In-order message delivery in a distributed store-and-forward system
Techniques described herein enable store-and-forward systems to hold data at source node (e.g., service platform) until they can be provided to the destination node e.g., user device). In other words, data can be buffered at the source node until the destination node is “online,” and the establishment of a connection between the destination node and the intermediate node can trigger the retrieval of this data from the source node by the intermediate node. Additional techniques may be implemented to ensure the data connection between the intermediate node in the destination node does not expire while data is being communicated from the source node to the intermediate node.
1. A method of operating an intermediate node in a distributed store-and-forward system, the method comprising:
establishing, by the intermediate node, a first communication link with a destination node, wherein the first communication link comprises a first Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model layer;
while the first communication link with the destination node is established, sending a request from the intermediate node to an origination node, wherein:
the request is for information to provide to the destination node, and
the request is sent via a second communication link comprising a second OSI model layer different from the first OSI model layer;
receiving, by the intermediate node via the second communication link, a message to provide to the destination node; and
sending the message from the intermediate node to the destination node via the first communication link while the first communication link is established.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining a session timer for the first communication link; and
sending a communication from the intermediate node to the destination node before the session timer indicates a threshold period of inactivity.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the communication from the intermediate node comprises a communication to:
read from a property of the destination node,
write to a property of the destination node,
or both.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second communication link comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication link comprises:
a BLUETOOTH connection,
a BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE) connection,
an LTE-D connection,
a ZIGBEE connection,
an IEEE 802.15.4 connection,
an IEEE 802.11 connection, or
a Near-Field Communication (NFC) connection, or
any combination thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second communication link comprises an OSI model layer 3 or greater.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication link comprises an OSI model layer 2.
8. An electronic device comprising:
a communication interface;
a memory; and
a processing unit communicatively coupled with the communication interface and the memory, the processing unit configured to cause the electronic device to:
establish, via the communication interface, a first communication link with a destination node, wherein the first communication link comprises a first Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model layer;
while the first communication link with the destination node is established, send a request to an origination node via the communication interface, wherein:
the request is for information to provide to the destination node, and
the request is sent via a second communication link comprising a second OSI model layer different from the first OSI model layer;
receive, via the second communication link, a message to provide to the destination node; and
send the message from the electronic device to the destination node via the first communication link while the first communication link is established.
9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the electronic device to:
maintain a session timer for the first communication link; and
send, via the communication interface, a communication to the destination node before the session timer indicates a threshold period of inactivity.
10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the electronic device to include, in the communication a message to:
read from a property of the destination node,
write to a property of the destination node,
or both.
11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the electronic device to establish the second communication link by establishing a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection.
12. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the electronic device to establish the first communication link by establishing:
a BLUETOOTH connection,
a BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE) connection,
an LTE-D connection, a ZIGBEE connection,
an IEEE 802.15.4 connection,
an IEEE 802.11 connection, or
a Near-Field Communication (NFC) connection, or
any combination thereof.
13. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the second communication link comprises an OSI model layer 3 or greater.
14. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first communication link comprises an OSI model layer 2.
15. An apparatus comprising:
means for establishing, by an intermediate node, a first communication link with a destination node, wherein the first communication link comprises a first Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model layer;
means for, while the first communication link with the destination node is established, sending a request from the intermediate node to an origination node, wherein:
the request is for information to provide to the destination node, and
the request is sent via a second communication link comprising a second OSI model layer different from the first OSI model layer;
means for receiving, via the second communication link, a message to provide to the destination node; and
means for sending the message from the intermediate node to the destination node via the first communication link while the first communication link is established.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for maintaining a session timer for the first communication link; and
means for sending a communication from the intermediate node to the destination node before the session timer indicates a threshold period of inactivity.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the means for sending the communication from the intermediate node comprises means for including, in the communication, a message to:
read from a property of the destination node,
write to a property of the destination node,
or both.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising means for establishing the second communication link using a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the means for establishing first communication link comprises means for establishing:
a BLUETOOTH connection,
a BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE) connection,
an LTE-D connection,
a ZIGBEE connection,
an IEEE 802.15.4 connection,
an IEEE 802.11 connection, or
a Near-Field Communication (NFC) connection, or
any combination thereof.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the second communication link comprises an OSI model layer 3 or greater.
21. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first communication link comprises an OSI model layer 2.
22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded therein for operating an intermediate node in a distributed store-and-forward system, the instructions comprising computer code for:
establishing, by the intermediate node, a first communication link with a destination node, wherein the first communication link comprises a first Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model layer;
while the first communication link with the destination node is established, sending a request from the intermediate node to an origination node, wherein:
the request is for information to provide to the destination node, and
the request is sent via a second communication link comprising a second OSI model layer different from the first OSI model layer;
receiving, via the second communication link, a message to provide to the destination node; and
sending the message from the intermediate node to the destination node via the first communication link while the first communication link is established.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the instructions further comprise computer code for:
maintaining a session timer for the first communication link; and
sending a communication from the intermediate node to the destination node before the session timer indicates a threshold period of inactivity.
24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the instructions further comprise computer code for including, in the communication, a message to:
read from a property of the destination node,
write to a property of the destination node,
or both.
25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the instructions further comprise computer code for establishing the second communication link using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection.
26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the instructions further comprise computer code for establishing first communication link using:
a BLUETOOTH connection,
a BLUETOOTH Low Energy (BLE) connection,
an LTE-D connection,
a ZIGBEE connection,
an IEEE 802.15.4 connection,
an IEEE 802.11 connection, or
a Near-Field Communication (NFC) connection, or
any combination thereof.
27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the second communication link comprises an OSI model layer 3 or greater.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the first communication link comprises an OSI model layer 2.