System, apparatus and method for associating an anticipated success indication with data delivery

• US 20090004974A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Saarimaa, Tero-Markus, Artman, Tuomas Santeri, Hameen-Anttila, Tapio, Makila, Niko, Sihvola, Tuomo, Pyhalammi, Seppo
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.110
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for determining success rates for the transfer and/or utilization of transmitted applications or other communicated services. An intermediary device specifies one or more device attributes of a target device, which are received at a server. The server determines an anticipated success rate for successfully transferring the requested content to the device and/or utilizing the content at the target device, and transfers an indication of the anticipated success rate to the intermediary device. The anticipated success rate indication is received at the intermediary device, which then determines whether the received anticipated success rate indication meets threshold criteria. If so, the intermediary device notifies the server to initiate the transfer of the content from the server to the target device if the threshold criteria is met.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

specifying one or more device attributes of a device;

in response to specifying at least the one or more device attributes, receiving an anticipated success indication for at least one of transferring content to the device and rendering software in the device with one or more of the device attributes;

comparing the received anticipated success indication to a threshold success indication; and

based on a result of the comparison, facilitating selective initiation of the at least one of transferring content to the device and rendering software in the device with one or more of the device attributes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying one or more network attributes associated with a network by which the transfer of the content to the device will be effected, wherein the receiving of an anticipated success indication comprises receiving the anticipated success indication in response to specifying at least the one or more device attributes and the one or more network attributes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying one or more device attributes of a device comprises specifying the one or more device attributes over a network via a networked device distinct from the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying one or more device attributes of a device comprises specifying the one or more device attributes over a network via the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying one or more device attributes of a device comprises specifying at least information identifying the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying one or more device attributes of a device comprises specifying at least information identifying capabilities of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying one or more device attributes comprises selecting the one or more device attributes in response to one or more presented prompts for the device attributes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying one or more additional device attributes of the device, and in response receiving an updated anticipated success indication for transferring the content to the device based on the one or more device attributes and the one or more additional device attributes of the device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an anticipated success indication for rendering software in the device further comprises receiving the anticipated success indication for executing the software at the device in response to specifying at least the one or more device attributes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the received anticipated success indication to a threshold success indication comprises comparing the received anticipated success indication to a threshold success indication to determine whether the anticipated success indication is greater than the threshold success indication, and automatically initiating the at least one of the transfer of the content to the device and the rendering of the software in the device if the received anticipated success indication is greater than the threshold success indication.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating selective initiation of a transfer of the content to the device comprises presenting at least one user-selectable option for specifying whether or not to initiate the transfer of the content to the device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile device capable of wireless communication.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving one or more device attributes of a device and an identification of requested content;

determining an anticipated success rate for successfully transferring the requested content to the device and/or utilizing the content at the device; and

transferring an indication of the anticipated success rate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the content includes software, and wherein determining an anticipated success rate comprises determining the anticipated success rate for both successfully transferring the requested software to the device and successfully implementing the requested software on the device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein transferring an indication of the anticipated success rate comprises transferring the indication of the anticipated success rate to an intermediary computing system from which a decision whether to initiate a download of the requested content to the device is specified.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising modifying an encoding of the requested content based on the determined anticipated success rate.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising modifying the encoding of the requested content to reduce a size of the requested content when network traffic has increased.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising modifying the encoding of the requested content to reduce a size of the requested content when network traffic is projected to increase, consequently increasing the determined anticipated success rate.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein determining an anticipated success rate comprises determining the anticipated success rate based on a first set of information including the one or more device attributes of the device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving one or more additional device attributes of the device, and wherein determining an anticipated success rate comprises determining the anticipated success rate based on both the first set of information and on a second set of information including the one or more additional device attributes.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving one or more device attributes comprises receiving at least information identifying the device.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving one or more device attributes comprises receiving at least information identifying capabilities of the device.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving information regarding network attributes associated with a network by which the transfer of the content to the device will be effected, and wherein determining an anticipated success rate comprises determining the anticipated success rate based on the one or more device attributes and the information regarding the network attributes.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein determining an anticipated success rate comprises determining the anticipated success rate based on the one or more device attributes and on historical success rates for transferring the requested content at different encoding levels.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein determining an anticipated success rate comprises determining the anticipated success rate based on the one or more device attributes and on historical success rates for transferring the requested content at different encoding levels in different geographical areas.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the device comprises a mobile device capable of wireless communication.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitting module configured to transmit one or more attributes of a target device;

a receiving module configured to, in response to transmitting the one or more target device attributes, receive an anticipated success indication for transferring content to the target device and/or utilizing software in the device with one or more of the target device attributes; and

a processing module configured to determine whether the received anticipated success indication meets threshold criteria, and to allow initiation of the transfer of the content to the target device and/or utilizing of the software in the target device if the threshold criteria is met.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the apparatus is implemented in a proxy device distinct from the target device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the proxy device comprises a computing device capable of communicating over one or more networks.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the apparatus is implemented in the target device itself.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the transmitting module is configured to transmit at least information identifying the target device as the one or more target device attributes.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the transmitting module is configured to transmit at least information identifying capabilities of the target device as the one or more target device attributes.

33. A server comprising:

a database storing content;

a receiving module configured to receive one or more device attributes of a device and an identification of requested content from the database;

a processing module configured to determine an anticipated success rate for successfully transferring the requested content to the device and/or utilizing the content at the device based on at least the one or more device attributes; and

a transmitting module configured to transmit an indication of the anticipated success rate in response to having received the one or more device attributes and the identification of the requested content.

34. The server as in claim 33, wherein:

the receiving module is further configured to receive one or more network attributes associated with one or more networks expected to be involved with a transfer of the requested content to the device; and

the processing module is further configured to determine the anticipated success rate based on at least the one or more network attributes.

35. The server as in claim 33, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine the anticipated success rate based on at least one or more of date and time.

36. A method, comprising:

specifying, via a proxy device, one or more device attributes of a target device;

receiving the one or more device attributes and an identification of requested content at a server, wherein the server determines an anticipated success rate for successfully transferring the requested content to the device and/or utilizing the content at the target device, and transfers an indication of the anticipated success rate to the proxy device; and

receiving the anticipated success rate indication at the proxy device, wherein the proxy device determines whether the received anticipated success rate indication meets threshold criteria, and notifies the server to initiate the transfer of the content from the server to the target device if the threshold criteria is met.

37. Computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a processing system for performing steps comprising:

specifying one or more device attributes of a device;

in response to specifying at least the one or more device attributes, receiving an anticipated success indication for at least one of transferring content to the device and rendering software in the device with one or more of the device attributes;

comparing the received anticipated success indication to a threshold success indication; and

based on a result of the comparison, facilitating selective initiation of the at least one of transferring content to the device and rendering software in the device with one or more of the device attributes.

38. Computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon which are executable by a processing system for performing steps comprising:

receiving one or more device attributes of a device and an identification of requested content;

determining an anticipated success rate for successfully transferring the requested content to the device and/or utilizing the content at the device; and

transferring an indication of the anticipated success rate.