Method and apparatus for monitoring usage patterns of a wireless device

• US 20060223495A1
• Filed: 03/13/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Cassett, Tia Manning, Yip, Eric Chi Chung, Fok, Kenny
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/026 using flow identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for monitoring usage patterns of a wireless device may include a usage monitoring and reporting module operable to monitor and log usage on a wireless device based on a received usage configuration. Further, based on the usage configuration, the wireless device may forward the log to another device operable to analyze the log and generate a usage pattern report viewable by an authorized user.

Claims

1. A method of determining a usage pattern of a wireless device, comprising:

obtaining on a wireless device a configuration that comprises a usage parameter and a reporting parameter, wherein the usage parameter identifies wireless device usage data to be monitored;

logging the identified usage data into a log based upon the usage parameter; and

forwarding, based upon the reporting parameter, the usage log to another device to analyze usage patterns of the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining on a wireless device a configuration comprises receiving the configuration from a remote device over a wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage parameter is selected from a plurality of usage parameters, and wherein the reporting parameter is selected from a plurality of reporting parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage parameter is selected from a plurality of usage parameters based on at least one of a type of the wireless device and an identity of a network service provider associated with the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein logging usage data comprises logging at least one of an occurrence of a predetermined activity, time-based data associated with the occurrence, a duration of the predetermined activity, a frequency of the occurrence, and a geographic location associated with the occurrence.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein logging a geographic location associated with the occurrence comprises logging at least one of a pseudo noise (PN) offset, a system identification (SID), a network identification (NID) and a base station identification (BSID).

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined activity comprises at least one of call-related activity, messaging-related activity, browser-related activity, and software application-related activity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining on a wireless device a comprises establishing a limited-access communications channel across a wireless network based on a predefined limited service configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the usage log to another device comprises establishing a limited-access communications channel across a wireless network based on a predefined limited service configuration.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein forwarding the usage log to another device comprises forwarding the usage log based upon at least one of a predetermined schedule, a predetermined event, and a request by a remote device.

11. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

obtaining on a wireless device a configuration that comprises a usage parameter and a reporting parameter, wherein the usage parameter identifies wireless device usage data to be monitored;

logging the identified usage data into a log based upon the usage parameter; and

forwarding, based upon the reporting parameter, the usage log to another device to analyze usage patterns of the wireless device.

12. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

obtaining on a wireless device a configuration that comprises a usage parameter and a reporting parameter, wherein the usage parameter identifies wireless device usage data to be monitored;

logging the identified usage data into a log based upon the usage parameter; and

forwarding, based upon the reporting parameter, the usage log to another device to analyze usage patterns of the wireless device.

13. A wireless device, comprising:

means for obtaining on a wireless device a configuration that comprises a usage parameter and a reporting parameter, wherein the usage parameter identifies wireless device usage data to be monitored;

means for logging the identified usage data into a log based upon the usage parameter; and

means for forwarding, based upon the reporting parameter, the usage log to another device to analyze usage patterns of the wireless device.

14. A wireless device, comprising:

a memory; and

a usage monitoring and reporting module resident in the memory, the usage monitoring and reporting module further comprising;

a usage configuration;

monitoring logic operable to monitor wireless device usage based upon the usage configuration;

log generating logic operable to generate a memory resident usage log comprising usage data based upon the usage configuration; and

reporting logic operable to transfer, based on the usage configuration, the usage log to another device to analyze wireless device usage patterns.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the usage configuration is received by the wireless device from across the wireless network.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the logged usage data comprises at least one of an occurrence of a predetermined activity, time-based data associated with the occurrence, a duration of the predetermined activity, a frequency of the occurrence, and a geographic location associated with the occurrence.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the geographic location associated with the occurrence comprises at least one of a pseudo noise (PN) offset, a system identification (SID), a network identification (NID) and a base station identification (BSID).

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the predetermined activity comprises at least one of call-related activity, messaging-related activity, browser-related activity, and software application-related activity.

19. The device of claim 14, wherein the usage monitoring and reporting module is operable to transfer the usage log across a wireless network.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the usage configuration comprises an access parameter that identifies a predetermined device authorized to access the usage monitoring and reporting module.

21. The device of claim 14, wherein the usage configuration further comprises a reporting parameter comprising an identification of when to transmit the usage log across a wireless network.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the usage monitoring and reporting module is further operable to establish a limited-access communications channel across a wireless network, wherein the limited-access communications channel is based on a predefined limited service configuration.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the limited-access communications channel is not available to an end user of the device.

24. The device of claim 14, further comprising a device control module operable to parse a command received from a remote device.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the control command comprises at least one of a bootstrap command and a delete command, wherein the bootstrap command is operable to initiate a download of the usage configuration, and wherein the delete command deletes uploaded usage logs from the wireless device.

26. A method of monitoring usage patterns of a wireless device, comprising:

generating a usage configuration executable to initiate monitoring, logging, and reporting of usage data on a wireless device, the usage configuration identifying a usage parameter and a reporting parameter;

forwarding the usage configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

receiving a generated usage log from the wireless device based on the usage configuration; and

generating a usage pattern report based on the received usage log.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein generating a usage configuration includes generating a usage configuration for monitoring at least one of an occurrence of a predetermined activity, time-based data associated with the occurrence, a duration of the predetermined activity, a frequency of the occurrence, and a geographic location associated with the occurrence.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein forwarding the usage configuration for receipt by the wireless device further comprising forwarding across a wireless network.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting at least a portion of the usage pattern report to another computer device.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing remote access to at least a portion of the usage pattern report.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising sending a control command to the wireless device based on the report.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising selecting the usage configuration from a plurality of usage configurations based on at least one of a type of the wireless device and an identity of a network service provider associated with the wireless device.

33. At least one processor configured to perform the actions of:

generating a usage configuration executable to initiate monitoring, logging, and reporting of usage data on a wireless device, the usage configuration identifying a usage parameter and a reporting parameter;

forwarding the usage configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

receiving a generated usage log from the wireless device based on the usage configuration; and

generating a usage pattern report based on the received usage log.

34. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

generating a usage configuration executable to initiate monitoring, logging, and reporting of usage data on a wireless device, the usage configuration identifying a usage parameter and a reporting parameter;

forwarding the usage configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

receiving a generated usage log from the wireless device based on the usage configuration; and

generating a usage pattern report based on the received usage log.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

means for generating a usage configuration executable to initiate monitoring, logging, and reporting of usage data on a wireless device, the usage configuration identifying a usage parameter and a reporting parameter;

means for forwarding the usage configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

means for receiving a generated usage log from the wireless device based on the usage configuration; and

means for generating a usage pattern report based on the received usage log.

36. An apparatus for managing the monitoring of a usage of a wireless device, comprising:

a configuration generator operable to generate and transmit a usage configuration for receipt by a wireless device, the usage configuration identifying a usage parameter to monitor and a reporting parameter;

an information repository operable to receive and store a log, the log comprising wireless device usage information based on the usage configuration; and

a usage pattern control module comprising an analyzer operable to generate a usage pattern report based on the log.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the usage pattern control module is further operable to transmit at least a portion of the usage pattern report across a wireless network to another device for analysis.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the usage pattern control module is further operable to allow an authorized user to access the usage pattern report.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a device control module operable to send a control command to change an operational characteristic of the wireless device.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the control command comprises a user identification and a control activity, and wherein the device control module further comprises permission logic operable to determine an authorization for executing the control command before sending the control command, the authorization based on at least one of the user identification and the control activity.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the device control module is operable to receive the control command from another computer device.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the other computer device is located across a wireless network.

43. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the usage parameter identifies for monitoring at least one of an occurrence of a predetermined activity, time-based data associated with the occurrence, a duration of the predetermined activity, a frequency of the occurrence, and a geographic location associated with the occurrence.

44. A machine-readable medium, comprising:

a first set of executable instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising;

generating a usage configuration executable to initiate monitoring, logging, and reporting of usage data on a wireless device, the usage configuration identifying a usage parameter and a reporting parameter;

forwarding the usage configuration for receipt by the wireless device;

receiving a generated usage log from the wireless device based on the usage configuration; and

generating a usage pattern report based on the received usage log; and

a second set of executable instructions which, when executed by the wireless device, cause the wireless device to perform operations comprising;

obtaining the usage configuration;

logging the usage data into a log based upon the usage parameter; and

forwarding, based upon the reporting parameter, the usage log to the first machine to analyze usage patterns of the wireless device.