System and method for preserving socket connections over a wireless network

• US 20090103515A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Danger Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Pointer, Robey
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/162 involving adaptations of sockets based mechanisms secure socket layer H04L63/168

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method for maintaining a socket connection over a wireless network. For example, one embodiment of the invention is a wireless data processing device for emulating a socket connection comprising: a wireless radio for establishing a wireless communication channel with a wireless service provider over a wireless network; a network protocol stack including at least one layer configured to establish a socket connection with a remote server over the wireless network, the network protocol stack further including an application layer for executing applications capable of transmitting and receiving data over the socket connection; and a resumable socket module configured to emulate an open socket connection transparently to applications within the application layer, even when the wireless communication channel is temporarily lost, the resumable socket module counting a number of bytes transmitted or to be transmitted to the remote server and maintaining a buffer containing the bytes transmitted or to be transmitted.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a network protocol stack including at least one layer configured to establish a an open socket connection with a remote server via a wireless communication channel established over a wireless network, the network protocol stack including an application layer operable to execute one or more applications configured to transmit and receive data over the open socket connection; and

a resumable socket module configured to;

count a number of bytes transmitted to the remote server via the open socket connection to identify a last byte transmitted to the remote server;

emulate the open socket connection to the one or more applications when the wireless communication channel is lost; and

synchronize with an additional resumable socket module on a service to maintain the open socket connection when the wireless communication channel is reestablished by retransmitting bytes transmitted to the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost, the bytes transmitted to the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost being stored in a buffer and selected for transmission based on the last byte transmitted to the remote server and a last byte received by the remote server.

15. A wireless device as recited in claim 1, wherein the resumable socket module is farther configured to:

count a number of bytes received from the remote server via the open socket connection to identify a last byte received from the remote server; and

synchronize with the additional resumable socket module to maintain the open socket connection when the wireless communication channel is reestablished by receiving bytes transmitted from the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost, the bytes transmitted from the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost being selected for transmission based on the last byte received from the remote server and a last byte transmitted by the remote server.

16. A wireless device as recited in claim 15, wherein the last byte received by the remote server and the last byte transmitted by the remote server are identified by the additional resumable socket module.

17. A wireless device as recited in claim 15, wherein the open socket connection is closed by the service following a period of time after the wireless communication channel is lost.

18. A wireless device as recited in claim 17, wherein the resumable socket module is configured to determine if the open socket connection was closed while the wireless communication channel was lost.

2-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A computer implemented method comprising:

establishing a wireless communication channel with a wireless device over a wireless network;

establishing an open socket connection with a remote server over a data network on behalf of the wireless device responsive to a request to communicate with the remote server from the wireless device;

counting a number of bytes transmitted to the wireless device via the open socket connection to identify a last byte transmitted to the wireless communication device; and

synchronizing with a resumable socket module on the wireless device to maintain the open socket connection when the wireless communication channel is reestablished by retransmitting bytes transmitted to the wireless device while the wireless communication channel was lost, the bytes transmitted to the wireless communication device while the wireless communication channel was lost being stored in a buffer and selected for transmission based on the last byte transmitted to the wireless communication device and a last byte received by the wireless communication device.

19. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

counting a number of bytes received from the wireless device via the open socket connection to identify a last byte received from the wireless device; and

synchronizing with the resumable socket module to maintain the open socket connection when the wireless communication channel is reestablished by receiving bytes transmitted from the wireless device while the wireless communication channel was lost, the bytes transmitted from the wireless device while the wireless communication channel was lost being selected for transmission based on the last byte received from the wireless device and a last byte transmitted by the wireless device.

11-14. -14. (canceled)

20. One or more computer-readable media comprising instructions that are executable to provide a resumable socket module that is configured to:

count a number of bytes transmitted to a remote server via an open socket connection established with the remote server over a wireless communication channel to identify a last byte transmitted to the remote server;

emulate the open socket connection to one or more applications of an application layer in a network protocol stack when the wireless communication channel is lost; and

synchronize with an additional resumable socket module on a service to maintain the open socket connection when the wireless communication channel is reestablished by retransmitting bytes transmitted to the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost, the bytes transmitted to the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost being stored in a buffer and selected for transmission based on the last byte transmitted to the remote server and a last byte received by the remote server.

21. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 20, wherein the resumable socket module is configured to:

count a number of bytes received from the remote server via the open socket connection to identify a last byte received from the remote server; and

synchronize with the additional resumable socket module to maintain the open socket connection when the wireless communication channel is reestablished by receiving bytes transmitted from the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost, the bytes transmitted from the remote server while the wireless communication channel was lost being selected for transmission based on the last byte received from the remote server and a last byte transmitted by the remote server.

22. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the last byte received by the remote server and the last byte transmitted by the remote server are identified by the additional resumable socket module.

23. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 22, wherein the open socket module is closed by the service following a period of time after the wireless communication channel is lost.

24. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 23, wherein the resumable socket module is configured to determine if the open socket connection was closed while the wireless communication channel was lost.