Shared application access for data services in wireless telecommunication systems

• US 20030156591A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sorsa, Mika T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,277,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• 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 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for providing multi-user shared access to service applications operating in wireless data services such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is described. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a solution that provides a modified communication pathway that permits mobile clients to join an active session engaged by other clients. The system comprises a gateway 200 and a coordinating browser 206 (co-browser) which cooperates with the gateway subsystem 202 and the WAP subsystem 204 to coordinate and establish shared sessions between users. When a first client 220 is engaged in an active session, the co-browser 206 determines that a second client 230 wishes to join the session by analysing the request containing the universal resource identifier (URI) transmitted by the second client. The co-browser enables all peer clients to interact, share, and view updated content within the application.

Claims

1. In a wireless telecommunication system capable of providing data services to a plurality of mobile clients, wherein said system comprises a gateway and a cooperating coordinating browser, a method of establishing a shared session within a service application comprising the steps of:

establishing an active session with a first client;

transmitting a request from a second client to the gateway, wherein the second client requesting to join the active session;

analysing said request from the second client by the coordinating browser;

joining the second client into the active session with the first client and delivering the current context of the active session to the second client; and

delivering updated context to the first client and the second client thereby establishing an interactive shared session.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said data services operate in accordance with Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said transmitting step further includes transmitting a join invocation from the gateway to the second client.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said analysing step comprises the coordinating browser analysing a universal resource identifier (URI) transmitted with the join request.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said analysing step further comprises the coordinating browser determining the engagement status of the application such that when the application requested by the second client is not engaged, a connection with the application is performed in accordance with normal WAP procedures.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein said data services are hosted on a service associated with the gateway.

7. A wireless telecommunication system capable of providing data services residing on host servers to a plurality of mobile clients, wherein the wireless telecommunication system comprises a gateway for having wireless communication with said mobile clients,

characterised in that

the system comprises a coordinating browser functioning together with said gateway, wherein the browser being configured for establishing a shared session between at least two of said mobile clients for use in interacting within a service application, and wherein updated context by any mobile client can be delivered to all mobile clients in the shared session.

8. A system according to claim 7 characterised in that the data services operate in accordance with the WAP standard.

9. A system according to claim 8 characterised in that the gateway is a WAP gateway server capable of hosting WAP content and providing WAP-based service applications.

10. A system according to claim 8 characterised in that the coordinating browser is a software-based function residing in the WAP gateway.

11. A system according to claim 8 characterised in that the content viewed by the mobile clients is in Wireless Markup Language (WML) format.

12. A computer program product comprising:

computer executable program means for causing a wireless telecommunication gateway to provide wireless data services to a plurality of mobile clients; and

computer executable program means for causing said gateway to operate together with a coordinating browser (206) to establish a shared session between at least two of said mobile clients within a service application, and wherein updated context by any mobile client can be delivered to all mobile clients in the shared session.

13. A computer program product according to claim 12 wherein computer executable program is stored on a computer readable storage medium.

14. A wireless gateway operating together with a wireless telecommunication system in order to provide wireless data services to a plurality of mobile clients,

characterised in that

the gateway comprises a coordinating browser which cooperates to establish a shared session between at least two mobile clients within a wireless service application, and wherein updated context by any mobile client can be delivered to all mobile clients in the shared session.

15. A wireless gateway according to claim 14 characterised in that the gateway functionality is implemented on a computer server.