US006131116A
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`United States Patent
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`6,131,116
`Patent Number:
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`[11]
`[19]
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`Rigginsetal.
`*Oct. 10, 2000
`[45]
`Date of Patent:
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`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GLOBALLY
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`ACCESSING COMPUTER SERVICES
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`Inventors: Mark D. Riggins, McLeansville, N.C.;
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`R. Stanley Bailes, San Jose, Calif.;
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`Hong O. Bui, Cupertino, Calif.; David
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`I. Cowan, Menlo Park, Calif.; Daniel I.
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`Mendez; Mason Ng,both of Mountain
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`View, Calif.; Sean Michael Quinlan,
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`San Francisco, Calif.; Prasad Wagle,
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`Santa Clara, Calif.; Christine C. Ying,
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`Foster City, Calif.; Christopher R.
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`Zuleeg, San Jose, Calif; Joanna A.
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`Aptekar-Strober, Menlo Park, Calif.
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`Assignee: Visto Corporation, Mountain View,
`Calif.
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`This patent issued on a continued pros-
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`ecution application filed under 37 CFR
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`1.53(d), and is subject to the twenty year
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`term provisions of 35 U.S.C.
`patent
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`154(a)(2).
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`Notice:
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`Appl. No.: 08/766,307
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`Filed:
`Dec. 13, 1996
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`Tint, C07 cece eececseeeecseeeseceesnneeeceennenseesnnees GO06F 15/16
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`US. Ce ccccsecseesessnessnceeserneneennees 709/219; 709/203
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`Field of Search... 395/200.33, 200.47,
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`395/200.57, 200.49, 200.59; 709/203, 217,
`227, 229, 219
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`[54]
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`[75]
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`[73]
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`[21]
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`[22]
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`[51]
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`[52]
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`[58]
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`Internet” Published by IEEE Proceedings of SNDSSon Feb.
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`
`
`22, 1996, pp. 64-75.
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`
`
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`
`
`
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`Primary Examiner—Mehmet B. Geckil
`
`
`
`
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`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Graham & James LLP
`
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`
`
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`A system for communicating through a computer network.
`
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`The system includes a communications engine for establish-
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`ing a communications link with a server, a browser, coupled
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`to the communications engine, for receiving applet infor-
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`mation corresponding to a service from the server, and an
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`applet engine for using the applet information to control user
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`interface I/O of the service. The communications engine
`
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`may confirm user access privileges before establishing a
`communications link between the client and the server. The
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`communications engine receives configuration data, and
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`configures client attributes using the configuration data to
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`provide a user-specific user interface to the client. It will be
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`appreciated that the system may bestored on a floppy disk
`or hard drive.
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`
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`43 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`
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`B00
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`
`
`(sa)
`
`
`- fo
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`
`
`620—
`ee J
`re
`630
`
`
`Configure Remote Client
`
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` Display Web Page onRemote |”
`e fj
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`Download Applets from Master
`Serverto Remote Client
`
`
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`Cliant Display
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`640~~
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`860
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`660—,
`
`7a
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`620
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`LGEExhibit-1008/Page 1 of 18
`LGEv. Uniloc
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 1 of 18
`LGE v. Uniloc
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`

`

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`6,131,116
`Page 2
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`3/1997
`Hoffman et al. occ eeeececeeeee 382/115
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`Conmorset al. wc ceeeeceeceeeee 358/407
`5/1997
`
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`7/1997
`
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`
`
`Thompson et al.
`wee 348/13
`8/1997
`
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`
`
`Elgamal et al. occ 380/49
`9/1997
`Crozier oe.
`... 395/803
`
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`10/1997
`Watson et al... ceeeeeeereeee 395/200.12
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`10/1997
`Freund et al. oo. ceeeeesceeeeeee 395/605
`
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`11/1997
`
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`Boothby........
`«707/203
`
`12/1997
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`
`
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`1/1998
`
`
`
`
`Foley et ab.
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`
`
`
`
`Butts et al...
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`
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`
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`MacDoran et al... ce ceeeceeceeee 380/25
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`
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`6/1998
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`
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`7/1998
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`... 395/208
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`Akiyamaet al. cece 380/25
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`9/1998
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`......
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`9/1998
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`
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`
`
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`
`
`
`Vogler icccccscccsescsescsseecsees 395/500
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`
`Article by S. Cobb, entitled: “Establishing Firewall Policy”
`
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`
`Published by National Computer Security Assn. on Jun.
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`25-27, 1996, pp. 198-205.
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`
`Tanenbaum, Andrew S., “Computer Network”, Third Edi-
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`tion, Prentice—Hall 1996, ISBN 0-13-349945-6, Chapter7,
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`Sections 7.1.4 to 7.1.6, pp. 597-618.
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`
`Knudsen, Jonathan, “Java Cryptography”, First Edition,
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`
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`
`sign Press Release, “Versign Enhances Digital
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`tion’, Nov. 3, 1998, 3 pages.
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`Package java.applet; java.net http:/Awww-nrg.ee lbl.gov/jef/
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`apibook/javaf.htm javam.htm Apr. 22, 1996.
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`.com/products/jeeves/current
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`servlet—tutorial html Aug. 20, 1996.
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`
`
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`
`LGEExhibit-1008/Page 2 of 18
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 2 of 18
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 10, 2000
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`Sheet 1 of 10
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`6,131,116
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`U.S. Patent
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`U.S. Patent
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`LGEExhibit-1008/Page6 of 18
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 6 of 18
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 10, 2000
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`6,131,116
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 10, 2000
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`Sheet 6 of 10
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`6,131,116
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`LGEExhibit-1008/Page8 of 18
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 8 of 18
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 10, 2000
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`Sheet 7 of 10
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`6,131,116
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`650
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`660
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`670
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`680
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`GEExhibit-1008/Page 9 of 18
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 9 of 18
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 10, 2000
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`Sheet 8 of 10
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`6,131,116
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`670
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`A
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`Start
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`760
`
`770
`
`780
`
`FIG. 7
`
`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 10 of 18
`
`

`

`810
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`
`
`820
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`830
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`840
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`850
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`860
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`870
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`Applet Forwards Service Requestto
`
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`Service Interface
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`Service Interface Initiates Execution
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`of Appropriate Service
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`ServiceInitiation
`
`U.S. Patent
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`
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`Oct. 10, 2000
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`Sheet 9 of 10
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`6,131,116
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`670
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`Applet Requests the Master Serverto
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`Opena Direct Connection with the
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`Service Engine
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`Master Server Sends Service-Specific
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`Configuration Data to the Applet
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`Client Opens Direct Connection
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`With Service
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`Service Interface Informs Applet of
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`Interface with Service Engine
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`Applet ConfiguresItself to Act as I/O
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`End
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`
`FIG. 8
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`LGEExhibit-1008/Page 11 of 18
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 11 of 18
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
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`
`
`Oct. 10, 2000
`
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`
`
`Sheet 10 of 10
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`6,131,116
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`
`
`680
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`
`
`910
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`
`
`920
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`
`
`930
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`940
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`960
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`Load Service Engine
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`Engine
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`into RAM Execute Service
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`Send Display Data and I/O
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`Requests as Responsive Data
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`to Remote Client
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`Wait for an Instruction
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`from Remote Client
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`Instructed to Quit
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`ProcessInstruction and
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`Repeat Steps 920-960 Until
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`End
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`
`FIG. 9
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`LGEExhibit-1008/Page 12 of 18
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 12 of 18
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`

`

`6,131,116
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`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GLOBALLY
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`ACCESSING COMPUTER SERVICES
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`1. Field of the Invention
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`This invention relates generally to computer networks,
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`and more particularly to a system and method for globally
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`accessing computer services.
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`2. Description of the Background Art
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`The internet currently interconnects about 100,000 com-
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`puter networks and several million computers. Each of these
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`computers stores numerous application programs for pro-
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`viding numerous services, such as generating, sending and
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`receiving e-mail, accessing World Wide Websites, generat-
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`ing and receiving facsimile documents, storing and retriev-
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`ing data, etc.
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`A roaming user, i.e., a user who travels and accesses a
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`workstation remotely, is faced with several problems. Pro-
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`gram designers have developed communication techniques
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`for enabling the roaminguserto establish a communications
`link and to download needed information and needed service
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`application programs from the remote workstation to a local
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`computer. Using these techniques,
`the roaming user can
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`manipulate the data on the remote workstation and, when
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`finished, can upload the manipulated data back from the
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`remote workstation to the local computer. However, slow
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`computers and slow communication channels make down-
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`loading large files and programs a time-consuming process.
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`Further, downloading files and programs across insecure
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`channels severely threatens the integrity and confidentiality
`of the downloaded data.
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`The roaming user alternatively can carry a copy ofall
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`potentially needed information and all potentially needed
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`application programs. However, maintaining a true copy of
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`a database is a cumbersome process which often results in a
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`data inconsistency problem. Therefore, a system and method
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`are needed to enable multiple users to access computer
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`services remotely without consuming excessive time, with-
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`out severely threatening the integrity and confidentiality of
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`the data, and without compromising data consistency.
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
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`The present invention provides a system and method for
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`communicating through a computer network. The system
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`includes a master server, service engines and clients, each
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`equipped with a communication engine for establishing
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`communications links. The system further includes a
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`browser for receiving applet information corresponding to a
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`service performed by one of the service engines from the
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`server, and an applet engine for using the applet information
`to controluser interface I/O of the service. The master server
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`may confirm access privileges before allowing clients to
`55
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`access a service. The communications engine receives con-
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`figuration data which are used to configure the client com-
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`ponents such as the operating system, the web browser, the
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`applets, etc.
`to enable communication with the service
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`engine and to provide a user-specific user interface to the
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`client. It will be appreciated that the system may be stored
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`on a floppy disk or hard drive.
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`The method includes establishing a communications link
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`between a client and a server, receiving applet information
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`by the client from the server, establishing a communications
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`link between the client and a service using the applet
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`information, and directing user interface I/O control of the
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`service to the client using the applet information. Establish-
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`10
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`15
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`2
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`ing a communications link may include confirming access
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`privileges. The method may further include receiving con-
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`figuration data, and using the configuration data for config-
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`uring the client components such as the operating system,
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`the web browser, the applets, etc. to enable communication
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`with the service engine and to provide a user-specific user
`interface to the client.
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`The system and method use web browser technology to
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`enable multiple users to access computer services remotely.
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`Furthermore, the system and method use applet technology
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`to enable users to access computer services without con-
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`suming excessive time, without severely threatening the
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`integrity and confidentiality of the data, and without com-
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`promising data consistency. Still further,
`the system and
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`method use configuration data to enable users to obtain a
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`consistent interface from any remote terminal.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a roaming-user
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`network access system in accordance with the present inven-
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`tion;
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`FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating details of the remote
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`client of FIG. 1;
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`FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating details of the
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`master server of FIG. 1;
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`FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating details of the
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`configuration data of FIG. 3A;
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`FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating details of each local
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`client of FIG. 1;
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`FIG. 5 illustrates an example graphical user interface of
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`web page as maintained by the web page engine of FIG. 1;
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`FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for globally
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`accessing a particular computer service;
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`FIG. 7 is a flowchartillustrating details of the FIG. 6 step
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`of initiating execution of a service on the local client;
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`FIG. 8 is a flowchartillustrating alternative details of the
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`FIG. 6 step of initiating execution of a service on the local
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`client; and
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`FIG. 9 is a flowchartillustrating details of the FIG. 6 step
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`of providing service access to the remote client user.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`
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`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
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`FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a roaming-user
`
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`network access system 100, in accordance with the present
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`invention. System 100 includes a network of computers,
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`referred to herein as an “internet” 140, connected via a
`master server 130 to a local network 120. A first local client
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`110 and a second local client 160 are addressably connected
`via the local network 120 to the master server 130. A remote
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`client 150 is connected via the internet 140 to the master
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`server 130. Another server 166 is also connected via the
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`internet 140 to the remote client 150, to the master server
`130 and to the local clients 110 and 160.
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`Thefirst local client 110 includesa first service engine 115
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`for providing a first computer service, such as calendaring,
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`e-mail, paging, word-processing or the like, to a user. The
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`second local client 160 includes a second service engine 165
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`for providing a second computer service to a user. Service
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`engines 115 and 165 are described in greater detail with
`reference to FIG. 4. The remote client 150 includesa client
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`engine, an example of which is an applet-based web browser
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`155 which is configured for communicating with the internet
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`140 and for reading and executing applets. Examples of web
`
`LGEExhibit-1008/Page 13 of 18
`
`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 13 of 18
`
`

`

`6,131,116
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`10
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`15
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`25
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`3
`4
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`To initiate execution of the service request, the master
`browsers 155 include the Netscape™ web browser produced
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`by the Netscape Corporation, the Internet Explorer™ web
`server 130 may use servlets or agents. The appropriate
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`browser produced by the Microsoft Corporation, or the
`service engine 115, 138, 165 or 167 executes the service and
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`Java™ Developers Kit 1.0 web browser produced by Sun
`generates responsive data accordingly. As shown byline 5,
`
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`Microsystems, Inc. While the illustrated client engine is a
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`the service engine 115, 138, 165 or 167 sends the responsive
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`web browser 155, those skilled in the art will recognize that
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`data back to the master server 130 and, as shownbyline 6,
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`other client engines could be used in accordance with the
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`the master server 130 sends the responsive data back to the
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`present
`invention. Although the embodiment herein are
`remote client 150.
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`being described with reference to the Java™ distributed
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`Since the master server 130 stores the applets 136 and the
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`environment produced by Sun Microsystems,Inc., “Down-
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`configuration data 137, the roaming user can access a service
`
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`loadables” herein correspond to all downloadable and
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`via any computer 110, 130, 150 or 160 which includes an
`
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`executable or interpretable programsfor use in a distributed
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`environment such as ActiveX™ controls in the ActiveX™
`applet-based web browser 155 and which is connected to the
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`master server 130. Further, because the master server 130
`
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`distributed environment produced by the Microsoft Corpo-
`ration.
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`maintains the network addresses of all services, the user
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`need only maintain the URL address of the web page
`The master server 130 includes a web page engine 133 for
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`maintained by the web page engine 133. That is, the user
`maintaining and providing access to an internet web page
`need not maintain the current address of each service.
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`whichis enabled to forward applets 136 to the web browser
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`155 of the remote client 150. A user can select a particular
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`Although not shown in FIG. 1, a web browser 155 may be
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`service which correspondsto oneof the applets 136, thereby
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`placed onalocal client 110 or 160. Auser can access the web
`20
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`causing the web browser 155 of the remote client 150 to
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`page engine 133 from the local client 110 or 160 to take
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`initiate execution of the corresponding applet 130. Execu-
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`advantage of the services provided by the master server 130,
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`tion of the applet 130 causes the appropriate service engine
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`by the server 166 or even by the local clients 110 or 160. For
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`115 or 165 to execute the particular service or access an
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`example,
`the local client user may access the web page
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`already executing service. It will be appreciated that execut-
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`engine 133 and select a particular service which resides on
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`ing a service may include directing Input/Output (1/0)
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`the local client 110. Accordingly,
`the applets 136 would
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`control of a service application program, such as an e-mail
`
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`launch the service on the local client 110 and would provide
`
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`application program, a paging application program or a
`direct I/O control of the service to the user. Those skilled in
`
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`word-processing application program, to the remote client
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`150 user.
`the art will recognize that a particular service engine may
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`
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`require the services of other service engines.
`It will be
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`The master server 130 further includes configuration data
`
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`appreciated that the local client user need not know the
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`137, which the remote client 150 can download to gain
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`location of each service. The local client user need only
`
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`access to the desired service and to configure the
`access the master server 130.
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`functionality, look and feel of the web browser 155. The
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`FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating details of the remote
`configuration data 137 may include operating system set-
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`client 150, which includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU)
`tings such as TCP protocol data and the domain nameserver
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`210 such as a Motorola Power PC® microprocessor or an
`address, user preferences, bookmarks, services, service
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`Intel Pentium® microprocessor. An input device 220 such as
`addresses, etc. Each user preferably uploads unique con-
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`a keyboard and mouse, and an output device 230 such as a
`figuration data 137 to the master server 130 in order to
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`Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display are coupled via a signal
`obtain similar functionality, look and feel from any web
`browser 155.
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`bus 240 to CPU 210. Acommunicationsinterface 250, a data
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`storage device 260, such as Read Only Memory (ROM) and
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`Similar to the local clients 110 and 160, the master server
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`a magnetic disk, and a Random-Access Memory (RAM) 270
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`130 may include a service engine 138 for providing access
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`are further coupled via signal bus 240 to CPU 210. The
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`to a third computer service, and server 166 may include a
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`communicationsinterface 250 is coupled to the internet 140.
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`service engine 167 for providing access to a fourth computer
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`service. Service engines 138 and 166 are described in greater
`An operating system 280 includes a program for control-
`detail with reference to FIG. 4. From the remote client 150
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`ling processing by CPU 210, andis typically stored in data
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`user’s standpoint, the location of the service engine does not
`storage device 260 and loaded into RAM 270 for execution.
`matter.
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`Operating system 280 further includes a communications
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`engine 282 for generating and transferring message packets
`As shown by line 1, the remote client 150 user inputs a
`to and from the internet 140 via the communications inter-
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`predetermined Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address
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`face 250. Operating system 280 further includes an Oper-
`for opening the web page managed by the web page engine
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`ating System (OS) configuration engine 284, which config-
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`133 of the master server 130. As shownby line 2, the web
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`ures the operating system 280 based on OS configuration
`page engine 133 sends at least one of the applets 136 and
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`data 137 such as TCP protocol data, domain name server
`web browser configuration data 137 to the web browser 155.
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`addresses, etc. received from the master server 130.
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`From the services offered by the web page, the user selects
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`a particular service corresponding to one of the applets 136.
`Operating system 280 further includes a web browser 155
`as described with reference to FIG. 1. The web browser 155
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`For example, to access e-mail services, the user selects an
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`e-mail prompt corresponding to an e-mail applet 136.
`includes a Web Browser (WB) configuration engine 288,
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`As shownbyline 3, the web browser 155 forwards to the
`which configures the web browser 155 based on WB con-
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`master server 130 a service request for initiating execution
`figuration data 137 such as home page addresses,
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`of the selected service. As shownbyline 4, the master server
`bookmarks, caching data, user preferences, etc. received
`130 determines the location of the service and sends the
`from the master server 130. The web browser further
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`service request to the appropriate address, i.e., either to the
`includes an applet engine 290 for handling the execution of
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`service engine 115 of the local client 110, to the service
`downloaded applets 294. The applet engine 290 includes an
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`Applet Engine (AE) configuration engine 292, which con-
`engine 165 of the local client 160, to the service engine 138
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`of the master server 130 or to service engine 167 of the other
`figures the applet engine 290 based on AE configuration data
`server 166.
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`137 received from the master server 130. The applet engine
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`LGEExhibit-1008/Page 14 of 18
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`LGE Exhibit-1008/Page 14 of 18
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`

`

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`5
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`290 further includes applet-specific configuration data 296
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`received from the master server 130. For example, for the
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`e-mail applet 294, e-mail applet configuration data 296 may
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`include a user’s e-mail address, name, preferred signature
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`block, as well as customizable user interface parameters.
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`FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating details of the
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`master server 130, which includes a Central Processing Unit
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`(CPU) 310 such as a Motorola Power PC® microprocessor
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`or an Intel Pentium® microprocessor. An input device 320
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`such as a keyboard and mouse, and an output device 330
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`such as a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) display are coupled via
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`a signal bus 340 to CPU 310. A communications interface
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`350, a data storage device 360, such as Read Only Memory
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`(ROM)and a magnetic disk, and a Random-Access Memory
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`(RAM)370 are further coupled via signal bus 340 to CPU
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`310. The communications interface 350 is coupled between
`the internet 140 and the local network 120.
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`An operating system 380 includes a program for control-
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`ling processing by CPU 310, and is typically stored in data
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`storage device 360 and loaded into RAM 370 for execution.
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`Operating system 380 further includes a communications
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`engine 382 for generating and transferring message packets
`via the communications interface 350 to and from the
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`internet 140 and to and from local network 120. Operating
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`system 380 also includes a web page