Wireless services provider network system and method
View Patent ↗An application service provider provides wireless access to a packetized data network, such as the Internet. The application service provider includes a server computer. The server computer is connected to the network, which is at least in part a wired network. The wired network is connected to a cellular wireless communications system. Data is communicated over the network, both wired and wireless, via OSI models, for example, according to TCP/IP protocols or specialized variants. A wireless device, such as a modern-equipped laptop computer or personal digital assistant, a web-enabled telephone, or the like, is communicatively connected to the cellular wireless communications system. The application service provider can maintain a website, including targeted content, on the server computer for access by the wireless device.
1. A server computer communicatively connected to a packet-switched communications network communicatively operating via packet-switched network transport protocols according to a first data payload format for a data payload, comprising:
a wireless data communications provider equipment communicatively connected to the server computer, the provider equipment for communicatively connecting to a wireless data communications channel;
means for translating the first data payload format to a second data payload format of the data payload for transmission on the wireless communications channel, the second data payload format includes series of data packets in order of a transmission header including a packet type, sequence ID and payload ID, a header packet for the data payload and a header packet for the data payload inserted at beginning, middle and near end of the data payload;
means for communicatively transmitting on the wireless data communications channel to a receiver, the data payload of the second data payload format, the second data payload format and is not directly communicatively operative on the packet-switched communications network;
means for communicatively receiving on the wireless data communications channel, in response to communicatively transmitting the data payload of the second data payload format by the means for communicatively transmitting, an acknowledgement of either: (i) if all of the series of data packets of the data payload, including at least one header packet, was received by the receiver, a payload received acknowledgement, (ii) if some but not all of the series of data packets, including at least one header packet, was received by the receiver, an identifier of the data packets received, and (iii) if no header packet but at least some of the series of data packets was received by the receiver, no acknowledgement communicated.
2. The server computer of claim 1 , further comprising a client software for wirelessly communicating via the wireless data communications channel with the server computer according to the second data payload format.
3. The server computer of claim 2 , wherein the packet-switched communications network operates according to an open systems interconnect model protocol.
4. The server computer of claim 3 , wherein the packet-switched communications network protocol is TCP/IP.
5. The server computer of claim 2 , wherein the packet-switched communications network is the Internet.
6. The server computer of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communications channel is a cellular packetized data system operating for wireless communications of and to the receiver per the second data payload format for the data payload.
7. The server computer communications network of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communications channel is a CDPD system operating for wireless communications of and to the receiver per the second data payload format for the data payload.
8. The server computer of claim 1 , wherein the means for translating includes a server software stored by the server computer and processed by a processor of the server computer.
9. A method of communications, comprising the steps of:
serving a data payload of a first data payload format over a first communications network via a TCP/IP protocol;
receiving the data payload from the first communications network;
translating the first data payload format to a second data payload format of the data payload for transmission on a wireless communications channel, the second data payload format includes series of data packets in order of a transmission header including a packet type, sequence ID and payload ID, a header packet for the data payload and a header packet for the data payload inserted at beginning, middle and near end of the data payload;
transmitting the data payload of the second data payload format on the wireless communications channel to a receiver, the second data payload format and is not directly communicatively operative on the first communications network;
receiving on the wireless data communications channel, responsive to transmitting the data payload of the second data payload format, an acknowledgement of either: (i) if all of the series of data packets of the data payload, including at least one header packet, was received by the receiver, a payload received acknowledgement, (ii) if some but not all of the series of data packets, including at least one header packet, was received by the receiver, an identifier of the data packets received, and (iii) if no header packet but at least some of the series of data packets was received by the receiver, no acknowledgement communicated.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first communications network is the Internet.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second data payload format is optimized for the wireless channel.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the wireless channel comprises a CDPD cellular network.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the data payload is selected from the group consisting of: text, graphic, image, voice, and streaming media.
14. A computer readable substrate having a computer program saved thereupon, the computer program comprising the steps of:
providing an on-line access to a website, the website maintained on a server computer;
wirelessly communicating between a wireless device and the server computer via a first transport protocol, to initiate access to the website;
responding between the server computer and the wireless device with a first packetized data via the first transport protocol;
receiving the first packetized data via the first transport protocol;
transmitting a second packetized data via a second transport protocol, between the wireless device and the server computer;
receiving at least a portion of the second packetized data from the step of transmitting via the second transport protocol; and
communicating between the wireless device and the server computer via the second transport protocol, of an acknowledgement of: (i) if the second packetized data, including at least one header packet, received in the step of receiving from the step of transmitting via the second transport protocol, a payload received acknowledgement, (ii) if some packets, including at least one header packet, but not all packets received in the step of receiving from the step of transmitting via the second transport protocol, an identifier of the packets received, and (iii) if no header packet received but at least a portion of the second packetized data received in the step of receiving from the step of transmitting via the second transport protocol, no acknowledgement communicated.
15. The computer readable substrate of claim 14 , wherein the computer program further comprises the steps of re-transmitting the second packetized data via the second transport protocol, between the wireless device and the server computer, if no acknowledgement is received in the step of communicating, before a timeout occurrence.
16. The computer readable substrate of claim 14 , wherein the computer program further comprises the steps of:
communicating by the server computer over a network according to the first transport protocol, responsive to the step of communicating between the wireless device and the server computer via the second transport protocol; and
communicating between the wireless device and the server computer via the second transport protocol by logical determination by the server computer and the wireless device whether to re-send lost and error data packets.