Maintaining an IP connection in a mobile network

A network element operative to maintain a connection with a mobile terminal in a mobile network, the network element, comprising:

• an electronic processor programmed to execute a set of instructions;
• a data storage device coupled to the processor;
• and
• the set of instructions contained in the data storage device, wherein the set of instructions are executed by the processor, the network element maintains the connection between the mobile terminal and the network element by:
• sending keep alive messages from the network element over an Internet Protocol connection, the keep alive messages being arranged with successive keep alive messages being separated by a time interval;
• altering a time interval between the keep alive messages exchanged between the mobile terminal and the network element;
• monitoring the Internet Protocol connection to determine if disconnection of the IP connection occurs as a result of the altering of the time interval between the keep alive messages;
• determining a value for the time interval, the value being determined such that the Internet Protocol connection with the network element is not disconnected and further based on battery life of the mobile terminal and a battery consumption involved in re-establishing the IP connection;
• wherein, the time intervals are further determined based on a cumulative probability function for the disconnection of the IP connection as a function of the time interval.

A method of maintaining an IP connection between a mobile terminal and a network node over a network, comprising:

• sending, by the mobile terminal to the network node, keep-alive messages in an absence of network traffic through the IP connection between the mobile terminal and the network node;
• dynamically adjusting time intervals between the keep-alive messages sent by the mobile terminal;
• further optimizing the time intervals between the keep alive messages based on a cost to send the keep-alive messages in the network and based on whether the keep-alive messages are sent with adequate frequency to maintain the IP connection;
• wherein, the cost to send the keep-alive messages includes battery life of the mobile terminal;
• wherein, the time intervals are further determined based on a cumulative probability function for the disconnection of the IP connection as a function of the time interval.

A method of maintaining an IP connection between a mobile terminal and a network node over a network, comprising:

• sending keep-alive messages between the mobile terminal and the network node in an absence of network traffic through the IP connection between the mobile terminal and the network node;
• dynamically adjusting time intervals between the keep-alive messages sent across the IP connection between the mobile terminal and the network node;
• optimizing the time intervals between the keep alive messages based on battery life of the mobile terminal and further based on whether the keep-alive messages are sent with adequate frequency to maintain the IP connection;
• wherein, the time intervals are further determined based on a cumulative probability function for the disconnection of the IP connection as a function of the time interval.