Communications system providing extensible protocol translation and configuration features and related methods

Abstract

A communications system may include data storage devices and mobile wireless communications devices for accessing the data storage devices, each using one or more different operating protocols. The system may further include a protocol interface device, which may include a protocol engine module for communicating with the data storage devices using respective operating protocols, and a front-end proxy module coupled to the protocol engine module. The front-end proxy module may include a respective proxy module for communicating with the mobile wireless communications devices using each different operating protocol, and at least one common core service module coupled to the proxy modules. The protocol interface device may also include a configuration file module coupled to the front-end proxy module for storing a plurality of different sets of configuration files relating to different allocations of resources of the at least one common core service module.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
   
   
       32 . A communications system comprising:
 a plurality of data storage devices each configured to use at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols;   a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices configured to access said plurality of data storage devices and each configured to use at least one of the plurality of different operating protocols; and   a protocol interface device comprising
 a protocol engine module configured to communicate with said plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols, 
 a front-end proxy module coupled to said protocol engine module and comprising
 a respective proxy module for configured to communicate with said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using each different operating protocol, and 
 at least one common core service module coupled to said proxy module and configured to route traffic between said proxy module and said protocol engine module, and 
 
 a configuration file module coupled to said front-end proxy module and configured to store a plurality of different sets of configuration files relating to different allocations of resources of the at least one common core service module, 
 said at least one common core service module configured to allocate resources based upon a given service to be performed and a corresponding set of configuration files stored in said configuration file module. 
   
   
   
       33 . The communications system of  claim 33  wherein said plurality of different sets of configuration files comprises a primary set of configuration files corresponding to core resource allocation operations, and a secondary set of configuration files configured to customize the core resource allocation operations. 
   
   
       34 . The communications system of  claim 33  wherein said at least one common core service module is configured to access data from said plurality of data storage devices. 
   
   
       35 . The communications system of  claim 33  wherein said at least one common core service module is configured to render data for said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices. 
   
   
       36 . The communications system of  claim 33  further comprising a renderer module configured to cooperate with said proxy modules to format data for said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices. 
   
   
       37 . The communications system of  claim 36  further comprising an extensible mark-up language (XML) engine module coupled to said renderer module. 
   
   
       38 . The communications system of  claim 37  further comprising a memory coupled to said XML engine module configured to store a plurality of templates corresponding to respective operating protocols. 
   
   
       39 . The communications system of  claim 33  wherein said at least one common core service module comprises a plurality of handlers configured to interface said proxy module with said protocol engine module. 
   
   
       40 . The communications system of  claim 33  wherein said proxy module is configured to convert access requests from said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices to common access parameters; and wherein said front-end proxy module further comprises a flow controller module configured to receive the common access parameters from the proxy module. 
   
   
       41 . A protocol interface device for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the protocol interface device comprising:
 a protocol engine module configured to communicate with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols;   a front-end proxy module coupled to said protocol engine and comprising
 a respective proxy module configured to communicate with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using each different operating protocol, and 
 at least one common core service module coupled to said proxy module and configured to route traffic between said proxy module and said protocol engine module; and 
   a configuration file module coupled to said front-end proxy module and configured to store a plurality of different sets of configuration files relating to different allocations of resources of the at least one common core service module;   said at least one common core service module configured to allocate resources based upon a given service to be performed and a corresponding set of configuration files stored in said configuration file module.   
   
   
       42 . The protocol interface device of  claim 41  wherein said plurality of different sets of configuration files comprises a primary set of configuration files corresponding to core resource allocation operations, and a secondary set of configuration files configured to customize the core resource allocation operations. 
   
   
       43 . The protocol interface device of  claim 41  wherein said at least one common core service module is also configured for at least one of accessing data from the plurality of data storage devices and rendering data for the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices. 
   
   
       44 . A protocol interface device for interfacing a plurality of communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the protocol interface device comprising:
 a protocol engine module configured to communicate with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols;   a front-end proxy module coupled to said protocol engine and comprising
 a respective proxy module configured to communicate with the plurality of communications devices using each different operating protocol, and 
 at least one common core service module coupled to said proxy module and configured to route traffic between said proxy module and said protocol engine module; and 
   a configuration file module coupled to said front-end proxy module and configured to store a plurality of different sets of configuration files relating to different allocations of resources of the at least one common core service module;   said at least one common core service module configured to allocate resources based upon a given service to be performed and a corresponding set of configuration files stored in said configuration file module.   
   
   
       45 . The protocol interface device of  claim 44  wherein said plurality of different sets of configuration files comprises a primary set of configuration files corresponding to core resource allocation operations, and a secondary set of configuration files configured to customize the core resource allocation operations. 
   
   
       46 . The protocol interface device of  claim 44  wherein said at least one common core service module is also configured for at least one of accessing data from the plurality of data storage devices and rendering data for the plurality of communications devices. 
   
   
       47 . A method for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the method comprising:
 providing a protocol engine module configured to communicate with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols;   coupling a front-end proxy module to the protocol engine comprising
 a respective proxy module configured to communicate with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using each different operating protocol, and 
 at least one common core service module coupled to the proxy module and configured to route traffic between the proxy module and the protocol engine module; and 
   providing a configuration file module for the front-end proxy module and configured to store a plurality of different sets of configuration files relating to different allocations of resources of the at least one common core service module,   the at least one common core service module configured to allocate resources based upon a given service to be performed and a corresponding set of configuration files stored in the configuration file module.   
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the plurality of different sets of configuration files comprises a primary set of configuration files corresponding to core resource allocation operations, and a secondary set of configuration files configured to customize the core resource allocation operations. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the at least one common core service module is also configured for at least one of accessing data from the plurality of data storage devices and rendering data for the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices. 
   
   
       50 . A computer-readable medium having computer executable modules for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, the computer-readable medium comprising:
 a protocol engine module configured to communicate with the plurality of data storage devices using respective operating protocols;   a front-end proxy module coupled to the protocol engine and comprising
 a respective proxy module configured to communicate with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using each different operating protocol, and 
 at least one common core service module coupled to the proxy modules and configured to route traffic between the proxy modules and the protocol engine module; and 
   a configuration file module coupled to the front-end proxy module configured to store a plurality of different sets of configuration files relating to different allocations of resources of the at least one common core service module;   the at least one common core service module configured to allocate resources based upon a given service to be performed and a corresponding set of configuration files stored in the configuration file module.   
   
   
       51 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 50  wherein the plurality of different sets of configuration files comprises a primary set of configuration files corresponding to core resource allocation operations, and a secondary set of configuration files configured to customize the core resource allocation operations. 
   
   
       52 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 50  wherein the at least one common core service module is also configured for at least one of accessing data from the plurality of data storage devices and rendering data for the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices.