1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to communication networks. In particular, the invention relates to a novel and improved method, system, devices and computer programs for storing data content in a remote computer using a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile terminals, e.g. mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) etc. can be used to browse the Internet. The content browsed by the mobile terminal may be visually customized for mobile terminals or the content may be the same as browsed using a computer.
When browsing data content on the Internet using a mobile terminal, one may often want to store a file containing e.g. a picture, sound, a video clip etc. in a memory. A mobile terminal typically has limited resources for downloading and storing content for later consumption. Limited resources refer e.g. to limited memory space of the mobile terminal and bandwidth of the network connection. If a large file were downloaded with a mobile terminal, it would be apparent that it would take a while to download the file using a low speed network connection thus causing relatively high costs to the user of the mobile terminal.
Furthermore, although a mobile terminal had enough memory space and network bandwidth for downloading it might not have all the needed software to run the downloaded file.
Storing mail attachments and other big files directly to a home or office personal computer enhances usability. Mobile terminal initiated attachment storing can be done currently with appropriate software. This can be done e.g. with a telnet or secure shell client from a mobile terminal or with remote-use software as a virtual networking client. However, these solutions are not convenient for frequent use. Furthermore, these solutions are not user-friendly and require additional knowledge and custom software in order to work appropriately.
Naturally it is possible that a user downloads a desired file afterwards using e.g. his/her home computer. In this solution, however, the user must remember the page address or send the address to the home computer while using a mobile terminal for browsing.
Some service providers offer a service in which data content (e.g. a file) can be sent to an email address of the user of the mobile terminal. This solution, however, requires a separate email service to the web page in question.
In summary, mobile browsing and browsers suffer from a serious shortcoming: since the mobile terminal lacks both bandwidth to communication networks and adequate storage, downloading of large files may not be possible.
Therefore, there is a need for a solution providing an easy and user-friendly solution to the aforementioned problems.
The invention relates to a solution that enables a mobile terminal to store data content from a data content server connected to a data communication network in a remote computer.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer. The method comprises browsing data provided by a data content server of the data communication network using a mobile terminal, sending at least one data request associated with data content to the data content server, selecting with the mobile terminal a remote computer connected to the data communication network as a destination device for storing the data content, and storing the data content in the remote computer.
In one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises storing in a memory of the mobile terminal at least one data request associated with data content, sending at least one data request stored in the memory of the mobile terminal to the selected remote computer, sending from the remote computer at least one data request to the data content server, sending from the data content server a requested data content to the remote computer and storing the data content in the remote computer.
In another embodiment of the method, the method further comprises setting up an association between the mobile terminal and the remote computer, browsing data provided by the data content server of the data communication network using the mobile terminal via the remote computer using the set up association, sending at least one data request from the mobile terminal via the remote computer to the data content server, sending at least one data request response from the data content server to the mobile terminal via the remote computer, receiving with the remote computer a command from the mobile terminal, the command indicating that data content is to be stored in the remote computer, sending with the remote computer data content request to the data content server, sending the data content from the data content server to the remote computer, and storing the data content in the remote computer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a system of storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer. The system comprises a data communication network, a wireless communication network connected to the data communication network, a data content server connected to the data communication network, a mobile terminal connected to the wireless communication network, wherein the mobile terminal comprises browsing means configured to browse data provided by the data content server and a remote computer connected to the data communication network. The system further comprises at least one network device configured to send at least one data request associated with data content to the data content server. Furthermore, the browsing means are configured to select the remote computer connected to the data communication network as a destination device for storing the data content and the remote computer is configured to store the data content from the data content server.
In one embodiment of the system, the browsing means are configured to send at least one data request associated with data content to the data content server, the mobile terminal comprises a first memory configured to store at least one data request associated with the data content, the browsing means are configured to send at least one data request stored in the first memory to the selected remote computer, the remote computer comprises a remote proxy application configured to receive the at least one data request from the mobile terminal, to send at least one data request to the data content server, and to receive a requested data content from the data content server, and the remote computer comprises a second memory configured to store the data content.
In another embodiment of the system, the system further comprises a connection application configured to set up an association between the mobile terminal and the remote computer, the browsing means are configured to browse data provided by the data content server using the set up association, the browsing means are configured to send at least one data request to the data server via a remote proxy application of the remote computer, the remote proxy application is configured to send at least one data request response from the data content server to the mobile terminal, to receive a command from the browsing means, the command indicating that data content is to be stored in the remote computer, to send a data content request to the data content server, and to receive the requested data content from the data content server, and the remote computer comprises a second memory configured to store the data content.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program for storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer. The computer program comprises code adapted to perform the following steps when executed on a data-processing device: browsing data provided by a data content server of the data communication network using a mobile terminal, storing in a memory of the mobile terminal at least one data request associated with data content, selecting with the mobile terminal a remote computer connected to the data communication network as a destination device for storing the data content, and sending at least one data request stored in the memory of the mobile terminal to the selected remote computer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program for storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer. The computer program comprises code adapted to perform the following steps when executed on a data-processing device: setting up an association between a mobile terminal and the remote computer, browsing data provided by a data content server of the data communication network using the mobile terminal via the remote computer using the set up association, sending at least one data request from the mobile terminal to the remote computer, receiving at least one data request response from the remote computer, and sending a command from the mobile terminal to the remote computer, the command indicating that data content is to be stored in the remote computer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program for storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer. The computer program comprises code adapted to perform the following steps when executed on a data-processing device: setting up an association between a mobile terminal and the remote computer, receiving at least one data request from the mobile terminal with the remote computer, sending from the remote computer at least one data request to the data content server, receiving a requested data content from the data content server with the remote computer, and storing the data content in the remote computer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer program for storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer. The computer program comprises code adapted to perform the following steps when executed on a data-processing device: setting up an association between a mobile terminal and the remote computer, receiving at least one data request from the mobile terminal with the remote computer, sending the at least one data request to a data content server, receiving at least one data request response from the data content server with the remote computer, sending the at least one data request response to the mobile terminal from the remote computer, receiving with the remote computer a command from the mobile terminal, the command indicating that data content is to be stored in the remote computer, sending with the remote computer a data content request to the data content server, and storing the data content in the remote computer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a mobile terminal for storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer, comprising browsing means configured to browse information provided by a data content server, wherein the browsing means are configured to send at least one data request associated with data content to the data content server and to receive at least one data request response from the data content server. The mobile further comprises a first memory configured to store at least one data request associated with data content. The browsing means are configured to select the remote computer as a destination device for storing the data content and to send at least one data request stored in the first memory to the selected remote computer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a mobile terminal of storing data content from a data communication network in a remote computer, comprising browsing means configured to browse information provided by a data content server. The mobile terminal further comprises a connection application configured to set up an association between the mobile terminal and the remote computer. The browsing means are configured to browse data provided by the data content server via a remote proxy application of the remote computer by using the set up association, to send at least one data request to the remote computer, to receive at least one data request response from the remote computer, and to send a command to the remote computer, the command indicating that data content is to be stored in the remote computer.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a remote computer for storing data content from a data communication network. The remote computer comprises a connection application configured to set up an association between a mobile terminal and the remote computer, a remote proxy application configured to receive at least one data request from the mobile terminal, to send at least one data request to a data content server, to receive a requested data content from the data content server, and a second memory configured to store the data content.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a remote computer for storing data content from a data communication network. The remote computer comprises a connection application configured to set up an association between a mobile terminal and the remote computer, a remote proxy application configured to receive at least one data request from the mobile terminal, to send the at least one data request to a data content server, to receive at least one data request response from the data content server, to send the at least one data request response to the mobile terminal, to receive a command from the mobile terminal, the command indicating that data content is to be stored in the remote computer, to send a data content request to the data content server, and to receive the data content from the data content server, and a second memory configured to store the data content from the data content server.
Further embodiments of the invention are disclosed below.
The invention has several advantages over the prior-art solutions. The invention enables a user of a mobile terminal to store data content (i.e. any form of downloadable file) from a data content server connected to a data communication network in a remote computer, e.g. a home computer or an office computer.
A further benefit of the invention is that it provides a user-friendly way to store files (links) encountered while browsing with a mobile terminal to a remote computer. The storing procedure to the user does not differ from the procedure when a file is stored locally.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description help to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
When mobile terminal 14 browses e.g. the Internet, the browsing generates a plurality of data requests that are sent to data content server 10, step 100. Sophisticated web pages may require the user e.g. to log in to a web page, select one or more links, fill in a plurality of fields in order to get a customized web page and in order to be able to download a desired file. Therefore, if such a file was to be downloaded at some point into remote computer 12, e.g. home or office computer, remote computer 12 should imitate the aforementioned selection sequence in order to be able to download the file. Therefore, there has to be a way for mobile terminal 14 to transmit the selection sequence to remote computer 12.
Therefore, mobile terminal 14 caches in a memory of mobile terminal 14 at least one data request associated with data content, step 102. The expression ‘associated with data content’ refers to data requests that have to be made in order to be able to download a desired data content, e.g. a media file etc. Data content server 10 sends responses to the data requests sent by mobile terminal 14, step 104.
When the user of mobile terminal 14 finds data content he/she is willing to save to a remote computer, the user chooses remote computer 12 as a destination device for storing the data content, step 106. The choosing can be made e.g. via a conventional ‘save as’ dialog box or with any other appropriate way. In response to choosing remote computer 12 as a destination device for storing the data content, mobile terminal 14 establishes a connection with remote computer 12, step 108. The connection refers e.g. to a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel.
After establishing the connection with remote computer 12, mobile terminal 14 sends at least one data request stored in the memory of mobile terminal 14 to remote computer 12, step 110. The at least one data request may refer to only one data request, e.g. to a direct link to the desired file. In another embodiment, the at least one data request comprises at least one of the following: login information, a direct link to the data content, information associated with at least one data field, selection information and information identifying a communication protocol. The communication protocol is e.g. the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), the Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS), the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or any other communication protocol. Based on the at least one data request received from mobile terminal 14 a remote proxy application of remote computer 12 is able to download a desired data content from data content server 10. Therefore, the remote proxy application of remote computer 12 sends the received at least one data request to data content server 10, step 112.
In response to the at least one data request, data content server 10 sends the desired data content to remote computer 10, step 114. Remote computer 12 stores the data content in a memory, step 116.
The remote proxy application (proxy server) acts as an intermediary between a client application and a data content server. It intercepts all the requests sent by a browser and tries to fulfill them by itself. This is, that proxy sends the requested information (html content, pictures, files) from its cache if it exists there. Otherwise it forwards the requests further to the web server. Basic functionality of the proxy server is similar to a normal proxy for caching content, supporting e.g. the Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Post Office Protocol (POP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) protocols. However, the proxy server is also aware of the directory structure (may be a restricted sandbox in order to enhance security), and supports intercepting a file from an Internet server and storing it in a certain mobile terminal user-defined directory. Correspondingly, it is also possible to upload files from the proxy server.
In one embodiment of
In another embodiment of
The remote proxy application (proxy server) acts as an intermediary between a client application and a data content server. It intercepts all the requests sent by a browser and tries to fulfill them by itself. This is, that proxy sends the requested information (html content, pictures, files) from its cache if it exists there. Otherwise it forwards the requests further to the web server. Basic functionality of the proxy server is similar to a normal proxy for caching content, supporting e.g. the Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Post Office Protocol (POP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) protocols. However, the proxy server is also aware of the directory structure (may be a restricted sandbox in order to enhance security), and supports intercepting a file from an Internet server and storing it in a certain mobile terminal user-defined directory. Correspondingly, it is also possible to upload files from the proxy server.
Mobile terminal 14 establishes a connection with remote computer 12, step 200. The connection refers e.g. to a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel. After establishing the connection with remote computer 12, mobile terminal 14 is able to browse the Internet via the remote proxy application provided by remote computer 12, therefore sending at least one data request via the remote proxy application to data content server 10, step 202. In response to the at least one data request, data content server 10 sends corresponding data request responses to mobile terminal 14 via the remote proxy application of remote computer 12, step 204.
When the user of mobile terminal 14 finds data content he/she is willing to save to a remote computer, the user chooses remote computer 12 as a destination device for storing the data content, step 206. The choosing can be made e.g. via a conventional ‘save as’ dialog box or with any other appropriate way. In response to choosing remote computer 12 as a destination device for storing the data content, mobile terminal 14 sends a data content save request to remote computer 12, step 208, via the previously established connection between mobile terminal 14 and remote computer 12.
Based on the data request received from mobile terminal 14 remote computer 12 is able to download a desired data content from data content server 10. Therefore, remote computer 12 sends a data request to data content server 10, step 210. In response to the data request, data content server 10 sends the requested data content to remote computer 12. Remote computer 12 stores the data content in a memory, step 214.
In one embodiment of
Mobile terminal 14 comprises a central processing unit 30 to which a display 32 and a memory 300 are connected. It must be noted that mobile terminal 14 may comprise also several additional hardware and software elements and components that are not shown in
Remote computer 12 comprises a central processing unit 308 and a memory 306 connected to central processing unit 308. Memory 306 comprises a second memory 302 and a connection application 304 configured to establish a connection with mobile terminal 14. The connection refers e.g. to a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel. Furthermore, memory 306 comprises a remote proxy application 310 configured to receive at least one data request from mobile terminal 14, to send at least one data request to a data content server and to receive a requested data content from the data content server. Second memory 302 is configured to store the received data content.
Remote proxy application 310 (proxy server) acts as an intermediary between a client application and a data content server. It intercepts all the requests sent by a browser and tries to fulfill them by itself. This is, that proxy sends the requested information (html content, pictures, files) from its cache if it exists there. Otherwise it forwards the requests further to the web server. Basic functionality of the proxy server is similar to a normal proxy for caching content, supporting e.g. the Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Post Office Protocol (POP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) protocols. However, the proxy server is also aware of the directory structure (may be a restricted sandbox in order to enhance security), and supports intercepting a file from an Internet server and storing it in a certain mobile terminal user-defined directory. Correspondingly, it is also possible to upload files from the proxy server.
It is evident that remote computer 12 comprises also several hardware and software components with which remote computer 12 is able to connect to one or more communication networks or network elements. Furthermore, it must be noted that remote computer 12 may comprise also several additional hardware and software elements and components that are not shown in
In one embodiment of
Browsing application 36 is configured to select a remote computer as a destination device for storing the data content and to send at least one data request stored in first memory 30 to remote computer 12. Connection application 38 is configured to set up an association between mobile terminal 14 and remote computer 12. The connection refers e.g. to a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnel. Browsing application 36 is configured to send at least one data request to remote computer 12 using the set up association.
In one embodiment, connection application 38 is configured to set up the connection between mobile terminal 14 and remote computer 12, when browsing application 36 is used to select remote computer 12 as a destination device for storing the data content. In another embodiment, connection application 38 is configured to set up the connection between mobile terminal 14 and remote computer 12 earlier, prior to selecting remote computer 12 as a destination device for storing the data content.
Remote proxy application 310 of remote server 12 is configured to receive the data requests sent by mobile terminal 14. Remote proxy application 310 is further configured to send the data requests to the data content server in order to receive a requested data content from the data content server.
In another embodiment of
Because in this embodiment browsing is performed via remote proxy application 310, remote proxy application 310 is configured to receive data requests from mobile terminal 14, to send data requests further to the data content server, to receive data request responses from the data content server and to send the data request responses back to mobile terminal 14. Remote proxy application 310 is further configured to receive a command from mobile terminal 14, the command indicating that data content is to be stored in remote computer 12. In response to the command, remote proxy application 310 is configured to send a data content request to the data content server. The requested data content is stored in second memory 302. In one embodiment, remote proxy application 310 is configured to change the data request (command) sent by mobile terminal 14 in order to store the data content in the second memory 302. For example, remote proxy application 310 adds an additional identifier to the data content request (command) received from mobile terminal 14 so that it is able to identify the data content response sent by the data content server.
Remote proxy application 310 (proxy server) in remote computer 12 may be configured remotely from the mobile terminal. This can be done with a proprietary protocol or it can be a simpler http-based configuration. In the proxy server it is possible to do real time content conversion that is e.g. extraction of big images or converting images to smaller ones or re-encoding a video stream.
Mobile terminal 14 is connected to a wireless communication network 42 that comprises e.g. at least one of a Global System for Wireless communications (GSM) network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) network, a wireless access network, e.g. a Wiress Local Area Network (WLAN), a Personal Area Network (PAN) etc. Wireless communication network 42 is further connected to data communication network 40.
It will be evident to any person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above, instead they may vary within the scope of the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20040727 | May 2004 | FI | national |