Method, system and apparatus for dynamic quality of service modification
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for dynamically modifying the quality of service (QoS) provided to a mobile communication device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a mobile communication device comprises a secure channel driver operable to establish a secure tunnel between the mobile communication device and a remote network via a wireless network, the secure tunnel operable to support multiple sockets opened therein; a first application operable to communicate with the remote network via a first socket within the secure tunnel and associated with a first QoS; a second application operable to communicate with the remote network via a second socket within the secure tunnel and associated with a second QoS, different from the first QoS; a QoS monitor operable to identify when the second QoS is appropriate to support the second application; and a QoS modification module operable to request the second QoS from the wireless network.
1. A mobile communication device
comprising: a secure channel driver operable to establish a secure tunnel with end-to-end encryption between the mobile communication device and a remote network via a wireless packet-switched (PS) network and to establish with the wireless PS network a quality of service associated with the secure tunnel, the secure tunnel operable to support multiple sockets opened therein; a first application operable to communicate with the remote network via a first socket operable from the secure channel driver within the secure tunnel and associated with a first quality of service;
a second application operable to communicate with the remote network via a second socket operable from the secure channel driver within the secure tunnel and associated with a second quality of service, different from the first quality of service;
a quality of service monitoring module, integrated with the secure channel driver and operable, responsive to a request to perform one of opening and closing a socket within the secure tunnel, to identify when a change to the quality of service associated with the secure tunnel is appropriate; and
a quality of service modification module, integrated with the secure channel driver, operable to request the change to the quality of service associated with the secure tunnel from the wireless PS network when a change to the quality of service associated with the secure tunnel is appropriate.
2. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the secure channel drive is a virtual private network (VPN) driver.
3. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the first application is one of a messaging application, a contacts management application, a calendar management application, or a browser application.
4. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the second application is one of a streaming audio client, a streaming video client, a VoIP client, or an FTP client.
5. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless PS network is one of an Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS) network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, or a 3rd Generation (3G) network.
6. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 wherein the quality of service monitor and quality of service module comprise a portion of a transport stack within the mobile communication device.
7. A method operable on a mobile communication device, the method comprising:
establishing, by a secure channel driver, a secure tunnel with end-to-end encryption between the mobile communication device and a remote network via a wireless packet-switched (PS) network, the secure tunnel having a quality of service associated therewith, the secure tunnel operable to support multiple sockets opened therein;
opening a first socket, to communicate a first application with the remote network, operable from the secure channel driver within the secure tunnel, wherein the first socket communicating with the quality of service;
responsive to receiving a request to open a second socket, to communicate a second application with the remote network, operable from the secure channel driver within the secure tunnel, wherein the first application and the second application have different quality of service, a quality of service monitoring module integrated with the secure channel driver determining that a change to the quality of service, is appropriate to support communication via the second socket;
responsive to determining that the change to the quality of service is appropriate, the quality of service modification module requesting, from a network node associated with the wireless PS network, the change to the quality of service;
determining, by the quality of service monitoring module integrated with the secure channel driver, responsive to closing the second socket, that a further change to the quality of service associated with the secure tunnel is appropriate; and
requesting, by a quality of service modification module integrated with the secure channel driver, the further change to the quality of service associated with the secure tunnel from the wireless PS network.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the channel driver is a VPN driver.
9. The method according to claim 7 wherein a first quality of service is associated with one of a messaging application, a contacts management application, a calendar management application, or a browser application.
10. The method according to claim 7 wherein a second quality of service is associated with one of a streaming audio client, a streaming video client, a VoIP client, or an FTP client.
11. The method according to claim 7 wherein the wireless PS network is one of an Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Universal Mobile Telephone System (UMTS) network, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, or a 3rd Generation (3G) network.