Apparatus, method and system for an object exchange bridge

• US 7,339,939 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Forstadius, Antti
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elallam; Ahmed
• Application Number:
  US09/896,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,440 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/209, 370/328, 370/338, 370/352, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system to route object exchanges beyond clients and object exchange (OBEX) servers in close proximity with one another. The present disclosure further provides the ability to route OBEX communications across a communications network such as the Internet. The present disclosure also teaches that a bridge device may support both short range RF communications, such as Bluetooth, and TCP/IP communications. The present disclosure tracks and enables OBEX enabled clients to send and receive information far outside their immediate wireless transmission range to remote servers.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication between OBEX clients and OBEX server over a communications network, comprising:

receiving an OBEX encoded communications at a radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge from at least one OBEX client, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain direct connection communications with a plurality of OBEX clients, and wherein the received OBEX encoded communications arc RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications;

assigning a unique IP address, which address is internal to the OBEX bridge, to the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications, wherein assignment of the unique IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

encapsulating OBEX data requests of the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications into TCP/IP packets;

determining a destination IP address based on and for the OBEX data requests; and

sending the OBEX data requests from the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge to an OBEX server at the determined destination IP address via IP, wherein the sent OBEX data requests are of the TCP/IP encapsulated packets, and

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the at least one OBEX client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge is Bluetooth enabled.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving OBEX encoded data responses from the OBEX server via IP; and

routing the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client.

4. A system for wireless communication between OBEX clients and OBEX server over a communications network, comprising:

means to receive an OBEX encoded communications at a radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge from at least one OBEX client, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain direct connection communications with a plurality of OBEX clients, and wherein the received OBEX encoded communications are RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications;

means to assign a unique IP address, which address is internal to the OBEX bridge, to the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications, wherein assignment of the unique IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

means to encapsulate OBEX data requests of the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications into TCP/IP packets;

means to determine a destination IP address based on and for the OBEX data requests; and

means to send the OBEX data requests from the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge to an OBEX server at the determined destination IP address via IP, wherein the sent OBEX data requests are of the TCP/IP encapsulated packets, and

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the at least one OBEX client.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge is Bluetooth enabled.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

means to receive OBEX encoded data responses from the OBEX server via IP; and

means to route the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client.

7. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program, wherein the computer program comprising:

a module to receive an OBEX encoded communications at a radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge from at least one OBEX client, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain direct connection communications with a plurality of OBEX clients, and wherein the received OBEX encoded communications are RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications;

a module to assign a unique IP address, which address is internal to the OBEX bridge, to the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications, wherein assignment of the unique IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

a module to encapsulate OBEX data requests of the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications into TCP/IP packets;

a module to determine a destination IP address based on and for the OBEX data requests encoded communications; and

a module to send the OBEX data requests from the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge to an OBEX server at the determined destination IP address via IP, wherein the sent data requests are of the TCP/IP encapsulated packets, and

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the at least one OBEX client.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge is Bluetooth enabled.

9. The medium of claim 7, further comprising:

a module to receive OBEX encoded data responses from the OBEX server via IP; and

a module to route the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client.

10. An OBEX bridge apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory, communicatively connected to the processor;

a program, stored in the memory,

wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform;

receiving an OBEX encoded communications at a radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge from an OBEX client, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain direct connection communications with a plurality of OBEX clients, and wherein the received OBEX encoded communications are RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications;

assigning a unique IP address, which address is internal to the OBEX bridge, to the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications;

encapsulating OBEX data requests of the received RFCOMM encoded OBEX communications into TCP/IP packets;

determining a destination IP address based on and for the OBEX data requests; and

sending the OBEX data requests from the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge to an OBEX server at the determined destination IP address via IP, wherein the sent OBEX data requests are of the TCP/IP encapsulated packets, and

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the at least one OBEX client.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the radio frequency enabled OBEX bridge is Bluetooth enabled.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the program, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform:

receiving OBEX encoded data responses from the OBEX server via IP; and

routing the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client.

13. A method of wireless communication between an OBEX client and OBEX server over a communications network, comprising:

obtaining OBEX encoded communications;

establishing a baseband communication channel using a Bluetooth GOEP profile between the OBEX client and a Bluetooth enabled OBEX bridge, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

encapsulating the OBEX encoded communications into baseband communications;

providing the baseband encapsulated communications to the OBEX bridge;

assigning an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge, wherein assignment of the internal IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

binding the IP address to the baseband communication channel;

establishing a TCP/IP communication channel between the OBEX bridge and a remote OBEX server; and

routing the OBEX encoded data from the baseband channel to the TCP/IP channel,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving OBEX encoded data responses from the remote server through the TCP/IP channel; and

routing the OBEX encoded data responses to the baseband channel referring to the IP address.

15. A system for wireless communication between an OBEX client and OBEX server over a communications network, comprising:

means to obtain OBEX encoded communications;

means to establish a baseband communication channel using a Bluetooth GOEP profile between the OBEX client and a Bluetooth enabled OBEX bridge, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

means to encapsulate the OBEX encoded communications into baseband communications;

means to provide the baseband encapsulated communications to the OBEX bridge;

means to assign an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge, wherein assignment of the internal IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

means to bind the IP address to the baseband communication channel;

means to establish a TCP/IP communication channel between the OBEX bridge and a remote OBEX server; and

means to route the OBEX encoded data from the baseband channel to the TCP/IP channel,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means to receive OBEX encoded data responses from the remote server through the TCP/IP channel; and

means to route the OBEX encoded data responses to the baseband channel referring to the IP address.

17. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program, wherein the computer program comprising:

a module to obtain OBEX encoded communications;

a module to establish a baseband communication channel using a Bluetooth GOEP profile between an OBEX client and a Bluetooth enabled OBEX bridge, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

a module to encapsulate the OBEX encoded communications into baseband communications;

a module to provide the baseband encapsulated communications to the OBEX bridge;

a module to assign an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge, wherein assignment of the internal IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

a module to bind the IP address to the baseband communication channel;

a module to establish a TCP/IP communication channel between the OBEX bridge and a remote OBEX server; and

a module to route the OBEX encoded data from the baseband channel to the TCP/IP channel,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

18. The computer program of claim 17, further comprising:

a module to receive OBEX encoded data responses from the remote server through the TCP/IP channel; and

a module to route the OBEX encoded data responses to the baseband channel referring to the IP address.

19. An OBEX bridge apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory, communicatively connected to the processor;

a program, stored in the memory,

wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform;

obtaining OBEX encoded communications;

establishing a baseband communication channel using a Bluetooth GOEP profile between the OBEX client and a Bluetooth enabled OBEX bridge, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

encapsulating the OBEX encoded communications into baseband communications;

providing the baseband encapsulated communications to the OBEX bridge;

assigning an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge;

binding the IP address to the baseband communication channel;

establishing a TCP/IP communication channel between the OBEX bridge and a remote OBEX server; and

routing the OBEX encoded data from the baseband channel to the TCP/IP channel,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the program, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform:

receiving OBEX encoded data responses from the remote server through the TCP/IP channel; and

routing the OBEX encoded data responses to the baseband channel referring to the IP address.

21. A method of creating a data structure binding an IP address to an RFCOMM communication channel, comprising:

creating a client baseband handle referring to a memory space in an OBEX bridge'"'"'s memory for incoming baseband communications, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

creating an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge allowing for communications to flow to and from a communications network through the IP address, wherein creation of the internal IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

creating an entry in the memory to store the client baseband handle data type;

creating an entry in the memory to store the IP address data type;

binding the client baseband handle data type with its respective IP address data type,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the clients.

22. A system for creating a data structure binding an IP address to an RFCOMM communication channel, comprising:

means to create a client baseband handle referring to a memory space in an OBEX bridge'"'"'s memory for incoming baseband communications, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

means to create an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge allowing for communications to flow to and from a communications network through the IP address, wherein creation of the internal IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

means to create an entry in the memory to store the client baseband handle data type;

means to create an entry in the memory to store the IP address data type;

means to bind the client baseband handle data type with its respective IP address data type,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the clients.

23. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program, wherein the computer comprising:

a module to create a client baseband handle referring to a memory space in an OBEX bridge'"'"'s memory for incoming baseband communications, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

a module to create an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge allowing for communications to flow to and from a communications network through the IP address, wherein creation of the internal IP address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

a module to create an entry in the memory to store the client baseband handle data type;

a module to create an entry in the memory to store the IP address data type;

a module to bind the client baseband handle data type with its respective IP address data type,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the clients.

24. An OBEX bridge apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory, communicatively connected to the processor;

a program, stored in the memory,

wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform;

creating a client baseband handle referring to a memory space in an OBEX bridge'"'"'s memory for incoming baseband communications, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

creating an internal IP address within the OBEX bridge allowing for communications to flow to and from a communications network through the IP address;

creating an entry in the memory to store the client baseband handle data type;

creating an entry in the memory to store the IP address data type;

binding the client baseband handle data type with its respective IP address data type,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the client.

25. A method of wireless communication between an OBEX client and an OBEX server over a communications network, comprising:

receiving at an OBEX bridge OBEX encoded communications transmitted from the OBEX client via a short range radio link wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

allocating an internal address to the OBEX client at the OBEX bridge, wherein allocation of the internal address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

associating the OBEX client with the allocated internal address at the OBEX bridge;

selecting, based on and for the received OBEX encoded communications, a certain OBEX server at the OBEX bridge to send the received OBEX encoded communications;

determining a destination IP address of the selected OBEX server;

sending the received OBEX encoded communications from the OBEX bridge to the selected OBEX server via IP,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving OBEX encoded data responses from the selected OBEX server via IP;

routing the OBEX encoded data response at the OBEX bridge using said association;

transmitting the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client via the short range radio link.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the short range radio link is a Bluetooth link.

28. A system for wireless communication between an OBEX client and an OBEX server over a communications network, comprising:

means to receive at an OBEX bridge OBEX encoded communications transmitted from the OBEX client via short range radio link, wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

means to allocate an internal address to the OBEX client at the OBEX bridge, wherein allocation of the internal address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

means to associate the OBEX client with the allocated internal address at the OBEX bridge;

means to select, based on and for the received OBEX encoded communications, a certain OBEX server at the OBEX bridge to send the received OBEX encoded communications;

means to determine a destination IP address of the selected OBEX server;

means to send the received OBEX encoded communications from the OBEX bridge to the selected OBEX server via IP,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means to receive OBEX encoded data responses from the selected OBEX server via IP;

means to rout the OBEX encoded data response at the OBEX bridge using said association;

means to transmit the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client via short range radio link.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the short range radio link is a Bluetooth link.

31. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program, wherein the computer comprising:

a module to receive at an OBEX bridge OBEX encoded communications transmitted from an OBEX client via short range radio link wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

a module to allocate an internal address to the OBEX client at the OBEX bridge, wherein allocation of the internal address is performed by the OBEX bridge;

a module to associate the OBEX client with the allocated internal address at the OBEX bridge;

a module to select, based on and for the received OBEX encoded communications, a certain OBEX server at the OBEX bridge to send the received OBEX encoded communications;

a module to determine a destination IP address of the selected OBEX server;

a module to send the received OBEX encoded communications from the OBEX bridge to the selected OBEX server via IP,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

32. The computer program of claim 31, further comprising:

a module to receive OBEX encoded data responses from the selected OBEX server via IP;

a module to rout the OBEX encoded data response at the OBEX bridge using said association;

a module to transmit the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client via short range radio link.

33. The computer program of claim 31, wherein the short range radio link is a Bluetooth link.

34. An OBEX bridge apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a memory, communicatively connected to the processor;

a program, stored in the memory,

wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform;

receiving at an OBEX bridge OBEX encoded communications transmitted from an OBEX client via short range radio link wherein the OBEX bridge may maintain communications with a plurality of OBEX clients;

allocating an internal address to the OBEX client at the OBEX bridge;

associating the OBEX client with the allocated internal address at the OBEX bridge;

selecting, based on and for the received OBEX encoded communications, a certain OBEX server at the OBEX bridge to send the received OBEX encoded communications;

determining a destination IP address of the selected OBEX server;

sending the received OBEX encoded communications from the OBEX bridge to the selected OBEX server via IP,

wherein there is no IP connection between the OBEX bridge and the OBEX client.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the program, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform:

receiving OBEX encoded data responses from the selected OBEX server via IP;

routing the OBEX encoded data response at the OBEX bridge using said association;

transmitting the OBEX encoded data responses to the OBEX client via short range radio link.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the short range radio link is a Bluetooth link.