Optimizing keepalive and other background traffic in a wireless network

• US 10,182,466 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Nirantar, Abhay, Kokhanovskyi, Andrii, Batlivala, Nariman D., Al-Isawi, Rami, Yoon, Sungwook, Fleming, Michael, Backholm, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Scheibel, Robert C
• Application Number:
  US15/787,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20180042067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimizing keepalives or other non-interactive or background traffic from applications on a mobile device are disclosed. A keepalive optimizer can detect keepalive and other background traffic and optimize such traffic by blocking keepalives, advancing or delaying execution of keepalives, delaying repeatable background requests based on radio state, device state or characteristics, policy, transaction characteristics, application characteristics, and/or the like. The disclosed keepalive optimization methods facilitate management of traffic and/or conservation of resources on the mobile device and the network. The keepalive optimization can be performed by an application sending the keepalives or by a local proxy on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing network transactions originating at a mobile device, comprising:

identifying a keepalive period of a mobile application executing on a mobile device, wherein the mobile application is connected to a server;

determine a pull-in period by;

tracking traffic patterns of the mobile device;

using the traffic patterns of the mobile device to determine a first probability and a second probability,

wherein the first probability is the probability of the mobile application consuming resources, and

wherein the second probability is the probability of the radio of the mobile device turning on; and

calculating the pull-in period based on the first probability and the second probability, wherein the pull-in period is a value selected to minimize the mobile application'"'"'s consumption of resources and the number of instances where the radio of the mobile device needs to be turned on;

wherein the pull-in period has a shorter duration than the keepalive period;

when the mobile application has been idle for longer than the pull-in period, detecting whether a radio of the mobile device turns on;

in response to detecting the radio of the mobile device turn on, triggering a new keepalive to the server before the end of the keepalive period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the new keepalive is done on an application-by-application basis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the new keepalive includes terminating the connection between the mobile application and the server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the new keepalive includes dropping the application socket of the mobile application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein triggering the new keepalive includes creating a synthetic keepalive to send to the server.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising optimizing the new keepalive by:

defining a first extension period and second extension period, wherein the first and second extension periods are pre-determined time values;

determining if the application has been idle for longer than the first extension period;

in response to a determination that the application has been idle for longer than the first extension period, extending the keepalive period by the second extension period.

7. A mobile device implementing network transaction optimization, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a radio;

the processor being configured to;

identify a keepalive period of a mobile application executing on the mobile device, wherein the mobile application is connected to a server;

determine a pull-in period by;

tracking traffic patterns of the mobile device;

using the traffic patterns of the mobile device to determine a first probability and a second probability,

wherein the first probability is the probability of the mobile application consuming resources, and

wherein the second probability is the probability of the radio of the mobile device turning on; and

calculating the pull-in period based on the first probability and the second probability, wherein the pull-in period is a value selected to minimize the mobile application'"'"'s consumption of resources and the number of instances where the radio of the mobile device needs to be turned on;

wherein the pull-in period has a shorter duration than the keepalive period;

when the mobile application has been idle for longer than the pull-in period, detecting whether the radio of the mobile device turns on; and

in response to detecting the radio of the mobile device turn on, trigger a new keepalive to the server before the end of the keepalive period.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the new keepalive on an application-by-application basis.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the new keepalive by terminating the connection between the mobile application and the server.

10. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the new keepalive by dropping the application socket of the mobile application.

11. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the new keepalive by creating a synthetic keepalive to send to the server.

12. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to optimize the new keepalive by:

defining a first extension period and second extension period, wherein the first and second extension periods are pre-determined time values;

determining if the application has been idle for longer than the first extension period;

in response to a determination that the application has been idle for longer than the first extension period, extending the keepalive period by the second extension period.