METHOD AND SYSTEM TO ALIGN NETWORK DATA ACCESS

• US 20130191544A1
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Caldeira de Andrada, Mauricio Pati, Ren, Xin, Dennis, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers

Abstract

Information is provided to a mobile device while reducing the number of traffic channels established over a predetermined time period. A pull client on a mobile device receives requests for information from applications on the mobile device. The pull client creates a timing list which includes the timing requirements for each application. Applications that have overlapping timing requirements are grouped together into the same timing group. Once the time for creating a traffic channel for one of the groups arrives, a traffic channel is created between the mobile device and a carrier gateway. Information for each respective application within the same timing group is obtained through the network using the same traffic channel. When the requested information is provided to all applications within the same timing group, the traffic channel is released after a predetermined time. The method is repeated for a next timing group entry.

Claims

1. A method of providing information to a mobile device, comprising steps of:

receiving a request for information, from each of a number of applications on the mobile device, by a pull client on the mobile device;

determining a timing requirement for each application;

creating a timing list, wherein the timing list includes the timing requirements for each application;

grouping applications that have overlapping timing requirements within a timing group;

for each timing group, determining whether a time to create a traffic channel has arrived for the timing group and when the time for creating the traffic channel for the timing group has arrived;

sending a request to a mobile communication network to establish a traffic channel through the mobile communication network for a session between the mobile device and a carrier gateway;

requesting and receiving information for respective applications of the timing group from at least one application server during the same established traffic channel session through the network;

identifying target respective applications of the timing group;

forwarding information received during the same established traffic channel session through the network, to target respective applications; and

releasing the traffic channel after a predetermined time after the forwarding of received information to every respective target application for the timing group has been completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the timing requirement for each respective application comprises obtaining a delay and time tolerance for the information request from each respective application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the determining of the timing requirement for each respective application further comprises obtaining a period of an information request from at least one of the respective application; and

the information request for the at least one respective application is periodic.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein for each application for which the information request from the at least one respective application is periodic:

a minimum time is the time when a last corresponding timer expired plus the respective period; and

a maximum time is the time when the last corresponding timer expired, plus the period, and plus the respective time tolerance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing list is sorted in an ascending order from a lowest maximum trigger time to a highest maximum trigger time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

a minimum trigger time of each respective application is equivalent to a respective delay plus a current time for the information request for the respective application; and

a maximum trigger time of each respective application is equivalent to the respective delay plus a respective tolerance plus the current time for the information request for the respective application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the grouping of applications comprises:

determining a minimum trigger time and a maximum trigger time requirement for each respective application;

determining which applications have an overlap in timing between the minimum trigger time and the maximum trigger time; and

scheduling requesting information from at least one application server during a same traffic channel session for applications having the overlap in timing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein an earliest possible trigger time in a timing group falls after a latest minimum trigger time of each application in the timing group.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the time when the timing list is updated includes:

every time a traffic session completes; and

every time there is a request for information from at least one of the applications.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising for each timing group:

once the timing group from the timing list expires, removing the timing group from the timing group list; and

replacing the timing group with the next timing group.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising randomizing a trigger time for each application scheduled to be updated within a scheduled traffic channel session.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein randomizing comprises:

having a trigger time of

13. A mobile device comprising:

a user interface;

a storage device for content and holding applications;

a communication interface configured to enable communications via a mobile communication network;

a processor coupled to the user and communication interfaces and having access to the storage device for execution of the applications to enable the mobile device to obtain content related to the applications from application servers via the mobile communication network; and

a pull client, wherein execution of the pull client by the processor configures the mobile device to;

receive a request for information from each of a number of applications on the mobile device;

determine a timing requirement for each application;

create a timing list, wherein the timing list includes the timing requirement for each application and is maintained by the pull client;

group applications that have overlapping timing requirements within one or more same timing groups;

determine whether a time to create a traffic channel has arrived for a first timing group;

upon time for creating a traffic channel having arrived, then;

send a request to a mobile communication network to establish a traffic channel through the network for a session between the mobile device and the at least one carrier gateway;

provide authentication information to the carrier gateway;

request and receiving information for respective applications of the first timing group from at least one application server during the same established traffic channel session through the network;

identify target respective applications of the first timing group;

forward information received during the same established traffic channel session through the network, to target respective applications; and

when the forwarding of received information to every respective target application for the first timing group completes, release the traffic channel after a predetermined time.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein determining the timing requirement for each respective application comprises obtaining a delay and time tolerance for the information request from each respective application.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein:

the determining of the timing requirement for each respective application further comprises obtaining a period of an information request for at least one of the applications; and

the information request for the at least one application is periodic.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein for each application for which the information request from the at least one application is periodic:

the minimum time is the time when a last corresponding timer expired plus the respective period; and

the maximum time is the time when the last corresponding timer expired, plus the period, and plus the respective tolerance.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the timing list maintained by the pull client is sorted in an ascending order from a lowest maximum trigger time to a highest maximum trigger time.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein:

the minimum trigger time of each respective application is equivalent to a respective delay plus a current time for the information request for the respective application; and

the maximum trigger time of each respective application is equivalent to its respective delay plus its respective tolerance plus the current time for the information request for the respective application.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the grouping of applications comprises:

determining a minimum trigger time and a maximum trigger time requirement for each respective application;

determining which applications have an overlap in timing between the minimum trigger time and the maximum trigger time; and

scheduling requesting information from at least one application server during a same traffic channel session for applications having the overlap in timing.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein an earliest possible trigger time in a timing group falls after a latest minimum trigger time of each application in the timing group.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein a time when the timing list is updated includes:

every time a traffic session completes; and

every time there is a request for information from at least one of the applications.

22. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

once the first timing group from the timing list expires, removing the first timing group from the timing group list; and

replacing the first timing group with the second timing group.

23. The device of claim 13, further comprising randomizing a trigger time for each application scheduled to be updated within a scheduled traffic channel session.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein randomizing comprises:

having a trigger time of