Controlling application access to a network

• US 8,831,658 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Meylan, Arnaud, Sundararajan, Jay Kumar, Giaretta, Gerardo, Hande, Prashanth, Santhanam, Arvind V., Goel, Satashu
• Primary Examiner(s): AKINYEMI, AJIBOLA A
• Application Number:
  US13/288,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20120214527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 455/509
• US Class Current: 455/509
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/162 involving adaptations of sockets based mechanisms secure socket layer H04L63/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0236 radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/02 Power saving arrangements in wired systems H04L12/12; signaling of mobile application services, e.g. low battery notifications H04W4/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/08 Upper layer protocols network arrangements or communication protocols for networked applications H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of wireless communication includes intercepting a request from an application desiring use of communication resources. The intercepted request is held and is then evaluated to determine whether the held request can be released. The held request is released based on the outcome of the evaluation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device, first delay tolerance information associated with a first application executable at the mobile device, wherein the first delay tolerance information indicates that the first application tolerates a first amount of communication delay;

intercepting a request from the first application during executing of the first application at the mobile device, the request for access to a communication resource of the mobile device;

holding the intercepted request for a delay period that is determined based on the first amount of communication delay;

and

releasing the held request after the delay period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising holding a second intercepted request for a second delay period that is determined based on a prediction that the mobile device is to experience a handover from a first serving network node to a second serving network node, a prediction that a particular radio access technology (RAT) is to become available at the mobile device, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating a network load based on a random access response channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating a network load based on at least one of a downlink traffic to pilot ratio (TPR), a carrier to noise ratio, or a number of effective users.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising holding a second intercepted request for a second delay period that is determined based on interference at a first radio of the mobile device due to operation of a second radio of the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second delay tolerance information associated with a second application executable at the mobile device, wherein the second delay tolerance information indicates that the second application tolerates a second amount of communication delay that is different from the first amount of communication delay;

intercepting a second request from the second application; and

holding the second request for a second delay period that is determined based on the second amount of communication delay.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second delay tolerance information associated with a second application executable at the mobile device, wherein the second delay tolerance information indicates that the second application does not tolerate communication delay; and

in response to the second delay tolerance information, refraining from holding requests from the second application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving information indicating a communication deadline associated with a second application executable at the mobile device;

intercepting a second request from the second application; and

holding the second request for a second delay period that is determined based on the communication deadline.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising holding a particular intercepted request from a particular application based on a paid subscription level.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing a modem to perform at least one of an inter-frequency search operation or an inter-radio access technology (RAT) inter-frequency reselection operation in preparation for releasing the held request.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

receive first delay tolerance information associated with a first application executable at a mobile device, wherein the first delay tolerance information indicates that the first application tolerates a first amount of communication delay;

intercept a request from the first application during execution of the first application at the mobile device, the request for access to a communication resource of the mobile device;

hold the intercepted request for a delay period that is determined based on the first amount of communication delay; and

and

release the held request after the delay period.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to hold a second intercepted request for a second delay period that is determined based on a prediction that the mobile device is to experience a handover from a first serving network node to a second serving network node, a prediction that a particular radio access technology (RAT) is to become available at the mobile device, or a combination thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the processor is further configured to estimate a network load based on a random access response channel.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the processor is further configured to estimate a network load based on at least one of a downlink traffic to pilot ratio (TPR), a carrier to noise ratio, or a number of effective users.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to hold a second intercepted request for a second delay period that is determined based on interference at a first radio of the mobile device due to operation of a second radio of the mobile device.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive second delay tolerance information associated with a second application executable at the mobile device, wherein the second delay tolerance information indicates that the second application tolerates a second amount of communication delay that is different from the first amount of communication delay;

intercept a second request from the second application; and

hold the second request for a second delay period that is determined based on the second amount of communication delay.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive second delay tolerance information associated with a second application executable at the mobile device, wherein the second delay tolerance information indicates that the second application does not tolerate communication delay; and

in response to the second delay tolerance information, refrain from holding requests from the second application.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive information indicating a communication deadline associated with a second application executable at the mobile device;

intercept a second request from the second application; and

hold the second request for a second delay period that is determined based on the communication deadline.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to hold a particular intercepted request from a particular application based on a paid subscription level.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to instruct a modem to perform at least one of an inter-frequency search operation or an inter-radio access technology (RAT) inter-frequency reselection operation in preparation for releasing the held request.

21. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, at a mobile device, first delay tolerance information associated with a first application executable at the mobile device, wherein the first delay tolerance information indicates that the first application tolerates a first amount of communication delay;

means for intercepting a request from the first application during execution of the first application at the mobile device, the request for access to a communication resource of the mobile device;

means for holding the intercepted request for a delay period that is determined based on the first amount of communication delay;

and

means for releasing the held request after the delay period.

22. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having non-transitory program code recorded thereon, the program code to:

receive, at a mobile device, first delay tolerance information associated with a first application executable at the mobile device, wherein the first delay tolerance information indicates that the first application tolerates a first amount of communication delay;

intercept a request from the first application during execution of the first application at the mobile device, the request for access to a communication resource of the mobile device;

hold the intercepted request for a delay period that is determined based on the first amount of communication delay;

and

release the held request after the delay period.