Device registry for automatic connection and data exchange between pervasive devices and backend systems

• US 6,941,148 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stober, Thomas, Hansmann, Uwe, Merk, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise, Emmanuel L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Perez, Julio
• Application Number:
  US09/798,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/418, 455/414, 455/403, 455/406, 455/456, 455/419, 455/435.1, 455/433, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 342/457, 342/463, 342/464
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to communication improvements between a mobile device (12) and backend system (20) applications. A special purpose server computer—a Device Registry Server (18)—is switched between a large variety of different mobile device types (12) and a plurality of backend systems (20) for improving the communication between a mobile device and a backend system. The server (18) stores information usable for facilitating communication setup, operation and maintenance of device applications. Preferably, a ready-to-use, already customized device-type specific application can be downloaded from said server (18) to a variety of different mobile devices which is then used for easily communicate with any desired backend system (20).

Claims

1. A method for communication between a mobile device and a backend system, characterized by the steps of:

establishing a first communication connection between the mobile device and a Device Registry Server (DRS);

receiving a selection from the mobile device of a backend application of the backend system with which the mobile device is to communicate;

determining if a download of a device application from the Device Registry Server to the mobile device is needed for communication between the mobile device and the backend application;

downloading the device application from the Device Registry Server to the mobile device if a download of the device application is needed; and

establishing a second communication connection between the Device Registry Server and the backend system in order to be able to exchange data between the device application on the mobile device and the backend application of the backend system.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of offering an option to a user of the mobile device to delete at least one application component from the mobile device after use.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the device application on the mobile device is a latest version, and

if the device application is not the latest version, downloading the latest version to the mobile device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device stores a plurality of Device Registry Server addresses, and wherein the Device Registry Server is located based on one of the plurality of Device Registry Server addresses.

9. A computer program comprising code portions adapted for performing the steps according to the method according to claim 1, when said program is executed in a computing device.

10. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 1, if said program product is executed on said computer.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

exchanging subsequent data directly between the device application on the mobile device and the backend application of the backend system.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first communication connection includes a device identification, an application identification, and a download-desired flag, wherein the device identification identifies the mobile device, and wherein the application identification identifies a device application selected by a user of the mobile device, and wherein the download-desired flag indicates whether the user of the mobile device desires the download of the device application selected.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein determining if a download of a device application from the Device Registry Server to the mobile device is needed for communication between the mobile device and the backend application further comprising the steps of:

checking the device identification against a device registry of the Device Registry Server to determine if the mobile device is supported;

if the mobile device is supported, evaluating the application identification against the device registry to determine if a device application is selected by the user of the mobile device; and

if the device application is selected by the user of the mobile device, evaluating the download-desired flag to determine if a download of the device application selected is desired by the user of the mobile device.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

if the device application is not selected by the user of the mobile device, sending a list of device applications available for download to the mobile device, wherein the device applications available for download is stored in a device application repository of the Device Registry Server.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein establishing a second communication connection between the Device Registry Server and the backend system further comprising the steps of:

identifying a backend system from a plurality of backend systems using a backend selection unit of the Device Registry Server, wherein the backend selection unit performs a lookup of backend systems in a table, wherein the table includes a plurality of device identifications and corresponding backend system application identifications.

5. A communication method between a mobile device and a backend system comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a communication between a mobile device and a backend system,

selecting a particular backend system application matching the request, the system application having application components,

routing the communication request to the particular backend system,

keeping application components ready for a selection by and/or a download to a mobile device,

responsive to receiving a request from the mobile device for selection of at least one application component, determining if a download of the application component is needed based on the communication request,

if download of the application component is needed, downloading the application component to the mobile device.

establishing a connection to the particular backend system application responsive to a request from the mobile device for application data, and

exchanging application data between the application component on the mobile device and the particular backend application of the backend system.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein selecting a particular backend system application matching the request includes selecting the matching backend system application from a table storing at least a plurality of mobile device Ids and respective backend system application Ids.

7. A server computer having means for performing the method of claim 5.

8. The server computer according to the claim 7, comprising an application repository comprising available application components, a filter mechanism for selecting components for a specific mobile device, and a routing component for establishing a connection between a selected backend system application and the specific mobile device.