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  System having generalized client-server computingUSPTO Application #: 20060020688Title: System having generalized client-server computing Abstract: A protocol provides generalized client-server computing by providing a server program that can utilize standard and non-standard ports for applications. (end of abstract)
Agent: At&t Corp. - Middletown, NJ, US Inventors: Li Fung Chang, Hui Luo USPTO Applicaton #: 20060020688 - Class: 709219000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electrical Computers And Digital Processing Systems: Multicomputer Data Transferring, Remote Data Accessing, Accessing A Remote Server The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060020688. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/290,774, filed on May 14, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH [0002] Not Applicable. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates generally to communication networks and, more particularly, to networks having client-server communication. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] As is well known in the art, personal portable networking devices (such as wireless personal digital assistants and network appliances) are becoming increasingly popular. As the number of such devices increases, the number of new applications running on these portable devices is also increasing. These portable devices require, in addition to traditional client-type applications such as Web browsing, server-type applications, e.g., server programs running on the user's device. [0005] However, using the conventional networked-computing model, which is commonly referred as the "client-server" model, it is relatively difficult for a service provider to support large scale server-type computing to subscribers for a variety of reasons. For example, the private Internet Protocol (IP) addresses assigned to server devices located behind a firewall are invisible to clients located outside the firewall. In addition, even if the service provider can assign public Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) addresses to server devices behind the firewall, the service provider may not have enough such addresses to maintain a sufficient number of connections across the firewall simultaneously. Further, the conventional "client-server" model is server-centric and is effective at supporting a few well-known applications, each identified by a well-known port number. [0006] For personal server-type applications, which may be of high diversity and not well known, it is inconvenient to associate each of these applications with a fixed port number. Also, although secure versions of various protocols have been developed for the purpose of protecting communications privacy, an eavesdropper can still determine the type of communications that are flowing between a client and a server by observing the well-known server port number. [0007] It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a protocol that overcomes the aforesaid and other disadvantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention provides a protocol for providing generalized client-server computing. With this arrangement, a client can submit a service request to a server that includes a module for installing a program from the client and selecting a port for the program. The server module then commands the installed program to listen for client service requests on the selected port. While the invention is primarily shown and described in conjunction with wireless devices and Internet protocols, it is understood that the invention is applicable to networks in general in which generalized client-server computing is desirable. [0009] In one aspect of the invention, a client sends a service request message to a server via a gateway. A module on the server receives the request on a standard port, selects a server port and launches the requested program, which is commanded by the server module to listen on the selected port. The server module then sends a response to the client via the gateway that includes the selected port information for the requested program. [0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the client sends an IP address query message to a default domain name service (DNS) server, using the server's hostname. The query eventually arrives at the border DNS server in the server's network. The border DNS server replies with the public IP address of a generalized server application (GSA) gateway that serves as the gateway router for the server's subnet and has the lightest load. The client ultimately receives the IP address of the GSA gateway. Using a uniform resource locator (URL) to indicate the requested server application, a client then sends a service request message to the GSA gateway at the standard TCP port for the generalized client-server protocol, as if the GSA gateway were the server. The GSA gateway sends an IP address query message to the border DNS, using the internal network interface. The border DNS server replies with the private IP address of the server. The GSA gateway forwards the service request message to the server and, more particularly, to the daemon program listening to the standard TCP port for the generalized client-server protocol. [0011] The daemon program selects a port on the server, launches the requested server program and commands the server program to listen to the selected port. The daemon program then sends a response message back to the GSA gateway, with a "server-port" parameter. The GSA gateway creates a new network address/port translation (NAPT) record in its look-up table. In the record, an unused port number at the external interface is used to replace the port number given by the server as the public port number. The GSA gateway then rewrites the "server-port" parameter and sends the response message back to the client. The GSA gateway also periodically broadcasts this NAPT record to other GSA gateways. The client initiates client-server communications with the server using the GSA gateway's public IP address and the returned server port that also belongs to the GSA gateway. The subsequent client-server traffic is routed by GSA gateways according to the NAPT record. [0012] With this arrangement, firewalls are transparent to client-server computing in both directions (from outside clients to inside servers and from inside clients to outside servers), even though the connections remain under the control of firewalls. In addition, a service provider needs a relatively low number, e.g., a few hundreds to thousands, of public IPv4 addresses to support millions of connections across firewalls simultaneously. Further, server-type applications are identified by URLs (instead of a fixed port number), which can be encrypted for better communications privacy. The advantages of the generalized client-server computing system include users, such as wireless device users, receiving information without polling servers on the network periodically. Thus uplink traffic in the service provider's network can be reduced significantly. Further new server-type applications can be easily developed to push information to users, such as location-based applications. In addition, privacy for clients and servers is enhanced by hiding the type of communication being exchanged. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a system having generalized client-server computing in accordance with the present invention; [0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of a server that can form a part of the system of FIG. 1; [0016] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram for implementing generalized client-server computing in accordance with the present invention; [0017] FIG. 4 is a further schematic depiction of a system having generalized client-server computing in accordance with the present invention; and [0018] FIG. 5 is a data flow diagram showing generalized client-server computing in accordance with the present invention. Continue reading... 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