Mobile Device Network Traffic Synchronization via Server-Side Time Slot Assignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices experience rapid battery drain due to network-initiated applications that require constant high power mode, leading to increased power consumption and user distraction from frequent notifications, and existing push notification services introduce security risks and single points of failure.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for synchronizing network traffic to a mobile device from multiple servers without a common push notification service, where each server determines a time slot value based on a unique identifier from the mobile device, allowing synchronized data transmission without an intermediary service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a common push notification service is used to forward notifications from multiple servers to mobile devices, then notification delivery is achieved, but a single point of failure and security risks are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the intermediary push notification service from the communication path between servers and mobile devices. Each server directly establishes a long-lived connection with the mobile device, eliminating the need for a central push notification service and its associated security risks and single point of failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the intermediary push notification service that was previously mediating between servers and mobile devices. The direct connection model eliminates this intermediary layer, allowing servers to communicate directly with devices without introducing security holes through the intermediary.
2Speed
If network-initiated applications maintain always-on IP connections to deliver notifications, then real-time notification delivery is achieved, but battery power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by having mobile devices wake up at scheduled time slots to check for notifications. Instead of maintaining constant high-power connections, devices transition to low-power idle mode between time slots and only activate their network interface at predetermined times to receive notifications, significantly reducing average power consumption while maintaining real-time delivery capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple servers send notifications independently to mobile devices, then comprehensive service coverage is achieved, but frequent notifications cause user distraction and battery drain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges notifications from multiple servers into a single consolidated notification at predetermined time slots. Instead of receiving separate notifications from different servers at different times, the mobile device receives all notifications at scheduled intervals, reducing the frequency of user interruptions and battery consumption while maintaining comprehensive service coverage from all servers.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus are provided for synchronizing network traffic to a mobile device from each of multiple servers, wherein each such server can independently determine when to send traffic to the mobile device. More particularly, each of the multiple servers receives, from the mobile device, a value that uniquely identifies the mobile device from among multiple mobile devices. The server determines a time slot value based on the received value and assigns a time slot to the mobile device based on the determined time slot value. The server then transmits data to the mobile device in the assigned time slot. By each of the multiple servers determining the time slot value, and the assigned time slot, based on a same value received from the mobile device, the multiple servers are able to synchronize their transmissions to the mobile device without need of a common, intermediary, push notification service.