Mobile services

• US 20040185872A1
• Filed: 12/02/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Emmerson, Francis, Hannay, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 7,286,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/332 using wireless networks, e.g. cellular phone networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/26 Debit schemes, e.g. "pay now"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A plurality of clients for different users use on-line services via a mobile communications network in a system comprising: an application database for holding a group of different applications for providing associated services to a client, the applications being configured to provide clients with unlimited off-line use and limited on-line use, an account database for keeping record of the amount of available on-line use of different services provided to the client and an on-line service controller for running on-line services with different clients and for causing the account database to reduce in a predetermined manner the amount of available on-line use when the client uses the on-line service, if the on-line use is allowed. The clients are capable of obtaining a desired application from the application database via the mobile communications network, running the desired application off-line unrestrictedly when desired by the user, and running the application in communication with the on-line service controller using the mobile communications network to use the on-line service associated with the desired application when desired by the user of the client. Corresponding methods, apparatus and computer programs have also been disclosed.

Claims

1. A mobile service system comprising a wireless client for a user and a remote service provider unit for providing content to the client, wherein the service provider unit comprises:

a memory for storing an application usable by the client both off-line and on-line;

a port for receiving a request for the application from the client and for sending the application to the client;

a processor for providing on-line use of the application for the client;

a monitor for monitoring the on-line use of the application;

a controller configured to control the processor to provide the on-line use of the application dependent on the monitoring; and

the client comprising;

a port for communicating with the service provider unit, configured to send the request to the service provider unit and to receive the application from the service provider unit;

a processor for off-line running the application whenever desired by the user and for on-line running the application when desired by the user if allowed by the controller.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the application is a game application.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the monitor has been configured to keep account of available on-line use of the application and to decrement the available on-line use according to predetermined reduction criterion.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a charging unit configured to collect a monetary charge for the sending of the application and for providing a certain amount of on-line use.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of applications amongst which the client may select an application to be downloaded.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for informing the user when the amount of available on-line use is falling below a certain threshold.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the service provider unit further comprises means for determining a payment of a supplementary charge and increasing by a corresponding amount the available on-line use.

8. A method of providing content to a wireless client from a remote service provider unit, comprising:

storing at the service provider unit an application usable by the client both off-line and on-line;

transferring a request for the application from the client to the service provider unit;

sending the application from the service provider unit to the client;

providing on-line use of the application for the client;

monitoring the on-line use of the application;

controlling the providing of the on-line use of the application dependent on the monitoring;

communicating with the service provider unit to send the request to the service provider unit and to receive the application from the service provider unit;

off-line running the application whenever desired by the user; and

on-line running the application when desired by the user if allowed by the service provider unit.

9. A remote service provider unit for providing content to a wireless client, wherein the service provider unit comprises:

a memory for storing an application usable by the client both off-line and on-line;

a port for receiving a request for the application from the client and for sending the application to the client;

a processor for providing on-line use of the application for the client;

a monitor for monitoring on-line use of the application; and

a controller configured to control the processor to provide the on-line use of the application dependent on the monitoring.

10. A method of providing content to a wireless client, comprising:

storing an application usable by the client both off-line and on-line;

receiving a request for the application from the client and for sending the application to the client;

providing on-line use of the application for the client;

monitoring on-line use of the application; and

controlling the providing of the on-line use of the application dependent on the monitoring of the on-line use of the application.

11. A wireless client for a mobile service system comprising the client and a remote service provider unit, the client comprising:

a wireless communication port for communicating with the service provider unit to request for an application from the service provider unit and to receive the application from the service provider unit; and

a processor for off-line running the application whenever desired by the user and for on-line running the application when desired by the user if allowed by the remote service provider unit.

12. A method of receiving content in a client of a mobile service system that comprises the client and a remote service provider unit, comprising:

communicating with the service provider unit to request for an application from the service provider unit and to receive the application from the service provider unit;

off-line running the application whenever desired by the user; and

on-line running the application when desired by the user if allowed by the remote service provider unit.

13. A computer program product comprising means for causing a network entity to provide content to a wireless client, comprising:

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to store an application usable by the client both off-line and on-line;

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to receive a request for the application from the client and for sending the application to the client;

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to provide on-line use of the application for the client;

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to monitor on-line use of the application; and

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to control the providing of the on-line use of the application dependent on the monitoring of the on-line use of the application.

14. A computer program product comprising means for controlling a wireless client for a mobile service system that comprises the client and a remote service provider unit, the computer program product comprising:

computer executable program code configured to enable the wireless client to communicate with the service provider unit to request for an application from the service provider unit and to receive the application from the service provider unit; and

computer executable program code configured to enable the wireless client to run the application off-line whenever desired by the user and on-line when desired by the user if allowed by the remote service provider unit.

15. A memory media comprising a computer program product for causing a network entity to provide content to a wireless client, the memory media comprising:

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to store an application usable by the client both off-line and on-line;

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to receive a request for the application from the client and for sending the application to the client;

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to provide on-line use of the application for the client;

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to monitor on-line use of the application; and

computer executable program code configured to enable the network entity to control the providing of the on-line use of the application dependent on the monitoring of the on-line use of the application.

16. A memory media comprising a computer program product for controlling a wireless client for a mobile service system that comprises the client and a remote service provider unit, the memory media comprising:

computer executable program code configured to enable the wireless client to communicate with the service provider unit to request for an application from the service provider unit and to receive the application from the service provider unit; and

computer executable program code configured to enable the wireless client to run the application off-line whenever desired by the user and on-line when desired by the user if allowed by the remote service provider unit.