Confirmation Based Mobile Messaging Platform

• US 20130059561A1
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tangoe Canada Incorporated (Tangoe Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Tangoe Canada Incorporated (Tangoe Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rudich, Daniel, Leemet, Jaan
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/141 Indication of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/855 Successful event
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/858 Request users acknowledgement prior to use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/881 for continuing the call beyond the limit using allow grace
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for delivering a message to and receiving an acknowledgement from a mobile device, and more specifically, the system and method allows network operators, or any central administration group(s) to issue messages and warnings to a mobile device, which requires an acknowledgement in order for the mobile device to continue functioning without restriction.

Claims

1. A system for delivering messages to and receiving confirmation of the received message from a mobile device, the system comprising:

communication equipment coupled to and sending data to and receiving data from the mobile device;

a monitoring module having thresholds set therein, said monitoring module monitoring usage of the mobile device, wherein when a threshold is reached, said monitoring module generates a notification that is presented on the mobile device;

a server coupled to the communication equipment and having a storage coupled thereto;

wherein the notification requires an acknowledgement thereto and when the acknowledgement to the notification is entered the acknowledgement is saved on said storage to generate an audit trail of the acknowledgement.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one function of the mobile device is blocked until the acknowledgement is sent.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the notification allows for multiple different responses thereto.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the multiple different responses allow or restrict at least one function of the mobile device.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the at least one function is selected from the group consisting of:

data usage, voice usage, SMS usage, camera usage, and combinations thereof.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the thresholds are set based upon a service plan for the mobile device and the service plan defines the limits of the at least one function for a billing cycle.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein at a beginning of a new billing cycle, if the at least one function has been restricted, the restriction is removed.

8. The system according to claim 5 wherein when the at least one function is selected as voice usage or SMS usage, the restriction of the at least one function is a restriction of communication with a particular phone number.

9. The system according to claim 5 wherein when the at least one function is selected as data usage, the restriction of the at least one function is a restriction of an application.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring module comprises software located on the mobile device.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the software triggers cost, usage, or service availability based notifications that require acknowledgement and prohibit use of the mobile device or some services on the mobile device until the acknowledgement is sent.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring module comprises software located remotely from the mobile device.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the software triggers cost, usage, or service availability based notifications that require acknowledgement and prohibit use of the mobile device or some services on the mobile device until the acknowledgement is sent.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein a home network of a carrier provides data to the mobile device located in a roaming network, the data comprising cost information or other roaming related information, wherein the cost information or roaming related information is presented on the mobile device and must be acknowledged before operation of features of the device on the roaming network is allowed.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein the storage device is located remotely from the mobile device and further comprising a mobile device storage located on the mobile device, wherein the acknowledgement is stored on the mobile device storage.

16. A method for delivering messages to and receiving confirmation of the received message from a mobile device comprising the steps of:

defining a threshold relating to at least one function relating to the mobile device;

monitoring the at least one function to determine if the threshold is reached; and

wherein, if the threshold is reached, automatically generating a notification relating to the threshold;

presenting the notification on the mobile device such that the notification may be viewed by a user;

restricting usage of the mobile device at least until the notification is acknowledged; and

saving the acknowledgement in a storage to generate an audit trail of the acknowledgement.

17. The method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of either allowing or restricting the at least one function of the mobile device.

22. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of monitoring the at least one function is performed by software located on the mobile device.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the software triggers cost, usage, or service availability based notifications.

24. The method according to claim 16 wherein the step of monitoring the at least one function is performed by software located remotely from the mobile device.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the software triggers cost, usage, or service availability based notifications.

26. The method according to claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

providing data to the mobile device located in a roaming network from a home network of a carrier;

wherein the data provided to the mobile device includes cost information or roaming related information that must be acknowledged before operation of features of the device on the roaming network is allowed.

18. The method according to 17 wherein the least one function is selected from the group consisting of:

data usage, voice usage, SMS usage, roaming usage, camera usage, and combinations thereof.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the threshold is set based upon a service plan for the mobile device and the service plan defines the limits of the at least one function for a billing cycle.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein when the at least one function is selected as voice usage or SMS usage, the restriction of the at least one function is a restriction of communication with a particular phone number.

21. The method according to claim 18 wherein when the at least one function is selected as data usage, the restriction of the at least one function is a restriction of an application.