SYMBIOTIC CLIENT AND SERVER FOR EMBEDDED NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20100281176A1
• Filed: 05/01/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Galixsys Networks LLC
• Original Assignee: Galixsys Networks LLC
• Inventors: Jahnke, Mariko, JAHNKE, RICHARD, Jahnke, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 8,918,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A protocol with matching protocol creation and parsing engines on both the client and server facilitates the automatic transfer of data and commands in an autonomous fashion. This protocol and its corresponding engines make up a new services layer software stack that is above the existing application layer in the network stack. The protocol is based on standard HTTP over TCP/IP as the applications, transport and internet layers, but adds a means to frame commands and data to allow for any operation to be performed over a single service layer. Protocol creation and parsing engines reside on all clients and the server. The server-side protocol engine runs as a common gateway interface binary within a standard web server. The client-side protocol engine has the communication layer of a standard web browser, but replaces the user interface layers with an API to automate the passing of commands and data to the server protocol engine. The server is then able to execute upon client requests or pass requests back to a specific client.

Claims

1. A computer protocol for facilitating communication of commands and data, the computer protocol residing on a server computer, the server computer being in communication with at least one client computer via a network, and the computer protocol comprising:

a receiving means for receiving a prompt from the at least one client computer, the prompt including client identification information and a request for commands and/or data obtainable from applications or memory residing on the server computer;

a storing means for storing the requested commands and/or data;

a conversion means for converting the stored commands and/or data into a predetermined format; and

a transmission means for transmitting the converted commands and/or data to the at least one client computer via the network,

wherein the computer protocol is configured to enable all commands and data residing on the server computer to be converted into the predetermined format, and to use the client identification information to determine that the at least one client computer is a correct destination to which the converted commands and data are to be transmitted.

2. The computer protocol of claim 1, wherein the predetermined format comprises a command field, a client identification field, a packet size field, a data packet field, and a footer field.

3. The computer protocol of claim 1, wherein the computer protocol is configured to operate within the network in a service layer that resides on top of a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) layer.

4. The computer protocol of claim 1, wherein the computer protocol is configured to operate by using a network application residing in the HTTP layer.

5. The computer protocol of claim 1, wherein the at least one client computer comprises a corresponding computer protocol configured to transmit the prompt to the server computer and to enable all transmitted commands and data to be received via the network and to convert each of the received commands and data from the predetermined format into a respective original format.

6. A method for using a server computer to communicate commands and data over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a prompt from a client computer via the network, the prompt including client identification information and a request for commands and/or data obtainable from applications or memory residing on the server computer;

storing the requested commands and/or data;

converting the stored commands and/or data into a predetermined format; and

transmitting the converted commands and/or data to the client computer via the network,

wherein the server computer is configured to enable all commands and data residing on the server computer to be converted into the predetermined format, and to use the client identification information to determine that the client computer is a correct destination to which the converted commands and data are to be transmitted.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined format comprises a command field, a client identification field, a packet size field, a data packet field, and a footer field.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the server computer is configured to execute the method within the network in a service layer that resides on top of a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) layer.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the server computer is configured to execute the method by using a network application residing in the HTTP layer.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the client computer is configured to transmit the prompt to the server computer and to enable all transmitted commands and data to be received via the network and to convert each of the received commands and data from the predetermined format into a respective original format.

11. A system for communicating commands and data over a network, the system comprising a server computer, the server computer being in communication with at least one client computer via the network, and the server computer being configured to:

receive a prompt from the at least one client computer via the network, the prompt including client identification information and a request for commands and/or data obtainable from applications or memory residing on the server computer;

store the requested commands and/or data;

convert the stored commands and/or data into a predetermined format; and

transmit the converted commands and/or data to the at least one client computer via the network,

wherein the server computer is further configured to enable all commands and data residing on the server computer to be converted into the predetermined format, and to use the client identification information to determine that the at least one client computer is a correct destination to which the converted commands and data are to be transmitted.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined format comprises a command field, a client identification field, a packet size field, a data packet field, and a footer field.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the server computer is configured to receive the prompt, store the requested commands and/or data, convert the stored commands and/or data, and transmit the converted commands and/or data within the network in a service layer that resides on top of a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) layer.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the server computer is configured to receive the prompt, store the requested commands and/or data, convert the stored commands and/or data, and transmit the converted commands and/or data within the network by using a network application residing in the HTTP layer.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one client computer is configured to transmit the prompt to the server computer and to enable all transmitted commands and data to be received via the network and to convert each of the received commands and data from the predetermined format into a respective original format.