Communications system including protocol interface device providing enhanced operating protocol selection features and related methods

• US 8,285,805 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: TeamOn Systems Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Roy, Shaibal, Gardner, Darren L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/210,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20110302259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709223-226, 709227-228, 709/230
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A communications system may include data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols. Further, at least one of the data storage devices may operate using multiple operating protocols. The system may also include mobile wireless communications devices for accessing the at least one data storage device, and each may use at least one of the plurality of operating protocols. Moreover, the system may further include a protocol interface device. The protocol interface device may include a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols. The protocol interface may also include a protocol engine module for communicating with the data storage devices using respective operating protocols. The protocol engine module may also select a desired operating protocol for communicating with the at least one data storage device from the multiple operating protocols.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a data storage device configured to communicate using at least one of multiple operating protocols;

a mobile wireless communications device configured to communicate using one of the multiple operating protocols; and

a protocol interface device comprising

a front-end proxy module configured to interface with the mobile wireless communications device, and

a protocol engine module coupled to the front-end proxy module and configured to interface with the data storage device, and

select a desired operating protocol for communicating with the data storage device from the multiple operating protocols based upon a ranking of the multiple operating protocols that is based upon a total number of protocol-supported elements associated with each of the multiple operating protocols.

2. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising at least one other data storage device;

and wherein the protocol engine module is configured to select the desired operating protocol based upon a total number of protocol-supported elements by the data storage device and the at least one other data storage device.

3. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the protocol interface device further comprises a memory connected to the protocol engine module configured to store per-account information;

and wherein the protocol engine module is configured to select the desired operating protocol based upon the per-account information for the mobile wireless communications device.

4. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the front-end proxy module and the protocol engine module are configured to communicate using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements.

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the data storage device, the mobile wireless communications device, and the protocol interface device are configured to process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the mobile wireless communications device sends access requests.

7. The communications system of claim 6 wherein the data storage device sends data responsive to access requests.

8. The communications system of claim 6 wherein the data storage device is configured to process electronic mail (e-mail) messages and respond to an access request with a root folder and target e-mailbox capabilities.

9. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the protocol interface device is configured to generate an error responsive to at least one non-supported operating protocol.

10. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a wide area network (WAN) configured to connect the mobile wireless communications device with the protocol interface device.

11. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a wide area network (WAN) configured to connect the data storage device with the protocol interface device.

12. A protocol interface device for a communications system comprising a processor and a data storage device cooperating therewith, the data storage device configured to communicate using at least one of multiple operating protocols, and a mobile wireless communications device configured to communicate using one of the multiple operating protocols, the protocol interface device comprising:

a front-end proxy module to be executed by the processor and configured to interface with the mobile wireless communications device; and

a protocol engine module coupled to the front-end proxy module to be executed by the processor and configured to interface with the data storage device, and

select a desired operating protocol for communicating with the data storage device from the multiple operating protocols based upon a ranking of the multiple operating protocols that is based upon a total number of protocol-supported elements associated with each of the multiple operating protocols.

13. The protocol interface device of claim 12 wherein the communications system further comprises at least one other data storage device;

and wherein the protocol engine module is configured to select the desired operating protocol based upon a total number of protocol-supported elements by the data storage device and the at least one other data storage device, using the processor.

14. The protocol interface device of claim 12 further comprising a memory connected to the protocol engine module configured to store per-account information;

and wherein the protocol engine module is configured to select the desired operating protocol based upon the per-account information for the mobile wireless communications device, using the processor.

15. The protocol interface device of claim 12 wherein the front-end proxy module and the protocol engine module are configured to communicate using a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements, using the processor.

16. The protocol interface device of claim 12 wherein the front-end proxy module and the protocol engine module are configured to generate an error responsive to at least one non-supported operating protocol, using the processor.

17. A method for interfacing a mobile wireless communications device with a data storage device, the data storage device configured to communicate using at least one of multiple operating protocols, the method comprising:

using a front-end proxy module to interface with the mobile wireless communications device; and

using a protocol engine module coupled to the front-end proxy module to interface with the storage device, and to select a desired operating protocol for communicating with the data storage device from the multiple operating protocols based upon a ranking of the multiple operating protocols that is based upon a total number of protocol-supported elements associated with each of the multiple operating protocols.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising at least one other data storage device;

and wherein the protocol engine module is configured to select the desired operating protocol based upon a total number of protocol-supported elements by the data storage device and the at least one other data storage device.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the protocol engine module is configured to select the desired operating protocol based upon the per-account information for the mobile wireless communications device.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein using the front-end proxy module and the protocol engine module comprises using both to communicate via a common interface protocol able to represent a desired number of protocol-supported elements.