On-Demand Network Connection

• US 20100174816A1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hulu LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Secchi, Marco, Pichetti, Luigi, Sidoti, Stefano, Piccinini, Sandro
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2896 Distributed processing, e.g. on line cards

Abstract

An on-demand network connection for a remote user is provided. Responsive to a failure to receive an electronic communication via an established network connection, a remote user device receives a connection request that indicates that the on-demand network connection is to be established. Responsive to receiving the connection request, the on-demand network connection is established from the remote user device to a network. Then, the electronic communication is received on the remote user device via the on-demand network connection.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system, for establishing an on-demand network connection for a remote user, the method comprising:

responsive to a failure to receive an electronic communication via an established network connection, receiving, in a remote user device, a connection request that indicates that the on-demand network connection is to be established;

responsive to receiving the connection request, establishing the on-demand network connection from the remote user device to a network; and

receiving the electronic communication on the remote user device via the on-demand network connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-demand network connection is established automatically by the remote user device in response to receiving the connection request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the on-demand network connection is established after the remote user device displays a notification to a remote user that indicates that the on-demand network connection needs to be established and the remote user acknowledges the notification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request is received directly by the remote user device that is capable of establishing the on-demand network connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request is received by a relay device that is not capable of establishing the on-demand network connection and wherein the relay device forwards the connection request to the remote user device that is capable of establishing the on-demand network connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request is received in response to a remote user of the remote user device providing that the remote user is reachable on-demand.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection request is received in response to the electronic communication meeting a set of requirements and wherein the set of requirements comprise at least one of:

the electronic communication originating from a list of contacting users, the electronic communication meets a predetermined level of urgency, the electronic communication is received within a predetermined time period, or the electronic communication includes a file with a pre-identified name.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the on-demand network connection has been idle for a predetermined amount of time; and

responsive to the on-demand network connection being idle for the predetermined amount of time, closing the on-demand network connection.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

responsive to a failure to receive an electronic communication via an established network connection, receive, in a remote user device, a connection request that indicates that an on-demand network connection is to be established;

responsive to receiving the connection request, establish the on-demand network connection from the remote user device to a network; and

receive the electronic communication on the remote user device via the on-demand network connection.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the on-demand network connection is established either automatically by the remote user device in response to receiving the connection request or after the remote user device displays a notification to a remote user that indicates that the on-demand network connection needs to be established and the remote user acknowledges the notification.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the connection request is received directly by the remote user device that is capable of establishing the on-demand network connection.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the connection request is received by a relay device that is not capable of establishing the on-demand network connection and wherein the relay device forwards the connection request to the remote user device that is capable of establishing the on-demand network connection.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the connection request is received in response to at least one of a remote user of the remote user device providing that the remote user is reachable on-demand or the electronic communication meeting a set of requirements and wherein the set of requirements comprise at least one of:

the electronic communication originating from a list of contacting users, the electronic communication meets a predetermined level of urgency, the electronic communication is received within a predetermined time period, or the electronic communication includes a file with a pre-identified name.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

determine if the on-demand network connection has been idle for a predetermined amount of time; and

responsive to the on-demand network connection being idle for the predetermined amount of time, close the on-demand network connection.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

responsive to a failure to receive an electronic communication via an established network connection, receive, in a remote user device, a connection request that indicates that an on-demand network connection is to be established;

responsive to receiving the connection request, establish the on-demand network connection from the remote user device to a network; and

receive the electronic communication on the remote user device via the on-demand network connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the on-demand network connection is established either automatically by the remote user device in response to receiving the connection request or after the remote user device displays a notification to a remote user that indicates that the on-demand network connection needs to be established and the remote user acknowledges the notification.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the connection request is received directly by the remote user device that is capable of establishing the on-demand network connection.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the connection request is received by a relay device that is not capable of establishing the on-demand network connection and wherein the relay device forwards the connection request to the remote user device that is capable of establishing the on-demand network connection.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the connection request is received in response to at least one of a remote user of the remote user device providing that the remote user is reachable on-demand or the electronic communication meeting a set of requirements and wherein the set of requirements comprise at least one of:

the electronic communication originating from a list of contacting users, the electronic communication meets a predetermined level of urgency, the electronic communication is received within a predetermined time period, or the electronic communication includes a file with a pre-identified name.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine if the on-demand network connection has been idle for a predetermined amount of time; and

responsive to the on-demand network connection being idle for the predetermined amount of time, close the on-demand network connection.