Constrained user interface in a communications network

• US 20050102352A1
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Magnolia Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Magnolia Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Inventors: Li, Jun, Zhang, Junbiao
• Application Number:
  US10/253,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102352A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

In a communications system (10), activation of a user interface (e.g., a hyperlink) to select an application depends on one or more conditions that might impact the application. Monitoring of the condition(s) occurs to determine whether each condition falls outside a corresponding threshold. If so, the interface is constrained, either partially or completely.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the activation of at least one user interface via which a user selects an application for execution, comprising the steps of:

monitoring at least one condition that might potentially impact performance of the application;

determining if the monitored condition is met and if so then

constraining the one user interface by selectively controlling a hyperlink to control user selection of the application.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the monitoring step comprises:

monitoring the one condition in a communications network accessed by the user to obtain the application.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the monitoring step comprises:

monitoring the one condition in a mobile terminal via which the user obtains the application.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the monitoring step comprises:

monitoring actual bandwidth of a communications network accessed by the user to obtain the application.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the monitoring step comprises:

monitoring an access charge imposed by a communications network accessed by the user to obtain the application.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of constraining the one user interface comprises the step of completely constraining the one user interface to disable activation.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of constraining the one user interface comprises the step of partially constraining the user to limit activation.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of constraining the one user interface comprises the step of partially constraining the user to delay activation

9. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of displaying a message concerning disablement of the user interface.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of displaying a message concerning limiting of the user interface.

11. A system for controlling the activation of at least one user interface via which a user selects an application for execution, comprising the steps of:

means for monitoring at least one condition that might potentially impact performance of the application;

means for determining if the monitored condition falls outside a corresponding threshold; and

means for constraining the one user interface by selectively controlling a hyperlink to control user selection of the application.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the monitoring means monitors the one condition in a communications network accessed by the user to obtain the application.

13. The system according to claim 11 wherein the monitoring means comprises a mobile terminal via which the use obtains the application.

14. The system according to claim 11 wherein the monitoring means monitors actual bandwidth of a communications network accessed by the user to obtain the application.

15. The system according to claim 11 wherein the monitoring means monitors an access charge imposed by a communications network accessed by the user to obtain the application.

16. The system according to claim 11 wherein constraining means completely constrains the one user interface to disable activation.

17. The system according to claim 11 wherein the constraining means partially constrains the user interface to limit activation.