SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING APPLICATION UPDATES ACROSS A WIRELESS INTERFACE

• US 20150095901A1
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zumobi Incorporated (Aclate, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zumobi Incorporated (Aclate, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooley, James W., Tucker, Neal E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems, methods, and computer program products for managing connections between a mobile device and a network server over a network connection in a bandwidth-efficient manner. In one embodiment, a mobile device includes a processor, and there are a plurality of services executed by the processor, each of the services receiving information updates over a network connection from a server. At least one update interval function executed by the processor assigns an update interval to each of the services, the update intervals governing when each of the respective services request updated information over the network connection.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mobile device including a processor;

a plurality of services executed by said processor, each of said services receiving information updates over a network connection from a server; and

at least one update interval function executed by said processor assigning an update interval to each of said services, said update intervals governing when each of said respective services request updated information over said network connection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein there are N services and N update interval functions, and each of said services corresponds to one update interval function.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein there are N services and one update interval function.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one update interval function is aware of network characteristics and sets said update intervals based, at least upon, said network characteristics.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one update interval function staggers said update intervals of said services so that update times for said services do not conflict.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said mobile device comprises a screen for displaying updated information to a user.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one priority function assigning priorities to said services, each of said services requesting updates in accordance with its assigned priority.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one update interval function sets said update intervals based on one or more factors that change over time.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one update interval function sets said update intervals dynamically and changes said update intervals based on a change of said one or more factors.

10. A method of managing application updates on a mobile device;

said method comprising;

on said mobile device, setting update intervals for each of a plurality of applications, such that each application is assigned an update interval;

dynamically adjusting said update intervals on an application by application basis; and

retrieving updated application data over a network, said updated application data retrieved based at least in part on a current update interval for each application.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said update intervals are calculated, at least in part, using factors that change over time.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

displaying updated data to a user through a screen on said mobile device.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

managing bandwidth usage of said mobile device by adjusting said update intervals.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

discerning a roaming status of said mobile device; and

setting said update intervals based, at least in part, on said roaming status.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein retrieving updated application data comprises:

performing said retrieving also based upon priority assignments of each of said applications.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein said dynamically adjusting said update intervals is based on at least one factor from the list of:

known uses for said particular application;

time of day;

frequency of use of said particular application;

bandwidth used for a period of time;

battery usage;

current device activity;

bandwidth limitations over a network connection.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said retrieving updated application data includes:

coordinating use of a network connection by staggering said update intervals for said applications to avoid conflicts.

18. A mobile device comprising:

a processor executing code to run a plurality of services on said mobile device;

a service manager running on said mobile device managing updating of application data for said plurality of services;

one or more update interval modules running on said mobile device and dynamically setting update intervals for each of said services according to user context information.

19. The mobile device of claim 18 wherein said user contact information includes one or more of:

network characteristics, usage patterns, and user activity.

20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein said one or more update interval modules stagger said update intervals of said services so that update times for said services do not conflict.