Method and a system of remotely controlling data transfer via a data transfer network

• US 7,596,592 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2002
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Mason, Terrence I, Minnis, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Barqadle; Yasin M
• Application Number:
  US10/469,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,756 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709217-219, 709/232, 709/238, 709245-246, 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Remote data transfer is achieved via a data transfer network. To allow a user to transfer data at a higher data transfer rate in a cellular network, a user experiences the problem that the bandwidth available to him may vary, and in particular, may not be sufficient to allow the user to download information from the internet. To address this problem, a registered user is allowed to transfer identified data, for example, data identified by a particular url, by a user of a cellular network to a remote location, for example, the user'"'"'s home computer.

Claims

1. A method of remotely controlling data transfer via a data transfer network in a communications system comprising a first mobile terminal arranged to access said data transfer network via a first data processing facility and a second remote terminal arranged to access said data transfer network via a second data processing facility, wherein at said first data processing facility routing data associated with said first mobile terminal is stored to enable data transfer to said second remote terminal via said data transfer network, the method comprising:

said first mobile terminal, under user control, identifying an address of data to be remotely transferred;

said first mobile terminal communicating said address via said first data processing facility to said second data processing facility to enable said data to be transferred to said second remote terminal;

said first data processing facility instructing said second data processing facility to transfer said data; and

said first data processing facility accessing said stored routing data associated with said first mobile terminal and instructing said second data processing facility to transfer said data to be transferred to said second remote terminal using said routing data.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein in said instructing step said first data processing facility instructs said second data processing facility to transfer said data to be transferred by combining said address data and said routing data.

3. A method according to claim 1, in which said data transfer network is a cellular network.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which said first data processing facility is a cellular server.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which said second data processing facility is a server.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first mobile terminal is a cellular handset.

7. A communications system for enabling a user to remotely control data transfer, the system comprising:

a data transfer network for remotely controlling data transfer;

a first data processing facility;

a second data processing facility;

a first mobile terminal arranged, under user control, to access said data transfer network via said first data processing facility;

a second remote terminal arranged to access said data transfer network via a second data processing facility;

wherein said first mobile terminal, under user control, is configured;

to identify an address of data to be remotely transferred, and

to communicate address data via said first data processing facility to said second data processing facility to enable said data to be transferred to said second remote terminal; and

wherein said first data processing facility is configured;

to store routing data associated with said first mobile terminal to enable data transfer to said second remote terminal via said data transfer network,

to access said stored routing data associated with said first mobile terminal, and

to instruct said second data processing facility to transfer said data to said second remote terminal using said routing data.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said second data processing facility is adapted to store data to be transferred in association with said address data accessible via said network and wherein said first data processing facility further includes means for combining said routing data and said address data when said first mobile terminal accesses said address data and instructs said first data processing facility to transfer said data to be transferred from said second data processing facility to said second remote terminal.

9. A system according to claim 7 in which said data transfer network is a cellular network.

10. A system according to claim 7 in which said routing data is the address of a second data processing facility associated with said second remote terminal.

11. A system according to claim 7 in which said first data processing facility is a cellular server.

12. A system according to claim 7 in which said second data processing facility is a server.

13. A system according to claim 7 wherein said first mobile terminal is a cellular handset.

14. A mobile terminal configured for use in a system as claimed in claim 7 as a first terminal or a second terminal.

15. A data transfer network configured for use in a system as claimed in claim 7.