SYSTEM AND METHOD OF POLLING WITH AN INFORMATION HANDLING SYSTEM

• US 20100115050A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Sultenfuss, Andrew T., Loadman, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,407,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4418 Suspend and resume; Hibernate and awake
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An information handling system is configured to poll a remote data store at an adaptable polling rate. The polling rate can be based on one or more usage characteristics of the information handling system, such as a time of day, geographical location, user profile, management profile, system usage pattern, or other usage characteristic. Between polling requests, the information handling system can be placed in a low-power mode, thereby conserving power.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating a first polling request to a remote device via a network, the first polling request to determine whether a remote data store includes information not stored at a local data store;

in response to communicating the first request;

determining a first time duration based on a variable usage characteristic of an information handling system;

initiating a first timer; and

in response to the first timer indicating the first time duration has elapsed, communicating a second polling request to the remote device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable usage characteristic is based on a user profile associated with a user of the information handling system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable usage characteristic is indicative of a geographic location of the information handling system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable usage characteristic is based on a historical usage pattern associated with the information handling system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable usage characteristic is programmable by a user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable usage characteristic is associated with a group of users.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable usage characteristic is based on one of a plurality of user classes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to communicating the first request, placing the information handling system in a low-power mode;

in response to the first timer indicating the first duration has elapsed, placing the information handling system in an active mode to communicate the second polling request; and

in response to communicating the second polling request, returning the information handling system to the low-power mode.

9. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying of program of instructions to manipulate a processor, the program of instructions comprising instructions to:

determine a first polling rate based on a first usage characteristic of an information handling system; and

poll a remote data store at the first rate to determine whether the remote data store includes information not stored at a local data store of the information handling system.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the program of instructions further comprises instructions to:

adjust the first polling rate based on a change in the first usage characteristic to determine a second polling rate; and

poll the remote data store at the second rate in response to the change in the first usage characteristic.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions to poll the remote data store comprise instructions to:

place the information handling system in an active mode;

communicate a poll request when the information handling system is in the active mode;

place the information handling system in a low-power mode in response to receiving an answer to the polling request.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the information handling system comprises a first processing system and a second processing system.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first usage characteristic is based on a user profile associated with a user of the information handling system.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first usage characteristic is indicative of a geographic location of the information handling system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first usage characteristic is indicative of a time of day.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions to determine the first polling rate comprises determining the first polling rate based on a second usage characteristic of the information handling system.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the remote data store comprises an email data store.

18. An information handling system, comprising:

a memory configured to store first information associated with a first usage characteristic of the information handling system;

a polling module configured to determine a polling rate based on the first information; and

a network interface configured to communicate polling requests to a network based on the polling rate.

19. The information handling system of claim 18, wherein the memory is further configured to stored second information associated with a second usage characteristic of the information handling system and wherein the polling module is configured to determine the polling rate based on the first information and the second information.

20. The information handling system of claim 18, wherein the first usage characteristic is based on a user profile associated with a user of the information handling system.