Method for providing user-apparent consistency in a wireless device

• US 7,117,266 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mukherjea, Sougata, Paclat, Charles, Fishman, Dan, Wolters, Hans, Buzzard, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/949,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,849 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 455/432.1, 709227-228, 709/246, 713/201
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for providing user-apparent consistency in a wireless user device is presented. An IP address, or other unique identifier, is assigned to a wireless user device in wireless communication with a wireless application server. The IP address is associated with a communication session between the wireless user device and the wireless application server. The IP address, along with information related to the communication session, such as context information, is stored by the wireless application server, such as in an active session cache. The wireless user device may then rejoin the communication session in the event the wireless communication is temporarily dropped and re-established between the wireless user device and the wireless application server, without losing the assignment of the IP address to the wireless user device or any information stored for the IP address in the active session cache.

Claims

1. A method for providing user-apparent consistency in a wireless user device, comprising:

assigning an IP address to a wireless user device in wireless communication with a wireless application server, the IP address associated with a communication session between the wireless user device and the wireless application server;

retrieving user context information associated with the profile of a user of the wireless device from a remote store;

storing the IP address and the user context information related to the communication session in an active session cache;

maintaining the user context information in the active session cache during connectivity lapses between the wireless user device and the wireless application server such that the user context information does not need to be retrieved again from the remote store at reconnection; and

allowing the wireless user device to rejoin the communication session, in the event the wireless communication is temporarily dropped and re-established between the wireless user device and the wireless application server, without losing the assignment of the IP address to the wireless user device or any information stored for the IP address in the active session cache;

wherein the wireless user device rejoins the communication session implicitly from the user'"'"'s perspective thereby providing an appearance of session continuity.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting a state timeout value containing the amount of time the wireless user device has to rejoin the communication session before the IP address is harvested.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

harvesting the P address at the end of the communication session.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the communication session.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a connection to a back-end device during a communication session, independent of whether the wireless communication is dropped.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

ensuring an IP address is not given out to another wireless user device during a communication session.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

beginning and ending a communication session with a request from an event servlet.

8. A method according to claim 1,further comprising:

beginning a communication session when the wireless user device comes within range of a wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing context information for the communication session in the active session cache.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

handling requests for context information stored in the active session cache with a context request servlet.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a communication session when the wireless communication passes from one wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server to another wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing information relating to the communication session in a cookie on the wireless application server.

13. A method for providing user-apparent consistency in an RF-based wireless user device, comprising:

assigning an IP address to a wireless user device in RF-based communication with a wireless application server, the IP address associated with a communication session between the wireless user device and the wireless application server;

retrieving user context information associated with the profile of a user of the wireless device from a remote store;

storing the IP address and the user context information related to the communication session in an active session cache;

maintaining the user context information in the active session cache during connectivity lapses between the wireless user device and the wireless application server such that the user context information does not need to be retrieved again from the remote store at reconnection; and

allowing the wireless user device to rejoin the communication session, in the event the RF-based communication is temporarily dropped and re-established between the wireless user device and the wireless application server, without losing the assignment of the IP address to wireless user device or any information stored for the IP address in the active session cache.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

setting a state timeout value containing the amount of time the wireless user device has to rejoin the communication session before the IP address is harvested.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

harvesting the IP address at the end of the communication session.

16. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

terminating the communication session.

17. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

maintaining a connection to a back-end device during a communication session, independent of whether the wireless communication is dropped.

18. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

ensuring an IP address is not given out to another wireless user device during a communication session.

19. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

beginning and ending a communication session with a request from an event servlet.

20. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

beginning a communication session when the wireless user device comes within range of a wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server.

21. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

storing context information for the communication session in the active session cache.

22. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

handling requests for context information stored in the active session cache with a context request servlet.

23. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

maintaining a communication session when the wireless communication passes from one wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server to another wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server.

24. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

storing information relating to the communication session in a cookie on the wireless application server.

25. A method for providing user-apparent consistency in a wireless user device, comprising:

starting a wireless communication session between a wireless user device and a wireless application server;

assigning an identifier to the wireless communication session;

retrieving user context information associated with the profile of a user of the wireless device from a remote store;

storing the identifier and the user context information related to the wireless communication session on the wireless application server such that a wireless user device may rejoin the wireless communication session without losing the information related to the wireless communication session, in the event wireless communication is temporarily dropped and re-1established between the wireless user device and the wireless application server;

wherein the information related to the wireless communication session is stored on the wireless application server in an active session cache and maintained there during any connectivity lapses between the wireless user device and the wireless application server.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

maintaining a connection to a back-end device during the wireless communication session, independent of whether wireless communication is dropped.

27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

starting the wireless communication session when the wireless user device comes within range of a wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server.

28. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

handling requests for context information with a context request servlet.

29. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

maintaining a wireless communication session when wireless communication passes from one wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server to another wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server.

30. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

storing information relating to the communication session in a cookie on the wireless application server.

31. A method for providing user-apparent consistency for wireless communications on a Personal Digital Assistant, comprising:

logging a user of a Personal Digital Assistant into a wireless application server when the Personal Digital Assistant comes within range of a wireless antenna in communication with the wireless application server;

assigning a unique identifier to the Personal Digital Assistant in wireless communication with the wireless application server, the unique identifier associated with a communication session between the Personal Digital Assistant and the wireless application server;

retrieving user context information associated with the profile of the user of the Personal Digital Assistant from a remote store;

storing the unique identifier and the user context information related to the communication session in an active session cache on the wireless application server;

maintaining the user context information in the active session cache during connectivity lapses between the Personal Digital Assistant and the wireless application server such that the user context information does not need to be retrieved again from the remote store at reconnection; and

allowing the Personal Digital Assistant to rejoin the communication session in the event the wireless communication is temporarily dropped and re-established between the Personal Digital Assistant and the wireless application server, without losing the assignment of the unique identifier to the Personal Digital Assistant or any information stored for the unique identifier in the active session cache.