Multiplex communications – Pathfinding or routing – Switching a message which includes an address header
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-12
2002-12-03
Chin, Wellington (Department: 2664)
Multiplex communications
Pathfinding or routing
Switching a message which includes an address header
C370S410000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06490291
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1.Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data communications, and more particularly, to a device for data communications between a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) terminal and a WAP server, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a WAP server is connected between an Internet server which provides various information and a WAP terminal capable of receiving the information provided from the Internet server, to convert different data formats and different protocols between the Internet server and the WAP terminal. Also, the WAP server can provide the WAP terminal with its own information.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a conventional data communications device between a WAP terminal and a WAP server.
The data communications device of
FIG. 1
comprises a WAP terminal
10
, an interworking function (IWF) unit
12
, a public switched telephone network (PSTN)
13
, an Internet service provider (ISP)
14
and a WAP server
16
.
The IWF unit
12
performs routing functions between the WAP terminal
10
and the ISP
14
. The ISP
14
is one of companies providing general communication service such as HITEL or UNITEL. The WAP server
16
provides the WAP terminal
10
with its own information and much information from an Internet server (not shown).
FIG. 2
shows a protocol stack of each block of the data communications device shown in FIG.
1
.
A protocol stack of the WAP terminal
10
consists of a plurality of protocol layers including a Circuit Switch Data services protocol (CSD(IS-707)), a Peer-to-Peer Protocol (PPP), an Internet Protocol (IP), a Wireless Transaction Protocol (WTP) and User Data Program Protocol (UDP), a Wireless Session Protocol (WSP) and a Wireless Application Environment protocol (WAE). Also, the CSD(IS-707) includes an IS-95 protocol, a Radio Link Protocol (RLP), a PPP, an IP and a TCP. The protocol layers are well known to those skilled in the art, so explanation thereof will be omitted.
FIG. 4
is a diagram illustrating data flow in the data communications device shown in FIG.
1
.
The operation of the data communications device of
FIG. 1
will be described with reference to FIG.
4
.
It is assumed that the WAP terminal
10
intends to receive Internet or electronic mail (E-mail) services. Here, the WAP terminal
10
is ready to-receive a common call or data (Internet or E-mail) in a normal state. When a user of the WAP terminal
10
connects the WAP terminal
10
through the IWF unit
12
and the PSTN
13
to the ISP
14
using a telephone number for connection with the Internet, the ISP
14
connected to the WAP terminal
10
allows the user to receive the Internet or E-mail services. Also, when the user wants to stop receiving the Internet services, the ISP
14
disconnects the call from the WAP terminal
10
, returning to the ready state.
In detail, the WAP terminal
10
sends an Origination Message requesting connection of its call to the IWF unit
12
. The IWF unit
12
receives the Origination Message from the WAP terminal
10
, and then sends an Origination Ack message acknowledging reception to the WAP terminal
10
. The IWF unit
12
sends a Connect Request message for connection of a modem to the ISP
14
. The ISP
14
receives the Connect Request message and sends a Connect <rate> message indicating the connection of the modem through the PSTN
13
and the IWF unit
12
to the WAP terminal
10
. Under conditions that the WAP terminal
10
and the IWF unit
12
are connected to each other, the WAP terminal
10
sends WAP data (Internet or E-mail services request data) which the user Wants to receive through the IWF
12
and the ISP
14
, to the WAP server
16
. After the WAP server
16
receives the WAP data, the WAP server
16
sends WAP server data which is retained in the WAP server itself, or data taken from an Internet server (not shown) through the ISP
14
, the PSTN
13
and the IWP
12
to the WAP terminal
10
.
The data communications device of
FIG. 1
, having the protocol stack as shown in
FIG. 2
, has the following problems.
First, because the CSD(IS-707) in the protocol stack of the WAP terminal
10
includes the IPIPPP as shown in
FIG. 3
, the protocol stack of the WAP terminal
10
has IP/PPP protocol layers in duplicate. As a result, there is much overhead during transmission of data, so that transmission efficiency becomes low. That is, the resources of the terminal are not efficiently used. Also, when a user intends to connect to the WAP server
16
or the Internet, connection with the ISP
14
is achieved through the PSTN
14
. Thus, the connection rate becomes slow, and using the PSTN and the ISP
14
may be subject to charges by the telephone company or the ISP. Also, the transmission of data is inefficient because it requires multiple steps as shown in FIG.
4
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a device for data communications between a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) protocol and a WAP server, adopting a protocol stack in which a single Internet Protocol/Peer-to-Peer Protocol (IP/PPP) layer included in a Circuit Switch Data services (ISD) protocol of the WAP terminal is used and an interworking function (IWF) unit also acts as an Internet service provider (ISP).
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a communication method of the data communications device for the first object.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a device for data communications between a WAP terminal and WAP server, which performs data communications while performing switching between the WAP terminal and a non-WAP terminal.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a communication method of the data communications device for the third object.
Accordingly, to achieve the above first object, there is provided a device for data communications between a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) terminal and a WAP server, comprising: a plurality of WAP terminals each having a protocol stack in which a Circuit Switch Data service (CSD) protocol layer is laid under a Wireless Transaction Protocol (WTP) layer and a Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP) layer, for generating WAP data which is service request data; a plurality of WAP servers each having a protocol stack in which a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer and an Internet Protocol (IP) layer are laid under a WTP layer and a WDP layer, for providing the WAP terminals with WAP server data according to the WAP data; and an interworking function (IWF) unit having a CSD protocol layer connected to the CSD protocol layers of each WAP terminal, and a TCP layer and an IP layer which are connected to the TCP and IP layers of each WAP server, for mapping the WAP terminals to the corresponding WAP servers, wherein each WAP terminal communicates with the IWF unit through a single Internet Protocol/Peer-to-Peer Protocol (IP/PPP) layer included in its own CSD protocol layer, and the IWF unit communicates through the Internet with each WAP server.
To achieve the second object, there is provided a communication method of a data communications device including a plurality of WAP terminals having a protocol stack in which a Circuit Switch Data service (CSD) protocol layer is laid under a Wireless Transaction Protocol (WTP) layer and a Wireless Datagram Protocol (WDP) layer, a plurality of WAP servers having a protocol stack in which a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer and an Internet Protocol (IP) layer are laid under a WTP layer and a WDP layer, and an interworking function (IWF) unit having a CSD protocol layer connected to the CSD protocol layers of each WAP terminal, and a TCP layer and an IP layer which are connected to the TCP and IP layers of each WAP server, for communications between each WAP terminal and each WAP server, the method comprising the steps of: (a) transferring an Origination Message for a call connection from each WAP terminal to the IWF unit, and transferring an Origination ACK
Kim Yong-suk
Lee Sang-seo
Chin Wellington
Duong Frank
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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