Method and device for accessing a mobile server terminal of a first communication network by means of a client terminal of another communication network

• US 20070165579A1
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wavecom
• Original Assignee: Wavecom
• Inventors: Delibie, Yannick, Billant, Christophe
• Application Number:
  US10/577,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20070165579A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for enabling at least one client terminal, which is connected to a first communication network, to access the data and/or services of a mobile server terminal, which is connected to a second communication network. The first and second networks can coexist on or form a single network. One such method includes at least the following steps: a communication session is initialized by the client terminal with the mobile server terminal; and the communication session is established by opening a direct communication tunnel between the client terminal and the server terminal. In this way, the client terminal can consult the information made available by the server terminal and/or the client terminal can use and/or interact with all or part of the services of the server terminal.

Claims

1. A method for access, by at least one client terminal connected to a first communication network, to the data and/or services of a server terminal connected to a second communication network, wherein said first and second networks can cohabit or form a single network, wherein said server terminal is a mobile terminal, and said method includes at least the following steps:

initialization of a communication session by the client terminal with the mobile server terminal;

establishment of the communication session by opening a direct communication tunnel between the client terminal and the mobile server terminal;

so that said client terminal can consult information made available by the mobile server terminal and/or the client terminal can use and/or interact with all or some of the services of the mobile server terminal.

2. The method for access according to claim 1, wherein said second communication network comprises a wireless mobile communication network accessible through a security firewall.

3. The method for access according to claim 1, wherein said communication initialization step includes at least the following series of steps:

step A;

sending a first TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) request from the client terminal to a domain name server;

step B;

reception by the client terminal of a response to the first request, which contains at least one set of predetermined parameters for connection to a first public proxy server belonging to the first communication network;

step C;

connection of the client terminal to the first public proxy server, by means of predetermined parameters, such as the IP address and/or communication port number;

step D;

transmission by the first public proxy server of a request to initialise a communication session to a second private proxy server belonging to the second communication network in the form of an access request signal;

step E;

sending a second TCP connection request by the second private proxy server, to a predetermined communication port of the mobile server terminal;

step F;

transmission by the mobile server terminal of an acknowledgement of the second TCP connection request to the second private proxy server;

step G;

sending a third TCP connection request by the second private proxy server to a predetermined communication port of the first public proxy server;

step H;

transmission by the first public proxy server of an acknowledgement of the third TCP connection request to the second private proxy server;

step I;

transmission by the first public proxy server of an acknowledgement of the first TCP connection request to the client terminal;

so as to initiate said communication session and establish the opening of said direct communication tunnel between the client terminal and the mobile server terminal, wherein said tunnel passes through said security firewall.

4. The method for access according to claim 3, wherein said access request signal transmitted by said client terminal is of the type belonging to the group including at least:

an SMS message; and

an e-mail message;

and wherein said access request signal includes a list of predetermined parameters.

5. The method for access according to claim 4, wherein said list of predetermined parameters includes at least parameters of the type belonging to the group including at least:

an IP address for identification of the first public proxy server at the origin of the access request signal;

a communication port number for additional identification of the first public proxy server at the origin of the access request signal; and

at least one key for securing the communication initialization request step.

6. The method for access according to claim 4, wherein said list of predetermined parameters includes at least one parameter corresponding to a unique call number of the second server terminal, when said access request signal comprises an SMS message, and/or corresponding to the type of the communication tunnel security protocol.

7. The method for access according to claim 4, wherein said list of predetermined parameters includes at least one parameter corresponding to an e-mail address of said second server terminal, when said access request signal is of the e-mail message type.

8. The method for access according to claim 5, wherein said security key is a negotiation and/or encryption key.

9. The method for access according to claim 1, wherein said communication tunnel established between said client terminal and said mobile server terminal includes http-type authentication means.

10. The method for access according to claim 1, wherein said communication tunnel established between said client terminal and said mobile server terminal includes secure data transmission means of the type using at least:

an IPSEC protocol; and

a communication tunnel encryption protocol.

12. The method of claim 1 and further comprising performing the steps of claim 1 in a field belonging to the group including at least:

wireless applications using Web services;

on-board telemedicine applications enabling a physician to regularly access a mobile telephone serving as a mobile server terminal, so as to access and monitor the data of a patient, who is the owner of said mobile telephone;

distributed interactive applications of the type including at least;

distributed games;

on-board collaborative work applications on communicating mobile terminals.

11. (canceled)

13. A client terminal for communication and/or radiocommunication between with at least one mobile server terminal, wherein the client terminal comprises:

means for initializing a communication session by the client terminal with the mobile server terminal; and

means for establishing the communication session by opening a direct communication tunnel between the client terminal and the mobile server terminal;

so that said client terminal can consult information made available by the mobile server terminal and/or the client terminal can use and/or interact with all or some of the services of the mobile server terminal.

14. A mobile server terminal for communication and/or radiocommunication between with at least one client terminal, wherein the mobile server terminal comprises:

means for receiving a request from the client terminal to initialize a communication session between the client terminal and the mobile server terminal; and

means for establishing the communication session by opening a direct communication tunnel between the client terminal and the mobile server terminal;

so that said client terminal can consult information made available by the mobile server terminal and/or the client terminal can use and/or interact with all or some of the services of the mobile server terminal.