Method and apparatus for back-off algorithm having different retry time classes

• US 9,706,581 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Deu-Ngoc, Joseph Tu-Long, Thompson, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): RUBIN, BLAKE J
• Application Number:
  US12/940,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20110296039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,440 Days
• Field of Search: 709228
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/085 collision avoidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a back-off timer having different retry time classes, the method checking whether a connection establishment attempt for a first service on a connection slot is in a back-off time that equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold; and if yes, allowing a second service access to the connection slot.

Claims

1. A method on a mobile device comprising:

reserving a connection slot for a first service of the mobile device, the reserving preventing other services from using the connection slot;

attempting to establish a connection for the first service on the connection slot;

determining that the connection establishment was unsuccessful;

selecting a back-off time based on a number of unsuccessful connection attempts;

determining whether the back-off time is a short back-off time or a long back-off time based on a threshold, wherein the back-off time is the short back-off time if it is less than the threshold, and the back-off time is the long back-off time if it is greater than the threshold;

if the back-off time is the short back-off time, preventing other services from using the connection slot; and

if the back-off time is the long back-off time, establishing a connection for a second service of the mobile device on the connection slot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold is configured based on the second service, configured by signaling between the mobile device and a network element, or configurable on the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection attempt by the first service attempts to establish a tunnel between the mobile device and a network element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the tunnel is a packet data protocol context on a radio access bearer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second service has a lower priority than the first service.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second service is selected from a plurality of services with closed tunnels, the second service having a higher priority than remaining services in the plurality of services.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection establishment request previously failed to establish a connection based on a non-stalling cause.

8. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

a communications subsystem,

wherein the processor and communications subsystem cooperate to;

reserve a connection slot for a first service of the mobile device, the reserving preventing other services from using the connection slot;

attempt to establish a connection for the first service on the connection slot;

determine that the connection establishment was unsuccessful;

select a back-off time based on a number of unsuccessful connection attempts;

determine whether the back-off time is a short back-off time or a long back-off time based on a threshold, wherein the back-off time is the short back-off time if it is less than the threshold, and the back-off time is the long back-off time if it is greater than the threshold;

if the back-off time is the short back-off time, prevent other services from using the connection slot; and

if the back-off time is the long back-off time, establish a connection for a second service of the mobile device on the connection slot.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the threshold is configured during manufacture of the mobile device, configured by signaling between the mobile device and a network element, or configurable on the mobile device.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the connection attempt by the first service attempts to establish a tunnel between the mobile device and a network element.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the tunnel is a packet data protocol context on a radio access bearer.

12. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the second service has a lower priority than the first service.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the second service is selected from a plurality of services with closed tunnels, the second service having a higher priority than remaining services in the plurality of services.

14. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the connection establishment request previously failed to establish a connection based on a non-stalling cause.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor of a mobile device, the instructions comprising code for:

reserving a connection slot for a first service of the mobile device, the reserving preventing other services from using the connection slot;

attempting to establish a connection for the first service on the connection slot;

determining that the connection establishment was unsuccessful;

selecting a back-off time based on a number of unsuccessful connection attempts;

determining whether the back-off time is a short back-off time or a long back-off time based on a threshold, wherein the back-off time is the short back-off time if it is less than the threshold, and the back-off time is the long back-off time if it is greater than the threshold;

if the back-off time is the short back-off time, preventing other services from using the connection slot; and

if the back-off time is the long back-off time, establishing a connection for a second service of the mobile device on the connection slot.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the threshold is configured based on the second service, configured by signaling between the mobile device and a network element, or configurable on the mobile device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the connection attempt by the first service attempts to establish a tunnel between the mobile device and a network element.