METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A KEEP ALIVE PROBE SERVICE

• US 20120059627A1
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 2011 Intellectual Property Asset Trust (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: VIMPARI, Markku Kalevi, ALAKONTIOLA, Jukka Sakari
• Application Number:
  US13/246,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20120059627A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2553 Binding renewal aspects, e.g. using keep-alive messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

An approach is provided for determining an optimal keep-alive time period. A request is received from a probe platform for measuring one or more probe values that relate to a keep-alive timer value associated with a network. The device receiving the request then determines to measure whether the one or more probe values comprise one or more successful probe values, one or more unsuccessful probe values, or a combination thereof. The keep-alive timer is then determined based, at least in part, on a statistical analysis of the one or more probe values.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request to measure one or more probe values that relate to a keep-alive timer value associated with a network; and

determining to measure whether the one or more probe values comprise one or more successful probe values, one or more unsuccessful probe values, or a combination thereof,

wherein the keep-alive timer is determined based, at least in part, on a statistical analysis of the one or more probe values.

2. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more other keep-alive timer values for measurement from the one or more probe values,

wherein the one or more successful probe values include the one or more other keep-alive timer values that maintain a network connection, and wherein the one or more unsuccessful probe values include the one or more other keep-alive timer values that lead to a dropping of the network connection.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the statistical analysis is performed on the probe values in combination with one or more other probe values collected from one or more other devices in the network.

4. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, a generation of another request for the keep-alive timer value; and

determining to use the keep-alive timer value to maintain one or more network connections.

5. A method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether to initiate the another request based, at least in part, on a type of the one or more network connections.

6. A method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining location information associated with a device measuring the one or more probe values; and

causing, at least in part, an association of the location information with one or more results of measuring the one or more probe values.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein the keep-alive timer is further determined based, at least in part, on the location information.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

receive a request to measure one or more probe values that relate to a keep-alive timer value associated with a network; and

determine to measure whether the one or more probe values comprise one or more successful probe values, one or more unsuccessful probe values, or a combination thereof,

wherein the keep-alive timer is determined based, at least in part, on a statistical analysis of the one or more probe values.

9. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determining one or more other keep-alive timer values for measurement from the one or more probe values,

wherein the one or more successful probe values include the one or more other keep-alive timer values that maintain a network connection, and wherein the one or more unsuccessful probe values include the one or more other keep-alive timer values that lead to a dropping of the network connection.

10. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the statistical analysis is performed on the probe values in combination with one or more other probe values collected from one or more other devices in the network.

11. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

causing, at least in part, a generation of another request for the keep-alive timer value; and

determining to use the keep-alive timer value to maintain one or more network connections.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determining whether to initiate the another request based, at least in part, on a type of the one or more network connections.

13. An apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determining location information associated with a device measuring the one or more probe values; and

causing, at least in part, an association of the location information with one or more results of measuring the one or more probe values.

14. An apparatus of claim 13, wherein the keep-alive timer is further determined based, at least in part, on the location information.

15. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least the following:

receiving a request to measure one or more probe values that relate to a keep-alive timer value associated with a network; and

determining to measure whether the one or more probe values comprise one or more successful probe values, one or more unsuccessful probe values, or a combination thereof,

wherein the keep-alive timer is determined based, at least in part, on a statistical analysis of the one or more probe values.

16. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

determining one or more other keep-alive timer values for measurement from the one or more probe values,

wherein the one or more successful probe values include the one or more other keep-alive timer values that maintain a network connection, and wherein the one or more unsuccessful probe values include the one or more other keep-alive timer values that lead to a dropping of the network connection.

17. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the statistical analysis is performed on the probe values in combination with one or more other probe values collected from one or more other devices in the network.

18. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

causing, at least in part, a generation of another request for the keep-alive timer value; and

determining to use the keep-alive timer value to maintain one or more network connections.

19. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

determining whether to initiate the another request based, at least in part, on a type of the one or more network connections.

20. A computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:

determining location information associated with a device measuring the one or more probe values; and

causing, at least in part, an association of the location information with one or more results of measuring the one or more probe values,

wherein the keep-alive timer is further determined based, at least in part, on the location information.