radio, short-range radio (for example, Bluetooth and wireless LAN). The electronic document is converted into a predetermined display format file. The predetermined display format is supported by the mobile device. Thereafter, the predetermined display format file is updated to the mobile devices periodically after a predetermined time period, if a predefined criterion evaluates to false.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an environment 100 (that is exemplary) in which various embodiments of the invention can fimction. Environment 100 includes a computing device 102, a server 104, and a gateway 106. Examples of computing device 102 may include, but are not limited to, cell phone, laptop, computer, e-book, and Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). Environment 100 fixrther includes a mobile device 108. It will be apparent to a person ordinarily skilled in the art that environment 100 may include more than one mobile devices. Examples of mobile device 108 may include, but are not limited to, a cell phone and a PDA.

[0013] When computing device 102 requires sending an electronic document to mobile device 108, computing device 102 converts the electronic document to a display format file, which is compatible with mobile device 108. Computing device 102 stores the display format file on server 104. Thereafter, server 104 sends an update trigger command to gateway 106. Gateway 106 may be a Short Messaging Service (SMS)/Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) gateway. In an embodiment of the invention, computing device 102 may send the update trigger command itself to gateway 106 after storing the display format file on server 104.
[0014] In response to the update trigger command, gateway 106 updates the display format file to mobile device 108. Gateway 106 may update the display format by generating a notification to be sent to mobile device 108. The notification includes a link and may be an SMS or an MMS. The link includes address of the display format file in server 104. A person using mobile device 108 accesses the link in the notification to download the display format file. Thereafter, the display format file is displayed on mobile device 108. Gateway 106 may directly transmit the display format file to mobile device 108.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a fiowchart of a method for providing access to an electronic document to mobile device 108, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. At step 202, computing device 102 converts the electronic document into a predetermined display format file. The predetermined display format file is compatible with mobile device 108. For example, mobile device 108 may only

support the file formats that are used to view pictures. Examples of the file formats may include, but are not limited to. Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG™^) format. Bitmap (BMP™) format, and Tagged Image File Format (TIFF™). Therefore, the electronic document is converted into the file format that is used to view pictures. However, if mobile device 108 can read Microsoft (MS) Word™' file or a Portable Document Format (PDF^'^) file, then the electronic document is converted into one of the MSWord^'^ file and the PDF™' file. In an embodiment of the invention, mobile device 108, may be a given an option of choosing a file format to view the electronic document.
[0016] Thereafter, at step 204, computing device 102 stores the predetermined display format file on server 104. At step 206, computing device 102 updates the predetermined display format file to mobile device 108 periodically after a predetermined time period, if a predefined criterion evaluates to false. However, if the predefined criterion evaluates to true, then computing device 102 updates the predetermined display format file to mobile device 108 only once. The method for updating is further explained in conjunction with FIG. 3.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for updating the predetermined display format file to mobile device 108, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. At step 302, computing device 102 converts the electronic document into the predetermined display format file. This has been explained in conjunction with FIG. 2. Thereafter, at step 304, computing device 102 stores the predetermined display

format file in server 104. At step 306, gateway 106 sends a notification to update the predetermined display format file to mobile device 108. The notification may be an SMS or an MMS and includes a link to the address of the predetermined display format file stored in server 104. A user of mobile device 108 may access the link to download the predetermined display format file from server 104. After downloading the predetermined display format file, it is displayed on mobile device 108. In an embodiment of the invention, to update the predetermined display format file to mobile device 108, the gateway 106 transmits the predetermined display format file to mobile device 108. For example, gateway 106 may send an MMS, which includes one or more pages of the predetermined display format file, to mobile device 108.
[0018] At step 308, a check is performed to determine if the predefined criterion evaluated to false after the predetermined time period has lapsed. The predefined criterion may be receiving a delivery report in response to reception of the notification by mobile device 108. In an embodiment of the invention, the predefined criterion may be receiving a download confirmation message in response to the download of the predetermined display format file in mobile device 108.
[0019] Referring back to the step 308, if the predefined criterion evaluates to false after the predetermined time period has lapsed, then the step 306 is repeated. The predefined criteria may evaluate to false, if one or more conditions may occur. The condition may be one or more of, mobile device 108 is switched off, mobile device 108 is out of a communication network, and mobile device 108 is in an area that is

not served by a known service provider. In an embodiment of the invention, in response to reception of the notification, mobile device 108 may initiate a communication instance for computing device 102. Examples of the communication instance may include, but are not limited to, a call, SMS, MMS, a text message, email.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a system 400 for providing access to an electronic document to a mobile device 408, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. System 400 includes a computing device 402, a server 404, a gateway 406, and a mobile device 408. It will be obvious to people ordinarily skilled in the art that system 400 may include more than one mobile device.
[0021] When computing device 402 requires sending an electronic document to mobile device 408, then a converting module 410 in computing device 402 converts the electronic document into a predetermined display format file. Converting module 410, for example, may be a printer driver installed on computing device 402. This has been explained in conjunction with FIG. 2. Thereafter, a commimicating module 412 in computing device 402 stores the predetermined display format file in a memory 414 of server 404. In response to storing, an update trigger module 416 in server 404 sends an update trigger command to an update module 418 in gateway 406. The update trigger command may be a notification trigger command. In an embodiment of the invention, communicating module 412 may send the update trigger command to

update module 418, after storing the predetermined display format file in memory 414.
[0022] Update module 418 updates the predetermined display format file to mobile device 408. Update module 418 may update the predetermined display format file, by sending a notification that includes a link to the address of the predetermined display format file stored in server 404. This has been explained in conjunction with FIG. 3.A user of mobile device 408 may access the link in the notification to download the predetermined display format file fi-om server 404. After downloading the predetermined display format file, it is displayed on a display module 420 in mobile device 408. This has been explained in conjunction with FIG. 3.
[0023] In an embodiment of the invention, update module 418 may update the predetermined display format file by transmitting the predetermined display format file. For example, update module 418 may send an MMS, which includes one or more pages of the predetermined display format file, to mobile device 408.
[0024] Various embodiments of the invention provide system and method for providing access to an electronic document to a mobile device is provided. The electronic document is converted in to a predetermined display format file supported by the mobile device. The predetermined display format file is stored on a server. Thereafter, the computing device updates the predetermined display format file to the mobile device by sending a notification or by directly transmitting the predetermined

display format file to it periodically after a predetermined time period, until a 'delivery message' is received for the notification and "download successful message" is received after the mobile device downloads the predetermined display format file fi-om the server. Therefore, the user of the mobile device never misses an update sent fi-om a computing device.