PROVIDING NETWORK ACCESS

• US 20140248851A1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, Jason L., Boss, Gregory J., Jones, Andrew R., McConnell, Kevin C., Moore, John E. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1475 the splitting involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A wireless service provider identifies a mobile computing device capable of short-range wireless communication and in an agreement to receive service from a cellular network. The wireless service provider provides, to the mobile computing device, terms for a third party computing device to accept in order to gain access to the cellular network via the mobile computing device. In response to a third party computing device agreeing to the terms, the wireless service provider indicates to the mobile computing device to allow the third party computing device to access the cellular network via the mobile computing device.

Claims

1. A method for providing network access, the method comprising:

a computer system identifying a mobile computing device capable of short-range wireless communication and in an agreement to receive service from a cellular network;

the computer system providing, to the mobile computing device, terms for a third party computing device to agree to in order to gain access to the cellular network via the mobile computing device, such that the mobile computing device can provide the terms to third party computing devices in wireless range of the mobile computing device; and

in response to receiving an indication from the mobile computing device that a third party computing device has agreed to the terms, the computer system indicating to the mobile computing device to allow the third party computing device to access the cellular network via the mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer system tracking an amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the computer system charging the third party computing device for the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device based on the agreed to terms.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer system crediting the mobile computing device based on the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the computer system requesting, from the mobile computing device, competing prices of network connections in wireless range of the mobile computing device;

the computer system receiving at least one competing price of a network connection in wireless range of the mobile computing device from the mobile computing device; and

the computer system setting a price for access to the cellular network based on the received at least one competing price.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said crediting the mobile computing device based on the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device comprises at least one of:

the computer system crediting a fee due by a user of the mobile computing device under terms of a service contract by a percentage of the amount charged to the third party computing device for data transferred to and from the third party computing device; and

the computer system providing an additional amount of data that may be transferred to and from the mobile computing device under terms of a service contract.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer system providing the mobile computing device one or more incentives to provide a network connection to the third party computing device.

8. A computer program product for providing network access, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a mobile computing device capable of short-range wireless communication and in an agreement to receive service from a cellular network;

program instructions to provide, to the mobile computing device, terms for a third party computing device to agree to in order to gain access to the cellular network via the mobile computing device, such that the mobile computing device can provide the terms to third party computing devices in wireless range of the mobile computing device;

program instructions to, in response to receiving an indication from the mobile computing device that a third party computing device has agreed to the terms, indicate to the mobile computing device to allow the third party computing device to access the cellular network via the mobile device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to track an amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device; and

program instructions to charge the third party computing device for the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device based on the agreed to terms.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, to credit the mobile device based on the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, to:

request competing prices of network connections in wireless range of the mobile computing device;

receive at least one competing price of a network connection in wireless range of the mobile computing device from the mobile computing device; and

set a price for access to the cellular network based on the received at least one competing price.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program instructions to credit the mobile computing device based on the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device comprises at least one of:

program instructions to credit a fee due by a user of the mobile computing device under terms of a service contract by a percentage of the amount charged to the third party computing device for data transferred to and from the third party computing device; and

program instructions to provide an additional amount of data that may be transferred to and from the mobile computing device under terms of a service contract.

13. A system for providing network access, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media;

program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a mobile computing device capable of short-range wireless communication and in an agreement to receive service from a cellular network;

program instructions to provide, to the mobile computing device, terms for a third party computing device to agree to in order to gain access to the cellular network via the mobile computing device, such that the mobile computing device can provide the terms to third party computing devices in wireless range of the mobile computing device;

program instructions to, in response to receiving an indication from the mobile computing device that a third party computing device has agreed to the terms, indicate to the mobile computing device to allow the third party computing device to access the cellular network via the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, to:

track an amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device; and

charge the third party computing device for the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device via the mobile computing device based on the agreed to terms.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, to credit the mobile device based on the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, to:

request competing prices of network connections in wireless range of the mobile computing device;

receive at least one competing price of a network connection in wireless range of the mobile computing device from the mobile computing device; and

set a price for access to the cellular network based on the received at least one competing price.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the program instructions to credit the mobile computing device based on the amount of data transferred to and from the third party computing device comprises at least one of:

program instructions to credit a fee due by a user of the mobile computing device under terms of a service contract by a percentage of the amount charged to the third party computing device for data transferred to and from the third party computing device; and

program instructions to provide an additional amount of data that may be transferred to and from the mobile computing device under terms of a service contract.