ADAPTIVE TIMERS FOR POLLING IN A MOBILE WIRELESS DEVICE

• US 20120170569A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Al-Khudairi, Abdul-Munem
• Granted Patent: US 8,724,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/346
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A method for adapting data retrieval polling in a mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device is configured in an adaptive pull mode and polls a remote server when a data retrieval polling timer expires. Data retrieval information is stored in the mobile wireless device and the data retrieval polling timer is updated to a value based on the stored data retrieval information. The data retrieval information includes time intervals between successive polls or time delay intervals between data arrival at and retrieval from the remote server. Updates are based on weighted moving averages of the data retrieval information.

Claims

1. A method for adapting data retrieval polling in a mobile wireless device, the method comprising:

while an adaptive pull mode is enabled in the mobile wireless device,

polling a remote server by the mobile wireless device when a data retrieval polling timer expires;

storing data retrieval information; and

updating the data retrieval polling timer to a value based on the stored data retrieval information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data retrieval information comprises time intervals between successive data retrieval polls that returned data.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the data retrieval information comprises time delay intervals between a data retrieval time when a data retrieval poll returns data and a data storage time when the data was received at the remote server.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the updating is based on a weighted average of N most recent time intervals, N being an integer greater than one.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein updating the data retrieval polling timer comprises:

increasing the data retrieval polling timer value when a most recent data retrieval poll retrieved no data and a current data retrieval polling timer value is less than a maximum polling interval value; and

decreasing the data retrieval polling timer value when the most recent data retrieval poll retrieved data and the current data retrieval polling timer value is greater than a minimum polling interval value.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein updating the data retrieval polling timer further comprises:

minimizing a moving average of the time delay interval values; and

minimizing a moving average of the number of data retrieval polls that return no data.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the weighted average uses averaging weights based on a current time of day and a current day of the week.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein updating the data retrieval polling timer is based on a user selected rate adaptation preference.

9. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein updating the data retrieval polling timer is based on a user selected activity state.

10. A mobile wireless device configured to adapt data retrieval polling, the mobile wireless device comprising:

a transceiver configured for transmitting and receiving wireless signals from a wireless network; and

an application processor configured for;

enabling an adaptive pull mode for the mobile wireless device;

polling a remote server by the mobile wireless device when a data retrieval polling timer expires;

storing data retrieval information; and

updating the data retrieval polling timer to a value based on the stored data retrieval information.

11. The mobile wireless device as recited in claim 10, wherein the data retrieval information comprises time intervals between successive data retrieval polls that returned data.

12. The mobile wireless device as recited in claim 10, wherein the data retrieval information comprises time delay intervals between a data retrieval time when a data retrieval poll returns data and a data storage time when the data was received at the remote server.

13. The mobile wireless device as recited in claim 10, wherein the data retrieval information comprises inter-arrival time intervals between successive data received for a user of the mobile wireless device at the remote server.

14. The mobile wireless device as recited in claim 13, wherein updating the data retrieval polling timer comprises:

increasing the data retrieval polling timer value when a current data retrieval polling timer value is less than a moving average of the historical inter-arrival time intervals and a current data retrieval polling timer value is less than a maximum polling interval value; and

decreasing the data retrieval polling timer value when the current data retrieval polling timer value is greater than the moving average of the historical inter-arrival time intervals and the current data retrieval polling timer value is greater than a minimum polling interval value.

15. The mobile wireless device as recited in claim 14, wherein the moving average comprises a weighted average that weights the most recent inter-arrival time interval more than the previous inter-arrival time intervals.

16. The mobile wireless device as recited in claim 14, wherein the moving average uses weights based on a current time of day, current day of the week and a user selected activity state.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing non-transitory computer program code executed by a processor for adapting data retrieval timing from a remote server by a mobile wireless device, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:

while the mobile wireless device is in an adaptive pull mode,

non-transitory computer program code configured for polling a remote server by the mobile wireless device when a data retrieval polling timer expires;

non-transitory computer program code configured for storing data retrieval information;

non-transitory computer program code configured for updating the data retrieval polling timer to a value based on the stored data retrieval information.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the data retrieval information comprises time intervals between successive data retrieval polls that returned data.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the data retrieval information comprises time delay intervals between a data retrieval time when a data retrieval poll returns data and a data storage time when the data was received at the remote server.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the data retrieval information comprises inter-arrival time intervals between successive data received for a user of the mobile wireless device at the remote server.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

non-transitory computer program code configured for increasing the data retrieval polling timer value when a most recent data retrieval poll retrieved no data and a current data retrieval polling timer value is less than a maximum polling interval value; and

non-transitory computer program code configured for decreasing the data retrieval polling timer value when the most recent data retrieval poll retrieved data and the current data retrieval polling timer value is greater than a minimum polling interval value.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

non-transitory computer program code configured updating the data retrieval polling timer by minimizing a moving average of the time delay interval values.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

non-transitory computer program code configured for updating the data retrieval polling timer by minimizing a moving average of the number of data retrieval polls that return no data.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

non-transitory computer program code configured for increasing the data retrieval polling timer value when a current data retrieval polling timer value is less than a moving average of the historical inter-arrival time intervals and a current data retrieval polling timer value is less than a maximum polling interval value; and

non-transitory computer program code configured for decreasing the data retrieval polling timer value when the current data retrieval polling timer value is greater than the moving average of the historical inter-arrival time intervals and the current data retrieval polling timer value is greater than a minimum polling interval value.