System for data logging

• US 8,046,406 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fricke, Volker W., Trice, Wendy Ann, Noble, Gary Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUBIN, BLAKE J
• Application Number:
  US12/582,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A data logging system that utilizes a schedule of data transfer periods for transferring data from devices to a server. A communication of an actual data transfer size of stored data in a first device of the devices is obtained by the server from the first device. A corresponding future data transfer size of the stored data is estimated by the server, based on a historic data transfer size for data previously transferred from the first device to the server. The schedule is currently based on the historic data transfer size for the first device. The server updates the schedule if the server has determined that a difference exists between the actual data transfer size and the corresponding estimated future data transfer size. A transmission from the first device of the data actually stored in the first device is received by the server in accordance with the schedule.

Claims

1. A system comprising a computer and a computer-readable physically tangible storage device coupled to the computer, said storage device storing computer readable program instructions that when loaded into a computer and executed causes the computer to performs a method that utilizes a schedule of data transfer periods during which data is transferred from a plurality of client devices to a server over a network, said method comprising for a first device of the plurality of devices:

obtaining, by the server, from the first device a communication of an actual data transfer size of data actually stored in the first device;

estimating, by the server, a corresponding future data transfer size of the data actually stored in the first device, said estimating being based on a historic data transfer size for data previously transferred from the first device to the server over the network, said schedule currently being based on the historic data transfer size for the first device;

determining, by the server, that a difference exists between the actual data transfer size and the corresponding estimated future data transfer size;

responsive to said determining that said difference exists, changing an existing data transfer period for the first device in the schedule in a way that minimizes change to the schedule;

receiving, by the server, a transmission over the network from the first device of the data actually stored in the first device, said transmission being received in accordance with the schedule resulting from said changing the existing data transfer period for the first device;

keeping track, by the server, of an off-line device of the plurality of devices that is off-line and informing the off-line device of the off-line device'"'"'s schedule for transferring data from the off-line device to the server as soon as the off-line device becomes on-line;

receiving, by the server, information relating to GSM radio reception power over time by a another device of the plurality of devices and estimating, by the server based on the received information relating to the GSM power, times unsuitable for the another device to be connected to the server;

said server forecasting a bandwidth of the network by monitoring current download activity from data transfers between the network and said server;

revising the schedule to achieve data transfer from the plurality of devices to the server at 80% of the forecasted bandwidth;

changing, by the server, the schedule in response to detecting that a device of the plurality of devices has run out of memory;

determining, by the server, when to upload new software from the server to the plurality of devices, taking into account a reduction in an effective communications bandwidth, said reduction resulting from the data transferred from the plurality of devices to the server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said actually updating does not change an order of the devices in the schedule.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the actual data transfer size exceeds the corresponding estimated future data transfer size and said actually updating comprises replacing the existing data transfer period of the first device in the schedule with a data transfer period of a second device of the plurality of devices, and wherein a duration of the data transfer period of the second device in the schedule is less than a duration of the new data transfer period of the first device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the actual data transfer size for the first device exceeds the corresponding future estimated data transfer size for the first device and said actually updating comprises having the new data transfer period for the first device begin at an earlier time in the schedule.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the actual data transfer size for the first device is less than the corresponding estimated transfer size for the first device so as to create a free time slot in the schedule and said actually updating comprises filling the free time slot with a data transfer period of a second device of the plurality of devices.

6. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions stored on a computer-readable physically tangible storage device, said computer readable program instructions, when loaded into a computer and executed, performs a method that utilizes a schedule of data transfer periods during which data is transferred from a plurality of client devices to a server over a network, said method comprising for a first device of the plurality of devices:

obtaining, by the server, from the first device a communication of an actual data transfer size of data actually stored in the first device;

estimating, by the server, a corresponding future data transfer size of the data actually stored in the first device, said estimating being based on a historic data transfer size for data previously transferred from the first device to the server over the network, said schedule currently being based on the historic data transfer size for the first device;

determining, by the server, that a difference exists between the actual data transfer size and the corresponding estimated future data transfer size;

responsive to said determining that said difference exists, changing an existing data transfer period for the first device in the schedule in a way that minimizes change to the schedule;

receiving, by the server, a transmission over the network from the first device of the data actually stored in the first device, said transmission being received in accordance with the schedule resulting from said changing the existing data transfer period for the first device;

keeping track, by the server, of an off-line device of the plurality of devices that is off-line and informing the off-line device of the off-line device'"'"'s schedule for transferring data from the off-line device to the server as soon as the off-line device becomes on-line;

receiving, by the server, information relating to GSM radio reception power over time by a another device of the plurality of devices and estimating, by the server based on the received information relating to the GSM power, times unsuitable for the another device to be connected to the server;

said server forecasting a bandwidth of the network by monitoring current download activity from data transfers between the network and said server;

revising the schedule to achieve data transfer from the plurality of devices to the server at 80% of the forecasted bandwidth;

changing, by the server, the schedule in response to detecting that a device of the plurality of devices has run out of memory;

determining, by the server, when to upload new software from the server to the plurality of devices, taking into account a reduction in an effective communications bandwidth, said reduction resulting from the data transferred from the plurality of devices to the server.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein said actually updating does not change an order of the devices in the schedule.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the actual data transfer size exceeds the corresponding estimated future data transfer size and said actually updating comprises replacing the existing data transfer period of the first device in the schedule with a data transfer period of a second device of the plurality of devices, and wherein a duration of the data transfer period of the second device in the schedule is less than a duration of the new data transfer period of the first device.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the actual data transfer size for the first device exceeds the corresponding future estimated data transfer size for the first device and said actually updating comprises having the new data transfer period for the first device begin at an earlier time in the schedule.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the actual data transfer size for the first device is less than the corresponding estimated transfer size for the first device so as to create a free time slot in the schedule and said actually updating comprises filling the free time slot with a data transfer period of a second device of the plurality of devices.