Method and apparatus for implementing a sleep proxy for services on a network

• US 20050044430A1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cheshire, Stuart D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for implementing a sleep proxy. The system starts by receiving a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by a device. In response to this request, the system determines if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy takes action. If so, the system determines if the sleep proxy can answer the request. If so, the sleep proxy sends a response to the request on behalf of the device. In a variation on this embodiment, if the system cannot answer the request on behalf of the device, the system sends a wakeup packet to the device, wherein the wakeup packet causes the device to exit a power-saving mode so that the device can respond to the request directly.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a sleep proxy, comprising:

receiving a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by a device;

determining if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers;

if so, determining if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

if so, sending a response to the request on behalf of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the request is not a request for which the sleep proxy can answer, the method further comprises sending a wakeup packet to the device, wherein the wakeup packet is a packet that causes the device to exit a power-saving mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the request, the method further comprises:

receiving a registration request from the device, wherein the registration request contains;

sufficient information to allow the sleep proxy to generate a wakeup packet that can wake up the device, and

a list of requests for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

adding the device to the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the registration additionally contains a lease expiration time, wherein upon reaching the lease expiration time, the sleep proxy cancels the device registration.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein an internal timer in the device wakes up the device so that the device can renew its registration with the sleep proxy before the registration expires.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the device that the device is entering a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy to answer for the device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the device that the device has exited a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy not to answer for the device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing a second sleep proxy that duplicates the functionality of the sleep proxy for fault-tolerance purposes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a response to the request further comprises waiting a random period of time prior to sending the response, wherein waiting the random period of time facilitates duplicate answer suppression between sleep proxies.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for implementing a sleep proxy, the method comprising:

receiving a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by a device;

determining if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers;

if so, determining if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

if so, sending a response to the request on behalf of the device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein if the request is not a request for which the sleep proxy can answer, the method further comprises sending a wakeup packet to the device, wherein the wakeup packet is a packet that causes the device to exit a power-saving mode.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein prior to receiving the request, the method further comprises:

receiving a registration request from the device, wherein the registration request contains;

sufficient information to allow the sleep proxy to generate a wakeup packet that can wake up the device, and

a list of requests for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

adding the device to the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the registration additionally contains a lease expiration time, wherein upon reaching the lease expiration time, the sleep proxy cancels the device registration.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein an internal timer in the device wakes up the device so that the device can renew its registration with the sleep proxy before the registration expires.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a notification from the device that the device is entering a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy to answer for the device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a notification from the device that the device has exited a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy not to answer for the device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises implementing a second sleep proxy that duplicates the functionality of the sleep proxy for fault-tolerance purposes.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein sending a response to the request further comprises waiting a random period of time prior to sending the response, wherein waiting the random period of time facilitates duplicate answer suppression between sleep proxies.

19. An apparatus that implements a sleep proxy, comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by a device;

a determination mechanism configured to determine if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers;

a second determination mechanism configured to determine if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer if the device is a member of the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers; and

a response mechanism configured to send a response to the request on behalf of the device if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein if the request is not a request for which the sleep proxy can answer, the apparatus further comprises a wakeup mechanism configured to send a wakeup packet to the device that causes the device to exit a power-saving mode.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a registration mechanism configured to receive a registration request from the device, wherein the registration request contains;

sufficient information to allow the sleep proxy to generate a wakeup packet that can wake up the device, and

a list of requests for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

a list addition mechanism configured to add the device to the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the registration additionally contains a lease expiration time, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a cancellation mechanism that is configured to cancel the device registration upon reaching the lease expiration time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein an internal timer in the device wakes up the device so that the device can renew its registration with the sleep proxy before the registration expires.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a notification mechanism configured to receive a notification from the device that the device is entering a power-saving state; and

a configuration mechanism configured to configure the sleep proxy to answer for the device in response to the notification.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a notification mechanism configured to receive a notification from the device that the device has exited a power-saving state; and

a configuration mechanism configured to configure the sleep proxy not to answer for the device in response to the notification.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a second sleep proxy that duplicates the functionality of the sleep proxy for fault-tolerance purposes.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the response mechanism is further configured to wait a random period of time prior to sending the response, wherein waiting the random period of time facilitates duplicate answer suppression between sleep proxies.