US 6,721,288 B1 · Wireless mobile devices having improved operation during network unavailability

Abstract

Improved techniques for reducing delays faced by users of mobile devices due to unavailability of wireless networks are disclosed. The techniques facilitate the reduction of delays faced by users of mobile devices during unavailability of wireless networks. A first technique allows mobile devices to communicate with remote servers using asynchronous communications, namely asynchronous requests. Such asynchronous communications allow the processing at a mobile device to continue while the asynchronous request is processed in the background. A second technique pertains to the use of content channels with mobile devices. The content channels are stored and retained in cache memory so that their resources are guaranteed to be locally available, regardless of availability of wireless networks. A third technique pertains to improved list processing within mobile devices such that lists can be manipulated without server interaction. These various techniques can be used separately or in combination.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method for sending a resource request of a mobile device to a remote server through a wireless network, said method comprising the acts of:

(a) receiving a resource request, the requested resource being associated with the remote server;
(b) determining whether the requested resource is of a synchronous type resource request or of an asynchronous type resource request;
(c) placing the resource request in an outgoing queue and not awaiting a resource reply when said determining (b) determines that the resource request is an asynchronous type resource request;
and
(d) when said determining (b) determines that the resource request is a synchronous type resource request, performing the acts of
(d1) determining whether the requested resource is present in a local cache memory of the mobile device;
(d2) supplying the requested resource from the local cache memory when said determining (d) determines that the requested resource is present in the local cache memory;
and
(d3) sending the resource request to the remote server through the wireless network and awaiting a resource reply when said determining (d) determines that the requested resource is not present in the local cache memory.

6 more elements

A mobile device that connects to a remote server through a network, said mobile device comprising:

an application that executes on said mobile device, said application produces outgoing messages that are to be sent to the remote server;
an asynchronous message queue that stores outgoing messages from said application that are to be sent from said mobile device to the remote server;
and
an asynchronous message manager that manages the sending of the outgoing messages from said asynchronous message queue to the remote server through the network,
wherein the outgoing messages are synchronous or asynchronous messages,
wherein said mobile device further comprises a synchronous message manager that manages the sending of the synchronous messages to the remote server through the network,
wherein said asynchronous message queue stores the asynchronous messages from said application that are to be sent from said mobile device to the remote server, and
wherein said asynchronous message manager that manages the sending of the asynchronous messages from said asynchronous message queue to the remote server through the network.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wireless mobile devices having improved operation during network unavailability

Life of this patent

Wireless mobile devices having improved operation during network unavailability

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28