Offloading application traffic to a shared communication channel for signal optimization in a wireless network for traffic utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols

• US 10,063,486 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2017
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Inventors: Alisawi, Rami, Backholm, Ari, Hu, Huajie, Seleznyov, Alexandr, Wei, Jie, Yoon, Sungwook
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US15/630,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20170289051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 709224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2876 Pairs of inter-processing entities at each side of the network, e.g. split proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5683 Storage of data provided by user terminals, i.e. reverse caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for conserving network and battery usage is provided. The method includes determining that a device is communicating over at least two overlapping push channels and blocking one of the push channels to eliminate or reduce overlap between the at least two overlapping push channels. Related systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of reducing network traffic comprising:

detecting user inactivity on a mobile device;

in response to detected inactivity;

blocking a first channel to reduce network signaling in a network and to reduce battery consumption, wherein the first channel is a channel specific to a first application executing on the mobile device;

wherein the first application is configured to receive communications over a second channel that is established over the network,

wherein a second application executing on the mobile device is configured to receive communications over the second channel;

monitoring the application traffic for receipt of a message for the first application over the second channel, wherein the message informs the mobile device that there is new data for receipt at an application server associated with the first application;

unblocking the first channel based on the monitored application traffic so that the first application can perform an action over the first channel; and

re-blocking the first channel after a predetermined period of time;

unblocking the first channel when user activity is detected, wherein the user activity is based on whether the mobile device is being interacted with by a user.

2. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel is a first push channel and the second channel is a second push channel.

3. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel that is blocked is a TCP connection.

4. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel that is un-blocked is a subsequent TCP connection.

5. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein blocking includes blocking traffic for the first application.

6. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the action performed is allowing the first application to communicate over the first channel with an application server associated with the first application.

7. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein blocking the first channel occurs in response to detecting inactivity of the mobile device.

8. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 7, wherein the inactivity is based off of a screen status of the mobile device.

9. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 8, wherein the inactivity is based off of whether the mobile device is being interacted with by a user.

10. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein a notification is displayed on a screen of the mobile device in response to receiving the message.

21. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel is that of a third party.

22. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein blocking is performed by one of the following:

dropping IP packets, rejecting IP packets, and blocking an application layer.

23. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein detected inactivity includes detected user inactivity at the mobile device with respect to accessing one of the first and second applications.

24. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein one of the first application and the second application is killed.

25. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 24, wherein the one of the first application and the second application that is killed is killed in response to inactivity of that application.

26. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first application and the second application are not killed.

27. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first application is allowed to access local data on the mobile device.

28. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel and the second channel are data channels.

29. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein blocking the first channel to reduce network signaling is performed when the first application is executing in the background on the mobile device.

30. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the second channel is a push channel.

31. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the second channel is established for communicating with a messaging server, wherein the messaging server receives data from the application server of the first application and transmits the to the mobile device in response thereto.

32. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the method is executed at the mobile device.

33. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel is for communicating at least one of:

application traffic, traffic associated with a specific application, and application-layer traffic.

34. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein a radio of the mobile device provides for communications over the first channel, and the radio provides for communications over the second channel.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured for;

detecting user inactivity on a mobile device;

in response to detected inactivity;

blocking a first channel to reduce network signaling in a network and to reduce battery consumption, wherein the first channel is a channel specific to a first application executing on the mobile device;

wherein the first application is configured to receive communications over a second channel that is established over the network,

wherein a second application executing on the mobile device also receives communications over the second channel;

monitoring the application traffic for receipt of a message for the first application over the second channel, wherein the message informs the mobile device that there is new data for receipt at an application server associated with the first application;

unblocking the first channel based on the monitored application traffic so that the first application can perform an action over the first channel; and

re-blocking the first channel after a predetermined period of time;

unblocking the first channel when user activity is detected, wherein the user activity is based on of whether the mobile device is being interacted with by a user.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first channel is a first push channel and the second channel is a second push channel.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first channel that is blocked is a TCP connection.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first channel that is un-blocked is a subsequent TCP connection.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein blocking includes blocking traffic for the first application.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the action performed is allowing the first application to communicate over the first channel with an application server associated with the first application.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein blocking the first channel occurs in response to detecting inactivity of the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the inactivity is based off of a screen status of the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the inactivity is based off of whether the mobile device is being interacted with by a user.

20. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein a notification is displayed on a screen of the mobile device in response to receiving the message.

35. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first channel is that of a third party.

36. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein blocking is performed by one of the following:

dropping IP packets, rejecting IP packets, and blocking an application layer.

37. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein detected inactivity includes detected user inactivity at the mobile device with respect to accessing one of the first and second applications.

38. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein one of the first application and the second application is killed.

39. The mobile device of claim 38, wherein the one of the first application and the second application that is killed is killed in response to inactivity of that application.

40. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first application and the second application are not killed.

41. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first application is allowed to access local data on the mobile device.

42. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first channel and the second channel are data channels.

43. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein blocking the first channel to reduce network signaling is performed when the first application is executing in the background on the mobile device.

44. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second channel is a push channel.

45. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the second channel is established for communicating with a messaging server, wherein the messaging server receives data from the application server of the first application and transmits the to the mobile device in response thereto.

46. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the first channel is for communicating at least one of:

application traffic, traffic associated with a specific application, and application-layer traffic.

47. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein a radio of the mobile device provides for communications over the first channel, and the radio provides for communications over the second channel.