Computer network system, computer system, method for communication between computer systems, method for measuring computer system performance, and storage medium

• US 7,080,147 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hirota, Mikito, Yabuta, Kazuhiro, Wang, Xiaozhou
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US09/952,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/218, 709/224, 709227-229, 709/245, 709/246, 703/22, 717134-135
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

To provide a technique for connection from a conventional personal computer having no terminal ID to a service site for mobile phone terminals. A simulation server 4 is set as the proxy server for a personal computer 5 or 9. In the proxy server (simulation server 4), terminal ID'"'"'s suitable for the format are generated, and a cookie is generated for each personal computer or session. The terminal ID'"'"'s and cookies are related and stored as a hash table 10. In the proxy server 4, a terminal ID is appended to a request from the personal computer 5 or 9, and the request is transferred to an i-mode server 3 along with the terminal ID.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

terminals identified with an inherent terminal identifier;

a communication network for communicating voice, data, and other information among said terminals;

a gateway for connecting said communication network to a computer network, and appending said inherent terminal identifier to a first request for service;

a first computer system connected to said computer network, for referring to said inherent terminal identifier to provide the service in response to said first request;

a second computer system connected to said computer network;

a third computer system connected to said first computer system through said second computer system, wherein said second computer system includes;

a unit for generating a second terminal identifier suitable for the format of said inherent terminal identifier;

a unit for generating a session control identifier related to said third computer system;

a unit for relating said second terminal identifier to said session control identifier; and

a unit responsive to a second request from said third computer system for appending said second terminal identifier to said second request, and sending said second request to said first computer system.

2. The computer network system according to claim 1, wherein said terminals are mobile phones;

said third computer system is a personal computer system; and

said session control identifier is information recorded in the cookie of said third computer system.

3. The computer network system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said second terminal identifier and said session control identifier are uniquely and statically related during a communication session between said first computer system and said third computer system.

4. A computer system enabled to access a first computer system that is capable of receiving a first request accompanied by an inherent terminal identifier, and referring to said inherent terminal identifier to respond to said request, said computer system comprising:

a unit for generating a second terminal identifier suitable for the format of said inherent terminal identifier;

a unit for generating a session control identifier related to a third computer system having no said inherent terminal identifier;

a unit for relating said second terminal identifier and said session control identifier; and

a unit responsive to a second request from said third computer system for appending said second terminal identifier to said second request, and sending said second request to said first computer system, wherein

said inherent terminal identifier and said second terminal identifier suitable for a service site for mobile phone terminals and said third computer system different than a mobile phone terminal.

5. The computer system according to claim 4, wherein said third computer system is a personal computer system, and said session control identifier is information recorded in the cookie of said third computer system.

6. The computer system according to claim 5, further comprising:

a unit for pre-generating a plurality of said second terminal identifiers;

a unit responsive to an access from said third computer system for obtaining the information in the cookie from said third computer system, and determining whether said cookie has been issued by said third computer system;

a unit for selecting one of the plurality of said second terminal identifiers if said determination is “

false,” and

generating a cookie including said selected second terminal identifier;

a unit for relating said selected second terminal identifier and said cookie, and storing them; and

a unit for appending said second terminal identifier to said request, and sending said request to said first computer system.

7. The computer system according to claim 6, comprising:

a unit for referring to the information on the cookie to obtain said second terminal identifier contained in said cookie if said determination is “

true”

; and

a unit for appending said second terminal identifier to said request, and sending said request to said first computer system.

8. The computer system according to claim 6, wherein said cookie is further appended to said second request.

9. The computer system according to any of claims 4–

8, wherein said second terminal identifier and said session control identifier are uniquely and statically related during the communication session between said first computer system and third computer system.

10. A method for communication between a first computer system and a third computer system connected to said first computer system through a second computer system, said first computer system being capable of receiving a first request accompanied by an inherent terminal identifier, and referring to said inherent terminal identifier to respond to said first request, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a second terminal identifier suitable for the format of said inherent terminal identifier;

generating a session control identifier related to said third computer system having no said inherent terminal identifier;

relating said second terminal identifier and said session control identifier; and

responding to a second request from said third computer system for appending said second terminal identifier to said second request, and sending said second request to said first computer system, wherein

said inherent terminal identifier and said second terminal identifier suitable for a service site for mobile phone terminals and said third computer system different than a mobile phone terminal.

11. A method for communication according to claim 10, wherein said third computer system is a personal computer system, said method further comprising a step of recording said session control identifier in the cookie of said third computer system.

12. A method for communication according to claim 11, comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of said second terminal identifiers;

responding to an access from said third computer system to obtain the information in the cookie from said third computer system;

determining whether said cookie has been issued by said second computer system;

selecting, if said determination is “

false,”

one second terminal identifier from said plurality of said second terminal identifiers, and generating a cookie containing said selected second terminal identifier;

relating said selected second terminal identifier and the information in said cookie, and storing them; and

appending said second terminal identifier to said second request, and sending said second request to said first computer system.

13. A method for communication according to claim 12, comprising the steps of:

referring to said cookie to obtain the second terminal identifier contained in said cookie, if said determination is “

true”

; and

appending said second terminal identifier to said request, and sending said second request to said first computer system.

14. A method for communication according to claim 12, wherein said cookie is further appended to said second request.

15. A method for communication according to any of claims 10–

14, wherein said second terminal identifier and said session control identifier are uniquely and statically related during the communication session between said first computer system and said third computer system.

16. A method for measuring the performance of a first computer system capable of receiving a first request accompanied by an inherent terminal identifier, and referring to said inherent terminal identifier to respond to said first request, in which a general-purpose Web test tool is installed in a third computer system connected to said first computer system through a second computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a second terminal identifier suitable for the format of said inherent terminal identifier;

generating a related session control identifier for each user of said Web test tool;

relating said second terminal identifier and said session control identifier; and

responding to a request from each user for appending said second terminal identifier to said second request, and sending said second request to said first computer system, wherein

said inherent terminal identifier and said second terminal identifier suitable for a service site for mobile phone terminals and said third computer system different than a mobile phone terminal.

17. The method for measuring performance according to claim 16, further comprising a step of recording said session control identifier in said cookie for each user, wherein said session control identifier and said second terminal identifier are uniquely and statically related during the communication session between said user and said first computer system.

18. In a storage medium on which a computer-readable program is stored for enabling a computer to implement communication between a first computer system and a third computer system connected to said first computer system through a second computer system, said first computer system being capable of receiving a first request accompanied by an inherent terminal identifier, and referring to said inherent terminal identifier to respond to said first request, a storage medium having stored thereon a program for enabling a computer to implement the functions of:

generating a second terminal identifier suitable for the format of said inherent terminal identifier;

generating a session control identifier related to the third computer system having no said inherent terminal identifier;

relating said second terminal identifier and said session control identifier; and

responding to a second request from said third computer system for appending said second terminal identifier to said request, and sending said request to said first computer system, wherein

said inherent terminal identifier and said second terminal identifier suitable for a service site for mobile phone terminals and said third computer system different than a mobile phone terminal.