System and Method for Running a Web Server on a Mobile Internet Device
A mobile Internet device (MID) having an operating system, a user interface framework, and telephony functionality. A web server is integrated into the operating system and configured for servicing HTTP requests. Telephony functionality is operable by said OS. Multiple such MID's are configurable as a peer-to-peer network, or peer-to-peer social network.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 9,112,832, formerly patent application Ser. No. 12/966,741, filed on Dec. 13, 2010, and issued on Aug. 18, 2015.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe invention relates generally to mobile Internet devices and webservers and, more particularly, to a system and method for running a web server on a mobile Internet device.
SUMMARYThe present invention, accordingly, provides a mobile Internet device (MID) having an operating system, a user interface framework, and telephony functionality. A web server is integrated into the operating system and configured for servicing HTTP requests. Telephony functionality is operable by said OS. Multiple such MID's are configurable as a peer-to-peer network, such as a peer-to-peer social network.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the discussion of the FIGURES, the same reference numerals will be used throughout to refer to the same or similar components, and numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning hyper-text transfer protocol (HTTP), mobile Internet devices, web servers, and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. HTTP is considered to include HTTPS and related protocols.
It is noted that, unless indicated otherwise, all functions described herein may be performed by a processor such as a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic data processor, a computer, or the like, in accordance with code, such as program code, software, integrated circuits, and/or the like that are coded to perform such functions. Furthermore, it is considered that the design, development, and implementation details of all such code would be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art based upon a review of the present description of the invention.
Referring to
The telephony functionality 110 provides the MID 102 with functionality preferably enabling the MID 102 to communicate wirelessly using conventional voice communication, tele-video communication, “text messaging” such as with Short Message Service (SMS) and/or Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), and/or any protocol, voice or data that may be transmitted over a cellular network.
According to principles of the present invention, the web server 112 is preferably integrated into the RAM (random access memory) after boot-up of the OS 106, and is thus preferably launched (perhaps from a start-up file) when the OS is started and continues to be operative while the OS is powered up. Accordingly, the web server 112 operates with certainty, without being pre-empted for a long time (e.g., long enough to interrupt a connection with the Internet) or shutdown by the UIF 108 or other applications that may run on the MID 102. Furthermore, the web server 112 is preferably effective for multi-tasking and multi-threading.
In light of the foregoing, it may be appreciated that the MID 102 preferably functions as a conventional “cell phone” that includes additional functionality such as a web server.
In operation, the MID 102 is operative as a cell phone with conventional features such as text messaging, as well as further applications typically found in “smart phones” such as the Apple® iPhone®, Android®, and Blackberry®. Additionally, the MID 102 may also function as an Internet web server by virtue of the web server 112 integrated into the OS 106. Accordingly, a web browser, such as designated by the numeral 114 in the figures, may access the web server 112 via an HTTP Request message 116 transmitted over a communications network such as the Internet 120. In response to the Request, the MID 102 web server 112 responds with an HTTP Response message 118 transmitted over the Internet 120 to the web browser 114. The HTTP Request message 116 may, for example, be generated for any number of reasons, such as by customer support to diagnose and cure a problem with the MID 102, or may be from a friend accessing the web server 112 as a personal web site. By using the web server 112 as a personal web site, a person may enable friends to access or share personal information, without storing such personal information on a third-party web site platform, which could potentially be accessible to the world and not just “friends”. Thus, use of the web server 112 as a personal web site could provide significantly increased data security.
Operation of the MIDs 202 and 204 is exemplified by the web browser 206 of the MID 204 transmitting an HTTP Request 116 across a communications network such as the Internet 120 to the web server 112 of the MID 202. In response, the web server 112 of the MID 202 generates an HTTP Response 118 across the communications network to the web browser 206 of the MID 204.
By configuring two or more MID's with both a web server and a web browser, peer-to-peer (P2P) networking may be implemented between MIDs. More specifically, P2P social networking (e.g., Facebook®) may be implemented. As discussed above, an advantage of web servers that reside on a user's MID is significantly enhanced data security.
Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A system for running a web server on a mobile Internet device (MID), the system comprising:
- at least one MID having an operating system (OS) and a user interface framework (UIF) coupled to the OS, said at least one MID being operable at an OS level and at a UIF level, said OS level being distinct from said UIF level;
- at least one web server having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion residing within and being operable on said OS at said OS level of a respective one of said at least one MID for servicing HTTP requests, said second portion residing within and being operable on said UIF at said UIF level of a respective one of said at least one MID; and
- at least one telephony module coupled to the OS, said at least one telephony module having computer program code executable by said at least one OS.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least a first portion of said at least one web server is operable within OS RAM.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one said web server is operable continually while said OS of a respective MID is powered up.
4. The system of claim 1 where said at least one MID is at least two MID's and said at least a first portion of said at least one web server constitutes at least a first portion of at least two web servers operable on said OS on respective at least two MID's, and said at least two MID's are configured for operating as a peer-to-peer network.
5. The system of claim 1 where said at least one MID is at least two MID's and said at least a first portion of said at least one web server constitutes at least a first portion of at least two web servers operable on said OS on respective at least two MID's, and said at least two MID's are configured for operating as a peer-to-peer social network.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least a first portion of said at least one web server is configured for servicing HTTPS requests.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least a first portion of said at least one web server is configured as a personal web site.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least a first portion of said at least one web server is configured for enabling said at least one MID to receive customer support.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least a first portion of said at least one web server supports multi-tasking.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least a first portion of said at least one web server supports multi-threading.
11. A method for running at least one web server on at least one mobile Internet device (MID), said at least one MID having an operating system (OS) and a user interface framework (UIF), said MID's being operable at an OS level and at a UIF level, said OS level being distinct from said UIF level, said method comprising:
- operating at least a first portion of said at least one web server within said OS at said OS level of each of said at least one MID's, and operating at least a second portion of said at least one web server within said UIF at said UIF level of each of said at least one MID's;
- servicing HTTP requests from said at least a first portion of said at least one web server; and
- executing computer program code adapted for effectuating telephony functionality.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of operating said at least a first portion of said at least one web server within a respective OS RAM.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of launching said at least a first portion of said at least one web server automatically when a respective OS is powered up.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of launching said at least a first portion of said at least one web server automatically from a startup file when a respective OS is powered up.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of operating said at least one web server continually while said OS is powered up.
16. The method of claim 11 where said at least one MID is at least two MID's and said at least a first portion of said at least one web server constitutes at least a first portion of at least two web servers operable on said OS on respective at least two MID's; said method further comprising the step of operating said one or more MID's as a peer-to-peer network.
17. The method of claim 11 where said at least one MID is at least two MID's and said at least a first portion of said at least one web server constitutes at least a first portion of at least two web servers operable on said OS on respective at least two MID's; said method further comprising the step of operating said one or more MID's as a peer-to-peer social network.
18. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of multi-tasking through said at least one web server.
19. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of multi-threading through said at least one web server.
20. A system for running a web server on a mobile Internet device (MID), the system comprising:
- at least one MID having an operating system (OS) and a user interface framework (UIF) coupled to the OS, said at least one MID being operable at an OS level and at a UIF level, said OS level being distinct from said UIF level;
- at least one web server having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion residing within and being operable on said OS at said OS level of a respective one of said at least one MID for servicing HTTP requests, said second portion residing within and being operable on said UIF at said UIF level of a respective one of said at least one MID, said at least one web server being operable continually while said OS of a respective MID is powered up; and
- at least one telephony module coupled to the OS, said at least one telephony module having computer program code executable by said at least one OS.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 18, 2015
Publication Date: Jun 30, 2016
Applicant: VERTICAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. (Richardson, TX)
Inventor: Luiz Claudio Valdetaro (Coppell, TX)
Application Number: 14/828,998