Blocking/unblocking algorithms for signaling optimization in a wireless network for traffic utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols

• US 8,918,871 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2014
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Inventors: SELEZNYOV, Alexandr, Hu, Huajie, Wei, Jie, Yoon, Sungwook, Alisawi, Rami
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LINGLAN E
• Application Number:
  US14/474,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20140373095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 113 Days
• Field of Search: 726/22, 709223-225, 709227-229
• US Class Current: 726/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4856 resumption being on a different machine, e.g. task migration, virtual machine migration G06F9/5088 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2517 using port numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2567 for reachability, e.g. inquiring the address of a correspondent behind a NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2582 through control of the NAT server, e.g. using universal plug and play [UPnP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0284 detecting congestion or overload during communication monitoring arrangements H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/22 Manipulation of transport tunnels

Abstract

According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for signaling optimization in a wireless network utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols. A first session is established between an application on a mobile device and a local proxy on the mobile device, a second session is established between the local proxy and a proxy server not located on the mobile device, and a third session is established between the proxy server and a content server. A byte stream present within the first and second sessions is monitored to identify patterns within the byte stream. If a pattern is found, the pattern is used to determine a behavior of the application. If that behavior is one that is a candidate for optimization, signaling optimization is performed between the application and the content server. Signaling optimization includes dismantling the second session, replaying the pattern to the application via the first session, and replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session.

Claims

1. A method for signaling optimization in a wireless network utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols, the method comprising:

establishing a first session between an application on a mobile device and a local proxy on the mobile device, establishing a second session between the local proxy and a proxy server not located on the mobile device, and establishing a third session between the proxy server and a content server; and

monitoring a byte stream present within the first and second sessions to identify patterns within the byte stream, wherein identifying a pattern within the byte stream comprises identifying a repeated transaction between the application and the content server and wherein the identified pattern includes a request in one direction between the application and the content server and a response in the opposite direction from the request, and, in response to identifying a pattern within the byte stream;

determining a behavior of the application based on the pattern;

determining whether the behavior of the application is a candidate behavior for optimization based on observed traffic to and from the application on the mobile device; and

in response to determining that the behavior of the application is a candidate behavior for optimization, performing signaling optimization between the application and the content server, wherein performing signaling optimization includes dismantling the second session, replaying the pattern to the application via the first session, and replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session, wherein replaying the pattern to the application includes detecting a request from the application and replaying a cached response and wherein replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session includes replaying a cached request to the content server and receiving from the content server a response to the replayed request.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate behavior for optimization includes generation of keepalive messages at a rate greater than a target rate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate behavior for optimization includes generation of UDP traffic at a rate greater than a target rate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate behavior for optimization includes generation of UDP traffic while the mobile device is in a target state.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate behavior for optimization includes generation of traffic while the application is in a target state.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate behavior for optimization includes network inactivity for longer than a target duration.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate behavior for optimization includes detection of a change in the pattern to the application or the pattern to the content server.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising, in response to detecting the change, re-establishing the second session and suspending the signaling optimization.

9. The method of claim 7 comprising detecting a change in the pattern interval, and, in response to detecting a change in the pattern interval, dynamically adjusting the pattern interval.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate for behavior for optimization is identified based on usage history.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the candidate for behavior for optimization is identified based on identification of the application'"'"'s use of data for non-functional purposes.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session continues so long as heartbeat messages are received by the proxy server from the local proxy.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the patterns are replayed periodically according to a defined interval.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying patterns within the byte stream includes identifying traffic to or from an application and wherein performing optimization includes at least one of:

blocking traffic to or from the application, unblocking traffic to or from the application, and triggering reconnection with the application.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying patterns within the byte stream includes identifying traffic having a threshold priority or time criticality and wherein performing optimization includes at least one of:

delaying the identified traffic, allowing the identified traffic, and discarding the identified traffic.

16. A system for signaling optimization in a wireless network utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols, the system comprising:

a mobile device that includes an application and a local proxy;

a proxy server not located on the mobile device; and

a content server,

wherein the mobile device establishes a first session between the application and the local proxy, wherein the local proxy establishes a second session between the local proxy and the proxy server, wherein the proxy server establishes a third session between the proxy server and the content server, and

wherein the local proxy monitors a byte stream present within the first and second sessions to identify patterns within the byte stream, wherein identifying a pattern within the byte stream comprises identifying a repeated transaction between the application and the content server and wherein the identified pattern includes a request in one direction between the application and the content server and a response in the opposite direction from the request, and, in response to identifying a pattern within the byte stream;

determining a behavior of the application based on the pattern;

determining whether the behavior of the application is a candidate behavior for optimization based on observed traffic to and from the application on the mobile device; and

in response to determining that the behavior of the application is a candidate behavior for optimization, performing signaling optimization between the application and the content server, wherein performing signaling optimization includes dismantling the second session, replaying the pattern to the application via the first session, and replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session, wherein replaying the pattern to the application includes detecting a request from the application and replaying a cached response and wherein replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session includes replaying a cached request to the content server and receiving from the content server a response to the replayed request.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the local proxy is configured to receive a rule set and use the received rule set to at least one of:

identify the patterns within the byte stream;

determine the behavior of the application based on the pattern;

determine whether the behavior of the application is a candidate for optimization; and

perform the signaling optimization.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the local proxy dismantles the second session by at least one of:

modifying routing tables;

terminating existing connections; and

discarding messages that associated with a non-functional channel.

19. A computer program product for signaling optimization in a wireless network utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therewith, the computer readable code comprising;

computer readable program code configured for;

establishing a first session between an application on a mobile device and a local proxy on the mobile device;

establishing a second session between the local proxy and a proxy server not located on the mobile device;

establishing a third session between the proxy server and a content server;

monitoring a byte stream present within the first and second sessions to identify patterns within the byte stream, wherein identifying a pattern within the byte stream comprises identifying a repeated transaction between the application and the content server and wherein the identified pattern includes a request in one direction between the application and the content server and a response in the opposite direction from the request; and

,

in response to identifying a pattern within the byte stream;

determining a behavior of the application based on the pattern;

determining whether the behavior of the application is a candidate behavior for optimization based on observed traffic to and from the application on the mobile device; and

in response to determining that the behavior of the application is a candidate behavior for optimization, performing signaling optimization between the application and the content server, wherein performing signaling optimization includes dismantling the second session, replaying the pattern to the application via the first session, and replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session, wherein replaying the pattern to the application includes detecting a request from the application and replaying a cached response and wherein replaying the pattern to the content server via the third session includes replaying a cached request to the content server and receiving from the content server a response to the replayed request.