Network presence offload

• US 9,288,269 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Wilke, Jens, Ispas, Iulian Andrei
• Primary Examiner(s): TANG, KAREN C
• Application Number:
  US13/905,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/223, 709/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Devices having corresponding methods and computer-readable media comprise: a host processor, wherein the host processor is configured to execute a host client while the device is in an awake mode, and wherein the host client maintains a network connection while executing; and a network interface controller comprising an embedded processor, wherein the embedded processor is configured to execute an embedded client while the device is in a sleep mode, wherein the embedded client is configured to maintain the network connection while executing.

Claims

1. A social media client device configured to operate in a social media system, the social media client device comprising:

a host processor located on the social media client device, wherein the host processor is configured to execute a host social media client while the device is in an awake mode, wherein the host social media client maintains a network connection with a social media server for the social media client device while executing the host social media client, wherein the host social media client executed by the host processor provides social media services to a user of the social media client device, and wherein the host processor is configured to store, in a first memory, wake criteria indicative of events that cause the social media client device to transition from a sleep mode to the awake mode; and

a network interface controller comprising an embedded processor, separate from the host processor and located on the same social media client device as the host processor, wherein the embedded processor is configured to i) execute an embedded social media client while the social media client device is in the sleep mode, wherein the embedded social media client is configured to maintain the network connection for the social media client device while executing the embedded social media client, ii) store, in a second memory separate from the first memory, the wake criteria in response to the social media client device transitioning from the awake mode to the sleep mode, and iii) transition the social media client device from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to a comparison between an event received via the network connection and the wake criteria.

2. The social media client device of claim 1, wherein the wake criteria include:

receiving a message;

receiving a connection request;

receiving a request from one or more selected persons;

receiving a call request;

receiving a predetermined protocol message; and

receiving a request from one or more selected services.

3. The social media client device of claim 1, wherein, to maintain the network connection, the embedded social media client is further configured to perform at least one of:

sending keep alive messages;

authentication;

re-authentication;

encryption key exchange;

exchanging adjacent neighbor information;

accepting maintenance updates; and

performing file transfers.

4. The social media client device of claim 1, wherein:

the host social media client is further configured to offload the network connection and the wake criteria to the embedded client responsive to the device transitioning from the awake mode to the sleep mode.

5. The social media client device of claim 1, wherein:

the embedded social media client is further configured to offload the network connection and the wake criteria to the host social media client responsive to the social media client device transitioning from the sleep mode to the awake mode.

6. A method for operating a social media client device in a social media system, wherein the method comprises:

executing a host social media client on a host processor located on the social media client device while the social media client device is in an awake mode, wherein the host social media client maintains a network connection with a social media server for the social media client device while executing the host social media client, wherein the host social media client executed by the host processor provides social media services to a user of the social media client device;

storing, in a first memory, wake criteria indicative of events that cause the social media client device to transition from a sleep mode to the awake mode

executing an embedded social media client on an embedded processor of a network interface controller, the embedded processor separate from the host processor and located on the same social media client device as the host processor, while the social media client device is in a sleep mode, wherein the embedded social media client is configured to maintain the network connection for the social media client device while executing the embedded social media client;

storing, in the network interface controller in a second memory separate from the first memory, the wake criteria in response to the social media client device transitioning from the awake mode to the sleep mode; and

transitioning the social media client device from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to a comparison between an event received via the network connection and the wake criteria.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wake criteria include at least one of:

receiving a message;

receiving a connection request;

receiving a request from one or more selected persons;

receiving a call request;

receiving a predetermined protocol message; and

receiving a request from one or more selected services.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the host social media client offloads the network connection and the wake criteria to the embedded social media client responsive to the social media client device transitioning from the awake mode to the sleep mode.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the embedded social media client offloads the network connection and the wake criteria to the host social media client responsive to the social media client device transitioning from the sleep mode to the awake mode.

10. Non-transitory computer-readable media embodying instructions executable by a social media client device to perform functions comprising:

executing a host social media client on a host processor located on the social media client device while the social media client device is in an awake mode, wherein the host social media client maintains a network connection with a social media server for the social media client device while executing the host social media client, wherein the host social media client executed by the host processor provides social media services to a user of the social media client device;

storing, in a first memory, wake criteria indicative of events that cause the social media client device to transition from a sleep mode to the awake mode

executing an embedded social media client on an embedded processor of a network interface controller, the embedded processor separate from the host processor and located on the same social media client device as the host processor, while the social media client device is in a sleep mode, wherein the embedded social media client is configured to maintain the network connection for the social media client device while executing the embedded social media client;

storing, in the network interface controller in a second memory separate from the first memory, the wake criteria in response to the social media client device transitioning from the awake mode to the sleep mode; and

transitioning the social media client device from the sleep mode to the awake mode in response to a comparison between an event received via the network connection and the wake criteria.

11. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the wake criteria include at least one of:

receiving a message;

receiving a connection request;

receiving a request from one or more selected persons;

receiving a call request;

receiving a predetermined protocol message; and

receiving a request from one or more selected services.

12. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein:

the host social media client offloads the network connection and the wake criteria to the embedded social media client responsive to the social media client device transitioning from the awake mode to the sleep mode.

13. The computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein:

the embedded social media client offloads the network connection and the wake criteria to the host social media client responsive to the social media client device transitioning from the sleep mode to the awake mode.