US6351771B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Distributed service network system capable of transparently converting data formats and selectively connecting to an appropriate bridge in accordance with clients characteristics identified during preliminary connections
Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC
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Filing: 1998-03-12
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Granted: 2002-02-26
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Expires: 2018-03-12
Abstract
Abstract A distributed service network provides telecommunications and other services to users transparently of where the user accesses the network and the particular client used to access the network. The network comprises a plurality of regions, each comprising a region manager and one or more region servers. A personal agent is defined for each user and is replicated to remote regions in the network from the user's home region as the user connects through those remote regions. The personal agent stores user information including services to which the user is subscribed and preferences set by the user. The region servers include a set of transducers which operate to make services transparent to the actual client used to connect to the network and to the service provider.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur Julian Patterson Craddock
- 👤 Ramzan A. Khuwaja
- 👤 Steve Michael Armstrong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:53
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A distributed service network comprising a plurality of regions connected by a communications backbone, wherein: each of said regions comprises a plurality of region servers and a region manager in communication with said region servers; each of said region servers comprises a plurality of bridges, a plurality of adapters, and a transducer matrix in communication with said bridges and said adapters; each bridge is arranged to establish a preliminary connection with a client; said region manager is arranged to identify client characteristics associated with said preliminary connection and transfer said preliminary connection to an appropriate bridge based upon the identified client characteristics, whereby connection to said network is transparent as to where said client connects to said network; each adapter is arranged to establish a connection with an external service and to determine a service type associated with said service; each adapter is further arranged to receive data in a first transport protocol associated with said service type and convert said first transport protocol to a protocol understood by a selected one of said region servers; and said transducer matrix is arranged to convert between data formats associated with said client characteristics identified by said region manager and data formats associated with said service type determined by said adapter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A distributed service network comprising a plurality of regions connected by a communications backbone, wherein: each of said regions comprises a plurality of region servers and a region manager in communication with said region servers; each of said region servers comprises a plurality of bridges, a plurality of adapters, and a transducer matrix in communication with said bridges and said adapters; each bridge is arranged to establish a preliminary connection with a client; said region manager is arranged to identify client characteristics associated with said preliminary connection and transfer said preliminary connection to an appropriate bridge based upon the identified client characteristics, whereby connection to said network is transparent as to where said client connects to said network; each adapter is arranged to establish a connection with an external service and to determine a service type associated with said service; each adapter is further arranged to receive data in a first transport protocol associated with said service type and convert said first transport protocol to a protocol understood by a selected one of said region servers; and said transducer matrix is arranged to convert between data formats associated with said client characteristics identified by said region manager and data formats associated with said service type determined by said adapter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
159 words
A distributed service network comprising a plurality of regions, wherein: each region comprises a plurality of regions servers and a region manager; each server comprises at least one bridge, at least one adapter, and a set of transducers in communication with said bridge and said adapter; said bridge is arranged to establish a preliminary connection with a client; said region manager is arranged to identify client characteristics associated with said preliminary connection and transfer said preliminary connection to an appropriate bridge based upon the identified client characteristics, whereby connection to said network is transparent as to where said client connects to said network; said adapter is arranged to establish a connection with an external service and to determine a service type associated with said service; and said set of transducers is arranged to convert between data formats associated with said client characteristics identified by said region manager and data formats associated with said service type determined by said adapter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
159 words
A distributed service network comprising a plurality of regions, wherein: each region comprises a plurality of regions servers and a region manager; each server comprises at least one bridge, at least one adapter, and a set of transducers in communication with said bridge and said adapter; said bridge is arranged to establish a preliminary connection with a client; said region manager is arranged to identify client characteristics associated with said preliminary connection and transfer said preliminary connection to an appropriate bridge based upon the identified client characteristics, whereby connection to said network is transparent as to where said client connects to said network; said adapter is arranged to establish a connection with an external service and to determine a service type associated with said service; and said set of transducers is arranged to convert between data formats associated with said client characteristics identified by said region manager and data formats associated with said service type determined by said adapter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said adapter is arranged to receive data in a first transport protocol associated with said service type and convert said first transport protocol to a generic protocol understood by a region server.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein: each of said servers comprises a plurality of adapters; each of said adapters is arranged to receive data in a first transport protocol and transmit in a second transport protocol; and each of said adapters is arranged to forward received data to another adapter for retransmission in another transport protocol.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region is arranged to: verify the identity of said client; convert said preliminary connection to a complete connection; and service data access requests from said client upon conversion of said preliminary connection to said complete connection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 5 wherein said identity of said client is verified through input of a user ID and password.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 5 wherein said identity of said client is verified by identifying information implicit to said client.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 7 wherein said implicit information includes one of an IP address, a pager number, and a cellular equipment identification umber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region manager is further arranged to transfer said preliminary connection to an alternative bridge as a function of said identified client characteristics.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 9 wherein said alternative bridge is associated with a different region server than said bridge with which said preliminary connection is established.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region manager is further arranged to transfer said preliminary connection to a different region server within said region if said client characteristics associated with said preliminary connection change.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region is arranged to access a user profile associated with said client and wherein said user profile is stored in said network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region is arranged to access a personal agent associated with said client.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said personal agent is accessed from a database engine associated with said region manager.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said personal agent maintains a user profile associated with said client.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 15 wherein said user profile identifies at least one of services to which said client subscribes, user preferences for various client devices, and billing information associated with said client.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 13 wherein said personal agent is arranged to provide access to services data for user access requests.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 17 wherein said services data includes at least one of e-mail services, passwords, and user identifications.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region is arranged to: identify a home region associated with said client; and access a user profile associated with said client from said home region.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region is arranged to: identify a home region associated with said client; and replicate in said region a user profile associated with said client from said home region.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said set of transducers is arranged in a transducer matrix and wherein a transducer matrix switch is operative to select at least one transducer in said transducer matrix for conversion between data formats associated with said client characteristics and data formats associated with said service type.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 21 wherein said transducer matrix switch is arranged to select a single transducer for said conversion.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 21 wherein said transducer matrix switch is arranged to select a chain of transducers for said conversion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 21 wherein said transducer matrix switch is arranged to select parallel transducers for said conversion.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 21 wherein said region is arranged to select transducers from different servers for said conversion.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 21 wherein said region is arranged to select transducers from different regions for said conversion.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
62 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 21 wherein said selection of said transducers is determined by accessing an entry in a look-up table, and wherein a first input of said look-up table corresponds to a data format associated with said client characteristics and a second input of said look-up table corresponds to a data format associated with said service type.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 27 wherein said region is arranged to update entries in said look-up table as new transducers are added.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said adapter is arranged to perform encryption and decryption.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
A distributed service network as claimed in claim 2 wherein said region manager maintains an availability list arranged to enable identification of under utilized components throughout said network.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-25 | 2005-08-27 | 2006-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-25 | 2009-08-27 | 2010-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-25 | 2013-08-27 | 2014-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |