Method and system for implementing URL scheme proxies on a computer system

• US 6,850,986 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Peacock, Gavin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELGADO, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/814,530
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 709/228, 709/202, 709/232, 370/349, 370/466
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and system for implementing URL scheme proxies. Embodiments of the invention allow URL schemes that are not natively supported by a computer to be supported via proxy, e.g., using a URL scheme that is native to the computer to forward the non-native transport. More specifically, embodiments of the invention allow a first computer system to support a first URL scheme by encapsulating its transport information into another URL scheme that is natively supported by the first computer. The encapsulated information is then forwarded to a second computer system or server which can provide support for the first URL scheme transport. For instance, if the first computer supports http but does not support ftp, then an ftp transport can be encapsulated inside an http transport and then forwarded to an ftp server which can then extract and process the ftp transport. The ftp response can be handled in an analogous fashion. The invention increases the native URL scheme capabilities of a computer system by proxy. In one embodiment, a system registry is used in order to determine which helper code to use for a particular URL scheme. The selection of helper code and whether native or proxy support is selected are tasks that are transparent to the application. The invention can allow a device with no Internet access to act, transparently, as if it has Internet access.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a first computer system comprising a processor coupled to a bus, a memory coupled to a bus and wherein said memory comprises an application program and a system registry, said system registry having registered therein information regarding a plurality of URL schemes and associated helper code for implementing URL schemes and wherein a first URL scheme is natively implemented and wherein a second URL scheme is implemented by proxy; and

a second computer system communicatively coupled to said first computer system and for receiving first information forwarded from said first computer system, said first information being of said first URL scheme and having encapsulated therein second information being of said second URL scheme and wherein said second computer system recognizes and processes said second information natively.

2. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein said first computer system is a personal digital assistant.

3. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein said first URL scheme is a hot sync scheme.

4. A communication system as described in claim 3 wherein said second URL scheme is an http scheme.

5. A communication system as described in claim 3 wherein said second URL scheme is an email scheme.

6. A communication system as described in claim 1 wherein said first URL scheme is an http scheme and wherein said second URL scheme is an ftp scheme.

7. A communication method comprising the steps of:

a) maintaining, in a first device, a system registry having registered therein information regarding a plurality of URL schemes and associated helper code for implementing each registered URL scheme and wherein a first URL scheme is natively implemented and wherein a second URL scheme is implemented by proxy;

b) an application of said first device requesting a communication of said second URL scheme;

c) in response to step b), indexing said system registry to determine that said first URL scheme is a proxy for said second URL scheme;

d) encapsulating said communication of said second URL scheme into a proxy communication of said first URL scheme; and

e) forwarding said proxy communication to a second device that natively implements said second URL scheme.

8. A method as described in claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

f) said second device receiving and unpacking said proxy communication to obtain said communication of said second URL scheme;

g) said second device processing said communication of said second URL scheme; and

h) said second device generating a response to said first device, said response being encapsulated into a communication of said first URL scheme.

9. A method as described in claim 7 wherein said first device is a personal digital assistant.

10. A method as described in claim 9 wherein said second device is a web hosted server.

11. A method as described in claim 7 wherein said first URL scheme is a hot sync scheme.

12. A method as described in claim 11 wherein said second URL scheme is an http scheme.

13. A method as described in claim 11 wherein said second URL scheme is an email scheme.

14. A method as described in claim 7 wherein said first URL scheme is an http scheme and wherein said second URL scheme is an ftp scheme.

15. A computer system having a processor and a memory unit and comprising:

a memory resident system registry having registered therein information regarding a plurality of URL schemes and associated helper code for implementing URL schemes and wherein a first URL scheme is natively implemented and wherein a second URL scheme is implemented by proxy, said proxy being said first URL scheme;

an application for requesting a communication of said second URL scheme; and

a system task for indexing said system registry in response to said request and for determining that said first URL scheme is a proxy for said second URL scheme;

said system task also for encapsulating said communication of said second URL scheme into a proxy communication of said first URL scheme; and

said system task also for forwarding said proxy communication to a second device that natively implements said second URL scheme.

16. A computer system as described in claim 15 wherein said second device is for receiving and unpacking said proxy communication to obtain said communication of said second URL scheme;

said second device for processing said communication; and

said second device for generating a response to said first device, said response being encapsulated into a communication of said first URL scheme.

17. A computer system as described in claim 15 wherein said first device is a personal digital assistant.

18. A computer system as described in claim 17 wherein said second device is a web hosted server.

19. A computer system as described in claim 15 wherein said first URL scheme is a hot sync scheme.

20. A computer system as described in claim 19 wherein said second URL scheme is an http scheme.

21. A computer system as described in claim 19 wherein said second URL scheme is an email scheme.

22. A computer system as described in claim 15 wherein said first URL scheme is an http scheme and wherein said second URL scheme is an ftp scheme.