OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORTING COST AWARE APPLICATIONS

• US 20130217357A1
• Filed: 03/16/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Menezes, Pascal, Piumatti, Marco, Parks, Upshur W., Rao, Ravi
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8022 Determining tariff or charge band
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/885 limit per application
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/886 limit per terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

A mobile computing device that supports cost-aware application components for operation over a metered network. A current basis for computing usage charges over one or more networks may be made available to the cost-aware application components through an application programming interface supported by an operating system service. That service may receive a policy for charging for data usage over a network and may also obtain information defining data usage for the mobile computing device. Based on this information, the service may determine a current basis for charging for data usage. With this information, the application component can determine a manner for executing network operations that involve data transmission over the network, such as deferring the operation or selecting an alternative network.

Claims

1. A method performed on a device configured for utilizing a network that has a monetary cost associated with the utilizing, the method comprising:

determining if an amount of data intended for transfer via the network exceeds a threshold;

transferring, in response to the amount of the data not exceeding the threshold, the data via the network; and

alternatively transferring, in response to the amount of the data exceeding the threshold, the data, the alternatively transferring comprising throttling or blocking the alternatively transferring of at least a portion of the data via the network.

2. The method of claim 1 where the alternatively transferring comprises selecting an alternative network.

3. The method of claim 2, the alternatively transferring further comprising transferring, via the alternate network, at least a portion of the data.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording usage information based on the transferring.

5. The method of claim 1 where the utilizing corresponds to a particular application, and where the data is associated with the particular application.

6. The method of claim 5, the determining further comprising providing charging policy information to the particular application.

7. The method of claim 6 where the charging policy indicates a charging model associated with the utilizing that is imposed by an operator of the network.

8. At least one computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a device configured for utilizing a network that has a monetary cost associated with the utilizing, cause the device to perform actions comprising:

determining if an amount of data intended for transfer via the network exceeds a threshold;

transferring, in response to the amount of the data not exceeding the threshold, the data via the network; and

alternatively transferring, in response to the amount of the data exceeding the threshold, the data, the alternatively transferring comprising throttling or blocking the alternatively transferring of at least a portion of the data via the network.

9. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 where the alternatively transferring comprises selecting an alternative network.

10. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the alternatively transferring further comprising transferring, via the alternate network, at least a portion of the data.

11. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the actions further comprising recording usage information based on the transferring.

12. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 where the utilizing corresponds to a particular application, and where the data is associated with the particular application.

13. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the determining further comprising providing charging policy information to the particular application.

14. The at least one computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 where the charging policy indicates a charging model associated with the utilizing that is imposed by an operator of the network.

15. A device and at least one software module together configured for utilizing a network that has a monetary cost associated with the utilizing, and further configured for performing actions comprising:

determining if an amount of data intended for transfer via the network exceeds a threshold;

transferring, in response to the amount of the data not exceeding the threshold, the data via the network; and

alternatively transferring, in response to the amount of the data exceeding the threshold, the data, the alternatively transferring comprising throttling or blocking the alternatively transferring of at least a portion of the data via the network.

16. The device and at least one software module of claim 15 where the alternatively transferring comprises selecting an alternative network, and further comprises transferring, via the alternate network, at least a portion of the data.

17. The device and at least one software module of claim 15, the actions further comprising recording usage information based on the transferring.

18. The device and at least one software module of claim 15 where the utilizing corresponds to a particular application, and where the data is associated with the particular application.

19. The device and at least one software module of claim 18, the determining further comprising providing charging policy information to the particular application.

20. The device and at least one software module of claim 19 where the charging policy indicates a charging model associated with the utilizing that is imposed by an operator of the network.