Method, apparatus and system for monitoring and controlling wireless resource usage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for monitoring resource usage of a mobile communications device comprising the steps of:
- acquiring a mobile communication plan profile associated with a subscriber, the plan profile including at least a first value representing a limit of mobile communication resource usage within a specified calendar period;
acquiring a second value representing a total quantity of time within the specified calendar period;
acquiring a third value representing a quantity of mobile communication resources used by the mobile communications device within the specified calendar period;
acquiring a fourth value representing a quantity of total time elapsed within the specified calendar period;
calculating a first ratio between the third value and the first value;
calculating a second ratio between the fourth value and the second value; and
communicating the first ratio and the second ratio to an entity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile communications device (116) comprises a wireless resource usage module (216) operable to assist the user of the mobile communications device (116) and/or his or her employer in monitoring and/or controlling the level of resources consumed by the user in a billing period.
63 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring resource usage of a mobile communications device comprising the steps of:
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acquiring a mobile communication plan profile associated with a subscriber, the plan profile including at least a first value representing a limit of mobile communication resource usage within a specified calendar period;
acquiring a second value representing a total quantity of time within the specified calendar period;
acquiring a third value representing a quantity of mobile communication resources used by the mobile communications device within the specified calendar period;
acquiring a fourth value representing a quantity of total time elapsed within the specified calendar period;
calculating a first ratio between the third value and the first value;
calculating a second ratio between the fourth value and the second value; and
communicating the first ratio and the second ratio to an entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A mobile communications device comprising:
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means for acquiring a mobile communication plan profile including at least a first value representing the amount of a wireless resource available to a subscriber within a current billing period;
means for acquiring a second value representing a total quantity of time in the current billing period;
means for acquiring a third value representing a quantity of usage of the wireless resource by the mobile communications device occurring within the current billing period;
means for acquiring a fourth value representing a quantity of total time elapsed within the current billing period;
means for calculating a first ratio between the third value and the first value;
means for calculating a second ratio between the fourth value and the second value; and
means for throttling the rate of resource usage by the mobile communications device depending on the values of the first ratio and the second ratio. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for monitoring resource usage of a mobile communications device comprising:
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a first storage area containing a first value representing a limit of mobile communication resource usage within a current billing period;
a second storage area containing a second value representing a total quantity of time within the current billing period;
a third storage area containing a third value representing a quantity of mobile communication resources used by the mobile communications device within the current billing period;
a fourth storage area containing a fourth value representing a quantity of total time elapsed within the current billing period; and
a wireless resource usage control module, disposed within the mobile communications device, having access to the first, second, third and fourth storage areas and operable to control the rate of wireless resource usage according to the relative values stored in the first, second, third and fourth storage areas. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification