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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10548180-B2
Application number	US-201916245625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Aug 11, 2005
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

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.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for network communication between a mobile terminal and a remote entity in a communications network, the method comprising:
establishing a first connection over a network between a mobile terminal and a remote entity;
exchanging keep-alive messages at varying intervals over the first connection based on periods of inactivity of 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;
exchanging keep-alive messages at varying intervals over the second connection based on periods of inactivity of the second connection;
wherein the second connection is disconnected after a second period of inactivity; and
sending, from the mobile terminal, keep-alive messages at a safe interval via a subsequent connection over the network based on inactivity in the subsequent connection, wherein the safe interval is based on the first disconnection and the second disconnection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second connections is a TCP/IP connection.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating a network-specific safe interval with the network.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the network-specific safe interval is used for sending keep-alive messages when re-entering the network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe interval is less than the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity by at least a safety margin.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe interval is based on the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity are about a same length of time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe interval is greater than a period of inactivity at which the first connection was not disconnected.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity are greater than a predetermined period.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe interval is between a period of inactivity at which the first and second connections of the network were not disconnected and the first and second periods of inactivity.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe interval is based on a number of periods of inactivity at which a connection is disconnected.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the safe interval is based on reducing battery consumption of the mobile terminal.

13. A method for network communication between a mobile terminal and a remote entity in a communications network, the method comprising:
establishing a first connection over a network between a mobile terminal and a remote entity;
exchanging keep-alive messages at varying intervals over the first connection based on periods of inactivity of 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;
exchanging keep-alive messages at varying intervals over the second connection based on periods of inactivity of the second connection;
wherein the second connection is disconnected after a second period of inactivity; and
receiving, from the mobile terminal, keep-alive messages at a safe interval via a subsequent connection over the network based on inactivity in the subsequent connection, wherein the safe interval is based on the first disconnection and the second disconnection.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second connections is a TCP/IP connection.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising associating a network-specific safe interval with the network.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the network-specific safe interval is used for sending keep-alive messages when re-entering the network.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the safe interval is less than the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity by at least a safety margin.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the safe interval is based on the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity are about a same length of time.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the safe interval is greater than a period of inactivity at which the first connection was not disconnected.

21. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity are greater than a predetermined period.

22. The method of claim 13 , wherein the safe interval is between a period of inactivity at which the first and second connections of the network were not disconnected and the first and second periods of inactivity.

23. The method of claim 13 , wherein the safe interval is based on a number of periods of inactivity at which a connection is disconnected.

24. The method of claim 13 , wherein the safe interval is based on reducing battery consumption of the mobile terminal.

25. 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;
exchanging keep-alive messages at varying intervals over the first connection based on periods of inactivity of 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;
exchanging keep-alive messages at varying intervals over the second connection based on periods of inactivity of the second connection;
wherein the second connection is disconnected after a second period of inactivity; and
sending, from the mobile terminal, keep-alive messages at a safe interval via a subsequent connection over the network based on inactivity in the subsequent connection, wherein the safe interval is based on the first disconnection and the second disconnection.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 25 , wherein at least one of the first and second connections is a TCP/IP connection.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 25 , further comprising associating a network-specific safe interval with the network.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 27 , wherein the network-specific safe interval is used for sending keep-alive messages when re-entering the network.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 25 , wherein the safe interval is less than the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity by at least a safety margin.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 25 , wherein the safe interval is based on the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity.

31. The mobile terminal of claim 25 , wherein the first period of inactivity and the second period of inactivity are about a same length of time.

32. The mobile terminal of claim 25 , wherein the safe interval is greater than a period of inactivity at which the first connection was not disconnected.

33. The mobile

Assignees

• Seven Networks Llc

Inventors

• Backholm Ari
• Tervahauta Mikko
• Salorinne Seppo
• Ahonen Jukka
• Daavittila Mikko
• Everitt Andrew
• Vuornos Lauri

Classifications

• H04L43/103

  with adaptive polling, i.e. dynamically adapting the polling rate · CPC title

• Y02B70/30

  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 title

• H04W52/0212

  managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower · CPC title

• H04W80/04

  Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol] · CPC title

• H04W76/11

  Allocation or use of connection identifiers · CPC title