Offloading application traffic to a shared communication channel for signal optimization in a wireless network for traffic utilizing proprietary and non-proprietary protocols

• US 9,716,663 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2016
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Alisawi, Rami, Backholm, Ari, Hu, Huajie, Seleznyov, Alexandr, Wei, Jie, Yoon, Sungwook
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US15/099,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20160234123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 709224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2876 Pairs of inter-processing entities at each side of the network, e.g. split proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5683 Storage of data provided by user terminals, i.e. reverse caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/12 Application layer protocols, e.g. WAP [Wireless Application Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for conserving network and battery usage is provided. The method includes determining that a device is communicating over at least two overlapping push channels and blocking one of the push channels to eliminate or reduce overlap between the at least two overlapping push channels. Related systems are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of reducing network traffic comprising:

blocking a first channel to reduce network signaling and battery consumption, wherein the first channel is a channel specific to a first application executing on a mobile device;

wherein traffic for the first application is offloaded onto a second channel, wherein the second channel includes a common channel over which a second application executing on the mobile device also communicates over;

monitoring the application traffic for the first application over the second channel;

unblocking the first channel based on the monitored application traffic so that the first application can perform an action, wherein the monitored application traffic is receipt of a message directed to the first application over the second channel; and

re-blocking the first channel after a predetermined period of time.

2. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel is a first push channel and the second channel is a second push channel.

3. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel that is blocked is a TCP connection.

4. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel that is un-blocked is a subsequent TCP connection.

5. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein traffic for the first application is offloaded in response to blocking the first channel.

6. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the first channel is that of a third party.

7. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein blocking is performed by dropping IP packets.

8. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein blocking includes blocking traffic for the first application.

9. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein the action performed is allowing the first application to communicate over the first channel with an application server associated with the first application.

10. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein blocking the first channel occurs in response to detecting inactivity of the mobile device.

11. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 10, wherein the inactivity is based off of a screen status of the mobile device.

12. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 10, wherein the inactivity is based off of whether the mobile device is being interacted with by a user.

13. The method of reducing network traffic of claim 1, wherein a notification is displayed on a screen of the mobile device in response to receiving the message.

14. A mobile device comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured for;

blocking a first channel to reduce network signaling and battery consumption, wherein the first channel is a channel specific to a first application executing on the mobile device;

wherein traffic for first application is offloaded onto a second channel, wherein the second channel includes a common channel over which a second application executing on the mobile device also communicates over;

monitoring the application traffic for the first application over the second channel;

unblocking the first channel based on the monitored application traffic so that the first application can perform an action, wherein the monitored application traffic is receipt of a message directed to the first application over the second channel; and

re-blocking the first channel after a predetermined period of time.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first channel is a first push channel and the second channel is a second push channel.

16. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first channel that is blocked is a TCP connection.

17. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first channel that is un-blocked is a subsequent TCP connection.

18. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein traffic for the first application is offloaded in response to blocking the first channel.

19. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the first channel is that of a third party.

20. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein blocking is performed by dropping IP packets.

21. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein blocking includes blocking traffic for the first application.

22. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the action performed is allowing the first application to communicate over the first channel with an application server associated with the first application.

23. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein blocking the first channel occurs in response to detecting inactivity of the mobile device.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the inactivity is based off of a screen status of the mobile device.

25. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the inactivity is based off of whether the mobile device is being interacted with by a user.

26. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein a notification is displayed on a screen of the mobile device in response to receiving the message.