Method and apparatus for distributing notification among cooperating devices and device channels

• US 20040128310A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zmudzinski, Krystof C., Knauerhase, Rob C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,629 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and devices for networked applications are disclosed. In one embodiment, a device instructs a proxy server to receive traffic inbound for the device, and to notify the device when such traffic arrives. The device can then sleep, except for a notification channel that listens for a wakeup message from the proxy server. The proxy server detects traffic inbound for proxied devices, caches the data from that traffic, and issues notification messages to the proxied devices to cause those devices to download the cached data. One use for such a system is in instant messaging, as it allows a subscriber to place a battery-powered computing device in sleep mode while still advertising a continuous presence to her messaging buddies.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computing device having a primary packet data interface and a secondary data interface, the method comprising:

establishing a notification channel to a proxy device, the notification channel using the secondary data interface;

requesting that the proxy device receive data traffic for an application resident on the computing device;

disconnecting the primary packet data interface from its network;

receiving a notification over the notification channel that the proxy device has received data traffic for the application; and

in response to the notification, receiving the data traffic from the proxy device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data traffic from the proxy device comprises reconnecting the primary packet data interface to its network, issuing a request over that network to the proxy device to transfer the data traffic, and receiving the data traffic over that network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data traffic from the proxy device comprises receiving the data traffic over the secondary data interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data traffic from the proxy device comprises selecting either the primary packet data interface or the secondary data interface as a port to receive the data traffic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein disconnecting the primary packet data interface from its network comprises placing the computing device and primary packet data interface in a sleep mode, while the secondary data interface remains in at least a listen mode.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a first segment of the notification channel is established between the computing device and a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device further establishing a second segment of the notification channel, over a separate network, to the proxy device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein establishing the first and second segments of the notification channel comprises initiating a proxy session from the mobile communication device.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a wakeup signal over the notification channel, and waking the computing device from the sleep mode in response to the wakeup signal.

9. A method of operating a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

establishing a first notification channel segment, over a cellular network, to a proxy device;

establishing a second notification channel segment to a computing device;

receiving a notification message from the proxy device, indicating that the proxy device has received data traffic for the computing device; and

forwarding the notification message to the computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising classifying the urgency of the notification message received from the proxy device, and when the message is not urgent, buffering the notification message for later delivery to the computing device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

establishing a proxy session with the proxy device, for the benefit of the computing device; and

requesting that the proxy device emulate a function of the computing device to a remote device, in order to draw data traffic intended for the computing device to the proxy device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the emulated function is an instant messaging function.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving, from the computing device, a request that the proxy device perform an action for the computing device, and relaying the request to the proxy device.

14. A method of operating a networked device, the method comprising:

receiving a request that the device receive data traffic for a proxied device while the proxied device'"'"'s primary network interface is unavailable;

in response to the request,

receiving data traffic for the proxied device,

sending a notification to the proxied device, over a notification channel that does not connect to the proxied device'"'"'s primary network interface, that data traffic has been received, and

serving the received data traffic to the proxied device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein serving the received data traffic to the proxied device comprises receiving a request from the proxied device to transfer the received data traffic over the primary network interface, and responding to that request.

16. A computing device comprising:

a primary packet data interface;

a secondary data interface configurable as a notification network interface;

a function capable of receiving notification, through the notification network interface, that a communication was attempted with the device while the primary packet data interface was unavailable, the function further capable of responding to the notification by retrieving the communication from a proxy device.

17. The computing device of claim 16, further comprising a power management system capable of sleeping the function and the primary packet data interface, and subsequently waking the function and primary packet data interface upon receipt of a wakeup instruction through the second data interface.

18. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the function has the capability to select whether to retrieve the communication from the proxy device through the primary packet data interface or through the notification network interface.

19. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the secondary data interface comprises a cellular network interface.

20. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the secondary network interface comprises a short-range packet wireless network interface.

21. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the function comprises an instant messaging application with a capability to appear, via use of a proxy device, available for messaging when the application is sleeping.

22. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the function comprises an application selected from the group of applications comprising:

instant messaging, remote alert of the occurrence of a requested event, electronic mail, and serving a web service.

23. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the device is a personal digital assistant, the primary packet data interface is a wireless local area network transceiver, and the secondary data interface is a Bluetooth transceiver.

24. A proxy device comprising:

a primary packet data interface;

a secondary data interface configurable as a notification network interface;

a proxy service module capable of receiving packet data intended for a proxied device, sending notification to the proxied device over the notification channel interface when such packet data is received, and serving the received packet data to the proxied device.

25. The proxy device of claim 24, wherein the primary packet data interface and secondary data interface use a common physical port, but with the secondary data interface directing packet data to a node on the notification network.

26. The proxy device of claim 24, further comprising a storage area organized to cache received packet data intended for the proxied device, and a proxy service module to serve cached data to the proxied device upon request.

27. An article of manufacture comprising computer-readable media containing instructions that, when executed or interpreted by a processor or cooperating processors connected to a primary packet data interface and a secondary data interface, cause that processor or processors to perform a method comprising:

establishing a notification channel to a proxy device, the notification channel using the secondary data interface;

requesting that the proxy device receive data traffic for an application resident on the computing device;

disconnecting the primary packet data interface from its network;

receiving a notification over the notification channel that the proxy device has received data traffic for the application; and

in response to the notification, receiving the data traffic from the proxy device.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 27, wherein receiving the data traffic from the proxy device comprises reconnecting the primary packet data interface to its network, issuing a request over that network to the proxy device to transfer the data traffic, and receiving the data traffic over that network.

29. An article of manufacture comprising computer-readable media containing instructions that, when executed or interpreted by a processor or cooperating processors, cause that processor or processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request that the device receive data traffic for a proxied device while the proxied device'"'"'s primary network interface is unavailable;

in response to the request,

receiving data traffic for the proxied device,

sending a notification to the proxied device, over a notification channel that does not connect to the proxied device'"'"'s primary network interface, that data traffic has been received, and

serving the received data traffic to the proxied device.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein serving the received data traffic to the proxied device comprises receiving a request from the proxied device to transfer the received data traffic over the primary network interface, and responding to that request.