Communications system including protocol interface device for use with multiple operating protocols and related methods

• US 20050030939A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: TeamOn Systems Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Clarke, David James, Roy, Shaibal
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communications system may include a plurality of data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of operating protocols. The system may also include a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for accessing the data storage devices, and each may use at least one of the plurality of operating protocols. Furthermore, the system may also include a protocol interface device including a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols, and a protocol engine module for communicating with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols. More particularly, the front-end proxy module and the protocol engine module may communicate using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements for a desired operating protocol.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols;

a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for accessing said data storage devices and each using at least one of the plurality of different operating protocols; and

a protocol interface device comprising

a front-end proxy module for communicating with said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols, and

a protocol engine module for communicating with said plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols,

said front-end proxy module and said protocol engine module communicating using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements for a desired operating protocol.

2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of data storage devices, said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, and said protocol interface device process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

3. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the common interface protocol is able to represent all protocol-supported elements for a most capable operating protocol.

4. The communications system of claim 3 wherein the most capable protocol comprises Outlook Web Access (OWA).

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said mobile wireless communications devices send access requests;

and wherein said data storage devices send data responsive to access requests.

7. The communications system of claim 6 wherein the access requests comprise at least one authentication request.

8. The communications system of claim 7 wherein the at least one authentication request comprises a user identifier and a user password.

9. The communications system of claim 7 wherein at least one of said data storage devices is for electronic mail (e-mail) messages;

and wherein said at least one storage device responds to the at least one authentication request with a root folder and target e-mailbox capabilities.

10. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said protocol interface device generates an error responsive to at least one non-supported operating protocol.

11. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a wide area network (WAN) connecting at least one of said mobile wireless communications devices with said protocol interface device.

12. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a wide area network (WAN) connecting at least one of said data storage devices with said protocol interface device.

13. A protocol interface device for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the protocol interface device comprising:

a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols; and

a protocol engine module for communicating with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols;

said front-end proxy module and said protocol engine module communicating using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements for a desired operating protocol.

14. The protocol interface device of claim 13 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, said front-end proxy module, and said protocol engine module process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

15. The protocol interface device of claim 13 wherein the common interface protocol is able to represent all protocol-supported elements for a most capable operating protocol.

16. The protocol interface device of claim 13 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

17. A protocol interface device for interfacing a plurality of communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the communications devices and data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the protocol interface device comprising:

a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of communications devices using respective operating protocols; and

a protocol engine module for communicating with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols;

said front-end proxy module and said protocol engine module communicating using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements for a desired operating protocol.

18. The protocol interface device of claim 17 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of communications devices, said front-end proxy module, and said protocol engine module process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

19. The protocol interface device of claim 17 wherein the common interface protocol is able to represent all protocol-supported elements for a most capable operating protocol.

20. The protocol interface device of claim 17 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

21. A method for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the method comprising:

providing a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols;

providing a protocol engine module for communicating with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols; and

causing the front-end proxy module and the protocol engine module to communicate using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements for a desired operating protocol.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, the front-end proxy module, and the protocol engine module process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the common interface protocol is able to represent all protocol-supported elements for a most capable operating protocol.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

25. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable modules for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the computer-readable medium comprising:

a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols; and

a protocol engine module for communicating with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols, the front-end proxy module and the protocol engine module communicating using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements for a desired operating protocol.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, the front-end proxy module, and the protocol engine module process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the common interface protocol is able to represent all protocol-supported elements for a most capable operating protocol.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.