Method and apparatus for soliciting connectivity from wireless data networks

• US 20060018290A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zhao, Wen
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

According to the embodiments of the techniques of this application, a wireless data device or other data node sends solicitation messages periodically to a wireless gateway, such as a PDSN, when there is no data traffic between the wireless data device and a wireless data network. Each solicitation message resets the simple IP inactivity timer on the wireless gateway. When multiple wireless data devices send solicitation messages, the interval between subsequent transmissions of solicitation messages is randomised to reduce the probability of collision with the solicitations from other devices on the same wireless link. The solicitation timer, for instance, may be based on the simple IP inactivity timer setting on the wireless network, and the number of wireless data devices that the wireless data network serves. Expiration of the solicitation timer at the wireless data device or other data node causes the next solicitation message to be sent from or on behalf of the wireless data device.

Claims

1. A connectivity solicitation apparatus for maintaining data connectivity between a wireless device and a wireless data network, the wireless data network having a data inactivity node that tracks the inactivity of the wireless data device using an inactivity timer, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver module that can send and receive user data traffic as well as send solicitation messages to the wireless data network;

a processor that can detect data inactivity at said transceiver module; and

a control module operating with said processor, adapted to cause a solicitation message to be sent to the wireless data network through said transceiver upon the detection of data inactivity at said transceiver for a predetermined amount of time.

2. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless data network is selected from the group consisting of Mobitex, Datatac, CDMA, GPRS, and UMTS wireless data networks.

3. The connectivity solicitation device of claim 1, wherein the connectivity solicitation apparatus is provided in the wireless data device.

4. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connectivity solicitation apparatus is provided in a solicitation data node connected to the wireless data network.

5. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 4, wherein the solicitation data node is a push data server.

6. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 4, wherein the solicitation data node is a data-switching node.

7. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the solicitation message is sent in a way that minimizes the wireless data network load.

8. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 7, wherein the solicitation message is sent at a time that is randomised.

9. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than or equal to the value of the inactivity timer.

10. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 9, wherein the predetermined amount of time is randomised to minimize the wireless data network load.

11. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data connectivity uses simple IP.

12. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second transceiver module that can receive and send user data traffic as well as receive solicitation messages from the wireless data device;

a second processor that can detect the data activity of the wireless device at said second transceiver module; and

a second control module operating with said second processor, adapted to receive the solicitation message, and further adapted to reset the data inactivity timer on behalf of the wireless data device upon the condition of one of receiving a solicitation message and detecting data activity.

13. The connectivity solicitation apparatus of claim 12, wherein said second transceiver, said second processor and said second control software module are provided in the data inactivity node.

14. A data switching node governing data connectivity between a wireless data network and a wireless data device, the data switching node comprising:

at least one transceiver module that can receive solicitation messages from a connectivity solicitation apparatus;

a processor that can detect the data activity of said at least one transceiver module; and

a control module operating with said processor, adapted to reset a data inactivity timer on behalf of the wireless data device upon the condition of one of receiving a solicitation message and detecting data activity.

15. The data switching node of claim 14, wherein the control module is further adapted to:

detect solicitation messages;

reset the inactivity timer on behalf of the wireless data device; and

acknowledge the reception of the solicitation messages.

16. A data node capable of communicating with a wireless data network on behalf of a wireless data device, comprising:

a transceiver module that can send and receive user data traffic as well as send solicitation messages to the wireless data network;

a processor that can detect the data activity of said transceiver; and

a control module operating with said processor, adapted to cause solicitation messages to be sent to the wireless data network on behalf of the wireless data device through said transceiver.

17. The data node of claim 16 wherein the control module is further adapted to:

detect the condition of data inactivity between said wireless data device and said push data server;

start a solicitation timer;

wait for the solicitation timer to expire;

send a solicitation message to the wireless data network; and

wait for the wireless data network to acknowledge receipt of the solicitation message.

18. The data node of claim 17 wherein the control module is further adapted to:

detect the presence of data activity between said wireless data device and a data node; and

cancel the solicitation timer.

19. A method of controlling the connectivity between a wireless data device and a wireless data network, the wireless data network comprising a data switching node maintaining an inactivity timer corresponding to the wireless data device, the expiration of the inactivity timer causing the wireless data device to be disconnected from the wireless data network, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a solicitation timer;

upon expiry of said solicitation timer, sending a solicitation message to the data switching node; and

upon reception of said solicitation message at the data switching node, resetting the inactivity timer at the data switching node.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the step of detecting data traffic involving the wireless data device.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of cancelling the solicitation timer upon detection of the data traffic.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising the steps of stopping the inactivity timer upon detection of the data traffic.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the steps of detecting the absence of data traffic involving the wireless data device.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the steps of starting the solicitation timer upon detection of the absence of data traffic.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the steps of starting the inactivity timer upon detection of the absence of data traffic.

26. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the step of calculating the value of the solicitation timer as a function of the value of the inactivity timer.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the solicitation timer value is less than the inactivity timer value to keep the wireless data device always connected to the wireless data network.

28. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the solicitation timer value is greater than the inactivity timer value to terminate the wireless data device connectivity to the wireless data network.

29. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the value of the inactivity timer is offset from at least one other inactivity timer corresponding to at least one other wireless data device to minimize wireless data network load.

30. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless data network is a CDMA network.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the data switching node is a packet data switching node (PDSN).

32. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the wireless data network is a GPRS network.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the data switching node is a GPRS switching node (GSN).

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the data switching node is a gateway GPRS switching node (GGSN).

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the data switching node is a serving GPRS switching node (SGSN).

36. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the connectivity uses simple Internet Protocol (IP).