Offloading Keep-Alive Packets to Assisting Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, mobile devices face battery drain due to the need to send periodic keep-alive packets to maintain NAT and firewall states, especially when idle, which can lead to connection resets and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
An assisting wireless communications device is instructed by an application server to transmit keep-alive packets on behalf of a mobile communications device, using the same air interface mechanism within the internal network, to maintain the NAT and firewall states without draining the mobile device's battery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mobile device transmits periodic keep-alive packets to maintain NAT and firewall states, then the connection stability is improved, but the battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an assisting wireless communications device as an intermediary that transmits keep-alive packets on behalf of the mobile device. This mediator device maintains the NAT and firewall states without requiring the mobile device to wake up and transmit packets, thus preserving connection stability while eliminating the battery drain associated with periodic transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The assisting device performs the keep-alive function autonomously without requiring active participation from the mobile device. The mobile device can remain in a low-power state while the assisting device independently manages the connection maintenance by transmitting packets through the same air interface mechanism.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the mobile device wakes up periodically to send keep-alive packets, then the NAT and firewall states are maintained, but the device operational time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The assisting device acts as a mediator that handles the periodic wake-up and packet transmission tasks. The mobile device delegates this function to the assisting device, allowing it to remain dormant for extended periods while the NAT and firewall states are maintained by the intermediary's periodic transmissions.
3Reliability
If the mobile device transmits keep-alive packets, then the connection is maintained, but the wireless network resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the keep-alive transmission function with the assisting device's existing wireless communications capability. By combining these functions in a single device, the system maintains connections for multiple devices through one unified transmission source, reducing overall wireless network resource usage compared to each device transmitting separately.
Data Source
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Figure 2B
AI summary
In an embodiment, a mobile communications device (MCD) is positioned within an internal network that is separated from an external network by network address translation (NAT) and/or a firewall. The MCD establishes settings with the NAT and/or firewall by which the MCD can be contacted through from the external network. The settings are configured to be disabled by the NAT and/or firewall after a threshold period of traffic inactivity. An application server receives information associated with the settings, and instructs an assisting application server (AAS) within the internal network to transmit keep-alive packets on behalf of the MCD so as to maintain the settings for the MCD. The AAS receives the instructions from the application server, and instructs an assisting wireless communications device (WCD) within the internal network to transmit keep-alive packets on behalf of the MCD. The WCD then transmits the keep-alive packets in accordance with the instructions.