Method of maintaining network address translation mapping and client device employing same

1. A method of maintaining a network address translation (NAT) mapping comprising:

incrementing, by an extensible and presence protocol (XMPP) client device, an interval for transmitting to a NAT gateway;

transmitting, from the XMPP client device, a singular type keepalive message on said interval over a network connection to said NAT gateway according to an established NAT mapping, said interval being at most a maximum allowed interval; and

upon an acknowledgement through said NAT gateway, of said singular keepalive message, further incrementing, by said XMPP device, said interval when said interval is less than said maximum allowed interval; and

if said transmitting is not acknowledged through said NAT gateway indicating a failure of said established NAT mapping:

decrementing, by the XMPP client device said interval to a last successful interval of when said acknowledgement was received;

employing the decremented interval as said maximum allowed interval: and

establishing a new NAT mapping and a new XMPP connection only upon said failure.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said keepalive message is an extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP) whitespace keepalive message.

3. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said network connection is reduced by a time buffer.

4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said network connection is a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection.

5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said transmitting is carried out on a reduced interval for a period of time and said method further comprising:

initializing said period of time on receipt of a command solicitation through said NAT gateway;

transmitting said keepalive message on said reduced interval; and

expiring said period of time and resuming said transmitting on said interval.

6. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said client is a mobile device.

7. An extensible message and presence protocol (XMPP) client device, comprising:

a network interface circuit of the client device which transmits a singular type keepalive message on an interval to a network address translation (NAT) gateway;

an interval adjust circuit of the client device which:

increments said interval upon an acknowledgment of said singular type keepalive message, and

decrements said interval to a last successful interval of when said acknowledgement was received, upon a failure to receive said acknowledgment of said single type keepalive message, said failure indicating a NAT mapping timeout;

wherein said interval is at most a maximum allowed interval, and said interval adjust circuit is further configured to employ the decremented interval as said maximum allowed interval upon said failure; and

a reconnect circuit of the client configured to initiate a NAT remapping and establish a new XMPP connection upon said failure.

8. The XMPP client device recited in claim 7 wherein said keepalive message is an XMPP whitespace keepalive message.

9. The XMPP client device recited in claim 7 wherein said acknowledgement is by receipt of a response acknowledgement through said NAT gateway.

10. The XMPP client device recited in claim 7 , wherein said XMPP client is further configured to reduce said interval by a buffer time.

11. The XMPP client device recited in claim 7 wherein said network interface circuit includes a network interface controller (NIC).

12. A network address translation (NAT) enabled network, comprising:

a gateway having a NAT mapping and couplable to said NAT enabled network; and

a client couplable to said NAT enabled network and operable to communicate through said gateway with a server over a transmission protocol (TCP) connection, said client being an element of said NAT mapping and having:

a network interface circuit of the client which transmits a singular type extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP) whitespace keepalive message on an interval to said gateway, said interval being at most a maximum allowed interval,

an interval adjust circuit of the client which:

increments said interval upon an acknowledgement through said NAT gateway, of said singular keepalive message and

decrements said interval to a last successful interval of when said acknowledgement was received and employs the decremented interval as said maximum allowed interval upon a failure to receive said acknowledgment of said singular keepalive message, wherein said failure indicates said TCP connection is incomplete and said NAT mapping has expired, and

a reconnect circuit of the client configured to initiate a NAT remapping and to establish said TCP connection only upon said failure.

13. The NAT enabled network recited in claim 12 wherein said interval adjust circuit is further configured to:

employ a reduced interval for a period of time beginning on receipt of a command solicitation from said server;

resume employment of said interval upon expiration of said period of time, said period of time having a duration based on a timeout property associated with said command solicitation.

14. The NAT enabled network recited in claim 12 wherein said acknowledgement is by receipt of a response acknowledgement through said NAT gateway.

15. The NAT enabled network recited in claim 12 wherein said interval adjust circuit is configured to reduce said interval by a buffer time.

16. The NAT enabled network recited in claim 12 wherein said network interface circuit includes network interface controller (NIC).