WAP XML extension for WiFi and desktop passthrough connections

• US 7,451,198 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2003
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Natarajan, Sureshkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murray; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US10/701,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20050047046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,835 Days
• Field of Search: 709/221
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• 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 67/289 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Mobile devices are automatically provisioned for network access using WiFi and/or DTPT (DeskTop-PassThrough) connection settings. The connection settings allow the users to access meta-networks (such as the Internet or a corporate network) without any manual intervention. According to an embodiment of the invention, an XML-based mechanism uses the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) XML structure and extends the structure to define WiFi and DTPT connections. The defined WiFi and DTPT connections are provisioned onto the mobile devices automatically, for example, through wireless communications or by a corporate IT application.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning passthrough connections between a mobile device and a meta-network, comprising:

obtaining a first passthrough definition for the mobile device;

using the first passthrough definition to connect the mobile device to the meta-network;

receiving in the mobile device a second passthrough definition through the connection to the meta-network; and

storing the second passthrough definition in the mobile device;

wherein the first passthrough definition and the second passthrough definition are incorporated into a WAP XML schema that defines XML schema to provision cellular data connections, proxy connections and access characteristics;

wherein the WAP XML schema is extended to include a bearer type for WiFi and a bearer type for DTPT.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the second passthrough definition to connect the mobile device to the meta-network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the passthrough definition is incorporated into the WAP XML that defines XML schema to provision cellular data connections, proxy connections and access characteristics by extending a previously defined NAPDEF characteristic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the passthrough connection is a desktop passthrough connection.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the meta-network is the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the passthrough connection is a WiFi connection.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the meta-network is the a corporate network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first passthrough definition is obtained using a SIM card.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first passthrough definition is obtained by manual input of a user of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving in the mobile device a third passthrough definition through the connection to the meta-network; and

storing the third passthrough definition in the mobile device.

11. A mobile device for using passthrough connections to connect to a meta-network, comprising:

an interface that is configured to obtain a first passthrough definition for the mobile device;

a network interface that is configured to use the first passthrough definition to connect the mobile device to the meta-network and is further configured to receive a second passthrough definition through the connection to the meta-network; and

a memory for storing the second passthrough definition;

wherein the first passthrough definition and the second passthrough definition are incorporated into a WAP XML schema that defines XML schema to provision cellular data connections, proxy connections and access characteristics;

wherein the WAP XML schema NAPDEF characteristic is extended to include a bearer type for WiFi and a bearer type for DTPT.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the network interface is further configured to use the second passthrough definition to connect the mobile device to the meta-network.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the passthrough definition is incorporated into a WAP XML schema.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the passthrough connection is a desktop passthrough connection.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the meta-network is the Internet.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the passthrough connection is a WiFi connection.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the meta-network is the a corporate network.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the first passthrough definition is obtained using a SIM card.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the first passthrough definition is obtained by manual input of a user of the mobile device.

20. The device of claim 11,

wherein the network interface is further configured to receive a third passthrough definition through the connection to the meta-network and to connect to the meta-network using the third passthrough definition.

21. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for provisioning passthrough connections between a mobile device and a meta-network, comprising:

obtaining a first passthrough definition for the mobile device;

using the first passthrough definition to connect the mobile device to the meta-network;

receiving in the mobile device a second passthrough definition through the connection to the meta-network; and

storing the second passthrough definition in the mobile device;

wherein the first passthrough definition and the second passthrough definition are incorporated into a WAP XML schema that is extended to include a bearer type for WiFi and a bearer type for DTPT.

22. The medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions for using the second passthrough definition to connect the mobile device to the meta-network.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the passthrough definition is incorporated into a WAP XML schema.

24. The medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions for receiving in the mobile device a third passthrough definition through the connection to the meta-network and storing the third passthrough definition in the mobile device.

25. A mobile device for using passthrough connections to connect to a meta-network, comprising:

means for obtaining a first passthrough definition for the mobile device;

means for using the first passthrough definition to connect the mobile device to the meta-network and receiving a second passthrough definition through the connection to the meta-network; and

means for storing the second passthrough definition;

wherein the first passthrough definition and the second passthrough definition are incorporated into a WAP XML schema that defines XML schema to provision cellular data connections, proxy connections and access characteristics and includes a bearer type for WiFi and a bearer type for DTPT.