OPTIMIZING KEEPALIVE AND OTHER BACKGROUND TRAFFIC IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20150063212A1
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Inventors: Nirantar, Abhay, Kokhanovskyi, Andrii, Batlivala, Nariman D., Yoon, Sungwook, Fleming, Michael, Backholm, Ari, Ali-isawi, Rami
• Granted Patent: US 9,445,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0231 based on communication conditions dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimizing keepalives or other non-interactive or background traffic from applications on a mobile device are disclosed. A keepalive optimizer can detect keepalive and other background traffic and optimize such traffic by blocking keepalives, advancing or delaying execution of keepalives, delaying repeatable background requests based on radio state, device state or characteristics, policy, transaction characteristics, application characteristics, and/or the like. The disclosed keepalive optimization methods facilitate management of traffic and/or conservation of resources on the mobile device and the network. The keepalive optimization can be performed by an application sending the keepalives or by a local proxy on the mobile device.

Claims

19. An apparatus for managing applications configured for execution on a mobile device, comprising:

logic configured to receive one or more network access requests from one or more applications executing on the mobile device;

logic configured to determine that the mobile device is operating in a background mode;

logic configured to suppress transmission to a network of the one or more network access requests based on the determination; and

logic configured to transmit a subset of the one or more network access requests upon transition out of the background mode.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the mobile device is not operating in the background mode when at least one short message service (SMS) message was received within a predefined time period.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein suppressing transmission to a network comprises holding the one or more network access requests until the mobile device enters a foreground mode.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein holding the one or more network access requests comprises freezing the one or more applications'"'"' execution threads.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein transition out of the background mode comprises transition from inactive communication with the network to active communication with the network.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining that the mobile device is operating in a background mode comprises detecting transition from active communication with the network to inactive communication with the network.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing applications configured for execution on a mobile device, comprising:

at least one instruction to receive one or more network access requests from one or more applications executing on the mobile device;

at least one instruction to determine that the mobile device is operating in a background mode;

at least one instruction to suppress transmission to a network of the one or more network access requests based on the determination; and

at least one instruction to transmit a subset of the one or more network access requests upon transition out of the background mode.

1. A method for managing applications configured for execution on a mobile device, comprising;

receiving one or more network access requests from one or more applications executing on the mobile device;

determining that the mobile device is operating in a background mode;

suppressing transmission to a network of the one or more network access requests based on the determination; and

transmitting a subset of the one or more network access requests upon transition out of the background mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is not operating in the background mode when at least one short message service (SMS) message was received within a predefined time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of suppressing comprises holding the one or more network access requests until the mobile device enters a foreground mode.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of holding comprises freezing the one or more applications'"'"' execution threads.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more network access requests comprise one or more requests to open one or more sockets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of suppressing comprises dropping the one or more network access requests.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more network access requests comprise one or more socket connections.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of suppressing comprises registering the one or more applications and invoking the one or more applications when the mobile device enters a foreground mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more network access requests comprise one or more callback functions from the one or more applications.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of suppressing comprises providing an update time and frequency to each of the one or more applications based on the one or more network access requests.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more network access requests comprise one or more registration requests from the one or more applications.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more registration requests include a preferred update frequency of the one or more applications.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network access requests comprise one or more synchronization requests.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises permitting the subset of the one or more applications to make one or more socket connections.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises unfreezing the one or more applications'"'"' execution threads.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting comprises invoking the one or more applications through one or more callback functions.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein transition out of the background mode comprises transition from inactive communication with the network to active communication with the network.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile device is operating in a background mode comprises detecting transition from active communication with the network to inactive communication with the network.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the mobile device is not operating in the background mode when at least one short message service (SMS) message was received within a predefined time period.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein holding the one or more network access requests comprises freezing the one or more applications'"'"' execution threads.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein transition out of the background mode comprises transition from inactive communication with the network to active communication with the network.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein determining that the mobile device is operating in a background mode comprises detecting transition from active communication with the network to inactive communication with the network.

26-1. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein suppressing transmission to a network comprises holding the one or more network access requests until the mobile device enters a foreground mode.