Methods and systems for customized multi-application channel control

• US 7,778,269 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Munje, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PHUC H
• Application Number:
  US11/245,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20070081547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided to aid in the control of a channel used in communicating data packets between a first communication device and a communication device with which the first communication device is communicating. For an open session occurring on the channel, the channel can be in an active state or a dormant state. Controlling when the channel is brought down to the dormant state can help improve operating conditions such as battery life of a communication device. Time-out parameters associated with the communication device, each open session and packets being sent and received on the channel are used in determining when the channel is brought up to the active state or brought down to the dormant state.

Claims

1. A method in a wireless device comprising:

opening a communication session for an application operating on the wireless device, the communication session being established on a data channel for communicating a packet between the application of the wireless device and a device with which the wireless device is communicating, wherein the data channel has an active state and a dormant state;

during the opening of the communication session, the application providing a set of time-out parameters to be associated with the communication session being opened for the application;

determining a time when the data channel can be brought down to the dormant state based on the set of time-out parameters and time-out parameters of any other currently open communication sessions on the data channel while the data channel is in the active state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step comprises:

receiving an indication that a packet is to be communicated on the data channel;

sending or receiving the packet;

setting a timer value equal to a current time plus a time-out parameter value;

when the timer value expires, bringing down the data channel to the dormant state.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the data channel entering the active state if the data channel is in the dormant state following the step of receiving an indication that the packet is to be communicated.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

if an indication that a further packet is to be communicated on the data channel before the timer value expires,

sending or receiving the further packet;

determining if the timer value is greater than a new current time plus the time-out parameter value;

if the timer value is greater, waiting for the timer value to expire;

if the timer value is not greater, setting a new timer value equal to the new current time plus the time-out parameter value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the time-out parameter value is updated after the packet is communicated and before the further packet is communicated, resulting in the new timer value being equal to the new current time plus the updated time-out parameter value.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the time-out parameter value.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein if the time-out parameter value is set equal to a device time-out parameter value, updating the time-out parameter value based on a session time-out parameter value from the set of time-out parameters associated with the open communication session for the application.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein if the time-out parameter value is set equal to a session time-out parameter value from the set of time-out parameters associated with the open communication session for the application, updating the time-out parameter value based on a packet time-out parameter value of the packet being communicated.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining when to send a packet from the wireless device to a device with which the wireless device is communicating on a data channel depending on a send priority time-out parameter associated with at least one of a group consisting of the wireless device, the open communication session and the packet to be sent.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a wireless device, the instructions comprising channel control logic adapted to implement the method of claim 1.

11. A method in a wireless device comprising:

opening a communication session for an application operating on the wireless device, the communication session being established on a data channel for communicating a packet between the application of the wireless device and a device with which the wireless device is communicating, wherein the data channel has an active state and a dormant state;

during the opening of the communication session, the application providing a set of time-out parameters to be associated with the communication session being opened for the application;

during the open communication session, determining when to send a packet on a data channel depending on a send priority time-out parameter from the set of time-out parameters associated with at least one of a group consisting of the wireless device, the open communication session and the packet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step comprises:

determining if the data channel is in the active state or the dormant state;

if the data channel is in the active state, sending the packet as soon as possible;

if the data channel is in the dormant state, determining if the send priority time-out parameter value is equal to zero;

if the send priority time-out parameter value is equal to zero, bringing up the data channel to the active state and sending the packet as soon as possible;

if the send priority parameter value is not equal to zero, waiting for the send priority time-out parameter value to expire and when the send priority time-out parameter value does expire, bringing up the data channel to the active state and sending the packet as soon as possible.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein while waiting for the send priority time-out parameter value to expire the data channel is brought up to the active state due to another packet being communicated over the data channel and once it is determined that the data channel has entered the active state, sending the packet as soon as possible.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising updating the send priority time-out parameter.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

if the send priority time-out parameter value is set equal to a device send priority time-out parameter value, updating the send priority time-out parameter value based on a session send priority time-out parameter value from the set of time-out parameters associated with the open communication session for the application;

or

if the send priority time-out parameter value is set equal to a session send priority time-out parameter value from the set of time-out parameters associated with the open communication session for the application, updating the send priority time-out parameter value based on a packet send priority time-out parameter value of the packet being communicated.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a wireless device, the instructions comprising channel control logic adapted to implement the method of claim 11.

17. A wireless device comprising:

an application layer adapted to run at least one application;

a radio management layer including a data channel controller adapted for opening communication sessions on a data channel between the wireless device and another device;

a packet handler layer adapted to support communication between the application layer and the radio management layer;

the data channel controller adapted to receive time-out parameters from an application of the at least one application associated with an open communication session on the data channel and adapted to determine when the data channel is brought up to an active state or taken down to a dormant state based on a set of time-out parameters pertaining to each open communication session, wherein the set of time-out parameters are associated with at least one of a group consisting of the wireless device, each open communication session and a packet to be sent or received on the data channel.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the application is an always-on application or an intermittent application.

19. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the data channel controller receives updated time-out parameters during the open communication session.

20. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the application forms an interface between one or more applications and the packet handler layer, the application including a second data channel controller for determining when the data channel should be brought up to the active state or taken down to the dormant state for the one or more applications based on time-out parameters associated with at least one of a group consisting of the wireless device, the open communication session and a packet to be communicated by the one or more applications, wherein the application communicates the time-out parameters derived by the second data channel controller to the data channel controller for determining when the data channel is brought up to the active state or taken down to the dormant state based on parameters from any of the at least one application in the application layer.