FRACTIONAL APPLICATIONS PRODUCT CATALOG

• US 20130336235A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Macheen Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: MEYER, Justin B., AKERS, Glenda J., SCHWARTZ, Richard L., TROTTER, James Cesar Alfred, CALLEN, Catherine T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1432 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1442 at network operator level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/52 for operator independent billing system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• 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: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 : Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation

Abstract

A method is provided for controlling access to applications available on a second network by a plurality of client mobile communications devices on a first network, wherein the first network includes (a) a first database comprising (i) a product catalog which contains a listing of a subset of the applications available on the second network, and (ii) a set of service rules which governs access to any of the applications in the product catalog by the client mobile communications devices, (b) a second database which specifies the applications that have been activated for each of the plurality of client mobile communications devices, and (c) a network appliance which is in communication with the second database and which grants access by each of the client mobile communications devices to the respective applications specified as active for that device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to applications available on a second network by a plurality of client mobile communications devices on a first network, wherein the first network includes (a) a first database comprising (i) a product catalog which contains a listing of a subset of the applications available on the second network, and (ii) a set of service rules which governs access to any of the applications in the product catalog by the client mobile communications devices, (b) a second database which specifies the applications that have been activated for each of the plurality of client mobile communications devices, and (c) a network appliance which is in communication with the second database and which restricts access by each of the client mobile communications devices to the respective applications specified as active for that device, the method comprising:

receiving a request, from one of the plurality of client mobile communications devices, for an action selected from the group consisting of (a) activating an application, and (b) reactivating a previously activated application;

determining whether the request is allowable by (i) ascertaining whether the requested application is in the product catalog, and (ii) ascertaining whether the service rules permit the client device to access the requested application;

if the request is allowable, updating the second database to indicate that the application has been activated for the requesting client device; and

if the request is not allowable, sending a notice to the requesting client device that the request has been denied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network is a private network maintained by an MNO, and wherein the second network is a public network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second network is the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network appliance operates as a gateway to the second network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request, from one of the plurality of client mobile communications devices, for access to an application on the second network;

if the application is specified as activated for the client mobile communications device, then allowing access to the application.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

if the application is not specified as activated for the client mobile communications device, then denying access to the application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein reactivating a previously activated application includes reactivating a previously activated application that has subsequently lapsed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is for activating an application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second database includes a listing of applications from the product catalog, along with an indication of which of the applications have been activated for each of the plurality of client mobile communications devices, wherein the network appliance has associated therewith a service loader which is in communication with the first database, and wherein the service loader periodically updates the listing in the second database to reflect changes in the product catalog.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the service loader updates the listing in the second database by adding to the listing any applications that have been added to the product catalog.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the service loader updates the listing in the second database by deleting from the listing any applications that have been deleted from the product catalog.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of service rules in the first database include information selected from the group consisting of (a) settlement rules, (b) access/denial lists, and (c) service descriptions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of service rules in the first database includes an access/denial list, wherein the access/denial list includes information describing applications or services to which access by the client mobile communications devices is granted or denied, and wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of URLs, IP addresses, and protocols.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of service rules in the first database includes an access/denial list, and wherein the access/denial list includes location information which specifies locations from which access to the applications or services by the mobile communications devices will be permitted or denied.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of service rules in the first database includes an access/denial list, and wherein the access/denial list includes duration information which specifies the duration over which access to the applications or services by the mobile communications devices will be permitted or denied.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network further comprises an administrator version of the product catalog and service rules which is maintained by the network administrator of the first network, wherein the network administrator makes periodic modifications to the administrator version of the product catalog and service rules, and wherein, once these changes are committed, they are propagated to the first database.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network further comprises a service handler which handles service activation, service expiration and service renewals for the plurality of client mobile communications devices, wherein the service handler further comprises a user interface, and wherein the user interface may be utilized to request activation of an application or service.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user interface may be utilized by the owner of a client mobile communications device to request activation of an application.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the user interface may be utilized by an employee of an MNVE to request activation of an application or service.

20. A tangible medium containing suitable programming instructions disposed in a tangible, non-transient medium which, when executed by a computer, cause the method of claim 1 to be carried out.