Method and apparatus for customizing a focus inactivity timer based on network watermark conditions

1. A method on a mobile device comprising:

configuring a tunnel inactivity timer value on the mobile device;

determining that a maximum tunnel count value on the mobile device has changed; and

reconfiguring the tunnel inactivity timer value based on the changed maximum tunnel count value, wherein the tunnel inactivity timer value is directly proportional to the changed maximum tunnel count value.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuring and reconfiguring utilize values configured during manufacture, provisioned to the mobile device, or signaled to the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguring further varies the tunnel inactivity timer value based on an application utilizing a tunnel.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the tunnel inactivity timer values differ for each of a plurality of tunnels between the mobile device and a network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguring comprises:

checking whether the maximum tunnel count value at the mobile device equals one, and

if yes, reconfiguring a foreground application inactivity timer value with a first inactivity time; and

if no, configuring the foreground application inactivity timer value with a second inactivity time.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request to register an application with a tunnel manger prior to the configuring step.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the reconfigured tunnel inactivity timer value for determining deactivation of a tunnel.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tunnel inactivity timer value is for a packet data protocol (PDP) context.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is at least one of a data messaging device, a two-way pager, a wireless e-mail device, a cellular telephone with data messaging capabilities, a wireless Internet appliance, a wireless device, a user equipment or a data communication device.

10. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

a communications subsystem,

wherein the mobile device is configured to:

configure a tunnel inactivity timer value on the mobile device;

determine that a maximum tunnel count value on the mobile device has changed; and

reconfigure the tunnel inactivity timer value based on the changed maximum tunnel count value, wherein the tunnel inactivity timer value is directly proportional to the changed maximum tunnel count value.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the mobile device is configured to configure and reconfigure by using values configured during manufacture, provisioned to the mobile device, or signaled to the mobile device.

12. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the mobile device is further configured to reconfigure by varying the tunnel inactivity timer value based on an application utilizing a tunnel.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the tunnel inactivity timer values differ for each of a plurality of tunnels between the mobile device and a network.

14. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the mobile device is further configured to reconfigure by:

checking whether the maximum tunnel count value at the mobile device equals one, and

if yes, reconfiguring a foreground application inactivity timer value with a first inactivity time; and

if no, configuring the foreground application inactivity timer value with a second inactivity time.

15. The mobile device of claim 10 , further configured to receive a request to register an application with a tunnel manger prior to the configuring step.

16. The mobile device of claim 10 , further configured to use the reconfigured tunnel inactivity timer value for determining deactivation of a tunnel.

17. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the tunnel inactivity timer value is for a packet data protocol (PDP) context.

18. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the mobile device is at least one of a data messaging device, a two-way pager, a wireless e-mail device, a cellular telephone with data messaging capabilities, a wireless Internet appliance, a wireless device, a user equipment or a data communication device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store computer executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor of a mobile device are configured to:

configure a tunnel inactivity timer value on the mobile device;

determine that a maximum tunnel count value on the mobile device has changed; and

reconfigure the tunnel inactivity timer value based on the changed maximum tunnel count value, wherein the tunnel inactivity timer value is directly proportional to the changed maximum tunnel count value.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , further configured to reconfigure by:

checking whether the maximum tunnel count value at the mobile device equals one, and

if yes, reconfiguring a foreground application inactivity timer value with a first inactivity time; and

if no, configuring the foreground application inactivity timer value with a second inactivity time.