Microsoft gets communications breakthrough windfall in India

Connected homes will take longer to materialise than expected

Sajan C Kumar

Global technology giant Microsoft has received an Indian patent for an invention relating to the know-how of effectively sustaining a session between two communication devices in the event where no data is exchanged for a specified period of time. Conventionally, the session between two communication devices is closed by a proxy server, even if the user has not  terminated the  session.

The proxy server would detect that no data is being  exchanged and close the session. Intermediate devices, such as proxy server, have a clock for measuring the time during which no data is exchanged. When the time exceeds the pre-determined time, it closes the connection.

Microsoft claimed that the present invention comprises a method which solves the problem of interruption of session and provides a new way for operation of session between two communicating devices. The method employs use of heartbeat messages, with  non-empty payload for sustaining the session between the communicating devices.

When a heartbeat message is received by a  proxy server, it resets the clock and the session is sustained.

Vijay Singh, assistant controller of patents & design, Delhi, while granting the patent observed that the present subject matter clearly involves a technical advancement, does not attract the provision of Section 3(k) of the Indian Patent Act, and hence is allowable.

According to the patent documents filed by Microsoft, the  technical  advancement lies in  the  sending and configuring the heartbeat messages from a communicating device.

The messages are sent before the time limit for closing a session is exceeded.  These are sent from a transport layer protocol and are ignored by the  session  initiation  protocol.