System and method for integrating information services through cellular network

• US 7,995,506 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flash Networks, Ltd. (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flash Networks, Ltd. (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kalish, Danny
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US11/086,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20050213592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,331 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.48, 455/456.1, 4554141-4142, 455/435.1, 455/406, 455/404.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 709217-219, 709201-203, 709/224, 709/225, 709/229, 370/310, 726/12
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and a system for handling content requests initiated by mobile wireless devices or content providers servers, implemented within a proxy server. Said method and system comprise of the steps: analyzing request type according to predefined business logic rules; identifying the relevant backend information server resources required for executing said request; connecting to the respective information servers; requesting and receiving the relevant information form the respective information servers; and forwarding the received information to content provider server.

Claims

1. A method of handling content requests initiated by mobile wireless devices, over a mobile network having backend services, wherein the content requests are directed at and responded by at least one content server, are handled by a communication server, wherein the content requests require information available from the backend services, the method comprising:

encoding a request for backend services information by the content server within a response to said content request for which the content server requires backend services information;

intercepting the response of the content server and decoding the encoded request for backend services information, wherein said intercepting and decoding is executed by the communication server;

executing an information query over the backend services on behalf of the content server based on the encoded request, wherein said execution is carried out by said communication server;

issuing the query result to the content server in a form of a renewed content request exhibiting the requested backend services information encoded in request parameters or headers.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying authorization of the content server to request and receive the backend services information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the verifying of the authorization is obtained from pre-configured authorization lists.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the verifying of the authorization is obtained from an external system interface.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the verifying of the authorization is obtained by interacting with the user for requesting authorization to disclose the required information related to the backend services.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein intercepting the content server response, executing the information query on behalf of the content server and forwarding the query result to the content server in the form of a renewed content request exhibiting the required backend services information are executed by the communication server.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the backend services provide one of:

user profile;

location;

billing information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the required information relating to the backend service is at least one of:

requested content, user identification, requesting device, source network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to information query executed on behalf of the content server, determining whether to forward the information from the content server to the mobile device.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the required backend services information in the renewed content request is embedded within the header of the content request.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the required backend services information in the renewed content request is embedded within the request parameters of the content request.

12. A system for handling content requests initiated by mobile wireless devices, over a mobile network having backend services, wherein the content requests are directed at and responded by content servers, are handled by a communication server, and

wherein the content requests require information available from the backend services, the system comprising:

at least one content server arranged to encode a request for backend services information responsive to a content request for which the content server requires backend services information; and

the communication server arranged to;

intercept the response of the content server and decoding the encoded request for backend services information;

execute an information query over the backend services on behalf of the content server based on the encoded request;

issue the query result to the content server in a form of a renewed content request exhibiting the requested backend services information encoded in request parameters or headers.

13. The communication server of claim 12, wherein the backend service is at least one of:

user profile, location, billing.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication server further comprises processing means arranged to check the required information from the backend system services for determining whether to forward the information as received from the content server to the mobile device.

15. A method of handling content requests initiated by mobile wireless devices, over a mobile network having backend services, wherein the content requests are directed at and responded by at least one content server, are handled by a communication server, wherein the content requests require information available from the backend services, the method comprising:

receiving an initial content request from the mobile device of a user, wherein said content request is received by the communication server;

transmitting said received content request to the content server;

analyzing the content request to define the required backend services information, wherein said backend services enable providing multiple information types including;

location information indicating the location of the mobile device from which said content query was sent;

billing information indicating an account status related to a user of the mobile device; and

profile of the user related to the mobile device;

encoding a request for backend services information by the content server within a response to said content request for which the content server requires backend services information, according to the defined required information;

intercepting the response of the content server and decoding the encoded request for backend services information, wherein said intercepting and decoding is executed by the communication server not requiring interrogation with the user mobile device;

executing an information query over at least one backend service on behalf of the content server based on the encoded request, wherein said execution is carried out by said communication server;

issuing the query result to the content server in a form of a renewed content request exhibiting the requested backend services information encoded in request parameters or headers,

retrieving content from the content server, according to the renewed request; and

transmitting the retrieved content to the mobile device of the user,

wherein all communication between the mobile device, communication server, content server and backend service are transmitted by standard data communication protocol.