Arrangement and method for impermanent connectivity

• US 20050021667A1
• Filed: 11/13/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Conway-Jones, David C., Stanford-Clark, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and arrangement (100) for impermanent connectivity between a client unit (110) and a server (120) in a network, comprising: at the client unit, a client proxy function (114) for receiving information from/for a client application (112), for storing said information, and for relaying said information between the client unit and the server when a connectivity link (130) therebetween is established. The arrangement may further comprise a server proxy function (124), and a messaging subsystem (116, 122). The information may be SMTP, POP3, HTTP or FTP information. An FTP file ‘GET’ command may be performed by, in response to the ‘GET’ command, writing a local file at the client unit having a unique signature, and when the connectivity link is established, obtaining the requested file from the server, finding the file at the client unit having the unique signature, and over-writing the found file with the obtained file. This provides the advantages that: client application code does not have to be modified operation is largely invisible to the client.

Claims

1. An arrangement for controlling communication between a client application executing on a client unit and an impermanently connected server in a network, comprising:

at least one client proxy, operable when the client unit is not connected for communication with the server, for receiving information from a client application that requires a response from the server for the application to continue operation, for storing said information, for generating a substitute server response and sending the substitute response to the client application to allow the client application to continue operation; and

means for relaying the information to the server when a communications link therebetween is established.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising server proxy means coupled to the server for cooperating with the client proxy to relay said information between the client unit and the server when connectivity therebetween is established.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 further comprising messaging means coupled between the client unit and the server for relaying said information as messages across the connectivity link.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein a client proxy is arranged to relay SMTP information between the client unit and the server.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein a client proxy is arranged to relay POP3 information between the client unit and the server.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein a client proxy is arranged to relay HTTP information between the client unit and the server.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein a client proxy is arranged to relay FTP information between the client unit and the server.

9. The arrangement of claim 8 wherein the client proxy comprises:

means for, in response to receiving an FTP file ‘

GET’

command, writing a local file at the client unit having a substantially unique signature; and

means for, when the connectivity link is established, obtaining the requested file from the server, for finding the file at the client unit having the substantially unique signature, and for over-writing the found file with the obtained file.

10. The arrangement of claim 1 further comprising means for notifying a user of the client unit of an outcome of the relay of information between the client unit and the server.

11. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the client unit comprises a portable computing device.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the client proxy means relays SMTP information between the client unit and the server.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the client proxy means relays POP3 information between the client unit and the server.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the client proxy means relays HTTP information between the client unit and the server.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the client proxy means relays FTP information between the client unit and the server.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of receiving, storing and relaying information comprises:

in response to receiving an FTP file ‘

GET’

command, writing a local file at the client unit having a substantially unique signature; and

when the connectivity link is established, obtaining the requested file from the server, finding the file at the client unit having the substantially unique signature, and over-writing the found file with the obtained file.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising notifying a user of the client unit of an outcome of the relay of information between the client unit and the server.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the client unit comprises a portable computing device.

2. An arrangement for impermanent connectivity between a client unit and a server in a network, the arrangement comprising:

at the client unit, a client proxy for receiving information, for storing said information, and for relaying said information between the client unit and the server when a connectivity link therebetween is established.

12. A method for impermanent connectivity between a client unit and a server in a network, the method comprising:

at the client unit, providing a client proxy means receiving information, storing said information, and relaying said information between the client unit and the server when a connectivity link therebetween is established.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing server proxy means coupled to the server and cooperating with the client proxy means to relay said information between the client unit and the server when connectivity therebetween is established.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing messaging means coupled between the client unit and the server relaying said information as messages across the connectivity link.

22. A computer program element comprising computer program means for performing substantially the method of claim 12.