Communication system and method with mobile devices

• US 20060077940A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: JP Mobile Operating, L.P.
• Inventors: Ganji, Kiran K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/106 across networks, e.g. mapping telephone numbers to data network addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5053 Lease time; Renewal aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A system comprises a plurality of mobile devices each operable to communicate via a computer network, a gateway operable to communicate with the plurality of mobile devices via the computer network, and a database coupled to the gateway. The plurality of mobile devices are each operable to periodically transmit a heartbeat message to the gateway, where the heartbeat message includes an address and a device identifier of the mobile device. The gateway is operable to store the address and device identifier in the database and send an acknowledgement message in response to each received heartbeat message.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of mobile devices each operable to communicate via a computer network;

a gateway operable to communicate with the plurality of mobile devices via the computer network;

a database coupled to the gateway; and

the plurality of mobile devices each operable to periodically transmit a heartbeat message to the gateway, the heartbeat message including an address and a device identifier of the mobile device, the gateway operable to store the address and device identifier in the database and send an acknowledgement message in response to each received heartbeat message.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a synchronization server operable to communicate with the gateway and the plurality of mobile devices via the computer network;

an enterprise data database coupled to the synchronization server operable to store enterprise data for synchronization with the mobile devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the heartbeat message sent by a mobile device comprises an IP address of the mobile device and a port number to which the mobile device listens, and a device identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mobile devices comprises a communication code operable to generate and transmit the periodic heartbeat messages to the gateway.

5. A method comprising:

at a mobile device, periodically generating and sending heartbeat messages having an identifier and an address of the mobile device to an enterprise system;

at the enterprise system, receiving the heartbeat messages and storing the identifier and address;

at the enterprise system, generating and sending an acknowledgement message in response to receiving each heartbeat message;

at the mobile device, receiving and processing acknowledgement messages indicative of receipt of the periodic heartbeat messages by the enterprise system;

at the enterprise system, notifying the mobile device at its current address of a need for data synchronization;

at the mobile device, sending a synchronization request to the enterprise system;

at the enterprise system, sending synchronization data to the mobile device; and

at the mobile device, sending an acknowledgement to the enterprise system in response to successfully receiving the synchronization data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein periodically generating and sending heartbeat messages by the mobile device comprises generating and sending heartbeat messages having a device identifier, a current IP address of the mobile device, and a port number to which the mobile device listens.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein periodically generating and sending heartbeat messages by the mobile device comprises generating and sending heartbeat messages to an IP gateway via a computer network.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein generating and sending an acknowledgement message in response to receiving each heartbeat message comprises using the just received current address of the mobile device to send the acknowledgement message.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein notifying the mobile device at its current address of a need for data synchronization comprises retrieving the stored current address of the mobile device according to its identifier.

10. The method of claim 5, storing synchronization data at the enterprise system for later transmission to a mobile device currently unresponsive.

11. A method comprising:

receiving periodic heartbeat messages, each message containing a device identifier and address of a mobile device;

storing the address of the mobile device indexed by the respective device identifier;

generating and sending an acknowledgement message in response to receiving each heartbeat message;

notifying the mobile device at its current address of need for data synchronization;

receiving a synchronization request from the mobile device;

sending synchronization data to the mobile device; and

receiving an acknowledgement from the mobile device in response to successfully transmission and receipt of the synchronization data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving periodic heartbeat messages comprises receiving a device identifier, IP address of the mobile device, and a port number to which the mobile device listens.

13. A computer storage medium having software encoded thereon, the software performing a method comprising:

at a first element, periodically generating and sending heartbeat messages having an identifier and an IP address of the first element to a second element;

at the second element, receiving the heartbeat messages and storing the identifier and address;

at the second element, generating and sending an acknowledgement message in response to receiving each heartbeat message;

at the first element, receiving and processing acknowledgement messages indicative of receipt of the periodic heartbeat messages by the second element;

at the second element, notifying the first element at its current address of a need for data synchronization;

at the first element, sending a synchronization request to the second element;

at the second element, sending synchronization data to the first element; and

at the first element, sending an acknowledgement to the second element in response to successfully receiving the synchronization data.

14. A system comprising:

means for receiving periodic heartbeat messages, each message containing a device identifier and address of a mobile device;

means for storing the address of the mobile device indexed by the respective device identifier;

means for generating and sending an acknowledgement message in response to receiving each heartbeat message;

means for notifying the mobile device at its current address of need for data synchronization;

means for receiving a synchronization request from the mobile device;

means for sending synchronization data to the mobile device; and

means for receiving an acknowledgement from the mobile device in response to successfully transmission and receipt of the synchronization data.