Maintaining communication channel for device notifications

• US 9,167,042 B1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehrhardt, John R., Kurubarahalli, Jalaja C., Hastorun, Deniz, Solsona-Palomar, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefcheck, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): Van, Jenkey
• Application Number:
  US13/608,853
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections

Abstract

A first communication channel is established between a user device and a server using a cellular network. The user device receives a timeout interval for the first communication channel. The user device transmits a packet to maintain the first communication channel when the user device detects that other data is being transmitted using a second communication channel during the timeout interval.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a first communication channel between a client device and a notification server, wherein the first communication channel uses a cellular network;

establishing a second communication channel between the client device and a content server, wherein the second communication channel uses the cellular network;

identifying a cellular network service provider;

transmitting data indicative of the cellular network service provider to the notification server;

receiving information indicative of a timeout interval from the notification server via the first communication channel, wherein the timeout interval is based on the cellular network service provider and is indicative of a time period before one or more of the client device or the cellular network service provider closes the first communication channel;

setting a timer for the first communication channel based on the timeout interval;

before an expiration of the timer, detecting that data is being transferred via the second communication channel; and

upon detecting that data is being transferred via the second communication channel, transmitting a packet to the notification server via the first communication channel to prevent the first communication channel from being closed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

resetting the timer upon transmitting of the packet to the notification server via the first communication channel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the notification server via the first communication channel, a notification pertaining to an action item list, wherein the action item lists comprises information indicative of one or more pending tasks to be performed by the client device;

downloading the action item list, from the notification server, based on the notification; and

performing at least one task based on the action item list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the packet comprises:

transmitting the packet to the server via the first communication channel within a threshold of the expiration of the timer if data is being transferred via the second communication channel.

5. A client device comprising:

a processing device configured to;

establish a first communication channel with a first server using a cellular network;

establish a second communication channel with a second server using the cellular network;

identify the service provider for the cellular network;

transmit data indicative of the service provider to the first server;

receive information indicative of the timeout interval from the first server via the first communication channel, wherein the timeout interval is based on the service provider for the cellular network and is indicative of a time period at which one or more of the client device or the service provider closes the first communication channel;

set a timer for the first communication channel based at least in part on the timeout interval;

determine, before an expiration of the timer, that data is being transferred via the second communication channel; and

upon determining that data is being transferred via the second communication channel before the expiration of the timer, transmit a packet via the first communication channel.

6. The client device of claim 5, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

upon determining that data has not been transferred via the second communication channel from a start of the timer until the expiration of the timer, close the first communication channel.

7. The client device of claim 5, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

reset the timer based on the transmitting of the packet via the first communication channel.

8. The client device of claim 5, wherein the first communication channel is established during one or more of:

when the client devices is turned on;

when the client devices resumes operation from a suspended state;

when the client device loses communication with a WiFi network;

or

when the client device establishes the second communication channel.

9. The client device of claim 5, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

receive, via the first communication channel, a notification pertaining to an action item list, wherein the action item lists comprises information indicative of one or more pending tasks to be performed by the client device;

download the action item list based on the notification; and

perform at least one task based on the action item list.

10. The client device of claim 9, wherein the at least one task comprises one or more of:

downloading an electronic media item;

downloading software;

or

changing a configuration parameter on the client device.

11. The client device of claim 5, wherein transmitting the packet comprises:

transmitting the packet via the first communication channel when the client device is transmitting data on the second communication channel within a threshold of the expiration of the timer.

12. The client device of claim 5, wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel use a single radio link.

13. The client device of claim 5, wherein the first communication channel and the second communication channel uses multiple radio links.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a processing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving, from a client device, a request to establish a communication channel

establishing the communication channel with the client device wherein the communication channel uses a cellular network;

receiving information indicative of a service provider for the cellular network;

determining a timeout interval for the communication channel based on the information indicative of the service provider, wherein the timeout interval is based on network statistics received from other client devices that have used the cellular network;

setting a timer based on the timeout interval;

providing information indicative of the timeout interval for the communication channel to the client device via the communication channel;

making a determination, before the timer expires, that data is being transferred via the communication channel as a result of the client device detecting that data is being transferred via another communication channel established between the client device and a content server; and

resetting the timer responsive to the determination.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

closing the communication channel when the timer expires.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

providing, to the client device using the communication channel, a notification pertaining to an action item list, wherein the action item lists comprises information indicative of one or more pending tasks to be performed by the client device;

receiving a second request from the client device for the action item list in response to the notification; and

providing the action item list to the client device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the network statistics comprise information indicative of periods of inactivity on one or more communication channels and statuses of the one or more communication channels during the periods of inactivity.