Background task execution over a network based on network activity idle time

• US 8,028,060 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Williamson, Richard John, Wyld, Jeremy, Ganatra, Nitin
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Haresh N
• Application Number:
  US11/620,613
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-228, 709/203, 726/1
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 by checking availability

Abstract

Network activity of a client device that is coupled to a data network is monitored, to detect network activity idle time. Based upon detecting the idle time, an application running in the client device is automatically signaled that its background task be executed over the data network. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for background task execution in a portable wireless client device coupled to a data network, comprising:

hooking up with a first application running in the portable wireless client device;

monitoring network activity of the portable wireless client device to detect network activity idle time for the data network;

determining, by a hardware processor, a status or type of a second application that is running in the portable wireless client device, including monitoring how much time the second application is spending in foreground performing a non-network task; and

based upon detecting the idle time of the data network and the determined status or type of the second application, automatically signaling the first application running in the portable wireless client device to have a background task of the first application executed over the data network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data network is an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring network activity of the portable wireless client device comprises:

counting the number of upstream or downstream data units, passing through a connection to the data network or through a network access layer during a predetermined time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined type refers to the second application as one that is not likely to generate Internet use.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined status refers to the second application as being in background.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a status or type of the second application further includes:

monitoring activity on the second application to determine the status of the second application as performing predefined, non-network activity.

7. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory computer storage medium that stores instructions for an operating system program which configure a portable wireless client device that is coupled to a data network so that the client device;

a) monitors network activity for the data network in the client device,

b) hooks up with a first software application in the client device,

c) determines status or type of a second software application in the client device, including monitoring how much time the second application is spending in foreground performing a non-network task; and

d) executes a background task of the first software application in response to (i) having detected network activity idle time of the data network and (ii) the determined status or type of the second software application.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the medium stores further instructions which cause the client device to maintain a list of software applications that have registered with a callback mechanism, the callback mechanism to notify the listed applications in round robin that their background tasks can now be executed over the data network.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the medium stores further instructions which cause the client device to determine the type of the second software application as one that is not likely to generate Internet use.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the medium stores further instructions which cause the client device to determine the status or type of the second software application by monitoring user activity on the second software application to determine the status of the second software application as performing predefined, non-network activity.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the medium stores further instructions which cause the client device to determine the type of said second software application as one that is not likely to generate Internet use.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a portable wireless device, that accesses a network, the portable wireless device having first and second applications and an operating system, the first application is registered with the operating system for execution of a background task of said first application that accesses the network, the operating system to notify the first application in response to having detected network activity idle time for the network and determined a status or type of the second application, to enable execution of a background task of said first application that accesses the network, the status or type of the second application is determined in part by monitoring how much time the second application is spending in foreground performing a non-network task.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operating system is to notify a plurality of applications, which have previously registered with it, in a round robin manner to execute their background tasks over the network.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the network to be accessed is the Internet.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the operating system is to detect network activity idle time by a) measuring Internet data traffic over a predefined time interval and b) comparing the measured traffic to a threshold traffic rate.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operating system is to determine the type of the second application as one that is not likely to generate Internet use.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the determined status refers to the second application as being in background.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operating system is to determine the status or type of the second application by monitoring user activity on the second application to determine the status of the second application as performing predefined, non-network activity.