Communications system providing multi-layered extensible protocol interface and related methods

Abstract

A communications system may include data storage devices each using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, and mobile wireless communications devices (MWCDs) for accessing the data storage devices and each using at least one of the 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. The protocol interface device may further include a front-end proxy module coupled to the protocol engine. The front-end proxy module may include a respective proxy module for communicating with the MWCDs using each different operating protocol. The front-end proxy module may also include one or more common core service modules coupled to the proxy modules and communicating therewith at a first layer, and communicating with the protocol engine module at a second layer lower than the first layer.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A communications system comprising:
 a plurality of electronic mail (email) data storage devices, at least some of which being configured to use at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols;   a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices, each using at least one of the plurality of different operating protocols; and   a protocol interface device configured to operate in accordance with a multi-layer protocol model and comprising
 a respective proxy module for communicating 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 modules and configured to communicate therewith at a first layer of the multi-layer protocol model, and configurable to implement an interface between said proxy modules and said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for supporting a new different operating protocol. 
   
     
     
         36 . The communications system of  claim 35  wherein the first layer comprises a network layer. 
     
     
         37 . The communications system of  claim 35  wherein said protocol interface device further comprises at least one configuration file module for storing a first set of configuration files for configuring common core services at the first layer, and for storing a second set of configuration files for configuring common core services at a second layer lower than the first layer. 
     
     
         38 . The communications system of  claim 35  wherein said plurality of proxy modules convert access requests from said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices to common access parameters supported by said email data storage devices; and wherein said protocol interface device further comprises a flow controller module for receiving the common access parameters from said plurality of proxy modules. 
     
     
         39 . The communications system of  claim 35  further comprising an extensible mark-up language (XML) engine module coupled to said at least one common core service module. 
     
     
         40 . The communications system of  claim 39  wherein said XML engine module comprises an extensible stylesheet language transformations (XSLT) engine module. 
     
     
         41 . The communications system of  claim 39  further comprising a memory coupled to said XML engine module for storing a plurality of templates corresponding to respective operating protocols. 
     
     
         42 . A protocol interface device for interfacing a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of electronic mail (email) data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the email data storage devices using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, and the protocol interface device processing data in accordance with a multi-layer protocol model, the protocol interface device comprising:
 a respective proxy module for communicating 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 modules and configured to communicate therewith at a first layer of the multi-layer protocol model, and configurable to implement an interface between said proxy modules and the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for supporting a new different operating protocol.   
     
     
         43 . The protocol interface device of  claim 42  wherein the first layer comprises a network layer. 
     
     
         44 . The protocol interface device of  claim 42  further comprising at least one configuration file module for storing a first set of configuration files for configuring common core services at the first layer, and for storing a second set of configuration files for configuring common core services at a second layer lower than the first layer. 
     
     
         45 . The protocol interface device of  claim 42  wherein said plurality of proxy modules convert access requests from the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices to common access parameters supported by the email data storage devices; and wherein said protocol interface device further comprises a flow controller module for receiving the common access parameters from said plurality of proxy modules. 
     
     
         46 . The protocol interface device of  claim 42  further comprising an extensible mark-up language (XML) engine module coupled to said at least one common core service module. 
     
     
         47 . The protocol interface device of  claim 46  wherein said XML engine module comprises an extensible stylesheet language transformations (XSLT) engine module. 
     
     
         48 . The protocol interface device of  claim 46  further comprising a memory coupled to said XML engine module for storing a plurality of templates corresponding to respective operating protocols. 
     
     
         49 . A method for making an interface for a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices with a plurality of electronic mail (email) data storage devices, the mobile wireless communications devices and the email data storage devices using at least one of a plurality of different operating protocols, and the protocol interface device processing data in accordance with a multi-layer protocol model, the method comprising:
 providing a respective proxy module for communicating with the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices using each different operating protocol; and   providing at least one common core service module coupled to the proxy modules and configured to communicate therewith at a first layer of the multi-layer protocol model, and configurable to implement an interface between the proxy modules and the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for supporting a new different operating protocol.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the first layer comprises a network layer. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising providing at least one configuration file module for storing a first set of configuration files for configuring common core services at the first layer, and for storing a second set of configuration files for configuring common core services at a second layer lower than the first layer. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the plurality of proxy modules convert access requests from the plurality of mobile wireless communications devices to common access parameters supported by the email data storage devices; and further comprising providing a flow controller module for receiving the common access parameters from the plurality of proxy modules. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising providing an extensible mark-up language (XML) engine module coupled to the at least one common core service module. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein the XML engine module comprises an extensible stylesheet language transformations (XSLT) engine module. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53  further comprising a memory coupled to the XML engine module for storing a plurality of templates corresponding to respective operating protocols.