| 摘要 |
A new system architecture for information messaging among devices over any wired or wireless, homogeneous or heterogeneous communications network, which is independent of the devices' operating protocols, configurations and/or system platform, if any, The system architecture includes generally three components, a fixed point transmitter, a logical host and an information retrieving device. The fixed point transmitter post new or updated information at the logical host, and the retrieving device communicates with the logical host to retrieve such information without the use of any application process at the logical host. In one aspect of the present invention, a stand-alone or self-contained messaging agent is deployed at the information retrieving device, which has functions including initiating "hand-shake" with a logical host and retrieve information from the logical host without the use of any application process at the logical host. For information messaging, the agent polls the logical host for updated messages. The agent retrieves the updated messages upon confirmation that they have been posted at the logical host. For certain applications, the entire content of the updated information is not hosted at the logical host. Instead, an ASCII or binary file containing a short message concerning the availability of the updated information is posted for access by the retrieving device. In yet another aspect of the present invention, dual levels of security are provided for access to the logical host. |
