Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-12-25
Trost, William (Department: 2683)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S424000, C455S428000, C370S351000, C370S353000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06334056
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing communications signals from wireless handheld devices, and more particularly to providing a method and apparatus for processing communications signals between wireless handheld devices and a data network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Use of cellular and other wireless types of communication devices have become more commonplace. Entire networks have been established for processing communications signals transmitted and received by cellular phones. Initially, the only types of information processed by the network were audio information and limited amounts of alphanumeric information relating to the processing of telephone numbers.
As digital technology has advanced, the amount of information which may be transmitted and received by wireless telephones has increased. For example, wireless telephones are now able to process and display alphanumeric information. This information is presented through a small screen incorporated into the telephone.
One feature which has recently been incorporated into some cellular or wireless telephones is the functionality to process information received and transmitted over a data network such as the World Wide Web. The main limitation of these small handheld devices is that only a few lines of alphanumeric information may be displayed at one time, there is a limited key pad for entering information, and most handheld devices do not have the types of memory resources which allow for processing of information received from servers connected to a data network such as the World Wide Web.
In order to accommodate the use of handheld devices for accessing information over a data network, a processing language called Handheld Device Markup Language (“HDML”) has been developed. This language is especially suited for formatting Web content for the bandwidth or display size constraints of a handheld device. Whereas the fundamental structural unit of HTML is a page, in HDML, the fundamental unit is a deck of cards. Each HTTP response from a web server is packaged in the form of an HDML deck. A deck may contain one or more cards, each which specifies a single interaction between the device and the user. Some examples of the types of information provided include displays of information, display of a prompt which lets a user enter a string of inputs, displays a list of options for user to select, and the performance of various hidden operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventors have recognized that the use of handheld devices which include the functionality to receive and transmit information over a data network, may be a tool employed by businesses to provide various information to remotely located employees, such as field service agents. For example, a service agent may be able to, via the handheld device, access certain company records on the company's limited access network. However, as is well known in networking technology, in order to provide security for a limited access data network (intranet), certain safeguards may be implemented to limit access.
Described herein is a method and apparatus for providing access to an intranet through use of a handheld device. The method and apparatus described herein provide this service while conserving processing resources and providing the necessary security in order to protect the integrity of the data network. The system described herein may include a wireless communication device which processes and displays information which has been converted to the handheld device markup language (HDML). The wireless communications device may establish a connection with a communications network, such as a cellular or PCS network. Through the wireless service provider's network a connection may be established with a public data network, such as the World Wide Web. Finally, in connection with the public data network may be an intranet to which the wireless device is establishing a line of communication.
The intranet may include an interface device which acts as a gateway for communications. Access to the intranet is controlled according to a predetermined criteria. The data gateway may recognize a request from the wireless communications device and routes all communications from these devices through one socket in the gateway to a predetermined interface device, such as an application server. From this interface device, queries may be sent out to the wireless device to enter the appropriate security information for allowing access to the intranet. Once the appropriate information has been entered, and the wireless communication user has been designated as authorized, the interface device directs the requests from the wireless device user to the appropriate applications within the intranet.
In one aspect of the invention, the wireless communication device may be a cellular or digital personal communications service (PCS) telephone which receives and transmits information to and from a cellular tower which is part of a cellular network. The cellular tower may be connected to a data communications device which transmits the information either over a public data network such as the World Wide Web, or via a private circuit such as a frame relay type network.
Trough the public data network, a connection may be established with the intranet. In another aspect of the invention, access to the intranet may be controlled through the use of a firewall type device located in a router which controls access to the intranet. Programmed into the firewall, may be the functionality to recognize uniform resource locator (URL) requests received from a handheld device. All such requests may be routed through a single socket through the firewall to a proxy server which performs the necessary security verifications in order to provide access to the intranet.
The proxy server may request from the handheld device user, a user ID as well as a password. If the handheld device user is not able to provide both pieces of information, access to the data network is denied. If the necessary information is provided, access may then be granted and the URL request received may be processed. The proxy server then routes the user to the appropriate application within the Internet.
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Wireless Integration Xtra; Wireless Protocol Links Mobile Phone Users to Internet;author Michael Fahey; Feb. 23, 1999; http://www.broadband-guide.com/wi
ews
ewsnd9710.html.
Preface (Introduction, Handheld Devices, Physical Charteristics); Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML); Feb. 23, 1999; http://ms418qzh.ms.u-tokyo.ac.jp:1997/TR/hdml20-3.html#HEADING3-2.
Unwired Planet-HDML; Unwired Planet UP; Copyright 1997, 1998 Unwired planet, Inc.; http://www/uplanet.com/tech/products/hdml.html.
Holmes Wayne L.
Olander David C.
Marsh & Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
Qwest Communications Int'l., Inc.
Tran Conavan
Trost William
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