Messaging method and apparatus for routing messages in a client server environment over multiple wireless and wireline networks

• US 20020052968A1
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Bonefas, Rudy, Zombek, James M., Sobchak, Richard K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1635 Cumulative acknowledgement, i.e. the acknowledgement message applying to all previous messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0092 Error control systems characterised by the topology of the transmission link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/133 Protocols for remote procedure calls [RPC]
• 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 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 : Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 : Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 : Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 : Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 : involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6

Abstract

A messaging system, method, and computer program product is disclosed, including a client device having stored therein a client application, which is adapted to be executed by the client device, a server having stored therein a server application, which is adapted to be executed by the server, a plurality of wireless networks, each of which is adapted to communicate messages between the client device and the server, and support one or more wireless network protocols, a protocol gateway encapsulating a fundamental network protocol, which underlies each of the one or more wireless network protocols, means for communicating a message between the client application and the server application, over a selected wireless network protocol through the protocol gateway, independent of the selected wireless network protocol, and a message router for routing the message between the protocol gateway and the server, the message router including means for authenticating an origin of the message, wherein the authenticating means authenticates the origin before the message is routed by the message router, and a database, which is accessible by the message router and adapted to store information relating to routing and authentication of the message. Moreover, the present invention features methods of communicating such messages over wireless networks efficiently, without requiring significant bandwidth, a valuable resource in wireless networks.

Claims

1. A messaging system, comprising:

a client device having stored therein a client application, which is adapted to be executed by said client device;

a server having stored therein a server application, which is adapted to be executed by said server;

a plurality of wireless networks, each of which is adapted to;

communicate messages between said client device and said server; and

support one or more wireless network protocols;

a protocol gateway encapsulating a fundamental network protocol, which underlies each of said one or more wireless network protocols;

means for communicating a message between said client application and said server application, over a selected wireless network protocol through said protocol gateway, independent of said selected wireless network protocol; and

a message router for routing said message between said protocol gateway and said server, said message router including;

means for authenticating an origin of said message, wherein said authenticating means authenticates said origin before said message is routed by said message router; and

a database, which is accessible by said message router and adapted to store information relating to routing and authentication of said message.

2. The messaging system according to claim 1, further comprising a simple network transport layer application, which is adapted to be executed by said protocol gateway, and includes a first code segment for defining a maximum segment size, a second code segment for determining if said message exceeds said maximum segment size, and a third code segment for segmenting said message into a plurality of message segments, none of which exceeds said maximum segment size.

3. The messaging system according to claim 2, further comprising means for supporting a message retry in each of said wireless network protocols.

4. The messaging system according to claim 2, further comprising means for supporting a message ACK/NACK service in each of said wireless network protocols.

5. A method of communicating a message between a client device having stored therein a client application adapted to be executed by the client device, and a server having stored therein a server application adapted to be executed by the server, over a plurality of wireless networks, each of which is adapted to support one or more wireless network protocols, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a protocol gateway;

within said protocol gateway, encapsulating a fundamental network protocol, which underlies each of said one or more wireless network protocols

communicating the message between the client application and the server application, over a selected wireless network protocol through said protocol gateway, independent of said selected wireless network protocol; and

providing a message router for routing the message between said protocol gateway and the server.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of, with said message router, authenticating an origin of the message.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said authenticating step is performed by said message router before the message is routed between said protocol gateway and the server.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

providing a database, which is accessible by said message router; and

storing in said database information relating to routing and authentication of the message.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

providing a simple network transport layer (SNTL) application, wherein said SNTL application is adapted to be executed by said protocol gateway and, with said SNTL application;

defining a maximum segment size;

determining if said message exceeds said maximum segment size; and

segmenting said message into a plurality of message segments, none of which exceeds said maximum segment size.

10. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of supporting a message retry in each of said wireless network protocols.

11. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of supporting a message ACK/NACK service in each of said wireless network protocols.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said server to said one of said plurality of message routers a second acknowledgment message, which acknowledges receipt of at least one message segment by said one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

receiving said second acknowledgment message at said one of said plurality of message routers and routing same to said one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

receiving, from said one of said plurality of message routers, said second acknowledgment message at said one of said plurality of protocol gateways; and

transmitting said second acknowledgment message from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices transmitting the message.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the message comprises a size that exceeds said maximum segment size, further comprising the steps of:

segmenting the message into a first message segment and a second message segment, neither of which exceeds said maximum segment size;

transmitting from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices a first acknowledgment message, which acknowledges receipt of said first message segment by said one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

receiving said first acknowledgment message at said one of said plurality of client devices

determining at said one of said plurality of client device that said second message segment was not received by said one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

retransmitting from said one of said plurality of client devices to said one of said plurality of protocol gateways said second message segment; and

receiving said retransmitted second message segment at said one of said plurality of protocol gateways; and

transmitting from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices a second acknowledgment message, which acknowledges receipt of said second message segment by said one of said plurality of protocol gateways.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

determining at said one of said plurality of protocol gateways that said first message segment and said second message segment comprises a complete message; and

upon receipt of said retransmitted second message segment by said one of said plurality of protocol gateways, transmitting a complete message acknowledgment message from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the message comprises a size that exceeds said maximum segment size, further comprising the steps of:

within said one of said plurality of protocol gateway, segmenting the message into a first message segment and a second message segment, neither of which exceeds said maximum segment size;

transmitting from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices said first message segment and said second message segment;

receiving said first message segment at said one of said plurality of client devices;

transmitting from said one of said plurality of client devices to said one of said protocol gateways, a first acknowledgment message which acknowledges receipt of said first message segment by said one of said plurality of client devices;

determining at said one of said plurality of protocol gateways that said second message segment was not received by said one of said plurality of client devices;

retransmitting from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices said second message segment; and

receiving said retransmitted second message segment at said one of said plurality of client devices; and

transmitting from said one of said plurality of client devices to said one of said plurality of protocol gateways a second acknowledgment message, which acknowledges receipt of said second message segment by said one of said plurality of client devices.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

determining at said one of said plurality of protocol gateways that said first message segment and said second message segment comprises a complete message; and

upon receipt of said retransmitted second message segment by said one of said plurality of client devices, transmitting a complete message acknowledgment message from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices.

12. A method of routing a message in a communications system, comprising:

a server, which is adapted to run a server application;

a plurality of message routers, each of which is coupled to said server;

a plurality of protocol gateways, each of which is coupled to each one of said plurality of message routers; and

a wireless network, which is adapted to couple said server, through one or more of said plurality of message routers and one or more of said plurality of protocol gateways, to a plurality of client devices, each of which is adapted to run a client application;

wherein the method comprises the steps of;

transmitting the message from one of said plurality of client devices and, within said one of said plurality of client devices;

defining a maximum segment size;

determining if the message exceeds said maximum segment size;

segmenting the message into one or more message segments, none of which exceeds said maximum segment size;

receiving the message at one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

transmitting from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices a first acknowledgment message, which acknowledges receipt of at least one message segment by said one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

determining, at said one of said plurality of client devices, that said at least one message segment constitutes a complete message;

in the event that said at least one message segment constitutes a complete message as determined by said one of said plurality of client devices, transmitting from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to one of said plurality of message routers said complete message; and

with said one of said plurality of message routers, routing said complete message to said server.

16. A method of routing a message in a communications system, comprising:

a server, which is adapted to run a server application;

a plurality of message routers, each of which is coupled to said server;

a plurality of protocol gateways, each of which is coupled to each one of said plurality of message routers; and

a wireless network, which is adapted to couple said server, through one or more of said plurality of message routers and one or more of said plurality of protocol gateways, to a plurality of client devices, each of which is adapted to run a client application;

wherein the method comprises the steps of;

transmitting the message from said server to one of said plurality of message routers;

receiving the message at said one of said plurality of message routers, and routing same to one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

within said one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

defining a maximum segment size;

determining if the message exceeds said maximum segment size;

segmenting the message into one or more message segments, none of which exceeds said maximum segment size;

receiving the message at one of said plurality of protocol gateways;

transmitting the message from said one of said plurality of protocol gateways to said one of said plurality of client devices;

receiving the message at said one of said plurality of client devices;

transmitting an acknowledgment message from said one of said plurality of client devices to said one of said plurality of protocol gateways, wherein said acknowledgment message acknowledges receipt of at least one message segment by said one of said plurality of client devices; and

determining, at said one of said plurality of client devices, that said at least one message segment constitutes a complete message.