Network event notification and delivery

• US 20070162582A1
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Belali, Mohamed, Nicholson, Clark, Stinnett, Cort
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Described are a main host system of the client computer, and a network event notification system, including a networking subsystem that communicates with a network server to act as a proxy for the client computer when the main host system of the client computer is in a sleep state. The networking subsystem may await a synchronization packet initiated by the network server, or may occasionally poll the network server to determine whether data is available. To this end, the computing device operates an associated network subsystem while the main host system of the computing device is in a sleep state, and receives data via the network subsystem indicating that content is available to the computing device. Policy is then invoked policy to determine whether to wake at least part of the main host system to handle the content. A target duty cycle mechanism is also provided to control the average power consumption during wake and sleep cycling.

Claims

1. In a computing environment having a client computer, a system comprising:

a main host system of the client computer; and

a network event notification subsystem associated with the client computer, including a networking subsystem that communicates with a network server to act as a proxy for the client computer when the main host system of the client computer is in a sleep state.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the networking subsystem awaits a synchronization packet initiated by the network server.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the networking subsystem occasionally polls the network server to determine whether data is available and/or communicate host status.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the networking subsystem wakes at least part of the main host system based on information communicated from the network server to the client computer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the networking subsystem writes to a low power auxiliary display subsystem without waking the main host system based on information communicated from the network server to the client computer.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the networking subsystem selectively wakes the main host system according to a duty cycle that is computed based on at least one criterion of a set, the set including immediacy of email and calendar notifications, battery life, and a thermal state of the host system.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a policy mechanism that evaluates one or more criterion to determine whether to wake the main host system based on data communicated between the network server and the networking subsystem.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a policy mechanism that evaluates one or more criterion to determine whether to notify the user of an event based on data communicated between the network server and the networking subsystem.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary display subsystem that is updated based on information communicated from the network server to the client computer.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a notification mechanism that provides a user-perceptible notification based on information communicated from the network server to the client computer.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a notification mechanism that provides at least one visual notification.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a notification mechanism that provides at least one audible notification.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the proxy corresponds to an email client program that receives information from the server corresponding to available email content and/or calendar events.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the proxy corresponds to an Instant messaging client program that receives information from the network server corresponding to available instant messaging content and/or events.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the proxy corresponds to an Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) client program that receives information from the network server corresponding to available voice call or voice mail content and/or events.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the proxy corresponds to a web site change notification client program that receives information from the network server corresponding to new web server content.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising notification management components and associated measurement components for controlling power consumption and temperature to avoid stressing the system, draining a battery, and/or control energy usage.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the notification management components and associated measurement components utilize statistics and control limits for values, including at least one of, a time in normal power mode, a time in sleep mode, and a duty cycle.

19. In a computing device, a method comprising:

operating a network subsystem associated with the computing device while a main host system of the computing device is in a sleep state;

receiving data via the network subsystem that indicates that content is available to the computing device; and

invoking policy to determine whether to wake at least part of the main host system to notify and/or handle the content;

and if so, waking at least part of the main host system, and if not, invoking policy to notify and/or handle the event without waking the host system.

20. In a computer network environment including a computing device, a system comprising:

a network subsystem associated with the computing device for detecting network data available to the computing device, including detecting the network data while a main host system of the computing device is in a sleep state; and

policy means for determining whether to wake at least part of the main host system when the network subsystem detects that the network data is available to the computing device.