System and method for optimizing network communication in response to network conditions

• US 8,060,064 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2008
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Karl S., Khoury, Sami, Limont, David Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEIBER, SHANTELL LAKETA
• Application Number:
  US12/203,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20080318601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 4554141-4144, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/415, 455/416, 455/417, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 709/203, 709/207, 709/204, 709/205, 709/206, 709/224, 709/231, 709/232
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating communications between a mobile device and a network application are provided. A mobile device transmits a request for data change information that includes a time out interval. The network application receives the request and measures a time elapsed since the receipt of the data change request. The network application will only transmit a notification to the mobile device client if new data is received or the time out interval has elapsed. As notifications are received, the mobile client device tunes the time out interval based upon network and device parameters.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating communication between a mobile device and a network application using an electronic mail interface computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining, at the electronic mail interface computing device, a request for change of data from the mobile device, wherein the request for change of data includes a first set of expiration data and a notification preference indicating a preference to first receive truncated portions of messages before receiving entire retrieved electronic mail messages, wherein the expiration data defines a time interval for returning a response to the mobile device from the electronic mail interface computing device;

monitoring, at the electronic mail interface computing device, electronic mail data during the time interval for providing a response to the request for change of data;

determining whether the electronic mail data has changed prior to expiration of the time interval, and if so, transmitting a response including a truncated portion of changed data to the mobile device prior to expiration of the time period, the truncated portion including metadata describing the changed data; and

if the time interval expires and no electronic mail data has changed, transmitting from the electronic mail interface computing device a notification to the mobile device that no electronic mail data has changed after expiration of the time interval.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a subsequent request for change of data, wherein the request for change of data includes a second set of expiration data for returning a response;

monitoring a time interval for providing a response to the subsequent request for change of data; and

transmitting a notification that no data has changed if the time interval exceeds a second expiration period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second set of expiration data is modified based on at least one network condition.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second set of expiration data corresponds to an adjustment of the first set of expiration data based upon a comparison of a sum of the weights for a set of events related to communication between the mobile device and the network application.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sum of the weights for the set of events corresponds to a function of the weight of each event diminished by a time expired since the event occurred.

6. A method for facilitating communications between a mobile device and a network application using an electronic mail interface computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a first request for change of electronic mail data from the mobile device, wherein the request for change of electronic mail data includes a first set of expiration data defining a time interval for returning a response to the mobile device from the electronic mail interface computing device;

determining an event corresponding to the first request for change of electronic mail data during the time interval, wherein determining the event includes, upon expiration of the time interval, transmitting a notification that no electronic mail data has been changed in response to the request for change of electronic mail data;

receiving a second request for change of electronic mail data from the mobile device, wherein the request for change of electronic mail data includes the second set of expiration data defining a second time interval for returning a response different from the first set of expiration data;

determining a second event corresponding to the second request for change of electronic mail data during the second time interval, the second event including obtaining a notification that electronic mail has been changed; and

transmitting during the second time interval a notification of a message from the electronic mail interface computing device to the mobile device, the notification including a truncated portion of a message.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

monitoring a time interval for receiving a response to the request for change of electronic mail data;

determining when the time interval exceeds an expiration period corresponding to the first set of expiration data; and

determining an event corresponding to the first request for change of electronic mail data has occurred based on the time interval.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating second set of expiration data for returning a response based upon at least one network condition, including generating the second set of expiration data corresponds to an adjustment of the first set of expiration data based upon a comparison of a sum of the weights for at set of events related to communication between the mobile device and the network application.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first and second set of expiration data correspond to fixed time intervals and wherein generating a second set of expiration data for returning a response based upon at least one network condition includes:

associating a weight for a set of events related to communication between a mobile device and the network application;

obtaining the first set of expiration data;

adjusting the first set of expiration data to generate the second set of expiration data based upon a comparison of a sum of the weights for the set of events to a set of thresholds; and

wherein generating a second set of expiration data for returning a response based upon at least one network condition includes generating the second set of expiration data based on at least one network condition.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting the first set of expiration data to generate the second set of expiration data based upon a comparison of a sum of the weights for the set of events to a set of thresholds includes increasing the first set of expiration data if the sum of the weights exceeds a maximum threshold.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting the first set of expiration data to generate the second set of expiration data based upon a comparison of a sum of the weights for the set of events to a set of thresholds includes decreasing the first set of expiration data if the sum of the weights exceeds a minimum threshold.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the sum of the weights for the set of events to a set of thresholds corresponds to function of the weight of each event diminished by a time expired since the event occurred.

13. A system for facilitating data exchange, the system comprising:

one or more client devices configured for generating a request for change of electronic mail data, wherein the request for generating a change of electronic mail data includes a first expiration time period for returning a response to the mobile device from the electronic mail interface computing device; and

at least one network application configured for;

receiving the request for change of electronic mail data,

transmitting a notification that no electronic mail data has changed if a monitored time period corresponding to the first expiration time period has lapsed and no electronic mail data has changed,

transmitting a truncated version of a message from the at least one network application to the one or more client devices prior to lapse of the first expiration time period if electronic mail data has changed, and

receiving a request for additional portions of the message.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more client devices determines an event has occurred if the client devices receives a notification that no electronic mail data has been changed in response to the request for change of electronic mail data from the network application.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising software configured to execute on the system and further configured to calculate a second expiration time period from a network confidence value, which is a sum of a summand and a weight of an initial network event, the summand being another sum of one or more quotients of a dividend and a divisor, the dividend being a weight of a network event at a particular time, the divisor being a remainder of a measurement of time of the initial network event as a minuend and a measurement of time of the network event at the particular time as a subtrahend.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second expiration time period corresponds to an adjustment of the first expiration time period based upon a comparison of a sum of the weights for a set of events related to communication between the mobile device and the network application.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the sum of the weights for the set of events to a set of thresholds corresponds to a function of the weight of each event diminished by a time period expired since the event occurred.

18. A method for facilitating communication at a mobile device, the method comprising:

transmitting from the mobile device a request for change of data, wherein the request for change of data includes a first set of expiration data and a notification preference indicating a preference to first receive truncated portions of messages before receiving entire retrieved electronic messages, and wherein the expiration data defines a time interval for returning a response to the mobile device;

if electronic mail data has changed prior to expiration of the time interval, receiving a response including a truncated portion of changed data at the mobile device;

if, during the time interval no electronic mail data has changed, receiving a notification at the mobile device that no electronic mail data has changed after expiration of the time interval.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting from the mobile device a second request for change of data including a second set of expiration data for returning a response.