Method and device for indicating amounts of data in mobile networks

• US 20040106422A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ericsson, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/514
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile communication device for use in a packet switched wireless communications network includes a display, which is able to indicate an amount of data remaining from a subscribed amount. This allows the user to see how much data lie can send or receive, within a prepaid subscription. The display is graphical, allowing the user to judge the amounts of data easily, as well as numerical. Advantageously, the mobile communication device calculates the amounts of data sent and received in such a way that it avoids double counting of retransmissions.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a storage device, the storage device being capable of storing an indication of a first subscribed amount of data;

a display, the display being capable of providing a first visual indication of a second amount of data remaining from the subscribed amount of data.

2. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first visual indication comprises a first region of the display, having a size related to the first subscribed amount of data, and a second region of the display within the first region, having a size related to the second amount of data remaining from the subscribed amount of data.

3. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

processing circuitry, for calculating a third amount of data transmitted and received, and for calculating the second amount of data on the basis of the calculated third amount of data.

4. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry calculates the third amount of data transmitted and received, excluding header information.

5. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the processing circuitry calculates the third amount of data transmitted and received, excluding retransmissions.

6. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry calculates the third amount of data transmitted and received between a Subnetwork Dependent Convergence Protocol (SNDCP) and IP/X.25.

7. A mobile communications device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the storage device is removable.

8. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the storage device comprises a SIM card.

9. A mobile communications device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the processing means is further capable of calculating a fourth amount of data in a session.

10. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the display is further capable of providing a second visual indication of a fifth amount of data remaining in said session.

11. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second visual indication comprises a third region of the display, having a size related to the fourth amount of data in the session, and a fourth region of the display within the third region, having a size related to the fifth amount of data remaining from the session.

12. A mobile communications device as claimed in any preceding claim, capable of obtaining information, relating to the second amount of data, from a signal received from a mobile communications network.

13. A method of operating a mobile communications device, comprising:

storing an indication of a first subscribed amount of data; and

providing a first visual indication of a second amount of data remaining from the subscribed amount of data.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first visual indication comprises a first region of the display, having a size related to the first subscribed amount of data, and a second region of the display within the first region, having a size related to the second amount of data remaining from the subscribed amount of data.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 or 14, further comprising:

calculating a third amount of data transmitted and received, and calculating the second amount of data on the basis of the calculated third amount of data.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising calculating the third amount of data transmitted and received, excluding header information.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 or 16, comprising calculating the third amount of data transmitted and received, excluding retransmissions.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, comprising calculating the third amount of data transmitted and received between a Subnetwork Dependent Convergence Protocol (SNDCP) and IP/X.25.

19. A method as claimed in any of claims 13 to 18, further comprising calculating a fourth amount of data in a session.

20. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising providing a second visual indication of a fifth amount of data remaining in said session.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the second visual indication comprises a third region of the display, having a size related to the fourth amount of data in the session, and a fourth region of the display within the third region, having a size related to the fifth amount of data remaining from the session.

22. A method as claimed in any of claims 13 to 21, further comprising obtaining information, relating to the second amount of data, from a signal received from a mobile communications network.

23. A mobile communications device, having a display, the display being capable of indicating an amount remaining from a subscribed amount of data.

24. A method of operating a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

providing a visual indication of an amount of data remaining from a subscribed amount of data.