System and method for automatically connecting local and remote data processing systems

• US 6,834,305 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1999
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haynes, Thomas Richard, Pruitt, Dominic Tracy
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAUGH, APRIL L
• Application Number:
  US09/440,724
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A method, system, and program product automatically determines that a communication request addressed to a remote data processing system may be expected and, in response, automatically establishes a connection to the remote data processing system, thereby causing the time interval for establishing the connection to elapse prior to transmission or reception of the communication request. Thereafter, a communication request is forwarded to the remote data processing system via the connection.

Claims

1. A method for automatically connecting a local data processing system to a remote data processing system disconnected from the local data processing system in advance of anticipated communication with the remote data processing system, said method comprising:

automatically determineing that the local data processing system is likely to transmit a communication request that utilizes an acknowledgement (ACK)-based protocol to the remote data processing system that is disconnected from the local data process system,

wherein;

said determination is made in response to a stimulus other than attempted transmission of said communication request; and

said ACK-based protocol causes a time-out error to be produced if an ACK for said communication request is not received by said local data processing system before a response time expires;

a connection time required to connect the local data processing system to the remote data processing system is greater than the response time;

in response to said determination automatically completing a connection to said remote data processing system that is disconnected from the local data processing system prior to reception of said communication request;

thereafter, transmitting said communication request to said remote data processing system via said connection; and

thereafter, receiving said ACK before said response time expires.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

in said step of automatically completing a connection, said remote data processing system is a first remote data processing system; and

in said step of automatically determining, said remote data processing system is a second remote data processing system.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said method further comprises detecting user activity; and

said stimulus comprises said detected user activity.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said method further comprises receiving a connection schedule containing one or more connection commencement times; and

said stimulus comprises determining that at least one of said one or more connection commencement times has been reached.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said step of receiving said connection schedule comprises accepting operator input defining said one or more connection commencement times.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said step of receiving said connection schedule comprises:

automatically determining historical commencement times of two or more of said communication requests; and

automatically defining said one or more connection commencement times to include anticipated commencement times that correspond to said historical commencement times.

7. A local data processing system with facilities for automatically connecting to a remote data processing system disconnected from the server local data processing system in advance of anticipated communication with the remote data processing system, said local data processing system comprising:

a processor, a memory, and a data port for connecting to a remote data processing system;

a request predictor that automatically determines that said local data processing system is likely to transmit a communication request that utilizes an acknowledgement (ACK)-based protocol to said remote data processing system that is disconnected from the local data processing system, wherein;

said determination occurs in response to a stimulus other than attempted transmission of said communication request; and

said ACK-based protocol causes a time-out error to be produced if an ACK for said communication request is not received by said local data processing system before a response time expires;

a connection time required to connect the local data processing system to the remote data processing system is greater than the response time;

a connection initiator that responds to said determination by automatically completing a connection to said remote data processing system that is disconnected from the local data processing system prior to any attempted transmission of said communication request; and

a communication manager that transmits said communication request to said remote data processing system via said connection and receives said ACK before said response time expires.

8. A local data processing system according to claim 7, wherein:

said connection initiator automatically completes a connection to a first remote data processing system; and

said communication request is addressed to a second remote data processing system.

9. A local data processing system according to claim 7, wherein:

said local data processing system further comprises an activity monitor for detecting user activity; and

said stimulus comprises said detected user activity.

10. A local data processing system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a connection schedule containing one or more connection commencement times; and

wherein said stimulus comprises determining that at least one of said one or more connection commencement times has been reached.

11. A local data processing system according to claim 10 further comprising a schedule editor for accepting operator input defining said one or more connection commencement times.

12. A local data processing system according to claim 10 further comprising an automatic schedule modifier that tracks historical commencement times of two or more of said communication requests and automatically defines said one or more connection commencement times to include anticipated commencement times that correspond to said historical commencement times.

13. A program product for automatically connecting a local data processing system to a remote data processing system disconnected from the local data processing system in advance of anticipated communication with the remote data processing system, said program product comprising:

a request predictor that automatically determines that said local data processing system is likely to transmit a communication request that utilizes an acknowledgement (ACK)-based protocol to said remote data processing system that is disconnected from the local data processing system, wherein;

said determination is made in response to a stimulus other than attempted transmission of said communication request; and

said ACK-based protocol causes a time-out error to be produced if an ACK for said communication request is not received by said local data processing system before a response time expires;

a connection time required to connect the local data processing system to the remote data processing system is greater than the response time;

a connection initiator that responds to said determination by automatically completing a connection between to said remote data processing system that is disconnected from the server prior to any attempted transmission of said communication request;

a communication manager that transmits said communication request to said remote data processing system via said connection and receives said ACK before said response time expires; and

a computer usable medium encoding said request predictor, said connection initiator, and said communication manager.

14. A program product according to claim 13, wherein:

said connection initiator automatically completes a connection to a first remote data processing system; and

said communication request is addressed to a second remote data processing system.

15. A program product according to claim 13, wherein:

said computer usable medium also encodes an activity monitor for detecting user activity; and

said stimulus comprises said detected user activity.

16. A program product according to claim 13, wherein said stimulus comprises determining, by reference to a connection schedule containing one or more connection commencement times, that at least one of said one or more connection commencement times has been reached.

17. A program product according to claim 16 further comprising a schedule editor, encoded on said computer usable medium, for accepting operator input defining said one or more connection commencement times.

18. A program product according to claim 16 further comprising an automatically schedule modifier, encoded on said computer usable medium, that tracks historical commencement times of two or more of said communication requests and automatically defines said one or more connection commencement times to include anticipated commencement times that correspond to said historical commencement times.