METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LINK-TRIGGERED LINK-TRANSLATING PROXYING

• US 20120030294A1
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Piernot, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A method for obtaining web content at an Internet-connected device from an Internet accessible content source, wherein the device connects to the Internet via an access network, is described. The method involves obtaining, at the device, a link to a content element that is stored at the content source, wherein the link includes a pointer to a link-translating proxy server (LTPS) that is located outside of the access network and additional information that corresponds to a Universal Resource Locator (URL) for the content element. The method also involves initiating, from the device, a request for the content element that is associated with the link, the request being directed to the content source through the LTPS, and receiving, at the device, a response that includes the requested content element, the response passing through the LTPS.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining web content at an Internet-connected device from an Internet accessible content source, wherein the device connects to the Internet via an access network, the method comprising:

obtaining, at the device, a link to a content element that is stored at the content source, wherein the link includes a pointer to a link translating proxy server (LTPS) that is located outside of the access network and additional information that corresponds to a URL for the content element;

initiating, from the device, a request for the content element that is associated with the link, the request being directed to the content source through the LTPS; and

receiving, at the device, a response that includes the requested content, the response passing through the LTPS.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional information in the link comprises the URL for the content element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the additional information in the link comprises a key that is associated with the URL for the content element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the request comprises generating an HTTP request header that includes the pointer to the LTPS and the additional information that corresponds to the URL for the content element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes links that have been rewritten/replaced by the LTPS to include the pointer to the LTPS.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes a script or a reference to a script inserted by the LTPS, which causes the device to rewrite/replace links in the response to include the pointer to the LTPS.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is obtained without changing any proxy settings of the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes an application inserted by the LTPS, which executes on the device in addition to the requested content.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the response includes an application inserted by the LTPS, which displays on the device simultaneously with the requested content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the proxy settings of the device do not include the pointer to the LTPS.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is obtained via a browser on the device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the link is sent to the device in a non-HTTP message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the non-HTTP message is an instant message (IM), a short message service (SMS) message, or an email message.

14. A link translating proxy server (LTPS) comprising:

a proxy domain that is outside an access network;

a processor;

memory that stores computer program code which, when executed by the processor, performs the following operations;

receiving, via the Internet, a request from a device for a content element that is associated with a link, the link, as received, including a pointer to the LTPS and additional information that corresponds to a URL for the content element;

obtaining the URL for the content element using the additional information;

sending a request to a content source using the URL for the content element;

receiving a response from the content source, the response including the requested content;

modifying the response; and

forwarding the response to the device.

15. The LTPS of claim 14, further comprising computer program code which, when executed by the processor, performs the following operation:

replacing/rewriting links in the response to include the pointer to the LTPS and forwarding the response, including the replaced/rewritten links, to the device.

16. The LTPS of claim 14, further comprising computer program code which, when executed by the processor, performs the following operation:

inserting script into the response, the script causing the device to replace/rewrite links in the response to include the pointer to the LTPS.

17. The LTPS of claim 14, further comprising computer program code which, when executed by the processor, performs the following operation:

inserting an application, which is executed on the device along with the requested content, into the response.

18. The LTPS of claim 14, further comprising computer program code which, when executed by the processor, performs the following operation:

inserting an application, which is displayed on the device simultaneously with the requested content, into the response.

19. A content source that stores Internet accessible content, the content source comprising:

memory that stores a content element;

memory that stores an Internet accessible link to the content element, wherein the link includes a pointer to a link translating proxy server (LTPS) that is located outside of an access network and additional information that corresponds to a URL for the content element.

20. The content source of claim 19, wherein the content source is located outside of the access network.