Communications system with data storage device interface protocol connectors and related methods

• US 20050038915A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: TeamOn Systems Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Clarke, David James, Roy, Shaibal, Kamat, Harshad N., Gorty, Suryanarayana Murthy, Cooper, Blair
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 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 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A communications system may include a plurality of data storage devices for storing data using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols. The system may further include a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for accessing the data storage devices and each using at least one of the plurality of different operating protocols. Moreover, a protocol interface device may also be included. 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, and a protocol engine module communicating with the front-end proxy module using a common interface protocol. The protocol interface device may also include a respective interface connector module for translating communications between the protocol engine module and the plurality of data storage devices for each of the different operating protocols.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of data storage devices for storing data using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols;

a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for accessing said data storage devices and each using at least one of the plurality of different operating protocols; and

a protocol interface device comprising

a front-end proxy module for communicating with said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols,

a protocol engine module communicating with said front-end proxy module using a common interface protocol, and

a respective interface connector module for translating communications between said protocol engine module and said plurality of data storage devices for each of the different operating protocols.

2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said protocol engine module comprises a universal proxy servlet module.

3. The communications system of claim 2 wherein said protocol interface device further comprises a plurality of provider modules coupled between said universal proxy servlet module and said plurality of interface connector modules;

and wherein said universal proxy servlet module generates calls for said plurality of interface connector modules based upon respective data access requests from said front-end proxy module, and wherein said plurality of provider modules transfer the calls to respective interface connector modules.

4. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said interface connector modules comprise a plurality of a Microsoft Exchange connector module, a Domino connector module, an America Online (AOL) connector module, a Hotmail connector module, a Microsoft Network (MSN) connector module, a Compuserve connector module, a Post Office Protocol (POP) connector module, and an Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) connector module.

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of data storage devices, said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, and said protocol interface device process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said protocol interface device generates an error responsive to at least one non-supported operating protocol.

8. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a wide area network (WAN) connecting at least one of said mobile wireless communications devices with said protocol interface device.

9. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a wide area network (WAN) connecting at least one of said data storage devices with said protocol interface device.

10. A protocol interface device for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the protocol interface device comprising:

a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols;

a protocol engine module communicating with the front-end proxy module using a common interface protocol; and

a respective interface connector module for translating communications between said protocol engine module and the plurality of data storage devices for each of the different operating protocols.

11. The protocol interface device of claim 10 wherein said protocol engine module comprises a universal proxy servlet module.

12. The protocol interface device of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of provider modules coupled between said universal proxy servlet module and said plurality of interface connector modules;

and

wherein said universal proxy servlet module generates calls for said plurality of interface connector modules based upon respective data access requests from said front-end proxy module, and wherein said plurality of provider modules transfer the calls to respective interface connector modules.

13. The protocol interface device of claim 10 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, and the protocol interface device process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

14. The protocol interface device of claim 10 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

15. A protocol interface device for interfacing a plurality of communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the protocol interface device comprising:

a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of communications devices using respective operating protocols;

a protocol engine module communicating with the front-end proxy module using a common interface protocol; and

a respective interface connector module for translating communications between said protocol engine module and the plurality of data storage devices for each of the different operating protocols.

16. The protocol interface device of claim 15 wherein said protocol engine module comprises a universal proxy servlet module.

17. The protocol interface device of claim 16 further comprising a plurality of provider modules coupled between said universal proxy servlet module and said plurality of interface connector modules;

and wherein said universal proxy servlet module generates calls for said plurality of interface connector modules based upon respective data access requests from said front-end proxy module, and wherein said plurality of provider modules transfer the calls to respective interface connector modules.

18. The protocol interface device of claim 15 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, and the protocol interface device process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

19. The protocol interface device of claim 15 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

20. A method for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the method comprising:

providing a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols;

providing a protocol engine module communicating with the front-end proxy module using a common interface protocol; and

providing a respective interface connector module for translating communications between the protocol engine module and the plurality of data storage devices for each of the different operating protocols.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the protocol engine module comprises a universal proxy servlet module.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising a plurality of provider modules coupled between the universal proxy servlet module and the plurality of interface connector modules;

and wherein the universal proxy servlet module generates calls for the plurality of interface connector modules based upon respective data access requests from the front-end proxy module, and wherein the plurality of provider modules transfer the calls to respective interface connector modules.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, and the protocol interface device process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.

25. A computer-readable medium having computer executable modules for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the computer-readable medium comprising:

a front-end proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using respective operating protocols;

a protocol engine module communicating with the front-end proxy module using a common interface protocol; and

a respective interface connector module for translating communications between the protocol engine module and the plurality of data storage devices for each of the different operating protocols.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the protocol engine module comprises a universal proxy servlet module.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 further comprising a plurality of provider modules coupled between the universal proxy servlet module and the plurality of interface connector modules;

and wherein the universal proxy servlet module generates calls for the plurality of interface connector modules based upon respective data access requests from the front-end proxy module, and wherein the plurality of provider modules transfer the calls to respective interface connector modules.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the plurality of data storage devices, the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, and the protocol interface device process electronic mail (e-mail) messages.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the common interface protocol is based upon a Web-based distributed authoring and versioning (WebDAV) protocol.