Remote control of computer network activity

• US 6,754,710 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: McAlear, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Application Number:
  US09/567,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/224, 709/219, 709/223, 709/227, 709/228, 709/208, 709/209, 709/245, 340/3-2-, 340/825.72, 345/740, 345/748, 705/35, 705/39, 705/42, 456/74.1, 456/352, 456/92, 456/95
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A wireless remote control is disclosed for controlling computers remotely over a data network. The wireless remote control system includes Remote Access Programs running on data network servers, which provide access to, and disposition of data objects. The wireless remote control system is particularly useful for overcoming the difficulty of handling data over a low bandwidth wireless link with the minimal display facilities of a wireless handset or Personal Digital Assistant and of providing linkage between data objects on one computer and applications residing on another computer under the direct supervision of the user without the data objects needing to traverse the low bandwidth link.

Claims

1. A method of remotely directing data transfers comprising the steps of:

accessing a data server from a wireless terminal;

specifying a source for desired data;

establishing a session identifier associated with the source for the desired data and a user accessing the data server from the wireless terminal;

specifying a destination for receiving the desired data;

receiving the session identifier at the data server in a request for the desired data; and

the data server, responsive, at least in part, to the session identifier in the request for the desired data, transferring the desired data from the source to the specified destination via the Internet.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data server is an Internet protocol server.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the transferring of desired data is effected according to an Internet protocol.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wireless terminal is a display terminal.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the desired data source is specified by at least one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the step of specifying a destination is effected by at least on of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the step of specifying a destination is effected by at least one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

8. A method of remotely directing data transfers comprising the steps of:

accessing a page at a first server from a wireless display terminal;

specifying desired data;

establishing a session identifier associated with the desired data and a user accessing said data server from the wireless display terminal;

specifying an initial destination address;

accessing a second server at the initial destination address;

specifying a specific desired destination at a final server;

sending the specific desired destination and the session identifier in a request for the desired data address from the final server to first server; and

transferring responsive at least in part to the session identifier in the request for the desired data, the desired data from the first server to the specific desired destination.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the final server is the second server.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of accessing a page at a first server comprises accessing an Internet web page.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of specifying desired data is effected by at least one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of specifying an initial destination address is effected by at least one group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

13. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the step of specifying a specific desired destination is effected by at least one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

14. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising the additional step of providing a confirmation indication of the transferring of desired data.

15. A method of remotely directing data transfers comprising the steps of:

accessing a server from a wireless display terminal;

specifying desired data;

establishing a session identifier associated with the desired data and a user accessing said data server from the wireless display terminal;

selecting a specific desired destination; and

receiving the session identifier at the server in a request for the desired data; and

transferring, responsive at least in part to the session identifier in the request for the desired data, desired data from the server to specific desired destination via the Internet.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of specifying desired data is effected by at least one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of specifying a specific desired destination is effected by at least one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 comprising the additional step of providing a confirmation indication of the transferring of desired data.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the desired data and specific desired destination are on the same server.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of accessing a server comprises accessing an Internet web page.

21. A device for interfacing at least one wireless display telephone terminal with a plurality of Internet site locations, said device comprising:

a first memory for retrieving and storing a source resource location address and a session identifier associated with a source resource located at the source resource location and a user accessing said device from the wireless display telephone;

a second memory for retrieving and storing a destination address; and

a transmitting section responsive at least in part to the session identifier received in a request for the source resource, for transmitting the source resource located at the source resource location address to a destination resource located at the destination address location via the Internet.

22. A system for linking a remote terminal in a data network environment with a plurality of network computers, wherein the network of computers contain a plurality of files, said system comprising:

a hosting device residing on a network computer and including;

a first memory, for retrieving and storing a source resource location address of a source resources including at least one of the plurality of files, and for storing a session identifier associated with the source resource and a user accessing the system from the remote terminal;

a second memory, for retrieving and storing a destination address associated with a second computer;

a transmitting section, responsive at least in part to receipt of the session identifier in a request for the source resource, for transmitting the source resource located at the source resource location address to a destination resource located at the destination address location; and

wherein said remote terminal is operable to indicate said source resource location address, said destination address, and cause said transmitting section to transmit.

23. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the data network environment is an Internet protocol environment.

24. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the remote terminal is a wireless terminal, and further comprises a wireless gateway connecting the wireless terminal to the Internet.

25. A system for linking a wireless display terminal in Internet protocol environment with a plurality of Internet servers, wherein the Internet servers contain a plurality of files containing hyperlinks, said system comprising:

a wireless gateway for connecting the wireless terminal with the Internet;

a hosting device residing on an Internet site server and including;

first memory, for retrieving and storing a source resource location address of a source resource, and for storing a session identifier associated with the source resource and a user accessing said system from the wireless terminal;

a second memory, for retrieving and storing a destination address; and

a transmitting section, responsive at least in part to receipt of the session identifier in a request for the source resource, for transmitting the source resource located at the source resource location address to the destination resource located at the destination resource location address via the internet; and

wherein the wireless terminal is operable to indicate said source resource location address, said destination address, and cause said transmitting section to transmit.

26. A computer for remotely directing data transfers comprising:

a memory containing;

a server computer program for;

presenting sources of desired data to a first remote address;

receiving a specific source address identifying desired data;

establishing a session identifier associated with the desired data and a user accessing said server computer from a remote wireless display terminal;

receiving the session identifier at the server in a request for the desired data together with a destination address different than said first remote address;

transferring, responsive at least in part to the session identifier received in the request for the desired data, the desired data from the location specified by the specific source address to the destination address via the Internet; and

a processor for running the computer program.

27. A computer as claimed in claim 26 wherein the specific source address is received by at least one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

28. A computer as claimed in claim 26 wherein the destination address is indicated by one of the group consisting of navigating hyperlinks, selecting from a list, and explicitly providing an address.

29. A computer as claimed in claim 26 wherein the computer is an Internet server.

30. A computer as claimed in claim 26 wherein the transferring of desired data is effected according to an internet protocol.

31. A computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to transfer data under remote direction, the computer system having a first memory for retrieving and storing a source resource location address, a second memory for retrieving and storing a destination address;

and a transmitting section for transmitting a source resource located at the source resource location address to a destination resource located at the destination location address, by performing the steps of;

storing the source resource location an address in the first memory under remote direction from a remote wireless display terminal;

establishing a session identifier associated with the data stored at the source resource location resource and a user at the remote wireless display terminal;

storing an the destination address in the second memory under remote direction from the remote wireless display terminal wherein said destination address in the second memory is different from the, source resource location address; and

transmitting, responsive at least in part to the session identifier received in a request for the data, the data so indicated by the source resource location address in the first memory to the destination address indicated in the second memory via the Internet.

32. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 31 wherein the addresses stored in the first and second memories and said first remote address refer to Internet protocol addresses on a computer network.

33. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 31 wherein the computer network is an Internet protocol network.