Mobile application traffic optimization
A system with distributed proxy for reducing traffic in a wireless network satisfies data requests made by a mobile application. The system includes a mobile device having a local proxy for intercepting a data request made by the mobile application. The local proxy simulates application server responses for the mobile application on the mobile device for data requests where responses are available in the local cache. A proxy server is coupled to the mobile device and an application server to which the data request is made. The proxy server is able to communicate with the local proxy. The local proxy forwards the data request to the proxy server for transmission to the application server for a response to the data request. The proxy server queries the application server for any changes to the data request that the mobile application has previously made and notifies the local proxy of such changes.
1. A mobile device configured to manage connections between the mobile device and a wireless network, the mobile device comprising:
a memory;
a radio; and
a processor, the mobile device configured to:
batch data from a respective first application and a second application for transmission over a first connection to a first application server and a second application server, wherein the batching of data for the first application and the second application can be enabled or disabled by a user of the mobile device on an application-by-application basis;
receive, via a first connection, one or more push notifications, wherein receiving the one or more push notifications includes allowing the one or more push notifications to be received from a remote server distinct from the first application server and the second application server while the data is batched;
transmit a first message, wherein the first message is associated with the first application and requests content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is available, to the first application server in response to receipt of the one or more push notifications from the remote server;
transmit a second message, wherein the second message is associated with the second application and requests content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is available, to the second application server in response to receipt of the one or more push notifications from the remote server;
transmit the batched data to the respective first application server and the second application server over the wireless network;
receive, via the first connection, the content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is available; and
receive, via a second connection, the content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is unavailable.
2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the batched data from the first application and the second application is batched while a backlight of the mobile device is off in response to inactivity of the mobile device.
3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first connection includes a connection between the mobile device and the remote server that is maintained by sending keep-alive messages between the mobile device and the remote server.
4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the first connection includes an application-specific communication channel.
5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the one or more push notifications are generated in response to new data at the first application server and is indicative of availability of new data at the first application server.
6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the second connection includes a connection between the client device and a content provider via an intermediary server, wherein the intermediary server includes a short message service center (SMSC), and wherein the content received via the second connection is contained in one or more short message service (SMS) messages.
7. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the batched data includes background data.
8. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to batch and transmit the batched data from the first application and the second application by aligning transmission of outgoing network traffic.
9. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to allow the first application to transmit data for a predetermined period of time in response to receipt of the first message from the remote server.
10. A method for managing connections between a mobile device and a wireless network, the method comprising:
at the mobile device:
batching data from a respective first application and a second application for transmission over a first connection to a first application server and a second application server, wherein the batching of data for the first application and the second application can be enabled or disabled by a user of the mobile device on an application-by-application basis;
receiving, via a first connection, one or more push notifications, wherein receiving the one or more push notifications includes allowing the one or more push notifications to be received from a remote server distinct from the first application server and the second application server while the data is batched;
transmitting a first message, wherein the first message is associated with the first application and requests content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is available, to the first application server in response to receipt of the one or more push notifications from the remote server;
transmitting a second message, wherein the second message is associated with the second application and requests content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is available, to the second application server in response to receipt of the one or more push notifications from the remote server;
transmitting the batched data to the respective first application server and the second application server over the wireless network;
receiving, via the first connection, the content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is available; and
receiving, via a second connection, the content associated with the one or more push notifications when the first connection is unavailable.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the batched data from the first application and the second application is batched while a backlight of the mobile device is off in response to inactivity of the mobile device.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the first connection includes a connection between the mobile device and the remote server that is maintained by sending keep-alive messages between the mobile device and the remote server.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first connection includes an application-specific communication channel.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more push notifications are generated in response to new data at the first application server and is indicative of availability of new data at the first application server.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the second connection includes a connection between the client device and a content provider via an intermediary server, wherein the intermediary server includes a short message service center (SMSC), and wherein the content received via the second connection is contained in one or more short message service (SMS) messages.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein the batched data includes background data.
17. The method of claim 10 further comprising the mobile device batching and transmitting the batched data from the first application and the second application by aligning transmission of outgoing network traffic.
18. The method of claim 10 further comprising the mobile device allowing the first application to transmit data for a predetermined period of time in response to receipt of the first message from the remote server.