CA2282772A1 - Connecting unit for and method of making a data connection - Google Patents

Abstract

A connecting unit for making a data connection between first and second data processing installations, which in dependence on an inquiry from a first data processing installation initiates the connection to a second data processing installation for transmission of a data item thereat. The second data processing installation and the data item are identified by the first data processing installation by an address. The connecting unit has an address generator which generates a second address in dependence on the inquiry address and initiates the establishment of the data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address and the data item. That makes it possible for the nature of the connection to satisfy the particular requirements of the data item being requested, by virtue of the choice of the second address and initiation of connection set-up.

Description

The invention relates generally to a connecting unit for making a data connection between first and second data processing installations, and a method of making such a data connection.
The term data processing installation is used herein to include all items of equipment with which data connections can be made, and more particularly for example computers, computer terminals and logically addressable mass storage devices. The term data items includes data sets or files, programs and program items and elements, scripts, data streams and other items which can be exchanged by way of data connections.
A procedure for making a data connection between two data processing installations may typically provide that, in response to an inquiry or request from a first one of the two data processing installations, a connection is established with the second of the two data processing installations, for transmission therebetween of a data item at the second data processing installation. The second data processing installation and the requested data item are identified by the first data processing installation by means of an address.
The emergence of inexpensive computing power has opened up entirely new applications and possible uses for data processing installations.
Tremendously fast technological development is taking place in particular in the area of networking. It is to be assumed in the meantime that data networks such as for example the Internet are attracting an increasing number of users on a world-wide basis and are likely to be viewed as a general means of communication, beside the telephone system. The great technical success of the Internet is due to the fact that data are passed in the form of addressed packets from one network node to another. That means that there is no need for a central structure which is fixed for a topology or an instance for distributing the data items passing through the network.
The data connections in the network are thus robust in relation to faults and disturbances and errors occurring in the network. However, making data connections in such a data network gives rise to a whole series of technical problems, particularly if especial demands are made in terms of the data connection. The problems in question occur precisely in a packet switching network such as the Internet in which a data item finds its way through the network, in a condition of being cut up into packets.
In order to be able to put particular demands on the data connections in a network, a series of proposals have been put forward in the past.
Particular demands on a data connection are for example screening the transmi ssi on of data from unauthori sed parti es , the band width of the data connection and the possibility of levying charges for the data connection.
Sometimes those features are also summarised as quality of service, referred to by the abbreviation QOS, and in that context reference is then made to QOS-data connections or QOS-networks. The provision of QOS-data connections as one option in regard to the provision of especial data connections is desirable for furnishing special services, for example the transmission of audio and video data or the possibility of consulting databases which are subject to a charge.
In general terms the situation is such that, in a data network, a user, by way of his computer, connects to a second computer to request therefrom a data item which is of interest to that user, such as for example a file or a data stream which is to be continuously transmitted. That request or query forms part of a protocol which permits a connecting device to make the desired connection or to cause such a connection to be made.
Protocols which are in widespread use on the Internet are for example the hyper text transport protocol (http), the file transfer protocol (ftp) and the real audio protocol. On the Internet and the world wide web founded thereon, as a particularly user-friendly configuration, the inquiry for a data connection at a data processing installation for a data item contains a unique address, which is referred to as the Uniform Resource Locator (URL).
A unique address is associated with any directly available data item. In that respect, the structure of the URL-addresses is based on an established syntax, in accordance with which the protocol is specified at the beginning, followed then by a computer which is identified by a name in a domain. In this respect the identification of the domain is usually constructed hierarchically, with one or more domain names. In the URL-address the identifications for the computer are followed by a more precise designation for the data item required, for example in the form of a relative directory structure on the computer with a file name. If no data items are specified.
a search is made in the directory structure for fixedly agreed default data fi 1 es . By means of a URL-address , i t i s possi bl a to address any avai 1 abl a data item for transmission by way of a data connection. It is possible to attach to a URL-address parameters which are usually introduced beginning with a question mark for a query, a double cross for a sub-address or a label or a semicolon for other parameters. The parameters can for example be transferred to the data item as a kind of external program parameter and thus influence what happens with the data item upon activation thereof.
It is conventional practice for the user to be informed by a message sent to him, for example in the form of a text message, about further steps to be taken if the address the subject of an inquiry includes a data item whi ch requi res a parti cul ar data connecti on . For exampl e, hi s attenti on i s directed to the possibility of setting up an account for the charges, in relation to the information provider. It also happens that the user is requested to specify his credit card number, by way of the data network or separately by fax, so that the information provider can bill him directly.
The data connection requested is made after the user has implemented the desired steps. Making a data connection in that way is insecure from the point of view of the user as he must make data available to the information provider, for billing purposes. In addition the information provider may suffer from the disadvantage that he has no guarantee that the user details are genuine.
A method which is already somewhat more progressive and advanced can be found in US patent specification No 5 737 414. In this case, to make a connection which involves payment of a charge, recourse is had to the charge recording facility of the telephone system. When a data connection which is subject to charge is made, the user is requested to call a special telephone number, in respect of which. besides the usual connection charges, there are additional provider charges. Charges for the data connection are then billed with that telephone call. For that purpose, it is necessary for the computer which provides the data item the subject of the inquiry to receive an access message about the call made at the telephone number with charge recording.
After input of the access message it prepares the data item being inquired after, for the data connection. Thus the access message directly forms in the data network a counterpart value as it causes the computer to which the inquiry is addressed to provide data items which are subject to charge. The information provider bills his charges for providing the data items, by way of the provider charges which fall due with the telephone call. For security reasons, charge billing of that kind makes it necessary for the access messages and further messages which initiate furnishing of the data items to be encrypted. A disadvantage in that respect is that firstly in regard to the user the channel for the data connection and the channel for charge recording, accordingly therefore two channels, are occupied. Security based on cryptographic procedures is also considered to be disadvantageous as encrypting with an increasing degree of encryption requires an overproportionally large amount of time and computing capacity and in principle is still not secure, having regard to the known encryption procedures implemented.
The above-outlined disadvantages are in part overcome by a procedure as is described in EP 0 818 907 A2 and which is referred to as the Fusi onnet . That network has a server whi ch i s referred to as the Fusi onnet server and which, upon inquiry for a particular data connection, makes a telephone connection from itself to the user. The Fusionnet server firstly makes a data connection in relation to the requested data item. It then makes a connection to the user in order to transmit the data item to the user. The Fusionnet server again uses the telephone system for making that data connection to the user. To make the connection a call is accommodated by the Fusionnet server, by way of a call number with provider charges, by means of the computer of the user, or the Fusionnet server makes a connection to the computer of the user by way of a collect call. A
disadvantage in that respect, for security reasons, is that the data network has a server which has data from requesting users, in order to make a connection thereto, with attendant charges. In particular the security aspect can give rise to problems in terms of making data connections by way of telephone connections with provider charges which are debited against the user, by the server itself. Furthermore the technical demands in regard to the Fusionnet server are very high as in the worst-case scenario it must simultaneously manage a multiplicity of data connections with particular requirements and prepare the appropriate data items.
In accordance with the present invention, in the apparatus aspect, there is provided a connecting unit for making a data connection between first and second data processing installations, the connecting unit being operable in dependence on an inquiry from the first data processing installation to establish the connection to the second data processing installation for transmission of a data item thereat, wherein the second data processing installation and the requested data item thereof are identified by the first data processing installation by an inquiry address, comprising an address generator operable in dependence on the inquiry address to generate a second address and initiate establishment of the data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address and the data item thereof.
As will be apparent from a description hereinafter of a preferred embodiment of the invention, the address generator transforms the inquiry address into a second address. As the result of that transformation operation, namely the second address, is once again an admissible address, the connecting unit according to the invention can still have recourse to known and conventional transmission and addressing technology, in order to initiate establishment of the connection in relation to the second address.
Accordingly the system involved may also be a conventional packet switching network such as the Internet in which the connecting unit in accordance with the invention can operate. The connecting unit initiates the establishment of the data connection in the network in conventional manner by virtue of transmission of the second address. It is also particularly advantageous in terms of using a second address that the connecting unit according to the invention does not interfere with the existing data network. For, in the case of a data connection produced by the connecting unit according to the invention, recourse is made to the conventional addresses, and no incompatible elements are introduced into the address. Generation of the second address is implemented in dependence on the address the subject of the inquiry from the first data processing installation. It will be appreciated that there are many different possible ways of configuring such dependencies. As the address the subject of the inquiry emanates from the first data processing installation, the address generator can generate the second address in dependence on the data processing installation producing the inquiry. As generally the user does not freshly input the address at the first data processing installation, but the address has been previously communicated to him by another data processing installation, for example in the form of a link, the address generator can also generate the second address in dependence on the configuration of the communicated address or in dependence on the items of information which are held at the other data processing installation. That means therefore that the second address which i s generated i n dependence on the i nqui ry address can be determi ned by the inquiring data processing installation and by the information provider who originally notified the inquiry address, or by both jointly. In the case of the Internet and its world wide web, that means that an inquiry URL is transformed in dependence on its content into a second URL and the establ i shment of a data connecti on i n rel ati on to the data i tem i denti f i ed by the second URL-address is initiated. The connecting unit according to the invention affords the possibility of flexibly establishing data connections involving special requirements in an existing network as the target address for a data item is variable and can be generated in accordance with the particular requirements involved. Generation or transformation is not intended to cover decoding of a URL into an IP-address as the decoding operation only involves changing the representational format of the same address. Applying the terminology of the OSI reference model (Open System Interconnection reference model) based on a recommendation from the ISO
(International Standards Organisation), here addresses are to be generated within one layer and not coded and decoded, unlike the situation involved with routing which takes place in a lower layer such as for example the network layer or the transport layer. In particular the second addresses to be generated shoul d on gi nate from the uppermost 1 aver, that i s to say the application layer, in the OSI reference model and satisfy the protocols thereof so that it is possible to have recourse to the tried and tested layers of the network and the procedures thereof to make the data connection.
To provide for easier conversion in the network, in a preferred feature of the invention at least the address generator can be a component of the first data processing installation producing the inquiry. In such a situation the address generator can be in the form of a circuit on a plug-in card or board for the first data processing installation. Alternatively it can also serve in the form of a procedure of already existing components of the data processing installation. The important consideration in this respect is that, if the address generator is a component of the inquiring data processing installation, it does not require further modifications in the data network. The URL-address which is sent for example on the world wide web by an operator program such as an Internet browser, before leaving the computer and being transmitted to connecting units such as a POP (point of presence) dial-up point of an Internet provider, is transformed by the address generator at the inquiring computer into a second URL-address.
Accordingly, the existing manner of making a data connection is not affected thereby. The connecting unit according to the invention can additionally be provided on any existing data processing installation without substantially having to intervene in the elements thereof, for making a data connection.
In order to be able to satisfy particular requirements and demands in terms of a data connection, in accordance with a further preferred feature of the invention at least a portion of the data connection comprises a telephone connection in a telephone system. The telephone connections include here in particular dialling connections in the telephone system. A
data connection between two different data processing installations can make use of many communication channels. For example, it is possible to use in juxtaposed relationship especially designed data networks, telephone networks or systems and radio or satellite connections. In this respect it is not even necessary for a connecting path to exist simultaneously, but it is usual, for the purposes of reducing the level of communication complication and expenditure, to provide intermediate storage devices, for example with cache functions or as proxy servers, in the data network. The intermediate storage devices which hold a copy of data items such as frequently requested files or particularly large data items make it unnecessary to have a simultaneous connection for all computers along the path. By virtue of the connecting unit desirably always having recourse to a telephone connection at least in a portion of the data connection, at least one poi nt i n the data connecti on of the connecti ng uni t i nvol ves known and defined connecting parameters which can be taken into consideration when producing the particular data connection. A telephone connection is generally involved in particular in relation to a computer which dials into the Internet by way of the public telephone system using a modem or by way of an ISDN interface.
In a particularly preferred feature of the invention, the address generator initiates the establishment of the data connection for the second address by way of a predetermined telephone connection which differs from a conventional connection at least in one respect which can be referred to as an operational aspect or performance feature. Here, the address generator is involved in establishment of the data connection by virtue of establishing a predetermined telephone connection for the data connection to the generated second address. The connecting unit according to the invention makes it possible, in dependence on the address the subject of the inquiry, to generate a second address, and to partially establish by way of a special telephone connection the connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address. In this respect the telephone connection is initiated by the address generator. The factors for directly initiating the establishment of a special telephone connection are all in the inquiring data processing installation. Security problems in this respect do not occur as the connection establishment is initiated and controlled only by the inquiring data processing installation. It will be noted that a further advantage of the connection establishment being initiated by the address generator, by way of a predetermined telephone connection, is that such connection establishment can again be implemented jointly with the existing components and technologies involved. The basic establishment of the data connection remains the same, it is merely the case that a portion of the data connection is implemented by way of a predetermined telephone connection. Particularly in the case of a data processing installation which is connected to a POP dial-in point of an Internet provider by way of the public telephone system, the mode of operation of the data processing installation provided with the connecting unit in accordance with the present invention remains concealed. For, it is only the second address that i s transmi tted by way of the predetermi ned tel ephone connecti on so that no changes are required for making the data connection. The data processing installation identified by the second address may have the information that the data connecti on for the i denti f i ed data i tem i s i n pa rt by way of the predetermined telephone connection. It is particularly advantageous in that respect if the predetermined telephone connection is effected directly to the data processing installation, and therefore the inquiring data processing installation is connected by the connecting unit directly to the data processing installation which contains the data item identified by the second address.
In a further preferred feature of the invention the data connection which is established in that way utilises the entire available band width of the predetermined telephone connection. In that respect, the effectively available transmission capacity of the telephone connection including an interface of the data processing installation is deemed to be the band width of the telephone connection. In this respect, it is known in regard to the data processing installation identified by the second address that the data i tem the subject of the i nqui ry i s cal 1 ed up by way of a speci al tel ephone connection and accordingly the data item can be prepared and transmitted by using that information.
In accordance with a further preferred feature of the connecting unit according to the invention, the address generator disconnects or interrupts an existing telephone connection to set up the predetermined telephone connection. Such preliminary disconnection of an already existing telephone connection means that only one telephone line is required even in the event of a change to a telephone connection involving particular performance features. Particular performance features can be that provider payment is incurred for the telephone connection, particular encryption and/or compression processes are operated on the telephone connection or the telephone connection is of a different band width depending on the respective need of the data item. The particular performance features of the telephone connections which can also be offered with the connecting unit according to the invention also include variable band widths as are permitted for example by an ATM connection (asynchronous transfer mode connection), guaranteed availability and reliability of the connection, a particularly short response/access time, that is to say short-time latency of the connection, and portability of the connection insofar as for example a connection can be made by way of the mobile radio network in specific situations. Other possible options inter alia as special performance features are call forwarding or call diversion, for example time-dependent call targeting and the selection of connections with especial measurement opti ons , transmi ssi on of subscri ber data as wel 1 as connecti ons whi ch as a special feature permit call origin recognition. In the case of a telephone connection in respect of which provider charges are incurred, it is possible to bi 11 for the provi si on of data i terns by way of the data network wi thout any further items of payment information or other digital payment units being transmitted through the network. The provider of information subject to charging in the data network can provide such information in conventional manner. It is only when the connection thereto is to be made that the connecti on i s then establ i shed i n part by way of a tel ephone connecti on i n respect of which provider charges are incurred. The provider charges are incurred as soon as the connection is made to the provider and recordal thereof is terminated when there is no longer access to the provided data items as then the connection is interrupted again. In contrast to a connection on the Internet, such a telephone connection, which is also referred to as a point-to-point connection, can only be bugged or tapped with difficulty by unauthorised parties. Particularly in the case of direct dial-up into the data processing installation identified by the second address, access is implemented without any possible ways of avoiding billing and charge recordal is effected without a substantial time delay.
In a further preferred feature of the invention, the address generator can initiate establishment of the disconnected connection again when no special performance feature is required for the inquired address. That means that the connection with the speci al performance features i s uti 1 i sed only when the performance features are actually required.
To guarantee the quality of the data connection, in accordance with a further preferred feature of the invention the second address generated by the address generator identifies a data processing installation in a sub-network. Since. as indicated above, the connecting unit according to the invention does not intervene into the existing network and the second address is in compliance with the appropriate protocol, the data processing installation identified by the second address can be incorporated into the data network in the usual way. If however data items are to be transmitted exclusively by way of a data connection which is made up in accordance with the invention, it is then necessary for the data processing installations to form a logic sub-network, that is to say a branch of the network structure.
which is no longer linking as a node, wherein the inquiring data processing installations respectively represent the linking node. That means that it is only possible to connect into the sub-network through the connecting unit according to the invention. In this respect there are two alternatives: in a first alternative the data items which require a particular connection are present in duplicate in the network and the user can select whether the connection is established to the second address generated by the address generator. In the second alternative the data item is only ready in one of the data processing installations of the sub-network and can only be called up from there by way of the connecting unit.
To generate the second address the address generator may contain a list of address allocations which allocate to each second address at least one address, upon inquiry in respect of which the second address is generated. If therefore for example the URL-address http://www.EPO.eu/documentl.html is the subject of inquiry and if in the address list of the address generator the second URL-address http://www.provider.de/www.EPO.eu/Dl.html is allocated to that URL-address.
then the second URL-address is generated and the establishment of a connection thereto is initiated. The advantage of such a list is that it is possible to implement individual allocations by means of the address generator. In that way each address generator can generate individually second addresses. Renewal of the second address can then be effected by changes to individual allocations or by replacement of the entire list in the address generator of the connecting unit.
It is also desirable in regard to the address generator if the incoming address at the address generator includes parameters which initiate generation of the second address and determine the second address. With that form of dependency of the second address on the original address, the incoming first address includes parameters with a syntax which establishes generation of the second address. It is advantageous in regard to the parameters involved that they have no influence on components which are already present in the network and which establish the data connections. In addition they permit the information provider himself to determine the second address. insofar as in terms of his address he follows the syntax of the address generator. If the connecting unit according to the invention is not used, then the parameters remain disregarded and a conventional data connection is established. If in contrast a connecting unit in accordance with the invention is employed. it can then make the data connection to the second address selected by the information provider.
Further in accordance with the present invention, in the method aspect thereof, there is provided a method of making a data connection between first and second data processing installations, which in response to an inquiry from a first data processing installation initiates establishment of the data connection for transmission of a data item at the second data processing installation, wherein the second data processing installation and the requested data item thereof are identified by an address.

wherein in dependence on the inquiry address a second address is generated and establishment of the data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address and said data item is initiated.
As will also be apparent from a description hereinafter of a preferred embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention, the method of the invention can be implemented on a connecting unit such as for example a proxy server, or on connecting units which are specifically provided for same in the network, or the like. The method provides for establishment of a data connection to a data processing installation which is identified by the inquiring data processing installation. By the second address being generated in dependence on the inquired address, it is possible with the second address to establish a particular data connection which is designed for the specifically requested data item.
In a particularly advantageous feature of the invention the second address may be generated by the inquiring data processing installation. The method can thus be executed on the data processing installation where the addresses the subject of inquiry for a data connection can be received and transformed in dependence thereon into second addresses.
In order to be able to more easily influence the quality of the data connection, a preferred feature of the method of the invention provides that establishment of the data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address is at least partially implemented by way of a predetermined telephone connection. In a first step therefore the method involves recognising whether a second address is to be generated in relation to the inquiry address, while in a second step the second address is generated in dependence on the first address, followed then by a third step in which a predetermined telephone connection is to be established for data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address. That method is safeguarded against misuse as the predetermined telephone connection is established independently of a possibly feigned identity of the user.

In a further preferred feature of the invention the method thereof has two additional method steps whereby, in the case of an inquiry address for which a second address is generated, an already existing telephone connecti on whi ch i s not the same as the predetermi ned tel ephone connecti on is interrupted and then the predetermined telephone connection is set up by dialling of a suitable telephone number by the first data processing installation making the inquiry. Those two steps ensure that the communication is not interrupted for an unnecessarily long period of time.
The appropriate connection is established for the user without the data connection selected being apparent to him. When the predetermined telephone connection is established, in the situation where a telephone number is engaged, a plurality of telephone numbers can be tried in succession in order quickly to establish the predetermined telephone connection.
In a further preferred feature of the invention, for example for paying for the data connection afforded, the predetermined telephone connection may have at least one special performance feature. It is particularly desirable if provider charges are also levied for the predetermined telephone connection, in addition to the connection charges.
Such a connection guarantees a high level of security for both parties. When inquiring for chargeable information the inquiring computer dials the chargeable telephone number. In that way the user of the inquiring data processing installation can at all times independently review and control the costs involved. With that form of the method the provider has a guarantee that the charges for the data items in respect of which the inquiry is made are being recorded and that he is receiving his share of the provider charges. As an additional security aspect it is also possible to provide the further method step that establishment of the chargeable telephone connection has to be once again expressly confirmed by the user of the inquiring installation.
An embodiment of the method according to the invention which is particularly simple to implement provides that parameters of the incoming address determine at least one performance feature for the data connection, the predetermined telephone connection being selected in dependence on the parameters with corresponding performance features. In regard to charge recordal the provider fee being incurred for the data connection is determined by parameters of the incoming address and the predetermined telephone connection is selected in dependence on the parameters with a corresponding provider charge. A plurality of parameters can be communicated jointly with the incoming address. In this respect it is also possible to transmit parameters for fixing the tariff, band width or key for encryption.
For example the incoming URL-address: http://www.abc.de/documentl.html?....
tariff = A..., describes the fact that tariff A applies in respect of the data item documentl.html. In this example the question mark marks the end of the address and the beginning of the parameter portion and the periods stand for further details in the parameter portion. With that tariff information the information provider can himself set his charge for which he provides the data item. For, if a data processing installation selects that address, the parameter portion is also transmitted without that requiring an additional step.
It may also be advantageous to change to the predetermined telephone connection having particular performance features, in dependence on the incoming address. In that respect the telephone connection has special performance features, for example a connection involving a specific band wi dth , and i t i s changes thereto i n dependence on the requi red performance features.
An advantageous configuration of the invention provides that the data processing installation identified by the second address is different from the data processing installation identified by the inquiry address.
Distinguishing in the method step for establishing the data connection between two data processing installations guarantees that existing data networks in which not all data processing installations use the method accordi ng to the i nventi on can al so operate smoothly and i n a troubl e-free manner. In the case of a conventional connecting method, the parameters of the address are ignored and the connection is established with the incoming address. In the example referred to above therefore that involves:
http://www.abc.de/documentl.html. If the method according to the invention is applied, then the second address is generated and linked thereto.
possibly by way of a particular telephone connection. If the provider of the data item, in this case documentl.html, wishes to provide same exclusively under the second address, then under the inquiry address as a data item he can provide an indication giving information about the method.
In a preferred feature of the invention it is possible on the inquiring data processing installation to set whether a second address is to be generated for an i ncomi ng address . Such a step i n the method affords a user the option of generating data connections, with the method according to the invention being disabled. For that purpose generation of the second address is suppressed and the incoming address is transmitted.
In a particularly advantageous feature of the method according to the invention the incoming address and the second address respectively identify a data processing installation in a manner corresponding to the respective protocol used. If the method of the invention is not used, it is nonetheless possible to produce a data connection with the incoming address as the latter represents an admissible address. The method can thus also revert to known procedures for establishing a connection and for addressing purposes.
Furthermore, no items are introduced into the addresses, which could impede communication or transmission of the addresses.
It will be noted at this point that, besides charge billing, other special or particular performance features may also be converted and transformed with the method and apparatus according to the invention.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 shows a block circuit diagram in which a proxy server selects the appropriate connection, and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the principle of the proxy server shown in Figure 1.
In consideration of the particular demands made on a data connection i n terms of the provi si on of Internet servi ces , the data connecti on can be implemented by way of two accesses. The first access by way of a conventional standard ISP (standard Internet service provider) as indicated at 1 in Figure 1 affords a conventional POP (point-of-presence) dial-up point. Here, dialling in is effected for example by way of an analog telephone connection or by way of a dialling connection such as for example using ISDN, GSM, ATM or ADSL. The provider of the standard ISP 1 has generally concluded agreements with the user for the provision of his services.
A second access to the Internet is afforded by way of one or more chargeable Premium Rate call numbers as indicated at 5 in Figure 2. The Premium Rate call numbers 5 represent call numbers of a telephone company, in respect of which particular charges are levied. Usually the charge levied is divided into a connection charge and a provider charge, wherein the party which provides his services by way of the Premium Rate call number receives at least in part the provider fee paid out by the telephone company. The latter bills the total charges involved to the customer by way of its usual charge recordal procedures.
If the user is connected to the world wide web by way of his standard ISP as indicated at 1 in Figure l, then a plurality of addresses, for example in the form of elements of graphic configuration, are offered to him by way of his Internet browser. In order to make a data connection to one of the offered addresses, the user operates his Internet browser to activate such an element. Upon activation of that element, a physical connection is made to the data element which is identified by the address. In that situation establishment of the connection is started by the PC as indicated at 2 in Figure 1 of the user who activated the address, and transmitted on to the Internet by way of the POP dial-up point.
In this example, to make the particular data connection by way of which the chargeable data items are furnished, the connecting unit or connecting device indicated at 3 in Figure 1 chooses the Premium Rate access on the PC 2. In that case, an already existing connection to the standard ISP 1 is interrupted automatically, possibly after suitable query, and a connecti on i s establ i shed i n rel ati on to the Premi um Rate ISP as i ndi Gated at 4 in Figure 1 by dialling a chargeable call number 5. For such a chargeable connection, it is possible to provide a disconnect device which.

for example in the form of a time-out device, interrupts the connection again after the elapse of a predetermined period of time during which there has not been any transmission of data by way of the connection, in order to avoid unnecessary charges being incurred by way of this connection.
The decision as to which ISP is to deal with the address in respect of which the inquiry is made depends directly on the URL-target address which comes in at the connecting unit 2. As soon as the string which contains the URL-address has certain characters which notify to the connecting device 3 that this is a chargeable data connection, establishment of the connection is initiated and the chargeable connection is established, possibly after suitable query.
If the user calls up an address which bears the notification 'chargeable' and if no connecting unit which can make a connection to the Premium Rate ISP 4 is provided on the user PC, then the user, by way of his standard ISP 1, receives an HTML document with the possibility of loading and installing the connecting method according to the invention in the form of a program. As soon as installation is concluded, the inquired address is converted and the chargeable connection as indicated at 6 is established.
The method in the form of a program contains system variables which are set upon installation. It is possible with those variables to establish from which master program the copy originates.
The method reads on the user PC 2 the messages in the http protocol in order to initiate the change from the standard ISP 1 to the Premium Rate ISP
4 and vice-versa. Other protocols such as for example Real Audio, FTP and the like are converted on the TCP/IP-data connection respectively existing to an ISP. Transmission of data items using those protocols thus presupposes that the connection to the correct ISP is first effected.
As can be seen from Figure 2, access to the Premium Rate ISP 4 is implemented by way of a conventional POP dial-in point as indicated diagrammatically at 7, which however can only be reached by way of dialling up with a Premium Rate call number as indicated at 5. That makes connection establishment a simple and inexpensive matter and allows recourse to be had to tried-and-tested procedures. As shown in Figure 2, this access also serves as a local web server 8 which holds the chargeable documents. If they are exclusively chargeable, no copies of the documents exist in the freely accessible Internet. For particular data connections with data items which are not held on the web server 8, such as for example Real Audio or complex database queries, the Premium Rate POP dial-in point 7 affords a suitable TCP/IP connection 9 to an external system as indicated at 10 in Figure 2.
The provider of the external system, for an inquiry by way of the TCP/IP
connection 9, can agree a special security protocol, by means of which it is guaranteed that an inquiry is also effected from the Premium Rate POP dial-in point 7 and his charges are billed. Alternatively, the connection 9 could also be by way of a direct physical connection so that no further precautions have to be made. By virtue of the provision of the data items on the local web server 8, it is possible for the band width of the data connection 6 to be directly fully utilised.
As access to the Premium Rate POP dial-in point 7 is effected for all service providers by way of the same Premium Rate call number 5, the provider charge which is paid out by the telephone company must be distributed among the information providers. To achieve that aim, three connection states are detected and recorded:
1. the line is dropped, 2. the line is established, and 3. a data item has been the subject of inquiry with the connection established.
Billing can now be effected in such a way that charges are paid out for all periods of time between two successive inquiries for data items, corresponding to connection states 3, and between connection states 3 and 1.
Those periods of time are attributed to the respective provider of the requested data item and used as a basis in the billing procedure.
In terms of the billing procedure, consideration must be given separately to the fact that a plurality of services may possibly also be used at the same time, by way of an existing line. In this situation, recourse is had to the known procedure of addressing by way of ports.

Attribution of the provider charge is effected in respect of individual ports and proportionately for the individual providers.
Dependency of the address on the address the subject of the inquiry will be described by way of example hereinafter.
In principle, in the generation of the second address, it is possible for that to be identical to the inquiry address. For determining the dependency as between the URL-addresses, use is made of the existing possibility of transmitting parameters with a URL-address. If for example a database operator identified as ABC affords access to his databases on a web site with the domain name 'Angebote.de', then the corresponding URL-address can look like the following:
http://www.Angebote.de/ABC
If the URL-address is the subject of inquiry by the user, a data connection is made to the data item bearing that URL-address.
If the database operator now wishes to afford access to his database, which is of particular quality, then in the preferred embodiment described herein the URL-address co-operating with the method of the invention looks like the following:
http://www.Angebote.de/ABC?document.html, tariff = 0.50 If that address is the subject of inquiry, that is to say the user activates for example that address by clicking on the corresponding address element, then the method according to the invention is operable to generate the second address as follows:
http://www.ABC.de/www.Angebote.de/0,50/document.html For that address. firstly a Premium Rate telephone connection, for example in Germany a 0190# telephone number, to the Premium Rate ISP 4, is established. The connection is made directly to the computer with the URL-address:
www.ABC.de On that computer, the data item:
www.Angebote.de/0.50/document.html is now the subject of inquiry. During the inquiry and during transmission of that data item the provider charges for the dialled call number 5 are incurred. At the same time the provider of the database, if the data item 'www.Angebote.de/0.50/document.html' is the subject of inquiry, knows that his tariff, identified here as 0.5, is being paid in respect thereto. It is helpful if internal access rights for individual data items are allocated in dependence on the telephone connection used for dialling in. He also knows that the connection was originally to the computer 'www.Angebote.de'. At the same time the database provider can deposit under the original address a somewhat slower or free demo version of the database access. When the data item is transmitted, the connection indicated at 6 in Figure 2 is dropped again and the original connection restored. In this case the syntax of the pa rameters i s so sel ected that nami ng of the data i terns can be i mpl emented by means of a simple program.
In an alternative embodiment it is possible for charge recordal to be ascertained not by way of a telephone number with provider charges on a time basis, but by way of a telephone number, upon the dialling of which individually determinable charges are levied. With that charging system, the billing data of the user of the telephone number are then notified to a Premium Rate ISP 4 which is possibly different from the telephone company.
The Premi um Rate ISP 4 attri butes such bi 11 i ng data to i is connecti on data so that then individual charges can be levied either by the telephone company or the Premium Rate ISP 4. In this respect, interchange of the billing data can be effected using the normal post so that there are no security problems involved. It will be appreciated that with this charge levying procedure it is also possible to bill charges in addition to the charges which are already levied on a time basis.
It has been found desirable, in particular when there is a plurality of providers with special performance features on the Premium network, to provide performance parameters relating to the first connection made, in this case therefore the tariff information. Those performance parameters are then also sent on to the Premium network in regard to all server-side inquiries so that, upon a change within the Premium network, the information about dial-up and thus about the available performance parameters is not lost. The conversion operation involves the options of either encoding the available performance parameters with each IP-packet or transmitting that information in the event of server inquiries. The latter procedure can also be executed in the form of a cookie procedure, in which case in the embodiment described herein the cookies are used only within the Premium network. The addition of this option means that the user can particularly easily make connections to different computers within the Premium network without in each case having to establish a new telephone connection to the Premium network. In other words, by the information about the connection which was first established being provided for further connections, it is possible to have a change within the Premium network between different data processi ng i nstal 1 ati ons , wi th a connecti on once i t has been made .
In thi s respect, desired available special performance features which for example are expressed in terms of the band width of the connection are exclusively available on request to a provider. This ensures for the provider on request that a user can use at the same time the service of only one provider with unlimited performance features. That ensures that on the one hand the provider does not need to share the channel with another provider while on the other hand for example the entire band width of the connection is available to the user. This latter aspect can be a matter of importance in the transmission of music.
The embodiment described herein by way of example can also include a method step for bridging over any delays which occur in making a fresh connection for the browser being used by the user. This bridging step can provide for example that the browser waits until the fresh connection has been established and in the meantime does not generate any error message.
That delay can be achieved by a procedure whereby for example after the step of generating the second address, an intermediate page is firstly presented to the user. That page can for example require the user to once again confirm a specific performance feature. It is also advantageous in that respect that such a page can also be presented in local networks to any user by way of his browser without involving major expenditure or complication.
The present invention can thus provide a connecting unit for making a connection between first and second data processing installations, capable of establishing a connection for transmission of a data item, quickly, easily and securely, in dependence on the data item, and which can operate in a simple but reliable fashion and afford versatility of use. The method of making the data connection between two data processing installations in response to an inquiry from one to the other for transmission of a data item can afford a quality data connection while involving a simple operational procedure and speeding up the making of a connection.
It will be appreciated that the above-described method and connecting unit in accordance with the invention have been set forth solely by way of example and illustration of the principles thereof and that various modifications and alterations may be made therein without thereby departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (30)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed, are defined as follows

1. A connecting unit for making a data connection between first and second data processing installations, the connecting unit being operable in dependence on an inquiry from the first data processing installation to establish the connection to the second data processing installation for transmission of a data item thereat, wherein the second data processing installation and the requested data item thereof are identified by the first data processing installation by an inquiry address, comprising an address generator operable in dependence on the inquiry address to generate a second address and initiate establishment of the data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address and the data item thereof.

2. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least the address generator is a component of the first data processing installation.

3. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the data connection comprises a telephone connection in a telephone system.

4. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the address generator is operable to initiate the establishment of the data connection for the second address by way of a predetermined telephone connection which differs from a conventional connection at least in one performance feature.

5. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 4 wherein the established data connection utilises the entire available band width of the predetermined telephone connection.

6. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 4 wherein the address generator is operable to disconnect an existing telephone connection to set up the predetermined telephone connection.

7. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 6 wherein the address generator is operable to initiate the establishment of the separate connection again when no special performance feature is required for the requested address.

8. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second address identifies a data processing installation which is different from the data processing installation identified by the inquiry address.

9. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second address produced by the address generator identifies a data processing installation with a data item in a sub-network.

10. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the address generator contains a list which allocates to each second address at least one address, upon the inquiry for which the second address is generated.

11. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the incoming address at the address generator contains items of information to initiate generation of the second address and determine the second address.

12. A connecting unit as set forth in claim 11 wherein the incoming address at the address generator contains items of information about particular performance features of the requested data connection.

13. A method of making a data connection between first and second data processing installations, which in response to an inquiry from a first data processing installation initiates establishment of the data connection for transmission of a data item at the second data processing installation, wherein the second data processing installation and the requested data item thereof are identified by an address, wherein in dependence on the inquiry address a second address is generated and establishment of the data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address and said data item is initiated.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the second address is generated by the inquiring data processing installation.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein establishment of the data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address is at least partially implemented by way of a predetermined telephone connection.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein in the case of a inquiry address for which a second address is generated, an existing telephone connection which is not identical to the predetermined telephone connection is interrupted and then the predetermined telephone connection is set up by dialling of a suitable telephone number by the first data processing installation.

17. A method of making a data connection as set forth in claim 15 wherein the predetermined telephone connection has at least one special performance feature.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein at least one said performance feature for the data connection is determined by items of information of the incoming address and the predetermined telephone connection is selected in dependence on the items of information with corresponding performance features.

19. A method as set forth in claim 15 comprising changing to the predetermined telephone connection with special performance features in dependence on the incoming address.

20. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the data processing installation identified by the second address is different from the data processing installation identified by the inquiry address.

21. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the second address to be generated is identified by parameters of the incoming address.

22. A method as set forth in claim 13 including the optional step of setting at the inquiring data processing installation whether a second address is to be generated for an incoming address.

23. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the incoming address and the second address respectively identify a data processing installation in a manner corresponding to the respective protocol used.

24. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the incoming and the second addresses comply with the http-protocol.

25. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the incoming and the second addresses comply with a protocol of an application layer.

26. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the telephone connection having the special performance feature is interrupted when the second address does not require a special performance feature.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein after interruption of the telephone connection with the special performance feature a previously existing telephone connection is restored.

28. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein in a predetermined period of time a plurality of incoming addresses are collected and for those of the incoming addresses which require connections with special performance features jointly corresponding data connections with special performance features are set up.

29. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein when a connection to a further data processing installation is set up respective parameters are prepared about the set-up data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address and said data item.

30. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein prior to initiation of the establishment of a data connection to the data processing installation identified by the second address and said data item thereof an intermediate page is called up.