MOBILE ROUTER METHOD WITH RATE LIMITING

• US 20120257525A1
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Autonet Mobile, Inc.
• Inventors: MOELLER, DOUGLAS S., Pashby, Ronald W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,830,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/048 mobile agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS

Abstract

A method for operating a mobile router, comprises: transferring data via a cellular network at a data rate controlled by the router; receiving data rate information via the cellular network; and utilizing the data rate information to control the data rate of data subsequently transferred via said cellular network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile router, comprising:

transferring data via a cellular network at a data rate controlled by said router;

receiving data rate information via said cellular network; and

utilizing said data rate information to control said data rate of data subsequently transferred via said cellular network.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said data rate information comprises one or more predetermined conditions for changing said data rate.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

said predetermined conditions comprise accumulated transferred data quantities.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, comprising:

accumulating a total quantity of said transferred data;

comparing said accumulated total quantity to said accumulated transferred quantities; and

utilizing said comparison step to select a data rate for subsequent data transfers.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, comprising:

resetting said accumulated total quantity and said data rate at the end of a predetermined period.

6. A method in accordance with claim 3, comprising:

initially transferring said data at a first data rate.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, comprising:

accumulating a total quantity of said transferred data;

comparing said accumulated total quantity to said accumulated transferred quantities; and

utilizing said comparison step to select a second data rate for subsequent data transfers.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

resetting said accumulated total quantity at the end of a predetermined period; and

resetting said data rate to said first data rate at the end of said predetermined period.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

initially transferring said data at a first data rate.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

said data rate information comprises a second data rate for transferring said data.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein:

said second data rate is a predetermined slower data rate.

12. A method for operating a mobile router, comprising:

receiving data services from a service provider via a cellular network provided by a cellular network carrier;

controlling the data rate for transferring data via said cellular network;

transferring data via said cellular network at a first data rate;

receiving data rate information from said service provider; and

utilizing said data rate information to control the data rate of data subsequently transferred via said cellular network.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

said data rate information comprises a data rate that is slower than said first data rate.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

receiving second data rate information from said service provider; and

utilizing said second data rate information to control the data rate of new data subsequently transferred via said cellular network at said first data rate.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein:

said data rate information comprises one or more data quantities and corresponding one or more second data rates.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

accumulating the quantity of data transferred via said cellular network;

comparing said accumulated quantity to each of said one or more data quantities; and

controlling the data rate of data transferred subsequent to said accumulated quantity exceeding one of said one or more data quantities to the corresponding one of said one or more second data rates.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, comprising:

resetting said data rate for subsequent data transfers to said first data rate at the end of a predetermined period.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein:

said predetermined period is a billing period determined by said service provider.

19. A method in accordance with claim 17, comprising:

said predetermined period is a recurring time period.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, comprising:

said predetermined period is determined by said service provider

21. A method in accordance with claim 12, comprising:

storing said data rate information in said router.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein:

said data rate information comprises a data rate that is slower than said first data rate.

23. A method in accordance with claim 22, comprising:

receiving second data rate information from said service provider; and

utilizing said second data rate information to control the data rate of new data subsequently transferred via said cellular network at said first data rate.

24. A method in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

said data rate information comprises one or more data quantities and corresponding one or more second data rates; and

25. A method in accordance with claim 24, comprising:

accumulating the quantity of data transferred via said cellular network;

comparing said accumulated quantity to each of said one or more data quantities; and

controlling the data rate of data transferred subsequent to said accumulated quantity exceeding one of said one or more data quantities to the corresponding one of said one or more second data rates.

26. A method in accordance with claim 25, comprising:

resetting said data rate for subsequent data transfers to said first data rate at the end of a predetermined period.

27. A method in accordance with claim 26, wherein:

said predetermined period is a billing period determined by said service provider.

28. A method in accordance with claim 27, comprising:

said predetermined period is a recurring time period.

29. A method for operating a mobile router, comprising:

storing a data rate limiting rule in said router;

downloading data via a cellular network;

generating usage data based on the accumulated quantity of said downloaded data during a predetermined time period; and

controlling the data rate of downloaded data based on said accumulated quantity and said data rate limiting rule.

30. A method in accordance with claim 29, comprising:

receiving said data rate limiting rule via said cellular network.

31. A method in accordance with claim 29, comprising:

downloading data via said cellular network at a first data rate.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31, comprising:

said data rate limiting rule comprises a predetermined data quantity and a second data rate.

33. A method in accordance with claim 32, comprising:

downloading data at said second data rate after said accumulated quantity exceeds said predetermined quantity during a predetermined time period.

34. A method in accordance with claim 33, comprising:

selecting said second data rate to be slower than said first data rate.

35. A method in accordance with claim 29, comprising:

downloading data via said cellular network at a first data rate.

36. A method in accordance with claim 29, comprising:

receiving a predetermined first command; and

responding to said predetermined first command such that data is downloaded at a predetermined first rate predetermined by said predetermined first command.

37. A method in accordance with claim 36, comprising:

selecting said predetermined first rate to be slower than said first rate.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37, comprising:

receiving said predetermined first command via said cellular network.

39. A method in accordance with claim 37, comprising:

receiving a predetermined second command; and

responding to said predetermined second command to such that data is downloaded at said first rate.

40. A method for operating a mobile router, comprising:

controlling the data rate at a first data rate for data transfers via said cellular network;

receiving data rate information via said cellular network; and

utilizing said data rate information to control the data rate of data subsequently transferred via said cellular network.

41. A method in accordance with claim 40, comprising:

said data rate information comprises one of;

a command to said router to change said data rate to a predetermined data rate, and one or more rate limiting rules based upon the accumulated quantity of data during a predetermined period.

42. A method in accordance with claim 41, wherein:

said rate limiting rules are based upon a subscription data plan.