Wireless device background uplink small data packet

A wireless device including:

• a processor;
• a memory unit configured to hold one or more applications that are executable by the processor, the applications when executed generating application data packets, including background traffic data packets, for transmission to a network, the background traffic data packets being related to at least one of a periodic message to keep alive a connection of the one or more applications to a remote server of the network, periodically reporting location information to the remote server, periodically requesting data from the remote server by the one or more applications, and periodically receiving data from the remote server by the one or more applications;
• and
• a communications unit comprising:
• a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit the application data packets to the network;
• and
• a transceiver control unit configured to receive, prior to their transmission, all application data packets that are to be transmitted by the wireless transceiver and to control transmission by the wireless transceiver of the received application data packets, the transceiver control unit including an aggregation unit that is configured to hold all background traffic data packets received by the transceiver control unit over an aggregation period, and to cause the wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit the held background traffic data packets after the aggregation period has expired, the aggregation period having a predetermined maximum duration of T;
• wherein the transceiver control unit is configured to variably set a value of T in accordance with instructions received from the processor, the instructions being generated by the processor in accordance with at least one of a user input and an automatic aggregation time period routine based on at least one current condition including a current battery life of the wireless device and a subscription status associated with the wireless device;
• wherein the transceiver control unit is configured to increase T when the battery life is below a predetermined level, and to set the value of T lower than T of another wireless device associated with a lower priority subscription status than that of the wireless device such that the wireless device transmits the held background traffic data packets more frequently than the another wireless device.

A system comprising:

• a network configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one wireless device that includes a communications unit comprising:
• a wireless transceiver configured to transmit data packets including background traffic data packets to the network, the background traffic data packets being related to at least one of a periodic message to keep alive a connection of an application to a remote server of the network, periodically reporting location information to the remote server, periodically requesting data from the remote server by the application, and periodically receiving data from the remote server by the application;
• and
• a transceiver control unit configured to receive, prior to their transmission, all data packets that are to be transmitted by the wireless transceiver and to control transmission by the wireless transceiver of the received data packets, the transceiver control unit includes an aggregation unit that is configured to hold all background traffic data packets received by the transceiver control unit over an aggregation period, and to cause the wireless transceiver to wirelessly transmit the held background traffic data packets after the aggregation period has expired, the aggregation period having a predetermined maximum duration of T,
• wherein the network is configured to wirelessly transmit communications to the at least one wireless device that control a value of T for the at least one wireless device;
• wherein the transceiver control unit is configured to variably set a value of T in accordance with instructions received from a processor of the wireless device, the instructions being generated by the processor in accordance with at least one of a user input and an automatic aggregation time period routine based on at least one current condition including a current battery life of the at least one wireless device and a subscription status associated with the at least one wireless device;
• wherein the transceiver control unit is configured to increase T when the battery life is below a predetermined level, and to set the value of T lower than T of another wireless device associated with a lower priority subscription status than that of the at least one wireless device such that the at least one wireless device transmits the held background traffic data packets more frequently than the another wireless device.