Synchronization method

• US 20040015727A1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lahti, Jerry, Keranen, Tuomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention relates to methods for managing state information associated with user agents in systems utilizing the wireless application protocol. According to the invention, the user agent indicates in the header information of a WAP message such as a request to the cookie proxy that the user agent currently has a session having associated state information, when the user agent has received header information indicating the presence of a cookie during the current session. This informs the cookie proxy, that it should continue storing the cookies associated with the current session. When the cookie proxy receives for the next time a WAP message without such indication, it can assume that a new session has started, in which case the cookie proxy can discard all cookies bound to the previous session unless certain parameters of certain cookies explicitly indicate that they should not he discarded at that moment. Further, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cookie proxy can indicate to the user agent that it has no cookies associated with the current session. The invention allows the syncronization of the user agent and the cookie proxy.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the handling of cookies by a cookie proxy in a cellular telecommunication system employing the wireless application protocol, characterized in that the method comprises at least the step of indicating by an user agent to the cookie proxy that the user agent and/or the cookie proxy has received a cookie associated with the current session.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the cookie proxy is informed to continue storing cookies associated with current session or delete cookies bound to the previous session by an indication in a message, which message received with said indication informs cookie proxy to continue storing of cookies associated with the current session, and said message received without said indication informs the cookie proxy to delete session-bound cookies of the previous session.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the cookies not to be deleted are indicated to the proxy by a parameter.

4. A network element of a cellular telecommunication system employing the wireless application protocol, characterized in that comprises at least means for controlling storing of cookies, said means for being at least partly controllable by an indication by an user agent to the cookie proxy that the user agent and/or the cookie proxy has received a cookie associated with the current session.

5. A network element according to claim 4, wherein said means are arranged so that the cookie proxy is informed to continue storing cookies associated with current session or delete cookies bound to the previous session by an indication in a message, which message received with said indication informs cookie proxy to continue storing of cookies associated with the current session, and said message received without said indication informs the cookie proxy to delete session-bound cookies of the previous session.

6. A mobile communication means for a cellular telecommunication system employing the wireless application protocol, characterized in that the mobile communication means comprises at least means for indicating to a cookie proxy that the mobile communication means and/or the cookie proxy has received a cookie associated with the current session.

7. A mobile communication means according to claim 6, wherein said means are arranged so that the cookie proxy is informed to continue storing cookies associated with current session or delete cookies bound to the previous session by an indication in a message, which message received with said indication informs cookie proxy to continue storing of cookies associated with the current session, and said message received without said indication informs the cookie proxy to delete session-bound cookies of the previous session.

8. Software program product for a wireless application protocol user agent, characterized in that it comprises at least computer program code means for indicating to a cookie proxy that the user agent and/or the cookie proxy has received a cookie associated with the current session.

9. Software program product according to claim 8, wherein said computer program code means are arranged so that the cookie proxy is informed to continue storing cookies associated with current session or delete cookies bound to the previous session by an indication in a message, which message received with said indication informs cookie proxy to continue storing of cookies associated with the current session, and said message received without said indication informs the cookie proxy to delete session-bound cookies of the previous session.

10. Software program product for a cookie proxy for wireless application protocol user agents, characterized in that it comprises at least computer program code means for controlling storing of cookies, said means for controlling being at least partly controllable by an indication by an user agent to the cookie proxy that the user agent and/or the cookie proxy has received a cookie associated with the current session.

11. Software program product according to claim 10, wherein said computer program code means are arranged so that the cookie proxy is informed to continue storing cookies associated with current session or delete cookies bound to the previous session by an indication in a message, which message received with said indication informs cookie proxy to continue storing of cookies associated with the current session, and said message received without said indication informs the cookie proxy to delete session-bound cookies of the previous session.