Method and architecture for interactive two-way communication devices to interact with a network

• US 7,003,284 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2002
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Laursen, Andrew L., Sandman, Brad E., Schwartz, Bruce V., Greer, Russell S., Boyle, Stephen S., Fox, Mark A., Rossmann, Alain S., Lentczner, Mark G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/142,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20020160790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/414.1, 455/550.1, 455/403, 455/517, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/426.2, 455/414.3, 455/445, 455/410, 455/411, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/466, 455/500, 379/67.1, 379/100.11, 379/100.01, 370/352, 370/389, 370/390, 370/392, 709/218, 709/219, 709/203, 709/202, 709/226, 709/237
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• 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: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

The invention allows access to the Internet by two-way mobile communication devices capable of wireless communication via a link server. Despite limited computing resources in the mobile devices, the invention allows the mobile devices to interact with Internet entities using a control engine in the link server and an interface engine in the mobile devices. The control engine utilizes the computing resources of the link server and handles tasks requiring considerable computing resources, such as processing of URL requests, interpreting markup language files, managing a data cache and variable states. Working with a message processor in the link server, the control engine communicates with an interface engine using a compact data format that is efficiently transportable in the wireless data network. The interface engine typically performs tasks that do not require considerable computing resources, such as receiving input from users and rendering data received from the link server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a link system a first resource request from a thin-client mobile device over a wireless network;

using a control engine in the link system to process the first resource request;

receiving a message at the link system from a resource on a landnet, the message corresponding to the first resource request; and

converting the message in the link system to a more compact format to facilitate transmission of the message over the wireless network, including substituting a uniform resource identifier in the message with a corresponding address identifier while maintaining the uniform resource identifier in the link system, the converted message for use by an interface engine in the thin-client mobile device to render information on a display device of the thin-client mobile device, wherein the interface engine uses substantially less computing resources than the control engine.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said converting the message comprises converting the message in the link system to screen description data that can be directly rendered on the display device of the thin-client mobile device by the interface engine.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a second resource request from the link system to a network server over a landnet based on a result of processing the first resource request.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the network server includes said resource, and wherein the message is in response to the second resource request from the link system.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the message comprises a mark-up language file, the method further comprising using the control engine in the link system to interpret the mark-up language file.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

initiating the control engine in the link system only after communication has been established between the link system and the mobile device; and

associating the control engine with the interface engine operating in the thin-client mobile device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said using the control engine in the link system comprises using the control engine to manage a data cache in the link system.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said using the control engine in the link system comprises using the control engine to manage variable states of data accessible to the mobile device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said using the control engine in the link system comprises using the control engine to manage push data to be sent to the mobile device.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising managing a user account of the mobile device in the link systems.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the interface engine in the mobile device to receive input from a user of the mobile device.

12. A method of allowing a two-way communication mobile device on a wireless network to access a network server on a landnet, the method comprising:

managing a user account of the mobile device in a link server coupled to the landnet;

establishing a communication session in the link server, to allow communication between the link server and the mobile device over the wireless network;

initiating a control engine in the link server after the communication session has been established;

associating the control engine with an interface engine operating in the mobile device corresponding to the user account;

using the control engine in the link server to process a first request from the mobile device and to generate a second request to the network server in response to the first request;

receiving a message at the link server from the network server over the landnet; and

converting the message in the link server to a compact data file to facilitate transmission of the message to the mobile device over the wireless network, including substituting a uniform resource identifier in the message with a corresponding address identifier while maintaining the uniform resource identifier in the link server, the compact data file to be rendered on a display device of the mobile device by the interface engine in the mobile device, wherein the interface engine uses substantially less computing resources than the control engine.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said converting the message comprises converting the message in the link system to screen description data that can be directly rendered on a display device of the thin-client mobile device by the interface engine operating in the thin-client mobile device.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising using the control engine in the link server to interpret a mark-up language file received from the network server.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising using the control engine to manage a data cache in the link server.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising using the control engine in the link server to manage variable states of data accessible to the mobile device.

17. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising using the control engine in the link server to manage push data destined for the mobile device.

18. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising using the interface engine in the mobile device to receive input from a user of the mobile device.

19. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising managing a user account of the mobile device in the link systems.

20. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the message comprises a mark-up language file.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the method further comprises using the control engine in the link system to interpret the mark-up language file.

22. A link system comprising:

a processor;

a connection to a wireless network;

a connection to a landnet; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the link system to perform a process that includes

receiving a first resource request from a thin-client mobile device on the wireless network;

processing the first resource request;

transmitting a second resource request to a network server over the landnet based on a result of said processing;

receiving a first message from a resource on the landnet; and

converting the message to a more compact format to facilitate transmission of the message over the wireless network, including substituting a uniform resource identifier in the message with a corresponding address identifier while maintaining the uniform resource identifier in the link system, the converted message for use by the thin-client mobile device to render information to a user of the thin-client mobile device.

23. A link system as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing the first resource request is done by a control engine in the link system;

wherein the thin-client mobile device uses an interface engine to render said information; and

wherein the interface engine uses substantially less computing resources than the control engine.

24. A link system as recited in claim 23, wherein said converting the message comprises converting the message in the link system to screen description data that can be directly rendered on a display device of the thin-client mobile device by the interface engine operating in the thin-client mobile device.

25. A link system as recited in claim 22, wherein the network server comprises said resource, and wherein the message is responsive to the second resource request.

26. A link system as recited in claim 22, wherein the message comprises a mark-up language file.

27. A link system as recited in claim 26, wherein the control engine interprets the mark-up language file.

28. A link server comprising:

an account manager to manage a user account of a thin-client mobile device on a wireless network;

a protocol interface to communicate with the thin-client mobile device over the wireless network;

a control engine to process a first request from the thin-client mobile device and to generate a second request for transmission to a resource on the landnet in response to the first request; and

a message processor to receive a message from the network server over the landnet and to convert the message to a compact data file to facilitate transmission of the message to the thin-client mobile device over the wireless network, the compact data file to be rendered on a display device of the thin-client mobile device by an interface engine operating in the mobile device, wherein the interface engine uses substantially less computing resources than the control engine; and

wherein the link server substitutes a uniform resource identifier in the message with a corresponding address identifier while maintaining the uniform resource identifier in the link server.

29. A link server as recited in claim 28, wherein the compact data file comprises screen description data that can be directly rendered on the display device of the thin-client mobile device by the interface engine.

30. A link server as recited in claim 28, further comprising transmitting a second resource request from the link system to a network server over a landnet based on a result of processing the first resource request.

31. A link server as recited in claim 30, wherein the network server includes said resource, and wherein the message is in response to the second resource request from the link server.

32. A link server as recited in claim 31, wherein the message comprises a mark-up language file, and wherein the control engine interprets the mark-up language file.

33. A link server as recited in claim 28, wherein the control engine manages a data cache in the link system.

34. A link server as recited in claim 33, wherein the control engine manages variable states of data accessible to the mobile device.

35. A link server as recited in claim 34, wherein the control engine manages push data to be sent to the mobile device.

36. A system, coupling a wireless network to a landnet, to enable an interactive two-way mobile communication device having a display screen to interact with a network server, wherein the mobile communication device is coupled to the wireless network and the network server is coupled to the landnet, the system comprising:

a memory storing code for a server module;

a data storage device to maintain a user account for the mobile communication device; and

a processor, coupled to the memory and the data storage device, to execute the code in the memory to cause the server module to;

execute a control engine associated with an interface engine executing in the mobile communication device;

receive a notification from the network server over the landnet using a first communication protocol;

buffer the notification;

examine whether there is an entry in a notification list maintained in the memory that is substantially equivalent to the notification;

replace the entry with the notification if there is an entry in a notification list maintained in the memory that is substantially equivalent to the notification;

insert sequentially the notification in the notification list if the entry is not substantially equivalent to the notification;

generate a compact message from the notification; and

send the compact message to the mobile communication device over the wireless network using a second communication protocol.

37. A system as recited in claim 36, wherein the processor further executes the code in the memory to cause the server module to establish an account manager to manage a user account of the mobile communication device, and to use the user account to ensure that the control engine operates in concert with the interface engine.

38. A system as recited in claim 37, wherein the user account is established when the mobile communication device sends a request over the wireless network to establish a communication session with the server module.

39. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein the notification represents a World Wide Web page;

and wherein the compact message is a screen description data file that can be directly rendered by the interface engine in the mobile communication device.

40. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein the notification comprises a markup language file.

41. A system as recited in claim 40, wherein the markup language file is in a markup language selected from the group consisting of:

Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML), HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Extensible Markup Language (XML).

42. A system as recited in claim 41, wherein the processor further executes the code in the memory to cause the server module to receive display characteristics information of the display screen of the mobile communication device when the communication session is established.

43. A system as recited in claim 42, wherein the compact message is generated from the notification with respect to the display characteristics information, such that contents in the notification can be properly displayed on the display screen of the mobile communication device according to the received compact message.

44. A system as recited in claim 43, wherein the notification requires inputs from a user operating the mobile communication device;

and wherein, upon receiving a client request from the interface engine executing in the mobile communication device, the client request including inputs, the processor further is to execute the code in the memory to cause the server module to;

generate locally and dynamically a second message from the notification, the second message incorporating the inputs;

convert the second message into a second compact message; and

return the second compact message to the mobile communication device over the wireless network, for use by the mobile communication device in producing a display.

45. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein the processor further is to execute the code in the memory to cause the server module to:

determine uniform resource identifiers in the notification;

substitute each of the uniform resource identifiers with one address identifier; and

maintain an address table to keep the each of the uniform resource identifiers associated with the one address identifier.

46. A system as recited in claim 45, wherein, upon receiving a client request from the interface engine executing in the mobile communication device;

the processor executes the code in the memory to cause the server module to;

retrieve each of the uniform resource identifiers from the address table with respect to the one address identifier;

wherein the client request containing the one address identifier is generated when a user makes a selection in the mobile communication device;

generate an updated client request with each of the uniform resource identifiers therein; and

forward the updated client request to the network server.

47. A system as recited in claim 36, wherein the notification comprises an alert type and a uniform resource identifier.

48. A system as recited in claim 47, wherein the processor further is to execute the code in the memory to cause the server module to:

substitute the uniform resource identifier with an address identifier;

maintain an address table to keep the uniform resource identifier associated with the address identifier;

generate from the notification an updated notification comprising the address identifier; and

send the updated notification to the mobile communication device.

49. A system as recited in claim 48, wherein, upon receiving a client request from the mobile communication device, the processor further is to execute the code in the memory to cause the server module to:

retrieve the uniform resource identifier from the address table with respect to the client request including the address identifier;

generate from the client request an updated client request comprising the uniform resource identifier; and

fetch information from a network server identified by the uniform resource identifier.

50. A method of enabling an interactive two-way mobile communication device coupled to a wireless network to interact with a network server coupled to a landnet, the method comprising:

operating a control engine in a link system coupled to the wireless network and the landnet, the control engine associated with an interface engine executing in the mobile communication device;

receiving a notification comprising an alert type and a network resource identifier from the network server at the link system over the landnet; and

operating the link system to substitute the network resource identifier with an address identifier;

operating the link system to maintain an address table to keep the network resource identifier associated with the address identifier;

operating the link system to generate from the notification an updated notification comprising the address identifier; and

operating the link system to send the updated notification to the mobile communication device.

51. A method as recited in claim 50, further comprising operating an account manager in the link system to manage a user account of the mobile communication device, the user account for use by the link system to ensure that the control engine operates in concert with the interface engine.

52. A method as recited in claim 51, further comprising establishing the user account in response to the mobile communication device sending a request over the wireless network to establish a communication session with a server module in the link system.

53. A method as recited in claim 50, wherein the notification represents a web page;

and wherein the updated notification comprises a screen description data file that can be directly rendered by the interface engine in the mobile communication device.

54. A method as recited in claim 53, wherein the notification comprises a markup language file.

55. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein the markup language file is in a markup language selected from the group consisting of:

Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML), HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) and Extensible Markup Language (XML).

56. A method as recited in claim 50, further comprising operating the link system to receive display characteristics information of a display screen of the mobile communication device when a communication session is established with the mobile communication device.

57. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein the updated notification is generated from the notification with respect to the display characteristics information, such that contents in the notification can be properly displayed on the display screen of the mobile communication device according to the received updated notification.

58. A method as recited in claim 50, further comprising:

operating the link system to determine network resource identifiers in the notification;

operating the link system to substitute each of the network resource identifiers with one address identifier; and

maintaining an address table in the link system to keep each of the network resource identifiers associated with the one address identifier.

59. A method as recited in claim 58, further comprising, upon receiving a client request from the mobile communication device:

operating the link system to retrieve each of the network resource identifiers from the address table with respect to the one address identifier;

wherein the client request containing the one address identifier is generated when a user makes a selection in the mobile communication device;

operating the link system to generate an updated client request with each of the network resource identifiers therein; and

forward the updated client request from the link system to the network server.

60. A method as recited in claim 50, further comprising:

operating the link system to examine whether there is an entry in a notification list maintained in the memory that is substantially equivalent to the notification;

operating the link system to replace the entry with the notification if there is an entry in a notification list maintained in the memory that is substantially equivalent to the notification; and

operating the link system to insert sequentially the notification in the notification list if the entry is not substantially equivalent to the notification.

61. A method as recited in claim 50, further comprising, upon receiving a client request from the mobile communication device:

operating the link system to retrieve the network resource identifier from the address table;

operating the link system to generate from the client request an updated client request comprising the network resource identifier; and

operating the link system to fetch information from a network server identified by the network resource identifier.