System And Method For Network Assisted Control And Monetization Of Tethering To Mobile Wireless Devices

• US 20130171964A1
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Sumeet Singh, Ahluwalia, Mankesh S., Saxena, Narothum, Irizarry, Michael Shannon
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A way for managing use of a mobile wireless device in a tethering configuration is described. The disclosed mobile wireless system is configured to receive a message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device. The system determines whether the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices by referencing a profile with which the mobile device is associated. The mobile wireless system discards the received message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is not permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices. Moreover, a number of ways for monetizing the supported tethering mode are described such that a service provider is adequately compensated for the increased demand on the mobile wireless network resources arising from support for the tethering mode of operation for a mobile wireless device.

Claims

1. A method for managing use of a mobile wireless device in a tethering configuration comprising:

receiving a message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device;

determining, in response to the receiving step, whether the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices by referencing a profile with which the mobile device is associated; and

discarding the message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is not permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

inspecting information within the message packet indicating that the message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the inspecting is performed by an access gateway component of a mobile wireless network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the information within the message packet indicates a user application that issued a request with which the message packet is associated.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the inspecting is performed by a component executed on the mobile wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

determining, by a component executed on the mobile wireless device, that the message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:

coloring the message packet, prior to transmitting the message packet, by the mobile device to indicate to an access gateway component of a mobile wireless network that the message packet is being transmitted by the mobile wireless device on behalf of the device tethered to the mobile wireless device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

passing the message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices; and

updating a tethered mode data usage field maintained for a subscriber account, with which the mobile wireless device is associated, in accordance with the passing the message packet.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising charging the subscriber account a differentiated rate associated with permitted routing of message packets by the mobile device on behalf of tethered devices.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the charging the subscriber account a differentiated rate comprises charging the account based upon an accumulated data usage value stored in the tethered mode data usage field and the differentiated rate.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions for managing use of a mobile wireless device in a tethering configuration, the computer executable instructions facilitating performing the steps of:

receiving a message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device

determining, in response to the receiving step, whether the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices by referencing a profile with which the mobile device is associated; and

discarding the message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is not permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising computer executable instructions facilitating performing the step of:

inspecting information within the message packet indicating that the message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the inspecting is performed by an access gateway component of a mobile wireless network.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the information within the message packet indicates a user application that issued a request with which the message packet is associated.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the inspecting is performed by a component executed on the mobile wireless device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising computer executable instructions facilitating performing the step of:

determining, by a component executed on the mobile wireless device, that the message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 further comprising computer executable instructions facilitating performing the step of:

coloring the message packet, prior to transmitting the message packet, by the mobile device to indicate to an access gateway component of a mobile wireless network that the message packet is being transmitted by the mobile wireless device on behalf of the device tethered to the mobile wireless device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising computer executable instructions facilitating performing the steps of:

passing the message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices; and

updating a tethered mode data usage field maintained for a subscriber account, with which the mobile wireless device is associated, in accordance with the passing the message packet.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 further comprising computer executable instructions for charging the subscriber account a differentiated rate associated with permitted routing of message packets by the mobile device on behalf of tethered devices.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the charging step comprises charging the subscriber account based upon an accumulated data usage value stored in the tethered mode data usage field and the differentiated rate.

21. A mobile wireless system for managing use of mobile wireless devices in a tethering configuration, the system comprising:

a mobile wireless device configured to support networking a set of tethered devices by routing messages between the set of devices and the mobile wireless system; and

an access gateway configured to carry out the steps of;

receiving a message packet from the mobile wireless device, the message packet having been issued from one of the set of tethered devices;

determining, in response to the receiving step, whether the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices by referencing a profile with which the mobile device is associated; and

discarding the message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is not permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices.

22. A mobile wireless system for managing use of mobile wireless devices in a tethering configuration, the system comprising:

a mobile wireless device configured to;

support networking a set of tethered devices by routing messages between the set of devices and the mobile wireless system, and wherein

the mobile wireless device is further configured to perform the steps of;

receiving a message packet, the message packet having been issued from one of the set of tethered devices, and

coloring the message packet to indicate that the message packet issued from one of the set of tethered devices; and

an access gateway configured to perform the steps of;

receiving the message packet from the mobile wireless device,

determining, in response to receiving the message packet from the mobile wireless device, whether the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices by referencing a profile with which the mobile device is associated, and

discarding the message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is not permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices.