Patent ID: 7426569

Claim:
A system for maintaining a persistent connection, the system comprising: an electronic device including a network interface for communicating with another device via a network connection carried over physical link that includes an equipment; the equipment for terminating said network connection if said network connection remains idle for a predetermined time-out criterion of said equipment; wherein said electronic device is configured to send keep-alive signals on said network connection; wherein said electronic device is configured to send said keep-alive signals according to a plurality of different time intervals to determine said predetermined time-out criterion of said equipment; wherein said electronic device determines said predetermined time-out criterion by: loading an initial default time period into said electronic device; sending at least one of said keep-alive signals to said another device at said initial default time period; increasing said initial default time period if said initial default time period does not cause said network connection to be dropped by said equipment; repeating said sending step and increasing step until said increased initial default time period causes said network connection to be dropped; maintaining a last-known good time period when said increased initial default time period causes said network connection to be dropped, wherein said last-known good time period is less than and closest to said increased initial default time period that causes said network connection to be dropped; reestablishing said network connection; and thereafter, sending subsequent keep-alive signals to said another electronic device at said last-known good time period.