Cache state management on a mobile device to preserve user experience

• US 8,635,339 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Inventors: Luna, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ashraf, Waseem
• Application Number:
  US13/592,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data

Abstract

Systems and methods for cache state management to preserve user experience with a mobile application on a mobile device while conserving resources in a wireless network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method can include, for example, storing content from a content server as cached elements in a local cache on the mobile device and in response to receiving polling requests to contact the content server, retrieving the cached elements from the local cache to respond to the polling requests made at the mobile device, and/or using state information associated with the cached elements to provide the cached elements as responses to the polling requests such that user experience is preserved.

Claims

1. A method of cache state management on a mobile device to preserve user experience, the method, comprising:

storing content from a content server as cached elements in a local cache on the mobile device;

in response to receiving polling requests to contact the content server, retrieving the cached elements from the local cache to respond to the polling requests made at the mobile device;

using state information associated with the cached elements to provide the cached elements as responses to the polling requests such that user experience is preserved;

wherein, the polling requests are made by a mobile application installed on the mobile device;

invalidating the cached elements in the local cache when new or changed data is detected at the content server;

wherein, the state information includes an identification of a polling request whose corresponding cached element is to be invalidated; and

enabling use of a radio on the mobile device to satisfy the polling requests when the cache elements have been invalidated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the state information includes, an ordering of the polling requests;

wherein, the cached elements are provided as responses in the ordering that corresponds to the polling requests.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the state information includes, a time interval between the polling requests;

wherein, the cached elements are provided as responses according to the time interval between the polling requests.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, the state information includes a mapping of the polling requests to the cached elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the radio of the mobile device is not activated to service the polling request.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

receiving responses from the use of the radio;

using the state information to determine order or timing with which the responses are provided to an application on the mobile device to preserve user experience with the application.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein, storage of the cached elements in the local cache is managed by a local proxy on the mobile device, the local proxy being able to identify the content server for which content is cached to a proxy server remote from the mobile device,

wherein, the proxy server is able to establish wireless connectivity to the mobile device and communicate with the content server;

wherein, the state information is provided by the proxy server.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein, the proxy server monitors the content server for new or changed data, and notifies the local proxy to invalidate some or all of the cached elements.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein, the proxy server conveys the state information in a state table to the local proxy when notifying the local proxy to invalidate some or all of the cached elements.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein, the proxy server tracks and updates the state information when some or all of the cached elements are to be invalidated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, the state information is sent to the mobile device on a schedule, or on a per application basis, or on a per-device basis.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein, the schedule is dynamically adjusted based on operating conditions or network conditions or adjustable based on a user'"'"'s explicit or inferred preferences.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, the state information is sent to the mobile device with a message to invalidate one or more cached elements on the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein, the state information further indicates whether a cached element is a response made in response to user interaction or programmatic refresh of an application.

15. A mobile device which implements a cache management method to preserve user experience, the mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory unit having stored thereon instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

store content as cached elements in a local cache on the mobile device;

retrieve the cached elements from the local cache to respond to the polling requests made at the mobile device;

using state information associated with the cached elements to provide the cached elements as responses to the polling requests such that user experience is preserved;

wherein, the polling requests are made by a mobile application installed on the mobile device;

invalidate the cached elements in the local cache when new or changed data is detected at a content server;

wherein, the state information includes an identification of a polling request whose corresponding cached element is to be invalidated; and

enable use of a radio on the mobile device to satisfy the polling requests when the cached elements have been invalidated.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein, the processor, receives responses from the use of the radio;

using the state information to determine order or timing with which the responses are provided to the mobile application on the mobile device to preserve user experience with the mobile application.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein, the cached elements include background traffic used by the mobile application.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein, the cached elements include interactive traffic used by the mobile application.