Methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection

• US 10,069,945 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2018
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jenam Tech, LLC (Oso IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US15/915,053
• Time in Patent Office: 181 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Abstract

A computer-implemented method is provided, comprising causing access to be provided, to a client computer, to code that causes the client computer to operate in accordance with a protocol that is separate from TCP, in order to establish a protocol connection with another server computer, by: receiving a packet, detecting an idle time period parameter field in the packet, identifying metadata in the idle time period parameter field for an idle time period, where, after the idle time period is detected, the second protocol connection is deemed inactive, and creating or modifying, by the client computer and based on the metadata, a timeout attribute associated with the second protocol connection.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

causing access to be provided to a server computer including;

a non-transitory memory storing a network application, and

one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the network application to operate in accordance with a first protocol including a transmission control protocol (TCP);

causing a TCP connection to be established with a client computer, by;

communicating a segment including at least one first synchronize bit,

communicating a first acknowledgement of the segment, and at least one second synchronize bit, and

communicating a second acknowledgement;

causing first data to be communicated from the server computer to the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), for being presented to a user of the client computer;

causing the server computer to permit second data, from the user of the client computer, to be received at the server computer from the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP); and

causing access to be provided, to the client computer, to code that causes the client computer to operate in accordance with a second protocol that is separate from the TCP, in order to establish a second protocol connection with another server computer, by;

receiving a packet,

detecting an idle time period parameter field in the packet,

identifying metadata in the idle time period parameter field for an idle time period, where, after the idle time period is detected, the second protocol connection is deemed inactive, and

creating or modifying, by the client computer and based on the metadata, a timeout attribute associated with the second protocol connection.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the creating or modifying the timeout attribute renders one or more keep-alive packets in the second protocol connection unnecessary.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to utilize the second protocol instead of the TCP in order to permit communication, between the client computer and the another server computer, of the timeout attribute, where no timeout attribute is communicated when establishing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP, but is communicated when establishing the second protocol connection so as to permit the second protocol connection to be placed in a particular state based on the timeout attribute when the second protocol connection is inactive, where the particular state is such that only one of the client computer or the another server computer is allowed to transmit information to the other one.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the access is caused to be provided to the code, by permitting the client computer to fetch the code from the server computer.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the access is caused to be provided to the code, by permitting the client computer to receive the code from the server computer utilizing the TCP connection and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the access is caused to be provided to the code, by including the code with the first data.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the access is caused to be provided to the code, by permitting the code to be received from the another server computer.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the access is caused to be provided to the code, by permitting the code to be received from yet another server that is different from the server computer and the another server computer.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the packet is received before the second protocol connection is established.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that, after the second protocol connection is established, another packet is received with the idle time period parameter field.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the timeout attribute is subject to a global setting.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the timeout attribute is subject to a connection-specific setting that is capable of overriding a global setting.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that a state of a keep-alive option for the second protocol connection, is accessible to the client computer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that:

third data is received at the client computer from the another server computer utilizing the second protocol connection in accordance with the second protocol that is separate from the TCP, for being presented to the user of the client computer; and

fourth data from the user of the client computer is communicated from the client computer to the another server computer utilizing the second protocol connection in accordance with the second protocol that is separate from the TCP.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the timeout attribute is an attribute of a keep-alive.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the receiving is performed subsequent to sending, by the client computer to the another server computer, another packet including other metadata including an idle time period parameter.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein the metadata is the same as the other metadata.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 wherein the metadata is different from the other metadata.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the timeout attribute is specified in a number of seconds.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the timeout attribute is used to keep the second protocol connection open when inactive, and to prevent the another server computer from closing the second protocol connection when inactive.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the metadata is used as input of an algorithm for determining a duration of time specified by the timeout attribute.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the algorithm is determined based on at least one particular attribute.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the creation or the modification of the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer via a negotiation protocol of a TCP-variant protocol.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the creating or the modifying of the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the creating or modifying, includes the creating.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the creating or modifying, includes the modifying.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the second protocol connection includes a TCP-variant connection.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the second protocol connection includes a non-TCP connection.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to:

detect the idle time period based on the timeout attribute; and

in response to detecting the idle time period, deactivate the second protocol connection by releasing a resource allocated for the second protocol connection by the client computer without signaling the another server computer.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that the detecting and the identifying are performed at a TCP-variant layer other than a TCP layer, where the TCP-variant layer is above an Internet Protocol (IP) layer and below a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application layer.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the code causes the client computer to operate such that at least one of the detecting or the identifying is performed at a non-TCP layer other than a TCP layer, where the non-TCP layer is above an Internet Protocol (IP) layer and below a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application layer.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the creating or the modifying of the timeout attribute reduces a number of keep-alive signals that are required to be communicated.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the packet is sent in advance of the second protocol connection being established.

34. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing access to a server computer including;

a non-transitory memory storing a network application, and

one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the network application to operate in accordance with a first protocol including a transmission control protocol (TCP);

causing a TCP connection to be established with a client computer, by

communicating a segment including at least one first synchronize bit;

communicating a first acknowledgement of the segment, and at least one second synchronize bit; and

communicating a second acknowledgement;

causing first data to be communicated from the server computer to the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), for being presented to a user of the client computer;

causing the server computer to permit second data, from the user of the client computer, to be received at the server computer from the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP); and

providing access to code that, after use by the client computer, results in the client computer operating in accordance with a second protocol that is separate from the TCP, in order to establish a second protocol connection with another server computer, by;

identifying idle information for detecting an idle time period, after which, the second protocol connection is subject to deactivation,

generating a second protocol packet including an idle time period parameter field identifying metadata for the idle time period based on the idle information, and

sending, from the client computer to the another server computer, the second protocol packet to provide the metadata for the idle time period to the another server computer, for use by the another server computer in creating or modifying, based on the metadata, a timeout attribute associated with the second protocol connection.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer utilizing the second protocol instead of the TCP in order to permit communication, between the client computer and the another server computer, of the timeout attribute, where the timeout attribute is not communicated when establishing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP, but is communicated when establishing the second protocol connection so as to permit the second protocol connection to be at least partially closed when inactive based on the timeout attribute.

36. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the timeout attribute serves to keep the second protocol connection open when inactive, and to prevent one or more other computers from closing the second protocol connection when inactive.

37. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the access is provided to the code by permitting the client computer to fetch the code from the server computer.

38. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the access is provided to the code by permitting the client computer to receive the code from the server computer utilizing the TCP connection and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

39. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the access is provided to the code by including the code with the first data.

40. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that a state of a keep-alive option for receiving a keep-alive packet, is accessible to the client computer, where the state of the keep-alive option one of activates or disables the keep-alive option such that, when activated, the keep-alive option is based on the idle information.

41. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the code includes at least one instruction for connecting to the another server.

42. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the second protocol packet includes third data.

43. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the second protocol packet includes no data.

44. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the second protocol packet and the metadata included therewith are sent by the client computer to the another server computer, in response to receiving, by the client computer from the another server computer, another second protocol packet with other metadata.

45. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the timeout attribute is an attribute of a keep-alive.

46. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer sending, to the another server computer, another second protocol packet including other metadata including an idle time period parameter.

47. The computer-implemented method of claim 46 wherein the metadata is the same as the other metadata.

48. The computer-implemented method of claim 46 wherein the metadata is different from the other metadata.

49. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the timeout attribute is specified in a number of seconds.

50. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the timeout attribute is used to keep the second protocol connection open when inactive, and to prevent the another server computer from closing the second protocol connection when inactive.

51. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the metadata is used as input of an algorithm for determining a duration of time specified by the timeout attribute.

52. The computer-implemented method of claim 51 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the algorithm is determined based on at least one particular attribute.

53. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer via a negotiation protocol of a TCP-variant protocol.

54. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the creating or the modifying of the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer.

55. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the creating or modifying, includes the creating.

56. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the creating or modifying, includes the modifying.

57. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the second protocol connection includes a TCP-variant connection.

58. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the second protocol connection includes a non-TCP connection.

59. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating to:

detect the idle time period based on the timeout attribute; and

in response to detecting the idle time period, deactivate the second protocol connection by releasing a resource allocated for the second protocol connection by the client computer without signaling the another server computer.

60. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein a resource allocated for the second protocol connection is released by at least one of the client computer or the another server computer without signaling at least one other of the client computer or the another server computer.

61. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the use of the code by the client computer results in the client computer operating such that at least one of the identifying the idle information or the identifying the metadata is performed at a non-TCP layer other than a TCP layer, where the non-TCP layer is above an Internet Protocol (IP) layer and below a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application layer.

62. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the timeout attribute reduces a number of keep-alive signals that are required to be communicated.

63. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the second protocol packet is sent in advance of the second protocol connection being established.

64. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the access to the code is provided via hypertext.

65. The computer-implemented method of claim 64 wherein the hypertext includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

66. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the code is configured to be used by the client computer via hypertext.

67. The computer-implemented method of claim 66 wherein the hypertext includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

68. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the access to the code is provided via the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

69. The computer-implemented method of claim 68 wherein the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) transports hypertext that includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

70. The computer-implemented method of claim 34 wherein the code is configured to be used by the client computer via the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

71. The computer-implemented method of claim 70 wherein the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) transports hypertext that includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

72. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing access to a server computer including;

a non-transitory memory storing instructions, and

one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions such that a network application operates in accordance with a first protocol including a transmission control protocol (TCP), the server computer, when operating in accordance with the first protocol to set up a TCP connection with a client computer, configured to;

communicate a segment including at least one first synchronize bit,

communicate a first acknowledgement of the segment, and at least one second synchronize bit, and

communicate a second acknowledgement;

causing first data to be communicated from the server computer to the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), for being presented to a user of the client computer;

causing the server computer to permit second data, of the user of the client computer, to be received at the server computer from the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP); and

providing access to code that causes the client computer to operate in accordance with a second protocol that is different from the TCP and that operates above an Internet Protocol (IP) layer and below a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application layer, in order to setup a second protocol connection with another server computer, by;

receiving, by the client computer from the another server computer, a packet,

identifying metadata, that specifies a number of seconds or minutes, in an idle time period parameter field in the packet for an idle time period during which, no packet is communicated that meets each of the following criteria;

a) communicated via the second protocol connection, and b) causes the second protocol connection to be kept at least partially alive, and

determining, by the client computer and based on the metadata, a timeout attribute associated with the second protocol connection.

73. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the access is provided by including the code with the first data such that the code is communicated from the server computer to the client computer utilizing the TCP connection and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

74. The computer-implemented method of claim 73 wherein at least one of:

the communication includes only receiving;

the communication includes only sending;

the communication includes receiving and sending;

the first acknowledgement of the segment and the at least one second synchronize bit are communicated together;

the communication of;

the segment including the at least one first synchronize bit, the first acknowledgement of the segment, the at least one second synchronize bit, and the second acknowledgement, is carried out via a 3-way handshake;

the segment includes a signal;

the segment includes a packet;

the second protocol includes a variant to the TCP;

the second protocol includes an extension to the TCP;

the second protocol includes a non-TCP protocol;

the second protocol connection includes a first connection that is set up;

the second protocol connection includes an initial connection that is set up;

the metadata specifies a number of seconds;

the metadata specifies a number of minutes;

the packet is informational;

the packet is received directly by the another server computer from the client computer;

the packet is received by the another server computer from the client computer via at least one other intermediate computer;

the timeout attribute is capable being the same as the metadata;

the timeout attribute is capable being different from the metadata;

the timeout attribute specifies a time duration;

the determining the timeout attribute includes at least one of modifying, creating, or deleting the timeout attribute;

the second protocol operates directly above the IP layer;

the second protocol operates directly below a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application layer;

the code includes machine code or program code;

the code includes at least one instruction;

the code is used in connection with a link component;

the code includes a readable instruction;

the code includes a data structure;

the code includes a program component;

the code is a readable instruction;

the code is a data structure;

the code is a program component;

the code is software;

the code resides at the server computer that is different from the another server computer, and is fetched from the server computer by the client computer;

or

during the idle time period, a data-equipped second protocol packet is capable of being received by the client computer in another connection separate from the second protocol connection.

75. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the timeout attribute renders one or more keep-alive packets in the second protocol connection unnecessary.

76. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the second protocol is utilized instead of the TCP in order to permit communication, between the client computer and the another server computer, of the timeout attribute, where no timeout attribute is communicated when setting up the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP, but is communicated when setting up the second protocol connection so as to permit the second protocol connection to be placed in a particular state based on the timeout attribute when the second protocol connection is inactive, where the particular state is such that only one of the client computer or the another server computer is allowed to transmit information to the other one.

77. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the access is provided to the code, by permitting the client computer to fetch the code from the server computer.

78. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the access is provided to the code, by permitting the client computer to receive the code from the server computer utilizing the TCP connection and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

79. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the access is provided to the code, by including the code with the first data.

80. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the access is provided to the code, by permitting the code to be received from the another server computer.

81. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the access is provided to the code, by permitting the code to be received from yet another server that is different from the server computer and the another server computer.

82. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the packet is received before the second protocol connection is set up.

83. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein, after the second protocol connection is set up, another packet is received with the idle time period parameter field.

84. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the timeout attribute is subject to a global setting.

85. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the timeout attribute is subject to a connection-specific setting that is capable of overriding a global setting.

86. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein a state of a keep-alive option for the second protocol connection is accessible to the client computer.

87. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein:

third data is received at the client computer from the another server computer utilizing the second protocol connection in accordance with the second protocol, for being presented to the user of the client computer; and

fourth data from the user of the client computer is communicated from the client computer to the another server computer utilizing the second protocol connection in accordance with the second protocol.

88. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the timeout attribute is an attribute of a keep-alive.

89. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the receiving is performed subsequent to sending, by the client computer to the another server computer, another packet including other metadata including an idle time period parameter.

90. The computer-implemented method of claim 89 wherein the metadata is the same as the other metadata.

91. The computer-implemented method of claim 89 wherein the metadata is different from the other metadata.

92. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the timeout attribute is specified in a number of seconds.

93. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the timeout attribute is used to keep the second protocol connection open when inactive, and to prevent the another server computer from closing the second protocol connection when inactive.

94. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the metadata is used as input of an algorithm for determining a duration of time specified by the timeout attribute.

95. The computer-implemented method of claim 94 wherein the algorithm is determined based on at least one particular attribute.

96. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer via a negotiation protocol of a TCP-variant protocol.

97. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the determination of the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer.

98. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the second protocol connection includes a TCP-variant connection.

99. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the second protocol connection includes a non-TCP connection.

100. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the code causes the client computer to:

detect the idle time period based on the timeout attribute; and

in response to detecting the idle time period, deactivate the second protocol connection by releasing a resource allocated for the second protocol connection by the client computer without signaling the another server computer.

101. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the code causes the client computer to:

detect the idle time period based on the timeout attribute; and

in response to detecting the idle time period, deactivate the second protocol connection by releasing a resource allocated for the second protocol connection by the client computer without signaling the another server computer.

102. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the determination of the timeout attribute reduces a number of keep-alive signals that are required to be communicated.

103. The computer-implemented method of claim 72 wherein the packet is sent in advance of the second protocol connection being set up.

104. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing access to a server computer including;

a non-transitory memory storing instructions, and

one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions such that a network application operates in accordance with a first protocol including a transmission control protocol (TCP) that operates above an Internet Protocol (IP) layer and below a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application layer, the server computer configured to operate in accordance with the first protocol to set up a TCP connection with a client computer;

causing first data to be communicated from the server computer to the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), for being presented to a user of the client computer;

causing the server computer to permit second data, of the user of the client computer, to be received at the server computer from the client computer utilizing the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP protocol and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP); and

providing access to structured data that results in the client computer operating in accordance with a second protocol, that is different from the TCP and operates above the IP layer and below the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application layer, in order to setup a second protocol connection with another server computer, and to;

receive idle information for use in detecting an idle time period during which no signal is communicated that meets each of the following criteria;

a) communicated in the second protocol connection, and b) results in the second protocol connection being at least partially kept alive,

generate, based on the idle information, a second protocol packet including an idle time period parameter field identifying metadata that is specified in a number of seconds or minutes, and

send, from the client computer to another server computer and during the set up of the second protocol connection, the second protocol packet to provide the metadata to the another server computer, for use by the another server computer in determining a timeout attribute associated with the second protocol connection.

105. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access is provided by including the structured data with the first data such that the structured data is communicated from the server computer to the client computer utilizing the TCP connection and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP);

and further wherein the structured data results in the client computer communicating with different servers using different protocols with the TCP being used without benefit of the timeout attribute during connection set up and the second protocol being used with the benefit of the timeout attribute during connection set up.

106. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the timeout attribute renders one or more keep-alive packets in the second protocol connection unnecessary.

107. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the structured data causes the client computer to utilize the second protocol instead of the TCP in order to permit communication, between the client computer and the another server computer, of the timeout attribute, where no timeout attribute is communicated when setting up the TCP connection in accordance with the TCP, but is communicated when setting up the second protocol connection so as to permit the second protocol connection to be placed in a particular state based on the timeout attribute when the second protocol connection is inactive, where the particular state is such that only one of the client computer or the another server computer is allowed to transmit information to the other one.

108. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access is provided to the structured data, by permitting the client computer to fetch the structured data from the server computer.

109. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access is provided to the structured data, by permitting the client computer to fetch the structured data from the server computer via hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) that transports hypertext including a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

110. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access is provided to the structured data, by permitting the client computer to receive the structured data from the server computer utilizing the TCP connection and the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

111. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access is provided to the structured data, by including the structured data with the first data.

112. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access is provided to the structured data, by permitting the structured data to be received from the another server computer.

113. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access is provided to the structured data, by permitting the structured data to be received from yet another server that is different from the server computer and the another server computer.

114. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the packet is received before the second protocol connection is set up.

115. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein, after the second protocol connection is set up, another packet is received with the idle time period parameter field.

116. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the timeout attribute is subject to a global setting.

117. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the timeout attribute is subject to a connection-specific setting that is capable of overriding a global setting.

118. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein a state of a keep-alive option for the second protocol connection, is accessible to the client computer.

119. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein:

third data is received at the client computer from the another server computer utilizing the second protocol connection in accordance with the second protocol, for being presented to the user of the client computer; and

fourth data from the user of the client computer is communicated from the client computer to the another server computer utilizing the second protocol connection in accordance with the second protocol.

120. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the timeout attribute is an attribute of a keep-alive.

121. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the structured data causes the client computer to send, to the another server computer, another packet including other metadata including an idle time period parameter.

122. The computer-implemented method of claim 121 wherein the metadata is the same as the other metadata.

123. The computer-implemented method of claim 121 wherein the metadata is different from the other metadata.

124. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the timeout attribute is specified in a number of seconds.

125. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the structured data includes a data structure.

126. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the timeout attribute is used to keep the second protocol connection open when inactive, and to prevent the another server computer from closing the second protocol connection when inactive.

127. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the metadata is used as input of an algorithm for determining a duration of time specified by the timeout attribute.

128. The computer-implemented method of claim 127 wherein the algorithm is determined based on at least one particular attribute.

129. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer via a negotiation protocol of a TCP-variant protocol.

130. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the determination of the timeout attribute results from a negotiation between the another server computer and the client computer.

131. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the second protocol connection includes a TCP-variant connection.

132. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the second protocol connection includes a non-TCP connection.

133. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the structured data causes the client computer to:

detect the idle time period based on the timeout attribute; and

in response to detecting the idle time period, deactivate the second protocol connection by releasing a resource allocated for the second protocol connection by the client computer without signaling the another server computer.

134. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the structured data causes the client computer to:

detect the idle time period based on the timeout attribute; and

in response to detecting the idle time period, deactivate the second protocol connection by releasing a resource allocated for the second protocol connection by the client computer without signaling the another server computer.

135. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the determination of the timeout attribute reduces a number of keep-alive signals that are required to be communicated.

136. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the packet is sent in advance of the second protocol connection being set up.

137. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access to the structured data is provided in connection with hypertext.

138. The computer-implemented method of claim 137 wherein the hypertext includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

139. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the structured data is configured to be used by the client computer in connection with hypertext.

140. The computer-implemented method of claim 139 wherein the hypertext includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

141. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the access to the structured data is provided in connection with the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

142. The computer-implemented method of claim 141 wherein the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) transports hypertext that includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.

143. The computer-implemented method of claim 104 wherein the structured data is configured to be used by the client computer in connection with the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

144. The computer-implemented method of claim 143 wherein the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) transports hypertext that includes a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) link.