Method, apparatus and system for provisioning a push notification session

• US 10,038,755 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Somani, Haniff, Quinlan, Sean Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/973,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections

Abstract

A system and method for provisioning a push notification session via a communications network between an application on a client terminal and a server corresponding to the application. In one aspect, a push provisioning entity transmits a message to the client terminal, whereby to configure the client terminal into a state in which it is able to request a push notification session with the server. An application on the client terminal can then request establishment of a push notification session by transmitting a push notification session request message to the push provisioning entity. The push provisioning entity generates a token for use in validating the push notification session, associates the generated token with the application and transmits the token to the application, which uses it to establish the push notification session.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a push notification session, comprising:

provisioning, by a first server, a push notification session between an application on a mobile device and a second server, the second server providing a service to the application;

monitoring, by the first server, an operational status of the second server;

determining, by the first server, that the second server is inoperable; and

terminating, by the first server, the push notification session based on the determination that the second server is inoperable, wherein terminating the push notification session further comprises;

invalidating, by the first server, a token related to the push notification session; and

sending, from the first server to the application on the mobile device, a session teardown message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operational status of the second server further comprises:

enabling, by the first server, a monitoring interval; and

sending, from the first server to the second server, a status enquiry message within the monitoring interval, the status enquiry message relating to the second server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the second server is inoperable is based on not receiving a status update message from the second server in response to the status enquiry message sent to the second server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second server is inoperable is based on a predetermined inactivity period associated with the second server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second server is inoperable is based on the first server not being able to communicate with the second server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second server is inoperable is based on receiving a status update message from the second server indicating that the second server is inoperable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operational status of the second server further comprises:

sending, from the first server to a proxy server, a status enquiry message, the status enquiry message intended for the second server, the proxy server being configured to establish the operational status of the second server on behalf of the first server; and

receiving, at the first server from the proxy server, a status update message regarding the second server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein terminating the push notification session further comprises:

invalidating, by the first server, a token related to the push notification session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein terminating the push notification session further comprises:

sending, from the first server to the application on the mobile device, a session teardown message.

10. A method of controlling a push notification session, comprising:

provisioning, by a first server, a push notification session between a second server and an application on a mobile device, the second server providing a service to the application;

monitoring, by the first server, an operational status of an application on the mobile device;

determining, by the first server, that the application on the mobile device is inoperable; and

terminating, by the first server, the push notification session based on the determination that the application on the mobile device is inoperable, wherein terminating the push notification session further comprises;

invalidating, by the first server, a token related to the push notification session; and

sending, from the first server to the application on the mobile device, a session teardown message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the operational status of the application on the mobile device further comprises:

enabling, by the first server, a monitoring interval; and

sending, from the first server to the application on the mobile device, a status enquiry message within the monitoring interval, the status enquiry message relating to the application on the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining that the application on the mobile device is inoperable is based on not receiving, at the first server, a status update message from the application on the mobile device in response to the status enquiry message sent to the application on the mobile device within a predetermined period of time.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the application on the mobile device is inoperable is based on a predetermined inactivity period associated with the application on the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining that the application on the mobile device is inoperable is based on receiving, at the first server, a status update message from the mobile device indicating that the application on the mobile device is inoperable.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein terminating the push notification session further comprises:

invalidating, by the first server, a token related to the push notification session.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein terminating the push notification session further comprises:

sending, from the first server to the application on the mobile device, a session teardown message.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the application on the mobile device is inoperable is based on the first server not being able to communicate with the application on the mobile device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform a method of controlling a push notification session, the method comprising:

provisioning, by a first server, a push notification session between an application on a mobile device and a second server, the second server providing a service to the application;

monitoring, by the first server, an operational status of the second server;

determining, by the first server, that the second server is inoperable; and

terminating, by the first server, the push notification session based on the determination that the second server is inoperable, wherein terminating the push notification session further comprises;

invalidating, by the first server, a token related to the push notification session; and

sending, from the first server to the application on the mobile device, a session teardown message.