Distributed machine-to-machine connectivity

• US 9,295,082 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sennett, Dewayne, Daly, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis, Brian J
• Assistant Examiner(s): TURRIATE GASTULO, JUAN CARLOS
• Application Number:
  US13/095,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20120278490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 370/252
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

Connections and/or transmission times to or from machine-to-machine (M2M) type devices are staggered and/or randomized. M2M data/call sessions are distributed during a time interval. The distributed connections during a time frame can be random, pseudorandom, and/or distributed in accordance with a scheme to mitigate network congestion.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a machine-to-machine device, a short messaging service (SMS) message comprising an indication to initiate a connection;

responsive to receiving the SMS message, determining a start time of a time interval within which to connect the machine-to-machine device and a network;

randomly determining a value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determining a product of R and a length of the time interval;

determining a connection time by adding the product and the start time;

establishing a connection between the machine-to-machine device and the network at the determined connection time;

subsequent to establishing the connection at the determined connection time;

parsing information to be transmitted between the machine-to-machine device and the network into plurality of portions;

for each portion of the plurality of portions;

randomly determining a respective value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determining a respective product of a respective value of R and the length of the time interval; and

determining a respective transmission time by adding the respective product and the start time; and

transmitting, by the machine-to-machine device, each portion of the plurality of portions at the determined respective transmission time, wherein the start time is hashed and subsequently used for authentication of the transmitted each portion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the start time is received in an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the start time is a time at which an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network is received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of R is determined via at least one of a random number generator or a pseudorandom number generator.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises the start time.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises a serial number of the machine-to-machine device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating a transmission of information between the machine-to-machine device and the network during the established connection.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving, by a machine-to-machine device, a short messaging service (SMS) message comprising an indication to initiate a connection;

responsive to receiving the SMS message, determining a start time of a time interval within which to connect the machine-to-machine device and a network;

randomly determining a value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determining a product of R and a length of the time interval;

determining a connection time by adding the product and the start time;

establishing a connection between the machine-to-machine device and the network at the determined connection time;

subsequent to establishing the connection at the determined connection time;

parsing information to be transmitted between the machine-to-machine device and the network into plurality of portions;

for each portion of the plurality of portions;

randomly determining a respective value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determining a respective product of a respective value of R and the length of the time interval; and

determining a respective transmission time by adding the respective product and the start time; and

transmitting, by the machine-to-machine device, each portion of the plurality of portions at the determined respective transmission time.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the start time is received in an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the start is a time at which an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network is received.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a value of R is determined via at least one of a random number generator or a pseudorandom number generator.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises the start time.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises a serial number of the machine-to-machine device.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

authenticating a transmission of information between the machine-to-machine device and the network during the established connection.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operation comprising:

receiving, by a machine-to-machine device, a short messaging service (SMS) message comprising an indication to initiate a connection;

responsive to receiving the SMS message, determining a start time of a time interval within which to connect the machine-to-machine device and a network;

randomly determining a value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determining a product of R and a length of the time interval;

determining a connection time by adding the product and the start time;

establishing a connection between the machine-to-machine device and the network at the determined connection time;

subsequent to establishing the connection at the determined connection time;

parsing information to be transmitted between the machine-to-machine device and the network into plurality of portions;

for each portion of the plurality of portions;

randomly determining a respective value, R, between zero and one, inclusive;

determining a respective product of a respective value of R and the length of the time interval; and

determining a respective transmission time by adding the respective product and the start time; and

transmitting, by the machine-to-machine device, each portion of the plurality of portions at the determined respective transmission time.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the start time is received in an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the start time is a time at which an indication to initiate a connection between the communication device and the network is received.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein a value of R is determined via at least one of a random number generator or a pseudorandom number generator.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises the start time.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein a seed of the at least one of the random number generator or the pseudorandom number generator comprises a serial number of the machine-to-machine device.