MANAGING SELECTIVE ACCESS OF A USER EQUIPMENT TO INTERNET-BASED SERVICES BASED ON TRANSPORT TYPE

• US 20130229945A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Deninger, Daniel A., Oertle, Kenneth H., Cha, David S., Riggs, Jason M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,003,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

In an embodiment, a subordinate mobile communication device (SMCD) receives a content access profile from a dispatcher. The content access profile includes (i) proxy server selection criteria to facilitate the SMCD to select between a plurality of proxy servers based on a current transport mechanism type (e.g., WiFi, 3G, Satellite, etc.), each of the plurality of proxy servers being configured by the dispatcher to provide different degrees of support for Internet-based services to the SMCD, and/or (ii) a set of Internet-based service access rules to facilitate the SMCD to independently determine whether to grant or deny access by the SMCD to Internet-based services based on the current transport mechanism type of a connection between the SMCD and an access network. The SMCD determines its current transport mechanism type and uses the content access profile to selectively engage with a given Internet-based service.

Claims

1. A method of operating a subordinate mobile communication device, comprising:

receiving a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including proxy server selection criteria to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to select between a plurality of proxy servers, each of the plurality of proxy servers being configured by the dispatcher to provide different degrees of support for Internet-based services to the subordinate mobile communication device;

determining to access a given Internet-based service;

determining the current transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

selecting one of the plurality of proxy servers based upon the determined current transport mechanism type and the proxy server selection criteria; and

transmitting, to the selected proxy server, a request for access to the given Internet-based service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined current transport mechanism type includes one of:

an unlimited WiFi or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connection;

a pay-per-use WiFi or WLAN connection;

a cellular or terrestrial data connection;

or

a satellite data connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a different transport mechanism type is associated with each of the plurality of proxy servers, and wherein the plurality of proxy servers are configured to provide their respective different degrees of support for the Internet-based services responsive to the subordinate mobile communication device being connected to their respective associated transport mechanism type.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the content access profile further includes a set of Internet-based service access rules to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to independently determine whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to one or more of the Internet-based services based on the subordinate mobile communication device'"'"'s transport mechanism type to the access network, and

wherein the set of Internet-based service rules includes at least one rule configured to grant access by the subordinate mobile communication device to the given Internet-based service when the subordinate mobile communication device is connected to the access network via the determined current transport mechanism type, and

wherein the selecting and transmitting are performed responsive to execution of the at least one rule.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of Internet-based service rules includes at least one other rule configured to deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to the given Internet-based service when the subordinate mobile communication device is connected to the access network via a given transport mechanism type that is different from the determined current transport mechanism type.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the selected proxy server, an indication that the request for access to the given Internet-based service is denied.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the selected proxy server, an indication that the request for access to the given Internet-based service is granted; and

accessing the given Internet-based service via the selected proxy server in accordance with a given degree to which the selected proxy server supports the given Internet-based service.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an updated current transport mechanism type of the connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and the access network that is different from the determined current transport mechanism type;

determining to acquire or continue access to the given Internet-based service;

selecting a different one of the plurality of proxy servers based upon the determined updated current transport mechanism type and the proxy server selection criteria; and

transmitting, to the selected different proxy server, another request for access to the given Internet-based service.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from the selected different proxy server, an indication that the another request for access to the given Internet-based service is denied.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from the selected different proxy server, an indication that the another request for access to the given Internet-based service is granted; and

accessing the given Internet-based service via the selected different proxy server in accordance with a first degree to which the selected different proxy server supports the given Internet-based service, the first degree being different than a second degree to which the selected different proxy server supports the given Internet-based service.

11. A method of operating a subordinate mobile communication device, comprising:

receiving a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including a set of Internet-based service access rules to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to independently determine whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to Internet-based services based on a transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

determining the current transport mechanism type of the connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and the access network; and

determining whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to a given Internet-based service based on the determined current transport mechanism type and the set of Internet-service access rules.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determined current transport mechanism type includes one of:

an unlimited WiFi or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connection;

a pay-per-use WiFi or WLAN connection;

a cellular or terrestrial data connection;

or

a satellite data connection.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of a plurality of transport mechanism types is associated with a different Internet-based service access rule.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

configuring a user interface to permit selection of one or more Internet-based services including the given Internet-based service based upon the determined current transport mechanism type; and

receiving a request to access the given Internet-based service via the configured user interface.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein the given Internet-based service corresponds to a given webpage, and

wherein the configured user interface establishes a homepage of a web-browsing application as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the given webpage to permit selection of the given Internet-based service.

16. The method of claim 14,

wherein the given Internet-based service corresponds to a given web-page, and

wherein the configured user interface adds a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the given webpage to a Favorites list of a web-browsing application to permit selection of the given Internet-based service.

17. The method of claim 14,

wherein the given Internet-based service corresponds to dynamic web-browsing, and

wherein the configured user interface adds a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) bar to a web-browsing application to permit selection of the given Internet-based service.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

configuring a user interface to deter selection of the given Internet-based service based upon the determined current transport mechanism type.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the configuring occurs responsive to determining to deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to the given Internet-based service.

20. The method of claim 18,

wherein the given Internet-based services includes a given webpage, and

wherein the configured user interface transitions a homepage of a web-browsing application from a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) that is associated with the given webpage to a URL that is not associated with the given webpage to deter the selection.

21. The method of claim 18,

wherein the given Internet-based service includes a given webpage, and

wherein the configured user interface removes or omits a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the given webpage from a Favorites list of a web-browsing application to deter the selection.

22. The method of claim 18,

wherein the given Internet-based service include dynamic web-browsing, and

wherein the configured user interface removes or omits a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) bar from a web-browsing application to deter the selection.

23. A subordinate mobile communication device, comprising:

means for receiving a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including proxy server selection criteria to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to select between a plurality of proxy servers, each of the plurality of proxy servers being configured by the dispatcher to provide different degrees of support for Internet-based services to the subordinate mobile communication device;

means for determining to access a given Internet-based service;

means for determining the current transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

means for selecting one of the plurality of proxy servers based upon the determined current transport mechanism type and the proxy server selection criteria; and

means for transmitting, to the selected proxy server, a request for access to the given Internet-based service.

24. A subordinate mobile communication device, comprising:

means for receiving a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including a set of Internet-based service access rules to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to independently determine whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to Internet-based services based on a transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

means for determining the current transport mechanism type of the connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and the access network; and

means for determining whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to a given Internet-based service based on the determined current transport mechanism type and the set of Internet-service access rules.

25. A subordinate mobile communication device, comprising:

logic configured to receive a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including proxy server selection criteria to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to select between a plurality of proxy servers, each of the plurality of proxy servers being configured by the dispatcher to provide different degrees of support for Internet-based services to the subordinate mobile communication device;

logic configured to determine to access a given Internet-based service;

logic configured to determine the current transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

logic configured to select one of the plurality of proxy servers based upon the determined current transport mechanism type and the proxy server selection criteria; and

logic configured to transmit, to the selected proxy server, a request for access to the given Internet-based service.

26. A subordinate mobile communication device, comprising:

logic configured to receive a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including a set of Internet-based service access rules to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to independently determine whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to Internet-based services based on a transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

logic configured to determine the current transport mechanism type of the connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and the access network; and

logic configured to determine whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to a given Internet-based service based on the determined current transport mechanism type and the set of Internet-service access rules.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a subordinate mobile communication device, causes the subordinate mobile communication device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to receive a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including proxy server selection criteria to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to select between a plurality of proxy servers, each of the plurality of proxy servers being configured by the dispatcher to provide different degrees of support for Internet-based services to the subordinate mobile communication device;

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to determine to access a given Internet-based service;

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to determine the current transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to select one of the plurality of proxy servers based upon the determined current transport mechanism type and the proxy server selection criteria; and

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to transmit, to the selected proxy server, a request for access to the given Internet-based service.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a subordinate mobile communication device, causes the subordinate mobile communication device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to receive a content access profile from a dispatcher, the content access profile including a set of Internet-based service access rules to facilitate the subordinate mobile communication device to independently determine whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to Internet-based services based on a transport mechanism type of a connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and an access network;

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to determine the current transport mechanism type of the connection between the subordinate mobile communication device and the access network; and

at least one instruction for causing the subordinate mobile communication device to determine whether to grant or deny access by the subordinate mobile communication device to a given Internet-based service based on the determined current transport mechanism type and the set of Internet-service access rules.