Apple Inc.

Jeffrey Thomas Davey

Darryl Neil Bleau

Justin N Wood

Andrew H Vyrros

Kris M Bell

Darryl N Bleau

Justin Edward Santamaria

Gregory Bjorn Vaughan

Jeremy Matthew Werner

Krishna M Behara

Alexander A Medina

Daniel Ben Pollack

Thomas P Devanneaux

Justin M N Wood

Methods and apparatuses that generate a subtopic identifier identifying a client application within a client device that can support multiple users are described. The client application may be associated with a server application hosted in one or more application servers. Notification services may be registered with the application servers from the client application to forward identifiers associated with the client application for one of the multiple users to the server application to enable the server application to push notification messages to the client device selectively for the client application for that user. When receiving a notification message from the application server, the notification message may be examined to forward the notification message directly to the client application for that user without invoking other applications in the client device if the notification message carries a subtopic identifier of the client application.

Message push notification client improvements for multi-user devices

The described embodiments perform operations to enable access to services provided by applications executing on service providing devices by applications executing in service requesting devices. In the described embodiments, a service providing device executes a 'dispatcher' system service that performs operations for interfacing between service-providing applications and service requesting devices. For example, the dispatcher application performs operations for advertising the availability of services on the service providing device and for proxying communication between the service and service requesting devices. In addition, service requesting devices execute a 'forwarder' system service that performs operations for interfacing between service-requesting applications and service providing devices. For example, the forwarder application performs operations for recognizing when applications are to access services, selecting an available service for an application to access, and for proxying communication between the application and a service providing device.

Accessing services provided by computing devices in a network

Gateway devices maintain presence information for various mobile devices. Each gateway is associated with a zone and manages presence information only for mobile devices associated with that zone. Courier devices back-propagate presence information for the mobile devices to respective gateways based at least on the respective zone associated with each mobile device. The gateways and couriers are dynamically configured such that messages can be pushed from a provider application to a mobile device via any gateway and any courier.

Push notification service

Techniques are disclosed for regulating a flow of requests from a client device to a server. The techniques include the step of receiving, from an application program executing on the client device, a request to perform an operation on the server. The client device determines a current budget value based upon an initial budget value, where the current budget value is reduced by a particular cost each time the server processes a request generated by the application program. The client device then determines a time-adjusted budget value based upon a sum of the current budget value and a regeneration value. Finally, the client device sends to the server the request to perform the operation only when the time-adjusted budget value exceeds a threshold value.

Distributed control over client-side requests for server resources

A system and method for securely processing identity information. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, a first user is registered on an identity service with one or more identification (ID) codes and a token. In response to a query from a second user to connect with the first user, a query signature is generated using the one or more ID codes and token of the first and second users, and a timestamp. The query signature is usable by network services to authenticate communication between the first and second users on the network over a specified period of time. In another embodiment, user ID codes and tokens are cached on mobile devices and/or a system cache to improve performance. The validity of the cached data is determined by calculating a fingerprint which, in one embodiment, is a hash of the ID code, token and a timestamp.

System and method for secure identity service

A system and method for secure instant messaging are described. For example, in one embodiment, a first user identifies a second user for an instant messaging session with the ID code of the second user. The first user is provided with network information for the second user and a public key associated with the second user. The first user encrypts an instant message using the public key of the second user and a private key. In one embodiment, the first user encrypts the content of the instant message (e.g., any text and/or attachments) using the public key of the second user and signs the content using the private key of the first user. The encrypted message is transmitted from the first user to the second user. The second user decrypts the instant message using the second user's private key and verifies the signature with the first user's public key.

System and method for secure instant messaging

A system and method are described for dynamically routing push notifications to users over the most efficient network path. For example, in one embodiment, presence information associated with a device of a user is monitored. The presence information indicates whether the first device is currently connected to a wireless network and a current network location of the device. The channel quality for packets transmitted between the first device and a first gateway and between the first device and a second gateway is also monitored and is used to select between the first and second gateways when transmitting push notifications.

System and method for dynamic routing for push notifications

The described embodiments include a first electronic device that sends one or more dummy packets to a second electronic device to cause network hardware in a network connection between the first and second electronic devices to forward buffered push messages and/or acknowledge messages.

Method and apparatus for handling push messages

A system and method are described for establishing two-way push communication between a provider and a mobile device. Providers (like mobile devices) register to listen for push notifications from a specified set of users. The presence of the provider is then continually monitored to determine whether the provider is currently listening over a pre-specified port. If so, in response to receiving a push notification for the first provider from the set of one or more users, a current network location over which the provider is listening for push notifications is identified and the push notification is forwarded to the first provider.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Jeffrey Thomas Davey