Method and apparatus for conserving bandwidth between a network device and a remote device
First Claim
1. An apparatus employed in a remote device for enabling a network device to remotely access the remote device over a network, the apparatus comprising:
- an input/output (I/O) port in communication with a router or gateway device that connects the remote device to the network, the remote device being in communication with the network device via the router or gateway device; and
a processor in communication with the I/O port, the processor being configured to determine a frequency of sending keep-alive messages between the remote device and the network device, the determination comprising sending a plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages having a Test Time Period value from the remote device to the network device, wherein the Test Time Period value of each of the plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages is the same and the Test Time Period value indicates to the network device the amount of time that the network device is to wait before responding to the Test Time Period Request Message, and wherein the determination is based upon whether one or more Test Time Period Response Messages are received within the Test Time Period value by the remote device from the network device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and an apparatus are provided for improving or optimizing the frequency at which the keep-alive messages are exchanged between a network device (e.g., network server) and a remote device (e.g., a PC) behind a router or gateway. By improving or optimizing the frequency at which these messages are exchanged, the amount of network bandwidth that is consumed as a result of the exchange of keep-alive messages can be reduced. This allows a network device to remotely access a remote device in a very efficient manner in terms of the number of keep-alive messages that are generated and processed and in terms of bandwidth consumption.
25 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus employed in a remote device for enabling a network device to remotely access the remote device over a network, the apparatus comprising:
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an input/output (I/O) port in communication with a router or gateway device that connects the remote device to the network, the remote device being in communication with the network device via the router or gateway device; and a processor in communication with the I/O port, the processor being configured to determine a frequency of sending keep-alive messages between the remote device and the network device, the determination comprising sending a plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages having a Test Time Period value from the remote device to the network device, wherein the Test Time Period value of each of the plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages is the same and the Test Time Period value indicates to the network device the amount of time that the network device is to wait before responding to the Test Time Period Request Message, and wherein the determination is based upon whether one or more Test Time Period Response Messages are received within the Test Time Period value by the remote device from the network device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method employed in a remote device for enabling a network device to remotely access the remote device over a network, the method performed by a processor of the remote device, comprising:
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sending a plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages having a time period value from a remote device to a network device, the remote device being in communication with the network device via a router or gateway device that connects the remote device to the network, wherein the time period value of each of the plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages is the same and the time period value indicates to the network device the amount of time that the network device is to wait before responding to the Test Time Period Request Message; determining whether said one or more Test Time Period Response Messages are received within the time period value by the remote device from the network device; and based on the determination of whether one or more Test Time Period Response Messages have been received by the remote device from the network device, determining frequency of sending keep-alive messages between the remote device and the network device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium for enabling a network device to remotely access a remote device over a network, the computer-readable non-transitory storage medium comprising stored instructions for execution by a processor of the remote device, the stored instructions comprising:
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instructions for sending a plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages having a Time Period value from a remote device to a network device, the remote device being in communication with the network device via a router or gateway device that connects the remote device to the network, wherein the Time Period value of each of the plurality of Test Time Period Request Messages is the same and the time period value indicates to the network device the amount of time that the network device is to wait before responding to the Test Time Period Request Message; and instructions for determining whether one or more Test Time Period Response Messages are received within the time period value by the remote device from the network device; and instructions for determining, based on the determination made as to whether said one or more more Test Time Period Response Messages have been received by the remote device from the network device, a frequency of sending keep-alive messages between the remote device and the network device.
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Specification