Methods and apparatus for selectively providing user-specific information to origin servers in wireless application protocol applications

• US 6,865,171 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2000
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Nilsson, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/639,936
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/338, 370/401, 370/466, 370351-356, 370/465, 370/349, 709/208, 709/203
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A meta markup language (e.g., an adaptation of XML) includes a specific tag which is optionally sent from a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) terminal when issuing requests aimed at a network origin server. The specific tag can be replaced by an intermediary WAP proxy or WAP gateway so that user-specific information can be inserted into the request at the discretion of a terminal user. Exemplary embodiments thus give WAP terminal users complete control over whether certain, potentially sensitive, information is transmitted to a network origin server during a request.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) terminal communicating, via a WAP gateway, with a network protocol origin server,

wherein said WAP terminal selectively includes a tag in a request sent, via the WAP gateway, to the origin server, and

wherein the WAP gateway, prior to forwarding the request from the WAP terminal to the origin server, modifies the request to include user-specific information when the tag is present.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag is included in the request at the discretion of a user of the WAP terminal.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user-specific information is calling-party number associated with the WAP terminal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user-specific information is prevailing geographic position of the WAP terminal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the request is a GET request, and wherein the origin server provides, in response to the GET request, content adapted to the prevailing position of the WAP terminal.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the WAP gateway obtains the prevailing position of the WAP terminal from a wireless communications network in which the WAP terminal is operating.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the WAP gateway obtains the prevailing position of the WAP terminal from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the wireless communications network, and wherein the MSC obtains the prevailing position of the WAP terminal via one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a Mobile Positioning System (MPS).

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said WAP gateway modifies the request only when the tag is present.

8. A method of sending a request from a Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP) terminal, via a WAP gateway, to a network protocol origin server, comprising the steps of:

selectively including a tag in the request at the terminal;

forwarding the request from the terminal to the gateway;

modifying the request, at the gateway, to include user-specific information when the tag is present in the request; and

forwarding the request from the gateway to the server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the tag is included in the request at the discretion of a user of the WAP terminal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user-specific information is calling-party number associated with the WAP terminal.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the user-specific information is prevailing geographic position of the WAP terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request is a GET request, and wherein the origin server, in response to the GET request, returns content adapted to the prevailing position of the WAP terminal.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the WAP gateway obtains the prevailing position of the WAP terminal from a wireless communications network in which the WAP terminal is operating.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the WAP gateway obtains the prevailing position of the WAP terminal from a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the wireless communications network, and wherein the MSC obtains the prevailing position of the WAP terminal via one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a Mobile Positioning System (MPS).

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of modifying further comprises the step of:

modifying the request, at the gateway, to include user-specific information only when the tag is present in the request.

17. A WAP terminal comprising:

a transceiver for communicating a request for information available on the Internet over an air interface;

an input device for permitting a user to enter control input into the WAP terminal; and

a processor for selectively appending a tag associated with user-specific information to said request for information available on the Internet based on said control input, wherein a WAP gateway, prior to forwarding the request from the WAP terminal to an origin server, can modify the request to include user-specific information when the tag is present.

18. The WAP terminal of claim 17, wherein the user-specific information is a calling-party number associated with the WAP terminal.

19. The WAP terminal of claim 17, wherein the user-specific information is a prevailing geographic position of the WAP terminal.

20. The WAP terminal of claim 19, wherein the request is a GET requests and wherein an origin server provides, in response to the GET request, content adapted to the prevailing position of the WAP terminal.

21. The WAP terminal of claim 19, wherein a WAP gateway obtains the prevailing position of the WAP terminal in response to receipt of said tag from a wireless communications network in which the WAP terminal is operating.