System and method for providing protocol translation and filtering to access the world wide web from wireless or low-bandwidth networks

• US 5,673,322 A
• Filed: 03/22/1996
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rakuten, Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Hovey, Richard Reid, Petr, Dawn Diane, Pepe, David Mathew, Kramer, Michael, White, Robert G., Brockman, James Joseph, Blitzer, Lisa B., Cruz, William, Ramaroson, Josefa, Ramirez, Gerardo, Wang, Yang-Wei, Hakim, Dwight Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/614,612
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 380/49, 370/60, 370/94.1, 370/471, 379/90, 395/683, 395/762, 395/774
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2876 Pairs of inter-processing entities at each side of the network, e.g. split proxies
• 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 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• 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 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

An interface between a protected computer or computer network and the World Wide Web (WWW). The interface comprises a split proxy system that encapsulates TCP/IP transmissions into a script transmission, which is not subject to problems in high latency systems, thereby greatly improving WWW access, via a wireless modem or other low-bandwidth communications network. The split proxy interface also provides compression, encryption and filtering capabilities and allows receipt of unsolicited transmissions from the service provider for such purposes as automatically updating or configuring WWW access software.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a host computer with a client application in a first location and a server application in a second locatlon over a communication path, said method comprising:

placing a local proxy at said first location;

placing a remote proxy at said second location in communication with said local proxy through said communication path;

initiating a query on said client application and sending said query to said local proxy using an application layer protocol;

converting said application layer protocol of said query into a transport protocol;

transmitting said query in said transport protocol over said communication path from said local proxy to said remote proxy; and

converting said transport protocol of the transmitted query into an application layer protocol for execution of said query on said server application.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said communication path is a high latency communication path.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said communication path is a wireless network.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

executing said query at said server application and returning a data object to said remote proxy.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps oft

converting said data object into a transport protocol;

transmitting said data object in said transport protocol over said communication path from said remote proxy to said local proxy;

converting said transport protocol of the transmitted data object into an application layer protocol at said local proxy; and

communicating said data object into said client application using said application layer protocol.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a start up operation comprising the steps

starting said local proxy on said host computer;

and

configuring and starting said client application using said local proxy.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of converting said application layer protocol of said query further comprises the steps of:

creating a query script having settings for compression, filters, and encryption; and

encapsutating said query script for transmission over said communication path from said local proxy to said remote proxy.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of converting said application layer protocol of said data object further comprises the steps of:

compressing, filtering, and encrypting said data object according to said settings in said query script; and

placing said data object in a reply script for transmission over said communication path from said remote proxy to said local proxy.

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

matching said reply script with said query script upon receiving said reply script in said local proxy;

delivering said reply script to said client application;

unpackaging said data object from said reply script; and

displaying said data object at said first location.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

creating a service script at said remote proxy;

transmitting said service script from said remote proxy to said local proxy;

parsing said service script and extracting a requested action and data object from said service script; and

executing a service action at said local proxy.

25. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising providing said proxies with at least one encryption algorithm for encrypting data transmissions.

27. The method according to claim 1 further comprising filtering data transmission from said server application to said host computer with said remote proxy.

29. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of compressing data transmissions between said server application and said host computer with said proxies.

11. A system for communicating between a host computer with a client application in a first location and a server application in a second location through a communication path, said system comprising

a local proxy in said first location;

a remote proxy in said second location in communication with said local proxy through said communication path;

means for initiating a query on said client application and sending said query to said local proxy using an application layer protocol;

means for converting said application layer protocol of said query into a transport protocol;

means for transmitting said query in said transport protocol over said communication path from said local proxy to said remote proxy; and

means for converting said transport protocol into an application layer protocol for execution of said query on said server application.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising means for executing said query and means for returning a data object to said remote proxy.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for converting said data object into a transport protocol;

means for transmitting said data object over said communication path from said remote proxy to said local proxy;

means for converting said transport protocol of said data object into an application layer protocol at said local proxy; and

means for communicating said data object into said client application using said application layer protocol.

14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for starting said local proxy on said client application; and

means for configuring and starting said client application using said local proxy.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said means for converting said application layer protocol of said query further comprises:

means for creating a query script having settings for compression, filters, and encryption; and

means for encapsulating said query script for transmission over said communication path from said local proxy to said remote proxy.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said means for converting said application layer protocol of said data object further comprises:

means for compressing, filtering, and encrypting said data object according to said settings in said query script; and

means for placing said data object in a reply script for transmission over said communication path from said remote proxy to said local proxy.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising:

means for matching said reply script with said query script upon receiving said reply script in said local proxy;

means for delivering said reply script to said client application;

means for unpackaging said data object from said reply script; and

means for displaying said data object at said first location.

18. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

means for creating a service script at said remote proxy;

means for transmitting said service script from said remote proxy to said local proxy;

means for parsing said service script and extracting a requested action and a data object from said service script; and

means for executing a service action at said local proxy.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein said communication path is a high latency communication path.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said communication path comprises a wireless network.

21. A system for communicating with a remote server, said system comprising:

a host computer having a client application for a user interface;

a local proxy for communicating with said client application using an application layer protocol, said local proxy means having means for converting said application layer protocol into a transport layer protocol; and

a remote proxy for communicating with said local proxy using a transport protocol, said local proxy including means for converting said transport protocol into said application layer protocol and said remote proxy including means for communicating with said remote server using said application layer protocol.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said local proxy and said remote proxy communicate through a high latency communication path.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein said local proxy and said remote proxy communicate through a wireless network.

24. The system according to claim 21 wherein said proxies are provided with at least one encryption algorithm for encrypting data transmissions.

26. The system according to claim 21 wherein said remote proxy filters data transmissions to said host computer.

28. The system according to claim 21 wherein said proxies compress data transmissions between said server application and said host computer.