SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A NETWORK SERVICE IN A DISTRIBUTED FASHION TO A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20120178414A1
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Published: 07/12/2012
• 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 9,712,986 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 method for providing a network service in a distributed fashion to a mobile device in a mobile network, the method, comprising:

providing the network service to the mobile device via the mobile network;

wherein, the network service is provided by an entity other than an operator of the mobile network;

further wherein, the network service is provided by functionality distributed between client software on the mobile device and software at a server associated with the entity other than the operator, the server being communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the mobile network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes, one or more of, monitoring, tracking, and recording use of mobile network services provided the operator of the mobile network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service includes enforcing policies related to using mobile network services provided by the operator of the mobile network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes, tracking use of mobile network services provided the operator of the mobile network for billing purposes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes, providing a record of communications with a contact including multiple mediums in a list of communication history via the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes, collecting contact information for a contact from a computing device associated with a user of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes,

monitoring availability of a contact of a user of the mobile device via one or more communication mediums;

informing the user which communication medium to use based on the availability of the contact.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes, delivering digital content to the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes, facilitating billing associated with delivery of the digital content to the mobile device on behalf of a content provider of the digital content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network service provided by the entity includes, determining a location of the mobile device and delivering digital content to the mobile device based on the location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, the network service determines the location of the mobile device using one or more of, GPS data, triangulation data, and user input at the mobile device.

12. A method for providing a mobile network service to a mobile device, the method, comprising:

providing a service to the mobile device via the mobile network;

wherein, the service is provided by an entity other than an operator of the mobile network; and

wherein the service includes monitoring usage of the mobile network by the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service maintains a data connection between the mobile device with another server even when connection with the mobile network is inactive.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service is provided by functionality distributed between client software on the mobile device and software at a server associated with the entity other than the operator.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service is provided by functionality distributed between client software on the mobile device and software at an operator server associated with the operator of the mobile network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, the functionality is further distributed between a server associated with the entity other than the operator.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service is provided by a server coupled to the mobile device over a mobile network;

wherein, the server is associated with the entity other than the operator of the mobile network

18. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service includes enforcing network service policy associated with the mobile device or a user of the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein, the network service policy includes, a limit on available bandwidth able to be used by the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, the available bandwidth is determined based on service plan policy associated with the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising, reformatting content to be transferred to the mobile device based on the available bandwidth.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service includes monitoring of bandwidth use of the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service includes advertising services.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein, the service further includes one or more of:

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

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

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