Method and apparatus for implementing a sleep proxy for services on a network

• US 7,246,225 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cheshire, Stuart D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US11/483,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for implementing a sleep proxy. The system starts by receiving a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by a device. In response to this request, the system determines if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy takes action. If so, the system determines if the sleep proxy can answer the request. If so, the sleep proxy sends a response to the request on behalf of the device. In a variation on this embodiment, if the system cannot answer the request on behalf of the device, the system sends a wakeup packet to the device, wherein the wakeup packet causes the device to exit a power-saving mode so that the device can respond to the request directly.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a sleep proxy, comprising:

receiving a registration request from a device,

wherein the registration request contains information that specifies the time for which the proxy can answer for the device; and

additionally contains a lease expiration time, wherein upon reaching the lease expiration time, the sleep proxy cancels the device registration; and

wherein the device contains an internal timer that wakes up the device so that the device can renew its registration with the sleep proxy before the registration expires;

receiving a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by the device;

determining if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers;

if so, determining if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

if so, sending a response to the request on behalf of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the request is not a request for which the sleep proxy can answer, the method further comprises sending a wakeup packet to the device, wherein the wakeup packet is a packet that causes the device to exit a power-saving mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration request further contains:

sufficient information to allow the sleep proxy to generate a wakeup packet that can wake up the device, and

a list of requests for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

wherein upon receiving the registration request, the method further comprises;

adding the device to the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the device that the device is entering a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy to answer for the device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification from the device that the device has exited a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy not to answer for the device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing a second sleep proxy that duplicates the functionality of the sleep proxy for fault-tolerance purposes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a response to the request further comprises waiting a random period of time prior to sending the response, wherein waiting the random period of time facilitates duplicate answer suppression between sleep proxies.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for implementing a sleep proxy, the method comprising:

receiving a registration request from a device,

wherein the registration request contains information, that specifies the time for which the proxy can answer for the device; and

additionally contains a lease expiration time, wherein upon reaching the lease expiration time, the sleep proxy cancels the device registration; and

wherein the device contains an internal timer that wakes up the device so that the device can renew its registration with the sleep proxy before the registration expires;

receiving a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by the device;

determining if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers;

if so, determining if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

if so, sending a response to the request on behalf of the device.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein if the request is not a request for which the sleep proxy can answer, the method further comprises sending a wakeup packet to the device, wherein the wakeup packet is a packet that causes the device to exit a power-saving mode.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the registration request further contains:

sufficient information to allow the sleep proxy to generate a wakeup packet that can wake up the device, and

a list of requests for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

wherein upon receiving the registration request, the method further comprises;

adding the device to the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a notification from the device that the device is entering a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy to answer for the device.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a notification from the device that the device has exited a power-saving state; and

in response to the notification, configuring the sleep proxy not to answer for the device.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises implementing a second sleep proxy that duplicates the functionality of the sleep proxy for fault-tolerance purposes.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein sending a response to the request further comprises waiting a random period of time prior to sending the response, wherein waiting the random period of time facilitates duplicate answer suppression between sleep proxies.

15. An apparatus that implements a sleep proxy, comprising:

a registration mechanism configured to receive a registration request from a device,

wherein the registration request contains information that specifies the time for which the proxy can answer for the device; and

additionally contains a lease expiration time; and

wherein an internal timer in the device wakes up the device so that the device can renew its registration with the sleep proxy before the registration expires;

a cancellation mechanism configured to cancel the device registration upon reaching the lease expiration time;

a receiving mechanism configured to receive a request at the sleep proxy for information pertaining to a service provided by the device;

a determination mechanism configured to determine if the device is a member of a list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers;

a second determination mechanism configured to determine if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer if the device is a member of the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers; and

a response mechanism configured to send a response to the request on behalf of the device if the request is a request for which the sleep proxy can answer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein if the request is not a request for which the sleep proxy can answer, the apparatus further comprises a wakeup mechanism configured to send a wakeup packet to the device that causes the device to exit a power-saving mode.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein

the registration mechanism is further configured to receive the registration request from the device, wherein the registration request further contains:

sufficient information to allow the sleep proxy to generate a wakeup packet that can wake up the device, and

a list of requests for which the sleep proxy can answer; and

a list addition mechanism configured to add the device to the list of devices for which the sleep proxy answers.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a notification mechanism configured to receive a notification from the device that the device is entering a power-saving state; and

a configuration mechanism configured to configure the sleep proxy to answer for the device in response to the notification.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a notification mechanism configured to receive a notification from the device that the device has exited a power-saving state; and

a configuration mechanism configured to configure the sleep proxy not to answer for the device in response to the notification.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a second sleep proxy that duplicates the functionality of the sleep proxy for fault-tolerance purposes.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the response mechanism is further configured to wait a random period of time prior to sending the response, wherein waiting the random period of time facilitates duplicate answer suppression between sleep proxies.