Method and system for network access over a low bandwidth link

• US 6,845,102 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1997
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bittmann, Ran M., Bendelac, Chaim, Samburski, Kobi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, CHI HO A
• Application Number:
  US08/948,534
• Time in Patent Office: 2,658 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/401, 370/402, 370/404, 370/405, 370/406, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 707/10, 707/101, 707/9, 707/100, 707/104, 707/513, 709/203, 709/217, 709/216, 709/219, 709/220, 709/228, 709/227, 709/236, 709/311
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC

Abstract

A method and system are provided for transmitting information from a faster network to a data terminal via a slower network connection. The invention is adapted for use with any Internet access device or terminal, such as an Internet-compatible telephone. A client connects to the Internet via an intermediary software program, known as the Gateway (GW). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the GW executes on a host computer of an ISP'"'"'s Local Area Network (LAN). The GW thus mediates the data transfer between the Internet, such as the Web, and the client Internet terminal. The GW employs a point-to-point Internet protocol, the Gateway Interface Protocol (GWIP) to communicate with the client over the low-bandwidth link. The invention shifts the entire overhead of the Internet protocol stack to the GW, and does not involve the Internet terminal or the slow link between Internet terminal and GW. The GW makes and negotiates multiple Internet requests, in parallel, and multiplexes the resulting data streams, allowing documents to be loaded in parallel with their associated images. The GW may also be used to conveniently customize or upgrade the Internet terminal. The GW performs off-line services and caches commonly used information fetched from the Internet. The invention is also readily adapted for use with Internet access devices that require different document formats.

Claims

1. A method for accessing network information during a communication session between a client terminal and a host, said method comprising:

identifying, using an intermediary component located between the client terminal and the host, configuration information on the client terminal, said configuration information specifying a physical display parameter of the client terminal;

forwarding a request for network information received at said intermediary component from the client terminal to the host;

retrieving from the host a data set responsive to the request in accordance with the physical display parameter of the client terminal set forth in the configuration information, said retrieving performed using said intermediary component;

after retrieving the data set, filtering the data set at said intermediary component to reduce the amount of display information contained in the data set; and

transmitting said filtered data set from said intermediary component to the client terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said retrieving includes decompressing a portion of the data set.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accounting for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said client terminal is an Internet compatible telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding a command to perform an off-line search received from the client terminal to the host.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a user profile of the client terminal at the client terminal;

storing the user profile in a memory associated with the client terminal; and

causing information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with the user profile in response to said issuing.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forwarding a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.

8. A method of using a host for conducting a communication session between a client terminal and a host, the host hosting information, the method comprising:

receiving an initiation command at the host from the client terminal to initiate a communications link between the client terminal and the host;

obtaining configuration information at the host from the client terminal, the configuration information specifying characteristics of the client terminal;

receiving a first plurality of requests at the host from the client terminal;

sending a component of each request among the first plurality of requests from the host to a corresponding network server among a second plurality of network servers;

procuring at the host a third plurality of data sets from the second plurality of network servers, wherein each data set among the third plurality of data sets is responsive to an associated request among the first plurality of requests;

transforming at the host a portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets into a fourth plurality of transformed data sets in accordance with the configuration information; and

multiplexing from the host to the client terminal said fourth plurality of transformed data sets.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said transforming includes filtering said portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets to reduce the amount of display information.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising further accounting for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said client terminal is an Internet compatible telephone.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

causing information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with a user profile.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

forwarding a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.

14. An apparatus for accessing network information during a communication session between a client terminal and a host, said apparatus comprising:

an identification module configured to identify, using an intermediary component located between the client terminal and the host, configuration information on the client terminal, said configuration information specifying a physical display parameter at the client terminal;

a forwarding module configured to forward a request for network information received at said intermediary component from the client terminal to the host;

a retrieving module configured to retrieve from the host a data set responsive to the request in accordance with the display requirements of the client terminal set forth in the configuration information, said retrieving module located at said intermediary component;

a filtering module configured to filter out information from the data set at said intermediary component that is irrelevant to a display configuration of the client terminal after retrieving the data set; and

a transmitting module configured to transmit said filtered data set from said intermediary component to the client terminal.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said filtering module is further configured to decompress a portion of the data set.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

an accounting module configured to account for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the client terminal is an Internet compatible telephone.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

a sending module configured to send to the host a command to perform an off-line search received from the client terminal.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

a creating module configured to create a user profile of the client terminal at the client terminal;

a storing module configured to store the user profile in a memory associated with the client terminal; and

a customization module configured to cause information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with the user profile in response to issuing the configuration information.

20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

a sending module configured to send a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.

21. An apparatus for conducting a communication session between a client terminal and a host, the host hosting information, the apparatus comprising:

a retrieving module configured to retrieve an initiation command from the client terminal to the host to initiate a communications link between the client terminal and the host;

an obtaining module configured to obtain information from the client terminal, the configuration information specifying characteristics of the client terminal;

a receiving module configured to receive a first plurality of requests from the client terminal;

a sending module configured to send a component of each request among the first plurality of requests from the host to a corresponding network server among a second plurality of network servers;

a procuring module configured to procure a third plurality of data sets from the second plurality of network servers, wherein each data set among the third plurality of data sets is responsive to an associated request among the first plurality of requests;

a transforming module configured to transform at the host a portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets into a fourth plurality of transformed data sets in accordance with the configuration information; and

a multiplexing module configured to multiplex from the host to the client terminal said fourth plurality of transformed data sets.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said transforming module includes a filtering module configured to filter said portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets to reduce the amount of display information.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, comprising further an accounting module for accounting for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said client terminal is an internet compatible telephone.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a customization module configured to cause information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with a user profile.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a forwarding module configured to forward a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.

27. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for accessing network information during a communication session between a client terminal and a host, said method comprising:

identifying, using an intermediary component located between the client terminal and the host, configuration information on the client terminal, said configuration information specifying a physical display parameter of the client terminal;

forwarding a request for network information received at said intermediary component from the client terminal to the host;

retrieving from the host a data set responsive to the request in accordance with the physical display parameter of the client terminal set forth in the configuration information, said retrieving performed using said intermediary component;

after retrieving the data set, filtering the data set at said intermediary component to reduce the amount of display information contained in the data set; and

transmitting said filtered data set from said intermediary component to the client terminal.

28. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein said retrieving includes decompressing a portion of the data set.

29. A device in accordance with claim 27 wherein said method further comprises:

accounting for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

30. A device in accordance with claim 27, wherein said client terminal is an Internet compatible telephone.

31. A device in accordance with claim 27 wherein said method further comprises:

forwarding a command to perform an off-line search received from the client terminal to the host.

32. A device in accordance with claim 27 wherein said method further comprises:

creating a user profile of the client terminal at the client terminal;

storing the user profile in a memory associated with the client terminal; and

causing information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with the user profile in response to said issuing.

33. A device in accordance with claim 27 wherein said method further comprises:

forwarding a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.

34. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for conducting a communication session with a host between a client terminal and a host, the host hosting information, said method comprising:

retrieving an initiation command at the host from the client terminal to initiate a communications link between the client terminal and the host;

obtaining configuration information at the host from the client terminal, the configuration information specifying characteristics of the client terminal;

receiving a first plurality of requests at the host from the client terminal;

sending a component of each request among the first plurality of requests from the host to a corresponding network server among a second plurality of network servers;

procuring at the host a third plurality of data sets from the second plurality of network servers, wherein each data set among the third plurality of data sets is responsive to an associated request among the first plurality of requests;

transforming at the host a portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets into a fourth plurality of transformed data sets in accordance with the configuration information; and

multiplexing from the host to the client terminal said fourth plurality of transformed data sets.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein said transforming includes filtering said portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets to reduce the amount of display information.

36. The device of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises accounting for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

37. The device of claim 34, wherein said client terminal is an internet compatible telephone.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

causing information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with a user profile.

39. The device of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

forwarding a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.

40. An apparatus for accessing network information during a communication session between a client terminal and a host, said apparatus comprising:

means for identifying, using an intermediary component located between the client terminal and the host, configuration information on the client terminal, said configuration information specifying a physical display parameter of the client terminal;

means for forwarding a request for network information received at said intermediary component from the client terminal to the host;

means for retrieving from the host a data set responsive to the request in accordance with the physical display parameter of the client terminal set forth in the configuration information, said retrieving performed using said intermediary component;

means for after retrieving the data set, filtering the data set at said intermediary component to reduce the amount of display information contained in the data set; and

means for transmitting said filtered data set from said intermediary component to the client terminal.

41. An apparatus in accordance with claim 40, wherein said means for filtering includes means for decompressing a portion of the data set.

42. An apparatus in accordance with claim 40, further comprising:

means for accounting for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

43. An apparatus in accordance with claim 40, wherein said client terminal is an Internet compatible telephone.

44. An apparatus in accordance with claim 40, further comprising:

means for forwarding a command to perform an off-line search received from the client terminal to the host.

45. An apparatus in accordance with claim 40, further comprising:

means for creating a user profile of the client terminal at the client terminal;

means for storing the user profile in a memory associated with the client terminal; and

means for causing information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with the user profile in response to said means for issuing.

46. An apparatus in accordance with claim 40, further comprising:

means for sending a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.

47. An apparatus for conducting a communication session between a client terminal and a host, the host hosting information wherein the apparatus is an intermediary component and located between the client terminal and the host, the apparatus comprising:

means for forwarding an initiation command received from the client terminal to the host to establish a communications link between the client terminal and the host;

means for obtaining configuration information at the host from the client terminal, the configuration information specifying a physical display parameter of the client terminal;

means for accepting a request for information at the host from the client terminal;

means for sending a component of the request to the host;

means for receiving a data set from the host in response to said sending;

means for transforming the data set in accordance with to the configuration information, said means for transforming including means for filtering the data set at the host, after receiving the data set from the network server, to reduce the amount of information contained in the data set; and

means for transmitting the transformed data set to the client terminal.

48. An apparatus in accordance with claim 47, wherein said means for filtering includes means for stripping redundant characters contained in the data set.

49. An apparatus in accordance with claim 47, wherein said means for filtering includes means for compressing a portion of the data set.

50. An apparatus in accordance with claim 47, further comprising:

means for accumulating a portion of the data set into a cache memory associated with the host.

51. An apparatus in accordance with claim 47, further comprising:

means for accounting for the client terminal'"'"'s use of the host during the communication session.

52. An apparatus in accordance with claim 47, further comprising:

means for receiving a command from the client terminal to perform an off-line search.

53. An apparatus in accordance with claim 47 further comprising:

means for receiving a request from the client terminal to upgrade a software unit on the client terminal; and

means for upgrading the software unit on the client terminal from the host, said means for upgrading responsive to the request.

54. An apparatus for conducting a communication session between a client terminal and a host, the host hosting information, the apparatus comprising:

means for retrieving an initiation command from the client terminal to initiate a communications link between the client terminal and a host;

means for obtaining configuration information from the client terminal, the configuration information specifying characteristics of the client terminal;

means for receiving a first plurality of requests from the client terminal;

means for sending a component of each request among the first plurality of requests from the host to a corresponding network server among a second plurality of network servers;

means for procuring a third plurality of data sets from the second plurality of network servers to the host, wherein each data set among the third plurality of data sets is responsive to an associated request among the first plurality of requests;

means for transforming at the host a portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets into a fourth plurality of transformed data sets in accordance with the configuration information; and

means for multiplexing from the host to the client terminal said fourth plurality of transfigured data sets.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said means for transforming includes means for filtering said portion of each data set among the third plurality of data sets to reduce the amount of display information.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, comprising further means for accounting for use of the client terminal during the communication session.

57. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said client terminal is an internet compatible telephone.

58. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising:

means for causing information delivered to the client terminal to be customized in accordance with a user profile.

59. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising:

means for forwarding a software upgrade request received from the client terminal to the host to cause an upgrade of a software unit on the client terminal.