Enterprise Push Notification System Bypassing APNS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Enterprise mobile applications face limitations with Apple Push Notifications Service (APNS), including security concerns, dependency on Apple servers, payload size restrictions, and potential data loss when devices are offline, which necessitate an alternative solution for delivering enterprise data to mobile devices without relying on APNS.

Innovation Solution

An enterprise push notification system that establishes a persistent connection between a push application on a mobile device and a push server, allowing enterprise data to be routed directly between enterprise applications and the push server, enabling secure, customizable data delivery and eliminating the need for APNS registration and payload size limitations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If APNS is used to deliver enterprise notifications, then push notification functionality is available, but security concerns arise due to data routing through Apple servers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepush notification deliveryVSAvoidsecurity risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the push notification functionality from the Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) infrastructure and implements a custom push server that operates independently. This allows enterprises to maintain full control over their notification data routing while still providing reliable push notification delivery to mobile devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an enterprise-controlled push server as an intermediary between the enterprise applications and mobile devices. This intermediary replaces the Apple server in the data path, allowing secure end-to-end encryption while maintaining push notification reliability through persistent connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If APNS is used for push notifications, then service availability is provided, but dependency on third-party services increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidservice independence

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-service push notification system where enterprises operate their own push servers using open standards (XMPP, WebSocket). This eliminates dependency on third-party services like APNS while maintaining service availability through persistent client-server connections that enable reliable notification delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If APNS payload size limits are enforced, then protocol compatibility is maintained, but data delivery flexibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoidpayload size flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the payload size parameter from the APNS-imposed 256-byte limit to arbitrarily large sizes by using alternative protocols (XMPP with Streamed XML, WebSocket). This allows enterprises to send comprehensive notifications with attachments, images, and detailed information while maintaining protocol compatibility through standardized communication interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Loss of energy

If APNS notification retention policy is applied, then server resource usage is optimized, but data loss occurs when devices are offline

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver resource efficiencyVSAvoidnotification delivery guarantee

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by having the push server maintain persistent connections and retain notification data in queues before devices come online. This allows notifications to be prepared and held ready for delivery, ensuring reliable data transmission even when devices are temporarily offline, while managing server resources through controlled retention policies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9148460B1Push notifications for enterprise applications

Publication Date: 2015.09.29 CELLCO PARTNERSHIP INC

AI summary

An enterprise push application on a mobile device receives a registration credential for registering an enterprise application with an enterprise push server operated by a first enterprise. The enterprise push application forwards the registration credential from the enterprise push application to the enterprise push server for registering the enterprise application with the enterprise push server. An indication of successful registration of the enterprise application is received at the enterprise push application and from enterprise push server. Responsive to the indication of a successful registration, a first persistent connection between the enterprise push application and the enterprise push server to receive enterprise data from the enterprise push server and at the enterprise push application is established. The first persistent connection is in addition to or instead of a second persistent connection established by a second enterprise different from the first enterprise for routing enterprise data to the mobile device.