Method of tracking mobile user sessions
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorRon Pon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In order to improve the mobility of mobile clients, network efficiency and increase the performance of mobile computing and communication environments, provided by the invention is a method of tracking mobile client sessions. The method according to an embodiment of the invention enables mobile computing and communication environments to provide seamless handoffs of both non-secure and secure IP connections between access points and between network domains.
Claims20
A method for a first computing device to identify a second computing device, wherein both the first and second computing devices have addresses, the method comprising:
- the first computing device associating a unique tag with the second computing device that is not the respective address of the second computing device or another address;
- the first computing device transmitting the unique tag to the second computing device so that the second computing device is made aware of the unique tag;
- the first computing device determining whether or not packets received by the first computing device are from the second computing device by identifying the unique tag and not the respective address of the second computing device.
A method for a first computing device to identify a plurality of other computing devices that each communicate with the first computing device, the first computing device and the plurality of other computing devices each having a respective address, the method comprising:
- the first communicating device associating the plurality of other computing devices with a corresponding plurality of unique tags that are not the respective addresses of the plurality of other computing devices or other respective addresses;
- and
- the first computing device respectively transmitting each of the plurality of unique tags to each of the corresponding plurality of other computing devices such that each computing device receives one of the plurality of unique tags;
- whereby in use each of the plurality of unique tags is used by the first computing device to identify transmissions from a corresponding one of the plurality of other computing devices without the first computing device having to rely on the respective addresses of the plurality of other computing devices.
A first computing device adapted to identify a plurality of other computing devices that each communicate with the first computing device, the first computing device and the plurality of other computing devices each having a respective address, wherein the first computing device comprises:
- communication circuitry, configured to perform communication with at least the other computing devices;
- and
- processing hardware coupled to the communication circuitry, wherein the processing hardware is configured to operate with the communication circuitry to identify any one of the plurality of other computing devices by:
- associating the plurality of other computing devices with a corresponding plurality of unique tags that are not the respective addresses of the plurality of other computing devices or other respective addresses;
- and
- transmitting each of the plurality of unique tags to each of the corresponding plurality of other computing devices such that each computing device receives one of the plurality of unique taps;
- whereby in use each of the plurality of unique tags is used by the first computing device to identify transmissions from a corresponding one of the plurality of other computing devices without the first computing device having to rely on the respective addresses of the plurality of other computing devices.
A method for identification of a mobile computing device by a first computing device, wherein both the mobile computing device and the first computing device have addresses, the method comprising:
- the mobile communication device receiving a unique tag from the first computing device, wherein the unique tag is associated with the mobile computing device and is not the respective address of the mobile computing device or another address;
- the mobile computing device including the unique tag in subsequent transmissions to the first computing device so that the first computing device may determine whether or not packets received by the first computing device are from the mobile computing device by identifying the unique tag and not the respective address of the mobile computing device.
A mobile computing device, comprising:
- communication circuitry, configured to communicate with at least a first computing device, wherein both the mobile computing device and the first computing device have addresses;
- and
- processing hardware coupled to the communication circuitry, wherein the processing hardware is configured to operate with the communication circuitry to:
- receive a unique tag from the first computing device, wherein the unique tag is associated with the mobile computing device and is not the respective address of the mobile computing device or another address;
- include the unique tag in subsequent transmissions to the first computing device so that the first computing device may determine whether or not packets received by the first computing device are from the mobile computing device by identifying the unique tag and not the respective address of the mobile computing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.