Dynamic adjustment of keep-alive messages for efficient battery usage in a mobile network

• US 9,485,732 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Backholm, Ari, Tervahauta, Mikko, Salorinne, Seppo, Ahonen, Jukka, Daavittila, Mikko, Everitt, Andrew, Vuornos, Lauri
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Application Number:
  US14/662,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20150195786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 455/466
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/103 with adaptive polling, i.e. dynamically adapting the polling rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/44 in connection with interruption of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for IP [=Internet Protocol] communication between a mobile terminal and its correspondent node in a mobile radio network. The method comprises establishing an IP connection between the mobile terminal and its correspondent node. After detecting a period of inactivity in the IP connection, keep-alive messages are sent via the IP connection at predetermined intervals, which are varied. The method comprises monitoring the lengths of several periods of inactivity at which the mobile radio network disconnects the IP connection. Based on the monitored lengths of periods of inactivity, a maximum interval (T_INT) between keep-alive messages is determined such that the maximum interval meets a predetermined criterion of statistical confidence, and the interval between keep-alive messages is set to the maximum interval (T_INT).

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a communications interface;

a battery;

the mobile terminal in conjunction with the communications interface is configured for;

establishing a first connection over a network between a mobile terminal and a remote entity;

sending keep-alive messages at varying intervals via the first connection in response to inactivity in the first connection;

wherein the first connection is disconnected after a first period of inactivity;

establishing a second connection over the network between the mobile terminal and the remote entity;

wherein the second connection is disconnected after a second period of inactivity, and

sending keep-alive messages in response to inactivity in a subsequent connection, wherein the keep-alive messages are sent at a safe interval that meets a criterion of statistical confidence that is based on the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured for associating the safe interval with the network.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured for sending keep-alive messages in response to inactivity in a second network, wherein the keep-alive messages are sent at a second safe interval that meets a criterion of statistical confidence.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3, wherein the mobile terminal is further configured for associating the second safe interval with the second network.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first connection is a TCP/IP connection.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the safe interval is less than the first and second periods of inactivity by at least a safety margin.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the safety margin is about two minutes.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the safety margin is greater for a network with poor connectivity.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 6, wherein the safe interval is between a period of inactivity at which the first connection was not disconnected and the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the safe interval is between a period of inactivity at which the first connection was not disconnected and the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the safe interval is used for sending keep-alive messages when re-entering the network.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal in conjunction with the communications interface is configured for optimizing battery consumption.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the statistical confidence is based on the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity being about a same length of time.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the statistical confidence is based on the first period of inactivity and second period of inactivity being greater than a predetermined period.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the statistical confidence is based on a number of periods of inactivity after which the network is disconnected.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the statistical confidence is based on a period of inactivity after which the first connection was not disconnected and the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein keep-alive messages are sent at varying intervals before and after disconnection of the first connection until disconnection of the second connection.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein keep-alive messages are sent at varying intervals before and after disconnection of the first connection until determining the interval.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the safe interval is less than the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

20. A method for network communication between a mobile terminal and a remote entity in a network, the method comprising:

establishing a first connection over a network between a mobile terminal and a remote entity;

sending keep-alive messages at varying intervals via the first connection in response to inactivity in the first connection;

wherein the first connection is disconnected after a first period of inactivity;

establishing a second connection over the network between the mobile terminal and the remote entity;

wherein the second connection is disconnected after a second period of inactivity, and

sending keep-alive messages in response to inactivity in a subsequent connection,

wherein the keep-alive messages are sent at a safe interval that meets a criterion of statistical confidence that is based on the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

21. The method of claim 20, further including associating the safe interval with the network.

22. The method of claim 21, further including sending keep-alive messages in response to inactivity in a second network, wherein the keep-alive messages are sent at a second safe interval that meets a criterion of statistical confidence.

23. The method of claim 22, further including associating the second safe interval with the second network.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first connection is a TCP/IP connection.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the safe interval is less than the first and second periods of inactivity by at least a safety margin.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the safety margin is about two minutes.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the safety margin is greater for a network with poor connectivity.