Mobile virtual network operator

• US 20090181641A1
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Inventors: Fiatal, Trevor
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8221 Message based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a mobile virtual network are disclosed. A mobile virtual network operator is disclosed as an entity that provides a mobile networking service to a user, the mobile networking service being provided using a physical mobile network provided by a third party. The mobile virtual network operator may provide content distribution services, data access services, or messaging services to a user of a mobile device.

Claims

1. A system for providing mobile network services comprising:

a first server communicatively coupled to a mobile device over a mobile network, the first server configured to;

receive a unique authentication token from the mobile device over the mobile network, and

provide a service to the mobile device via the mobile network, the service associated with the unique authentication token and branded by an entity other than an operator of the mobile network; and

a second server communicatively coupled to the mobile network, the second server configured to monitor usage of the mobile network by the mobile device, the usage related to the service provided to the mobile device by the first server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to enforce at least one service policy selected from the group consisting of maximum number of minutes of voice service per billing period, maximum number of data bits transferred per billing period, maximum number of Short Message Service (SMS) messages processed per billing period, maximum number of images transferred per billing period, maximum number of audio files transferred per billing period, maximum number of video files transferred per billing period, maximum number of stored voice mail messages, and amount of utilized server data storage.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to transfer digital content to the mobile device via the mobile network, the digital content transferred in response to a user selection at a mobile device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first server is further configured to:

determine available communication channel bandwidth between the first server and the mobile device, and

reformat the digital content transferred to the mobile device to correspond to the determined available communication channel bandwidth.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the first server is further configured to:

determine an optimal data size range for digital content to be transferred to the mobile device, and

reformat the digital content transferred to the mobile device to correspond to the optimal data size range.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first server is further configured to determine the optimal data size based on at least one factor selected from the group consisting of mobile device screen size, mobile device screen resolution, mobile device processing power, mobile device memory size, mobile device available free memory, available mobile network connection bandwidth, user-selectable preference, and preset preference.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to:

store one or more voice messages for unanswered telephone calls routed to the mobile device,

transfer data corresponding to a list of the one or more stored voice messages to the mobile device, and

transfer a representation of the one or more stored voice messages to the mobile device in response to a user selection at the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second server is further configured to:

store one or more voice messages for unanswered telephone calls routed to the mobile device,

transfer data corresponding to a list of the one or more stored voice messages to the mobile device, and

transfer a representation of the one or more stored voice messages to the mobile device in response to a user selection at the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to:

transfer a representation of data stored on the mobile device over the mobile network to a computing device communicatively coupled to the first server, the data being transferred in response to a user selection at the mobile device, wherein the computing device is controlled by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network, the first server, or the second server.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to

transfer a representation of data stored on the mobile device over the mobile network to a computing device communicatively coupled to the first server, the data being transferred in response to a user selection at the mobile device, wherein the computing device is controlled by a user of the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a computing device communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the mobile network, the computing device configured to:

receive a unique authentication token from the mobile device over the mobile network,

access digital content from a third party over a network in response to a user selection at the mobile device, the computing device acting as a proxy for the mobile device, and

transfer a representation of the digital content to the mobile device over the mobile network,

wherein the computing device is controlled by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network, the first server, or the second server.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a computing device communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the mobile network, the computing device configured to:

receive a unique authentication token from the mobile device over the mobile network,

access digital content from a third party over a network in response to a user selection at the mobile device, the computing device acting as a proxy for the mobile device, and

transfer a representation of the digital content to the mobile device over the mobile network,

wherein the computing device is controlled by a user of the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a computing device communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the mobile network, the computing device configured to

receive a unique authentication token from the mobile device over the mobile network,

transmit a list of available digital content stored on the computing device to the mobile device, and

transfer a representation of at least a portion of the digital content to the mobile device in response to a user selection at the mobile device,

wherein the computing device is controlled by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network, the first server, or the second server.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a computing device communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the mobile network, the computing device configured to:

receive a unique authentication token from the mobile device over the mobile network,

transmit a list of available digital content stored on the computing device to the mobile device, and

transfer a representation of at least a portion of the digital content to the mobile device in response to a user selection at the mobile device,

wherein the computing device is controlled by a user of the mobile device.

15. A method for providing a mobile network service comprising:

receiving a unique authentication token from a mobile device at a server, the server communicatively coupled to the mobile device over a mobile network;

providing a service to the mobile device via the mobile network, the service associated with the unique authentication token and branded by an entity other than an operator of the mobile network; and

monitoring usage of the mobile network by the mobile device, the usage related to the service provided to the mobile device via the mobile network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the unique authentication token comprises at least one identifying element selected from the group consisting of Electronic Serial Number (ESN), telephone number, customer account number, user ID, and password.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising

accessing digital content from a third party over a network using the server in response to a user selection at the mobile device, the server acting as a proxy for the mobile device, and

transferring a representation of the digital content to the mobile device over the mobile network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein accessing the digital content over the network is further in response to a location of the mobile device.

19. A method of billing for a mobile network service provided to a mobile device by a mobile virtual network operator comprising:

identifying a user of the mobile device;

identifying a service plan purchased from the mobile virtual network operator by the user of the mobile device;

identifying a mobile network service provided to the mobile device via a mobile network on behalf of the mobile virtual network operator;

determining a price of the service plan purchased by the user of the mobile device and a price of the network service provided to the mobile device via the mobile network;

submitting information representative of an invoice for the service plan purchased and the network service provided to the mobile device, wherein the user is billed on behalf of the mobile network service provider by the mobile virtual network operator.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising sending a Premium SMS message to the user of the mobile device via the mobile network to conduct a financial transaction relating to the invoice.

21. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor for performing a method for providing a mobile network service, the method comprising:

providing a unique authentication token from a mobile device to a server, the server communicatively coupled to the mobile device over a mobile network;

using a service provided by the server via the mobile network, the service associated with the unique authentication token and branded by an entity other than an operator of the mobile network; and

downloading a representation of digital content stored at a computing device communicatively coupled to the server over a network, the download being responsive to the unique authentication token provided to the server, and the computing device controlled by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network or the server.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

associating messages communicated with a single entity via multiple mediums with one another in a chronologically ordered list, and

presenting the chronologically ordered list to a user of the mobile device.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

determining an optimal communication medium to communicate a message to an entity based on at least one communication characteristic selected from the group consisting of most recently used communication medium, most frequently used communication medium, time of day, day of week, length of message, urgency of message;

user-selectable preference, predefined preference, location, and availability of the entity via the communication medium; and

communicating the message to the entity via the determined optimal communication medium.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises transferring a representation of digital content stored at the mobile device to the computing device communicatively coupled to the server over the network.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

downloading a perishable application from the server to the mobile device over the mobile network;

executing the perishable application on the mobile device; and

deleting the perishable application from the mobile device after execution is complete.