Title of Invention

"AN ALWAYS-ON WIRELESS INTERNET PROTOCOL NETWORK"

Abstract

In accordance with the teachings described herein,, systems and methods are provided for always-on wireless IP communication. An access provider network (APN) that includes an always-on packet data serving node (PDSN) may be used to ommunicate over a wireless communication Iink with a mobile station. The PDSN may nclude an inactivity timer and may be used to s et t he i nactivity timer t o a n i nactivity timer starting value and send a starting value estimate to the mobile station over the vireless communication link, wherein the starting value estimate is a function of the anactivity timer starting value. The mobile station may include an inactivity timer stimate and may be used to receive the startffig value estimate and set the inactivity mer estimate to the starting value estimate. The mobile station may also be used to set the inactivity timer estimate to the starting value estimate when the mobile station communicates with the APN.

Full Text

DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE) AND CLAIMS OCR NOT PREPARE DUE TO PRINT PROBLEM We Claim : 1. An always-on wireless internet protocol, IP, network system, comprising: an access provider network, APN (12, 20) including an always-on packet data serving node, PDSN (16, 25), the APN being operable to communicate over a wireless communication link with a mobile station (10); the PDSN (16, 25) including an inactivity timer (430), the PDSN being operable to set the inactivity timer (430) to an inactivity timer starting value and send a starting value estimate (335) to the mobile station (10) over the wireless communication link, wherein the starting value estimate (335) is a function of the inactivity timer starting value; the mobile station (10) including an inactivity timer estimate (330), the mobile station being operable to receive the starting value estimate (335) and set the inactivity timer estimate (330) to the starting value estimate (335); and the mobile station (10) being further operable to reset the inactivity timer estimate (330) to the starting value estimate (335) when the mobile station (10) communicates with the APN (12, 20). 2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile station (10) includes a mobile station module (315) that sets and resets the inactivity timer estimate. 3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inactivity timer starting value is a maximum value and wherein the PDSN (16, 25) decrements the inactivity timer (430) from the maximum value when there is no data activity on the wireless communication link. 4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the starting value estimate (335) is a maximum value and wherein the mobile station (10) decrements the inactivity timer estimate (330) from the maximum value when there is no data activity on the wireless communication link. 5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the wireless communication link between the mobile station (10) and the APN (12, 20) is maintained until the inactivity timer estimate (330) is decremented to a pre-selected value. 6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein if the inactivity timer estimate (330) reaches a pre-selected value, then the mobile station (10) being configured to enter an inactive state. 7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein if the inactivity timer estimate (330) reaches a pre-selected value, then the mobile station (10) being configured to establish a new wireless communication link between the mobile station (10) and the APN (12, 20). 8. The system as claimed in claim 1, where the wireless communication link between the APN (12, 20) and the mobile station (10) is a point-to-point protocol, PPP, session. 9. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the PDSN (16, 25) is operable to send the starting value estimate (335) to the mobile station upon entering an IP control protocol, IPCP, open state on the PPP session. 10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PDSN (16, 25) is operable to send an updated starting value estimate (335) to the mobile station (10) if the inactivity timer starting value is modified. 11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the always-on wireless IP network is a CDMA2000 network. 12. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein starting value estimate (335) is included in a link control protocol, LCP, message transmitted from the APN to the mobile station. 13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the LCP message is an Echo-Request message. 14. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mobile station module (315) resets the inactivity timer estimate (330) to the starting value estimate (335) in response to the mobile station successfully sending an Echo-Reply message to the APN (12,20). 15. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mobile station module (315) resets the inactivity timer estimate (330) to the starting value estimate (335) in response to the mobile station receiving an Echo-Request message from the APN (12,20). 16. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the mobile station module (315) resets the inactivity timer estimate (330) to the starting value estimate (335) in response to PPP activity between the mobile station and the APN (12, 20). 17. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PDSN (16,25) includes an always-on PDSN module (415) that is operable to monitor activity on the wireless communication link between the APN (12, 20) and the mobile station and reset the inactivity timer (430) to the inactivity timer starting value if activity is detected. 18. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inactivity timer estimate (330) is equal to the inactivity timer starting value. 19. The system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the inactivity timer (430) is a PPP inactivity timer. 20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the inactivity timer starting value is a maximum PPP timer value. 21. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the PDSN (16,25) is operable to send an LCP request message to the mobile station if the PPP inactivity timer (430) reaches a pre-selected value. 22. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the PDSN (16, 25) includes an Echo-Reply-Timeout timer (460), and wherein the PDSN is operable to reset the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer to an Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value and reset the PPP inactivity timer (430) to the inactivity timer starting value if the APN (12, 20) receives a PPP message from the mobile station (10). 23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the starting value estimate (335) is a function of the inactivity timer starting value and the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value. 24. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the PDSN (16, 25) is configured to send the mobile station (10) an updated starting value estimate if the inactivity timer starting value or the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value is modified. 25. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the PDSN (16, 25) includes an Echo-Request-Retries counter (470), and wherein if the Echo-Reply-Timeout counter reaches a pre-determined value, then the PDSN being configured to resend the Echo-Request message to the mobile station and reset the Echo-Request- Retries from a starting value to identify a number of times that the PDSN attempts to send the Echo-Request message to the mobile station without receiving an Echo-Reply message from the mobile station. 26. The system as claimed in claim 25, wherein if the Echo-Request-Retries counter (470) reaches a pre-selected cutoff value, then the PDSN being configured to close the PPP session. 27. The system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the starting value estimate (335) is a function of the inactivity timer starting value, the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value and the Echo-Request-Retries counter starting value. 28. The system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the PDSN (16, 25) is configured to send the mobile station an updated starting value estimate if the inactivity timer starting value, Echo-Reply-Timeout timer starting value or Echo-Request-Retries counter cutoff value is modified. 29. A method of maintaining an always-on wireless communications link between a mobile station (10) and an access provider network, APN (12, 20) including an always-on packet data serving node, PDSN (16, 15), said method comprising: establishing a wireless communication link between the mobile station (10) and the APN (12, 20); setting an inactivity timer (430) in the PDSN (16, 25) to an inactivity timer starting value; sending a starting value estimate (335) from the PDSN to the mobile station (10) that is a function of the inactivity timer starting value; setting an inactivity timer estimate (330) in the mobile station (10) to the starting value estimate (335); monitoring the wireless communication link between the mobile station (10) and the PDSN (16, 25) for data traffic between the mobile station and the PDSN (16, 25); and if data traffic is detected, then resetting the inactivity timer estimate (330) in the mobile station to the starting value estimate (335) and resetting the inactivity timer (430) in the PDSN to the inactivity timer starting value. 30. The method as claimed in claim 29, further comprising: if the inactivity timer estimate (330) reaches a pre-selected value, then establishing a new wireless communication link between the mobile station and the APN (12,20) or causing the mobile station to enter an inactive state. 31. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the wireless communication link is a point-to-point protocol, PPP, session. 32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the starting value estimate (335) is included in a link control protocol, LCP, message transmitted from the APN (12, 20), to the mobile station. 33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the LCP message is an Echo-Request message. 34. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising: if the inactivity timer (430) in the PDSN (16, 25) reaches a pre-determined value, then transmitting a link control protocol, LCP, Echo-Request message from the APN to the mobile station. 35. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein if the inactivity timer (430) in the PDSN (16, 25) reaches the pre-determined value, then resetting an Echo-Reply- Timeout timer (460) in the PDSN (16, 25). 36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein if the inactivity timer (430) in the PDSN (16, 25) reaches the pre-determined value, then resetting an Echo-Request-Retries counter (470) in the PDSN (16,25). 37. The method as claimed in claim 36, further comprising: monitoring the wireless communication link for an Echo-Reply message from the mobile station (10); if an Echo-Reply message from the mobile station (10) is detected, then resetting each of the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer, the Echo-Request- Retries counter (470) and the inactivity timer (430); if the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer (460) reaches a selected value, then incrementing or decrementing the Echo-Request-Retries counter (470) and transmitting an additional LCP Echo-Request message from the APN (12, 20) to the mobile station (10), and if the Echo-Request-Retries counter (470) is incremented or decremented to a set value and the Echo-Reply-Timeout timer (460) reaches the selected value, then closing the PPP session.

Documents:

354-delnp-2005-abstract.pdf

354-delnp-2005-Claims-(19-12-2011).pdf

354-delnp-2005-claims.pdf

354-delnp-2005-complete specification (as filed).pdf

354-delnp-2005-Complete Specification Granted.pdf

354-delnp-2005-Correspondence Others-(19-12-2011).pdf

354-delnp-2005-correspondence-others.pdf

354-delnp-2005-correspondence-po.pdf

354-delnp-2005-description (complete).pdf

354-delnp-2005-drawings.pdf

354-delnp-2005-form-1.pdf

354-delnp-2005-form-13.pdf

354-delnp-2005-form-18.pdf

354-delnp-2005-form-2.pdf

354-delnp-2005-form-3.pdf

354-delnp-2005-form-5.pdf

354-delnp-2005-gpa.pdf