HTTP PUSH TO SIMULATE SERVER-INITIATED SESSIONS

• US 20100094985A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Kapadekar, Vivek, Wu, Samuel, Abu-Samaha, Mamoun
• Granted Patent: US 7,958,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A mobile device apparatus uses an HyperText Transfer protocol (HTTP) push operation to simulate server-initiated sessions. The illustrative mobile device apparatus comprises a push server logic operable in a push server that sends a message to a mobile device over a network. The push server logic is configured to receive a GET command from a mobile device. The GET command includes a mobile device identifier parameter and a timeout parameter designating a maximum time interval for the push server to reply with a message. The push server logic holds a GET command session until expiration of a timeout designated by the timeout parameter in a condition that no message is targeted to the mobile device. The push server logic terminates the GET command session by sending a message immediately in a condition that the message is targeted to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A controller-executed method for performing a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) push function comprising:

receiving an HTTP request specifying parameters including a device identifier (ID) of a sending agent device and a timeout specifier;

holding open HTTP connections of all of a plurality of devices including the sending agent device until either the timeout is expired or interruption by a notification request from a push server;

sending an empty body if no messages are present for the sending agent device during the timeout interval;

receiving an interrupt from the push server if a message is present for the agent device; and

responding to the interrupt by returning a trigger message to the agent device and completing HTTP request processing.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

responding to the trigger message at the agent device comprising;

starting a device management session with a device management server.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

repeating all of multiple of message cycles with a same HTTP connection for maintaining a connection at the agent device.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

if the trigger message is received before the agent device is connected to the push server, storing the trigger message in an HTTP push memory;

connecting the agent device to the push server; and

returning the stored trigger message from agent device to the push server immediately upon connection.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

operating the agent device in a roaming mode; and

disabling HTTP push functionality when the agent device is operated in the roaming mode.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

connecting the agent device to a plurality of push servers comprising;

randomly selecting from among the plurality of push servers;

determining whether the selected push server is busy;

if the selected push server is busy, selecting a different push server; and

if the selected push server is not busy, connecting to the selected push server.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

connecting the agent device to a plurality of push servers comprising;

connecting the agent device to a first push server of the plurality of push servers;

waiting at the first push server for the timeout;

responding to the timeout by disconnecting the agent device with the first push server maintaining agent device information in memory until an exception after the timeout; and

connecting the agent device to a second push server.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

connecting the plurality of devices to a plurality of push servers;

sending a notification request to all of the plurality of push servers;

receiving the notification request at an agent device of the plurality of devices;

starting a device management session at the agent device in response to receipt of the notification request; and

notifying all of the plurality of push servers to remove stored notification requests for the agent device.

9. A mobile device apparatus comprising:

a push agent logic operable in a mobile device that accepts a message from a server over a network, the push agent logic configured to send a GET command to the server including a mobile device identifier parameter and a timeout parameter designating a maximum time interval for the server to reply with a message, the push agent logic sending the GET command repeatedly to the server to maintain a capability to receive a PUSH from the server immediately.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising:

the push agent logic comprising;

an event queue;

a state manager that processes events in the event queue and is inactive in a condition of no event on the event queue, the state manager operative to establish a network connection and manage at least one message receiver to receive a push message; and

at least one receiver that independently communicates with the server, connects to the server identified by the state manager, posts a received message to the state manager, and waits for a command from the state manager.

11. A mobile device apparatus comprising:

a push server logic operable in a push server that sends a message to a mobile device over a network, the push server logic configured to receive a GET command from the mobile device including a mobile device identifier parameter and a timeout parameter designating a maximum time interval for the push server to reply with a message;

the push server logic holding a GET command session until expiration of a timeout designated by the timeout parameter in a condition that no message is targeted to the mobile device; and

the push server logic terminating the GET command session by sending the message immediately in a condition that the message is targeted to the mobile device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:

the push server operable in a distributed and modular manner wherein the push server executes and is scalable independently of an associated push-enabled application.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:

a push agent logic operable in a mobile device that accepts a message from the push server over the network, the push agent logic configured to send a GET command to the push server including the mobile device identifier parameter and the timeout parameter designating a maximum time interval for the push server to reply with a message, the push agent logic sending the GET command repeatedly to the push server to maintain a capability to receive a PUSH from the push server immediately.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:

the push server logic configured for;

receiving an HTTP request from a sending agent device specifying parameters including a device identifier (ID) of the sending agent device and a timeout specifier;

holding open HTTP connections of all of a plurality of mobile devices including the sending agent device until either the timeout is expired or interruption by a notification request from a push server;

sending an empty body if no messages are present for the sending agent device during the timeout interval;

receiving an interrupt from the push server if a message is present for the agent device; and

responding to the interrupt by returning a trigger message to the agent device and completing HTTP request processing.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:

the push server logic configured for;

if the trigger message is received before the agent device is connected to the push server, storing the trigger message in an HTTP push memory;

connecting the agent device to the push server; and

returning the stored trigger message from agent device to the push server immediately upon connection; and

the push agent logic configured for;

responding to the trigger message at the agent device comprising starting a device management session with a device management server;

repeating all of multiple message cycles with a same HTTP connection for maintaining a connection at the agent device; and

operating the agent device in a roaming mode and disabling HTTP push functionality when the agent device is operated in the roaming mode.