Dynamic Keep-Alive Interval for VoIP Pinhole Connectivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

IP telephony systems face challenges in maintaining continuous connectivity due to pinhole timers on data network interface devices, which can lead to delayed or failed incoming calls when the timer expires, causing battery drain and inefficiency in battery-powered devices like smartphones.

Innovation Solution

Implement a method for determining and adjusting the optimal time interval for sending keep-alive messages to keep the pinhole open, using a gradual lengthening process to find the longest interval before the pinhole closes, while minimizing battery drain by exploiting operating system features to wake up the application only when necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If keep-alive messages are sent frequently to maintain pinhole openness, then incoming call connectivity is improved, but battery consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincoming call connectivityVSAvoidbattery consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the keep-alive message transmission interval based on the detected pinhole timer duration. The application starts with an initial interval, sends keep-alive messages, and progressively increases the interval between messages to find the maximum interval that still keeps the pinhole open. This dynamic adjustment optimizes battery usage while maintaining connectivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the time interval parameter of keep-alive messages from a fixed value to a variable value that adapts to the specific pinhole timer duration of the network interface device. By detecting the pinhole timer duration and setting the keep-alive interval to a fraction thereof, the system achieves reliable connectivity with minimal battery consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the pinhole timer duration is short, then network security is improved, but call setup reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork securityVSAvoidcall setup reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the application monitors whether incoming calls can be successfully set up. If call setup fails (indicating the pinhole closed), the application adjusts the keep-alive message timing strategy. The system detects the pinhole timer duration by attempting calls at increasing intervals and uses this feedback to optimize the keep-alive strategy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The application performs preliminary actions by sending keep-alive messages before the pinhole timer expires. By detecting the pinhole duration and setting keep-alive intervals to a fraction of that duration, the system proactively maintains the pinhole open, preventing call setup failures before they occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If keep-alive messages are sent continuously, then pinhole openness is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepinhole opennessVSAvoidapplication complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses self-service by leveraging the existing operating system wake-up mechanisms and the network interface device's pinhole timer behavior. The application doesn't need complex external control systems; instead, it autonomously detects the pinhole duration, calculates appropriate intervals, and manages its own keep-alive messaging strategy using standard OS features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8892748B1Systems and methods for enabling data communications to a telephony device

Publication Date: 2014.11.18 VONAGE AMERICA LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods for determining an interval for the transmission of keep alive messages that will prevent a pinhole of a data network interface device from closing are driven by a software client on a computing device. The software client informs a network server of a first time interval, and the server uses the first time interval to send communications to the computing device that trigger the computing device to send keep alive messages to the server. If the first time interval does not result in the pinhole closing, the software client instructs the network server to send messages to the computing device that trigger the computing device to send keep alive messages to the server according to a second, longer time interval. This process repeats until the pinhole ultimately closes, and then the last interval that did not cause the pinhole to close is selected for use.