Method of device authentication and application registration in a push communication framework

• US 8,649,768 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gaddam, Venkat, Ahmed, Shahid, Shanmugam, Sankar, Rahman, SM Masudur
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Liton
• Application Number:
  US13/216,952
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A server system and a mobile device establish a push data framework for communication. The mobile device includes a push client, and runs one or more applications requiring push data communications. The push client transmits a device authentication and application validation request to a push server. Upon the push server successfully authenticating and validating the device and application, the push client receives a session identifier for establishing a persistent communication connection with the push server. Once established, an application server can push data to the mobile device via the persistent communication session. The session identifier remains valid for an extended period of time, and allows the push client to maintain and re-establish push connections with the push server for the duration of the extended period of time.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

receiving, at a push server through a mobile communication network, a request from a push client running on a mobile device to establish a push connection for an application running on the mobile device, the request including an identifier of the mobile device and an identifier of the application;

authenticating the mobile device upon the push server determining that the identifier of the mobile device is valid;

registering, at the push server and for persistent communication, the application running on the mobile device, upon determining that the identifier of the application is valid;

assigning a session identifier to the authenticated mobile device;

establishing a persistent communication session associated with the session identifier, between the push server and the authenticated mobile device, through the mobile communication network;

receiving push communications for the application running on the mobile device, at the push server, from an application server; and

while the push server maintains the session identifier as being valid, sending each of the received push communications for the application running on the mobile device, via the established communication session through the mobile communication network, from the push server to the authenticated mobile device running the application, without requiring further authentication of the mobile device or validation of the application running on the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a first wireless data link between the push server and the mobile device, wherein the steps of receiving the request, establishing the persistent communication session, and sending of at least one of the push communications are performed through the first wireless link;

establishing a second wireless data link between the push server and the mobile device, wherein the first and second wireless data links are distinct data links; and

after the second wireless data link is established, establishing a second persistent communication session associated with the session identifier, between the push server and the mobile device, through the second wireless data link, and sending at least one of the push communications for the application via the established second communication session through the second wireless data link from the push server and to the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second wireless data link is established after termination of the first wireless data link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the assigned session identifier remains valid for a period exceeding one day; and

the assigned session identifier is valid to establish multiple successive persistent communication sessions between the push server and the mobile device through the mobile communication network during the period for which the session identifier remains valid.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

receiving, at the push server through the mobile communication network, a query from the push client, the query including the identifier of the mobile device; and

in response to the received query, transmitting a response containing a session identifier of a session associated with the identifier of the mobile device included in the query and identifiers of registered applications assigned to the session identifier, through the mobile communication network from the push server and to the push client on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to the request, assigning and storing a session lifetime associated with the session identifier; and

in response to the received query, determining that a session lifetime of a session identifier associated with the identifier of the mobile device included in the query has expired, assigning and storing a new session identifier and a new session lifetime as a replacement for the identifier having the expired session lifetime, and transmitting a response containing the new session identifier through the mobile communication network from the push server to the push client on the mobile device.

7. A system for pushing data communication through a mobile network to a mobile device, the system comprising;

an interface for communications with the mobile device via the network;

at least one processor coupled to the interface;

at least one storage device accessible to the at least one processor; and

programming for execution by the at least one processor, stored in the at least one storage device, wherein execution of the programming by the at least one processor configures the system as a push server to perform functions, including functions to;

(a) receive at the push server, through the network, a request from a push client running on the mobile device to establish a push connection for an application running on the mobile device, the request including an identifier of the mobile device and an identifier of the application;

(b) authenticate the mobile device upon the push server determining that the identifier of the mobile device is valid;

(c) store the identifier of the application in a registry for the push server, in the at least one storage device, upon determining that the identifier of the application is valid;

(d) assign a session identifier to the authenticated mobile device and storing the session identifier in the at least one storage device;

(e) establish a persistent communication session associated with the session identifier, between the push server and the authenticated mobile device, through the mobile communication network;

(f) receive push communications for the application running on the mobile device, at the push server, from an application server; and

(g) while the push server maintains the session identifier as being valid, send the received push communications for the application running on the mobile device, via the established communication session through the mobile communication network, from the push server to the authenticated mobile device running the application, without requiring further authentication of the mobile device or validation of the application running on the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein execution of the programming by the at least one processor configures the system to perform further functions to:

establish a first wireless data link between the push server and the mobile device, wherein the functions to receive the request, establish the persistent communication session, and send at least one of the push communications are performed through the first wireless data link;

establish a second wireless data link between the push server and the mobile device, wherein the first and second wireless data links are distinct data links; and

after the second wireless data link is established, establish a second persistent communication session associated with the session identifier, between the push server and the mobile device, through the second wireless data link, and send at least one of the push communications for the application via the established second communication session through the second wireless data link from the push server and to the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second wireless data link is established after termination of the first wireless data link.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the assigned session identifier remains valid for a period exceeding one day; and

the assigned session identifier is valid to establish multiple successive persistent communication sessions between the push server and the mobile device through the mobile communication network during the period for which the session identifier remains valid.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein execution of the programming by the at least one processor configures the system to perform further functions to:

receive, through the mobile network, a query from the push client, the query including the identifier of the mobile device; and

in response to the received query, transmit a response containing the identifier of the session associated with the mobile device, through the interface for communications and the mobile network and to the push client on the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein execution of the programming by the at least one processor configures the system to perform further functions to:

in response to the request, assign and store a session lifetime associated with each session identifier; and

in response to the received query, determine that a session lifetime of a session identifier associated with the identifier of the mobile device included in the query has expired, assign and store a new session identifier and a new session lifetime as a replacement for the identifier having the expired session lifetime, and transmit a response containing the new session identifier through the mobile communication network from the push server to the push client on the mobile device.