Always-on wireless internet protocol communication

• US 20050165944A1
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Hao Xue;William Dainiel Willey;M. Khaledul Islam;
• Inventors: Islam, M Khaledul, Willey, William Daniel, Chaudry, Shahid, Xue, Hao
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• 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: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0203 in the radio access network or backbone network of wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings described herein, systems and methods are provided for always-on wireless IP communication. An access provider network (APN) that includes an always-on packet data serving node (PDSN) may be used to communicate over a wireless communication link with a mobile station. The PDSN may include an inactivity timer and may be used to set the inactivity timer to an inactivity timer starting value and send a starting value estimate to the mobile station over the wireless communication link, wherein the starting value estimate is a function of the inactivity timer starting value. The mobile station may include an inactivity timer estimate and may be used to receive the starting value estimate and set the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate. The mobile station may also be used to reset the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate when the mobile station communicates with the APN.

Claims

1. An always-on wireless internet protocol (IP) network, comprising:

an access provider network (APN) including an always-on packet data serving node (PDSN), the APN being operable to communicate over a wireless communication link with a mobile station;

the PDSN including an inactivity timer, the PDSN being operable to set the inactivity timer to an inactivity timer starting value and send a starting value estimate to the mobile station over the wireless communication link, wherein the starting value estimate is a function of the inactivity timer starting value;

the mobile station including an inactivity timer estimate, the mobile station being operable to receive the starting value estimate and set the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate; and

the mobile station being further operable to reset the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate when the mobile station communicates with the APN.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile station includes a mobile station module that sets and resets the inactivity timer estimate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the inactivity timer starting value is a maximum value and wherein the PDSN decrements the inactivity timer from the maximum value when there is no data activity on the wireless communication link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the starting value estimate is a maximum value and wherein the mobile station decrements the inactivity timer estimate from the maximum value when there is no data activity on the wireless communication link.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication link between the mobile station and the APN is maintained until the inactivity timer estimate is decremented to a pre-selected value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein if the inactivity timer estimate reaches a pre-selected value, then the mobile station being configured to enter an inactive state.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein if the inactivity timer estimate reaches a pre-selected value, then the mobile station being configured to establish a new wireless communication link between the mobile station and the APN.

8. The system of claim 1, where the wireless communication link between the APN and the mobile station is a point-to-point protocol (PPP) session.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the PDSN is operable to send the starting value estimate to the mobile station upon entering an IP control protocol (IPCP) open state on the PPP session.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the PDSN is operable to send an updated starting value estimate to the mobile station if the inactivity timer starting value is modified.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the always-on wireless IP network is a CDMA2000 network.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein starting value estimate is included in a link control protocol (LCP) message transmitted from the APN to the mobile station.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the LCP message is an Echo-Request message.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile station module resets the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate in response to the mobile station successfully sending an Echo-Reply message to the APN.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile station module resets the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate in response to the mobile station receiving an Echo-Request message from the APN.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile station module resets the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate in response to PPP activity between the mobile station and the APN.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the PDSN includes an always-on PDSN module that is operable to monitor activity on the wireless communication link between the APN and the mobile station and reset the inactivity timer to the inactivity timer starting value if activity is detected.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the inactivity timer estimate is equal to the inactivity timer starting value.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein the inactivity timer is a PPP inactivity timer.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the inactivity timer starting value is a maximum PPP timer value.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the PDSN is operable to send an LCP request message to the mobile station if the PPP inactivity timer reaches a pre-selected value.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the PDSN includes an Echo-Reply-Timeout timer, and wherein the PDSN is operable to reset the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer to an Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value and reset the PPP inactivity timer to the inactivity timer starting value if the APN receives a PPP message from the mobile station.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the starting value estimate is a function of the inactivity timer starting value and the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the PDSN is configured to send the mobile station an updated starting value estimate if the inactivity timer starting value or the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value is modified.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the PDSN includes an Echo-Request-Retries counter, and wherein if the Echo-Reply-Timeout counter reaches a pre-determined value, then the PDSN being configured to resend the Echo-Request message to the mobile station and reset the Echo-Request-Retries from a starting value to identify a number of times that the PDSN attempts to send the Echo-Request message to the mobile station without receiving an Echo-Reply message from the mobile station.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein if the Echo-Request-Retries counter reaches a pre-selected cutoff value, then the PDSN being configured to close the PPP session.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the starting value estimate is a function of the inactivity timer starting value, the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value and the Echo-Request-Retries counter starting value.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the PDSN is configured to send the mobile station an updated starting value estimate if the inactivity timer starting value, Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value or Echo-Request-Retries counter cutoff value is modified.

29. A method of maintaining an always-on wireless communications link between a mobile station and an access provider network (APN), comprising:

establishing a wireless communication link between the mobile station and the APN;

setting an inactivity timer in the APN to an inactivity timer starting value;

sending a starting value estimate from the APN to the mobile station that is a function of the inactivity timer starting value;

setting an inactivity timer estimate in the mobile station to the starting value estimate;

monitoring the wireless communication link between the mobile station and the APN for data traffic between the mobile station and the APN; and

if data traffic is detected, then resetting the inactivity timer estimate in the mobile station to the starting value estimate and resetting the inactivity timer in the APN to the inactivity timer starting value.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

if the inactivity timer estimate reaches a pre-selected value, then establishing a new wireless communication link between the mobile station and the APN or causing the mobile station to enter an inactive state.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the wireless communication link is a point-to-point protocol (PPP) session.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the starting value estimate is included in a link control protocol (LCP) message transmitted from the APN to the mobile station.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the LCP message is an Echo-Request message.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

if the inactivity timer in the APN reaches a pre-determined value, then transmitting a link control protocol (LCP) Echo-Request message from the APN to the mobile station.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein if the inactivity timer in the APN reaches the pre-determined value, then resetting an Echo-Reply-Timeout timer in the APN.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein if the inactivity timer in the APN reaches the pre-determined value, then resetting an Echo-Request-Retries counter in the APN.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

monitoring the wireless communication link for an Echo-Reply message from the mobile station;

if an Echo-Reply message from the mobile station is detected, then resetting each of the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer, the Echo-Request-Retries counter and the inactivity timer;

if the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer reaches a selected value, then incrementing or decrementing the Echo-Request-Retries counter and transmitting an additional LCP Echo-Request message from the APN to the mobile station; and

if the Echo-Request-Retries counter is incremented or decremented to a set value and the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer reaches the selected value, then closing the PPP session.

38. In an always-on wireless internet protocol (IP) network including an access provider network (APN) with an always-on packet data serving node (PDSN), the APN being operable to send and receive data over a wireless communication link with a mobile station, and the PDSN being operable to set an inactivity timer to an inactivity timer starting value and to send a starting value estimate to the mobile station over the wireless communication link that is a function of the inactivity timer starting value, the mobile station comprising:

means for transmitting and receiving data over the wireless communication link, including the starting timer estimate;

a timer;

a mobile station module operable to set the timer to the starting timer estimate when the starting timer estimate is received from the PDSN and further operable to reset the timer to the starting timer estimate when the mobile station transmits data to the APN or receives data from the APN.

39. The mobile station of claim 38, wherein if the timer reaches a pre-selected value, then the mobile station being operable to initiate a new wireless communication link with the APN or enter an inactive state.

40. The mobile station of claim 38, wherein the wireless communication link is a point-to-point protocol (PPP) session.

41. The mobile station of claim 40, wherein the mobile station receives the starting value estimate from the PDSN upon entering an IP control protocol (IPCP) open state on the PPP session.

42. The mobile station of claim 40, wherein the wireless IP network is a CDMA2000 network.

43. In an always-on wireless internet protocol (IP) network including a mobile station having an inactivity timer estimate, the mobile station being operable to transmit and receive data over a wireless communication link with an access provider network (APN), receive a starting value estimate from the APN and set the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate, the mobile station being further operable to reset the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate when the mobile station transmits data to the APN, the APN comprising:

an always-on packet data serving node (PDSN) that includes an inactivity timer;

the PDSN operable to set the inactivity timer to an inactivity timer starting value; and

the PDSN further operable to send the starting value estimate over the wireless communication link to the mobile station, wherein the starting value estimate is a function of the inactivity timer starting value.

44. In an always-on wireless internet protocol (IP) network including an access provider network (APN) operable to send and receive data over a wireless communication link with a mobile station, the APN being further operable to set an inactivity timer in the APN to an inactivity timer starting value, a method comprising:

transmitting a starting value estimate over the wireless communication link to the mobile station using a protocol stack that includes a point-to-point protocol (PPP) layer;

wherein the starting value estimate is a function of the inactivity timer starting value; and

wherein the mobile station is operable to set an inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate and reset the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate when the mobile station transmits data to the APN.