Method and device for retrieving data store access information

• US 20040088372A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Piispanen, Jussi, Mettala, Riku, Sivaraman, Ganesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for generating a request for information about a data store. The request codes a data store descriptor which is used to characterize or identify a matching data store from a plurality of data stores. The re-transmitted information comprises retrieved information necessary for the requesting device or the applications executed thereon to access the identified data store, respectively. The present invention provides a method for generating a response in consequence on receiving a request for information a about data store. The data store descriptor coded in the request is used to characterize or identify a matching data store from a plurality of data stores and information about the data store is retrieved. This retrieved information coded in a response is transmitted to the previously requesting device enabling the requesting device or the applications executed thereon to access the identified data store, respectively.

Claims

1. A method for generating a request by a first device to retrieve information relating to at least one data store, characterized by

generating said request by including:

at least one data store descriptor suitable for characterizing said at least one data store; and

a command for instructing a second device to identify at least one data store matching with said at least one data store descriptor, to retrieve information relating to said at least one identified data store and to return said retrieved information, and

transmitting said generated request to said second device.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said generating comprises:

identifying said at least one data store descriptor to be coded.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one data store descriptor comprises at least one data type descriptor relating to at least one data content type.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that said data type descriptor is a MIME content type definition.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said information relating to said at least one data store includes an address information for accessing said at least one data store.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said request is based on the synchronization markup language (SyncML) protocol.

7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that said command of said request is a modified ALERT command having a specific ALERT CODE and including a META element containing a TYPE element for defining said at least one data store descriptor.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that said request is a request according to claim 1.

14. A software tool for handling data store related information, comprising program portions for carrying out the operations of claim 1, when said program is implemented in a computer program for being executed on a computer, a user terminal or a network device.

15. A computer program for handling data store related information, comprising program code sections for carrying out the operations of claim 1, when said computer program is executed on a computer, a user terminal or a network device.

16. A computer program product for handling data store related information, wherein said computer program product comprises program code sections stored on a computer readable medium for carrying out the method of claim 1, when said computer program product is executed on a computer, a user terminal or a network device.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein said device is adapted to perform the method according to claim 1.

8. A method for generating a response by a second device containing information relating to at least one data store in response to receiving a request for information of said at least one data store from a first device via a communication network, characterized by:

identifying at least one data store matching with at least one data store descriptor included in said received request;

in case said at least one data store matches with said at least one data store descriptor;

retrieving information relating to said at least one identified data store from said at least one identified data store;

in case no data store matches with said at least one data store descriptor;

generating information relating to said at least one data store descriptor informing about said unsuccessfully matching;

generating said response including said information; and

transmitting said generated response to said first device.

10. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that said at least one data store descriptor comprises at least one data type descriptor relating to at least one data content type.

11. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that said information relating to said at least one data store includes address information for enabling said first device to access said at least one data store.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said response is based on the synchronization markup language (SyncML) protocol.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that said response includes at least one STATUS element including a SOURCE element including an address information of said at least one identified data store, wherein said address information is coded as a sequence including at least one of a uniform resource identifier (URI) and a uniform resource name (URN).

17. A device for generating a request to retrieve information relating to at least one data store, comprising:

a request generating component for generating said request and

a network interface for transmitting said request to a second device;

characterized in that said request generating component additionally comprises

a component for including at least one data store descriptor into said request and

a component for including a command into said request, wherein said command is adapted for instructing said second device to identify at least one data store in accordance with said at least one data store descriptor, to retrieve information relating to said at least one identified data store and to return said retrieved information.

19. A device for generating a response containing information relating to at least one data store in response to receiving a request for information of said at least one data store from a first device, comprising:

a network interface for receiving said request and for transmitting said response; and

a response generating component for generating said response

characterized by

a component for identifying at least one data store matching with at least one data store descriptor included in said received request;

a component for retrieving information relating to said at least one identified data store; and

a component for including said retrieved information relating to said at least one identified data store, said component being comprised in said response generating component.

20. A device according to claim 19, wherein said device is adapted to perform the method according to claim 8.