System and method for denoting and communicating with computer network mobile sites

• US 7,171,463 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Nitin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US09/082,044
• Time in Patent Office: 3,177 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/221, 709/227, 709/228, 709/232, 455/428, 455/430, 455/437, 455/422, 455/436, 455/431, 455/439, 455/435, 455/423, 455/450, 370/231, 370/468
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer

Abstract

A system for, and method of, denoting and communicating with a computer network site and a computer network incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) an address parser that makes a determination of whether the site is a mobile site from an address of the site and (2) a communications manager that manages communication with the site based on the determination.

Claims

1. A system for denoting and communicating with a mobile site wirelessly couplable to a computer network, comprising:

an address parser that makes a determination of whether a site is said mobile site or a fixed site of said computer network from a top level domain name of said site, if said site is a fixed site, said site is further processed;

a mirror site, couplable to said computer network, that contains a time-delayed copy of data present at said mobile site; and

a communications manager that manages communication with said site based on said determination, said communications manager directing said communication, when said site is a mobile site, either to said mobile site when said mobile site is in wireless communication with said computer network or to said mirror site when said mobile site is out of wireless communication with said computer network, wherein said communications manager buffers said communications to accommodate a lower bandwidth when said site is a mobile site.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications manager prompts said site to update said mirror site.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications manager acknowledges said communications to said mobile site.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said address parser and said communications manager are associated with the Internet.

5. A method of denoting and communicating with a mobile site wirelessly couplable to a computer network, comprising:

making a determination of whether said site is said mobile site or a fixed site of said computer network based on a top level domain name of said site; and

managing communication with said site based on said determination, where said communications managing includes further processing said site when said site is a fixed site and directing said communication, when said site is a mobile site, either to said mobile site when said mobile site is in wireless communication with said computer network or to a mirror site of said mobile site when said mobile site is out of wireless communication with said computer network, said mirror site containing a time-delayed copy of data present at said mobile site, and buffering said communications to accommodate a lower bandwidth when said site is a mobile site.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said managing comprises prompting said site to update said mirror site.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said managing comprises acknowledging said communications to said mobile site.

8. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein said making and managing are carried out over the Internet.

9. A computer network, comprising:

fixed sites having fixed-site domain names associated therewith;

mobile sites having mobile-site domain names associated therewith;

a communications infrastructure that couples ones of said pluralities of fixed and mobile sites for communication therebetween;

an address parser that makes a determination of whether a site is one of said mobile sites or one of said fixed sites according to a top level domain name of said site, if said site is a fixed site, said site is further processed;

a mirror site, couplable to said computer network, that contains a time-delayed copy of data present at said mobile site; and

a communications manager that manages communication with said site based on said determination, said communications manager directing said communication, when said site is a mobile site, either to said mobile site when said mobile site is in wireless communication with said computer network or to said mirror site when said mobile site is out of wireless communication with said computer network, wherein said communications manager buffers said communications to accommodate a lower bandwidth when said site is a mobile site.

10. The computer network as recited in claim 9 wherein said communications manager prompts said site to update said mirror site.

11. The computer network as recited in claim 9 wherein said communications manager acknowledges said communications relayed by said communications infrastructure to said mobile site.

12. The computer network as recited in claim 9 wherein said communications infrastructure is the Internet.