PROTOCOLS FOR FACILITATING BROADER ACCESS IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20140269443A1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Reudink, Douglas O., Tegreene, Clarence T., Hyde, Roderick A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,843,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/259
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1421 Indication of expected costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a status or decision concerning a wireless service or device within a region to a communication device (smartphone or wearable device, e.g.) or other wireless communication participant (motor vehicle having a wireless communication capability, e.g.).

Claims

1. A communication management system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

a first transistor-based circuit configured to signal a first decision whether or not to establish a communication via at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device partly based on a first determination whether or not a charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on a first determination whether or not the second mobile device has wireless local area network (WLAN) service, the first transistor-based circuit including a first electrical node set upon which a first voltage configuration manifests the first determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service; and

a second transistor-based circuit configured to signal a second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally, partly based on a second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on a second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service, the second transistor-based circuit including

transistor-based circuitry configured to respond to the charge authorization and to an indication of the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been in progress when the second mobile device crossed a WLAN service space boundary by allocating a communication service cost component that depends upon when the second mobile device crossed the WLAN service space boundary to an account associated with the first mobile device.

2. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

the first mobile device, in which the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service comprises firmware.

10. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the IC chip having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the IC chip being the first transistor-based circuit configured to signal the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device partly based on the first determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first determination whether or not the second mobile device has wireless local area network (WLAN) service, the second portion of the IC chip being the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service.

12. The communication management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third transistor-based circuit, configured to obtain a first location estimate describing a first location of the second mobile device by receiving the first location estimate from the second mobile device; and

a fourth transistor-based circuit, configured to obtain first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the second mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate by receiving the first provenance data from the second mobile device.

15. The communication management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third transistor-based circuit configured to cause at least some of a wireless connectivity map to be displayed via the second mobile device after a decision whether or not to update the wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of a third mobile device and partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the third mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate.

22. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the first mobile device; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or not to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the first mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the first mobile device.

23. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to authorize a communication cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of the communication using WLAN access, the user account being associated with the first mobile device.

26. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to assign a cost component of the communication to an account associated with a third mobile device conditionally, in response to receiving the charge authorization from the third mobile device before receiving any charge authorization from the first mobile device.

27. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to manifest the communication by establishing a direct wireless linkage between a cell tower and the second mobile device partly based on receiving the charge authorization and partly based on the second mobile device not having WLAN service.

123. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the first mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or not to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the first mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the first mobile device; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to authorize a communication cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of the communication using WLAN access, the user account being associated with the first mobile device.

3-9. -9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13-14. -14. (canceled)

16-21. -21. (canceled)

24-25. -25. (canceled)

28. A communication management system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

a first transistor-based circuit configured to signal a first decision whether or not to establish a communication via at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device partly based on a first determination whether or not a charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on a first determination whether or not the second mobile device has wireless local area network (WLAN) service; and

a second transistor-based circuit configured to signal a second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally, partly based on a second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on a second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service.

29. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the first mobile device, in which the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service comprises firmware.

30. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision by establishing the communication, the communication originating at the first mobile device.

33. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to respond to the charge authorization and to an indication of the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been in progress when the second mobile device crossed a WLAN service space boundary by allocating a communication service cost component that depends upon when the second mobile device crossed the WLAN service space boundary to an account associated with the first mobile device.

34. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision by including the second decision in a wireless signal.

35. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision by establishing the communication, the communication being a telephone call to a user of the first mobile device and to a user of a third mobile device.

38. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the first transistor-based circuit including a first electrical node set upon which a first voltage configuration manifests the first determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service, the first determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service having been received as a wireless transmission from the second mobile device; and

the second transistor-based circuit including a second electrical node set upon which a second voltage configuration manifests the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service, the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service having been received as a wireless transmission from the second mobile device.

39. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device in which the charge authorization identifies the second mobile device and the communication.

40. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device in which the communication is established as a real-time response to the charge authorization having been received from a user at the first mobile device.

48. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the first mobile device configured to use a first nominal downlink frequency of at least about 59 GHz and of at most about 64 GHz; and

the first mobile device configured to use a second nominal downlink frequency of at least about 2.4 GHz and of at most about 5 GHz.

56. The communication management system of claim 28, further comprising:

a third transistor-based circuit configured to cause at least some of a wireless connectivity map to be displayed via the second mobile device after a decision whether or not to update the wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of a third mobile device and partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the third mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate.

57. The communication management system of claim 28, further comprising:

a third transistor-based circuit configured to cause at least some of a wireless connectivity map to be displayed, the wireless connectivity map indicating a service boundary prospectively relating to the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device, the communication being a prospective interpersonal communication.

58. The communication management system of claim 28, further comprising:

a third mobile device being a wearable assembly configured to present an audible notification of a WLAN service boundary, the WLAN service boundary being a component of a wireless connectivity map after a decision whether or not to update the wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of a fourth mobile device and partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the fourth mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate.

61. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry causing the second mobile device to present some of a wireless connectivity map comprising a specific positional model that represents both an isotropic radiator and an anisotropic radiator.

62. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to display via a third mobile device at least some of a wireless connectivity map depicting a cost-indicative service boundary prospectively relating to the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

71. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to hand off an interpersonal communication from a cellular base station to a WLAN access point, a usage of the cellular base station resulting in a communication cost component to an account associated with the first mobile device, the interpersonal communication being bidirectional and being the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

75. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to establish a conference call among several devices as the communication, the several devices including the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

124. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the first mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or not to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the first mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the first mobile device; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to authorize a communication cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of the communication using WLAN access, the user account being associated with the first mobile device.

125. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to compare a data block delivery failure rate against a threshold used at the second mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured to display via a third mobile device at least some of a wireless connectivity map depicting a cost-indicative service boundary prospectively relating to the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to manifest the communication by establishing a direct wireless linkage between a cell tower and the second mobile device partly based on receiving the charge authorization and partly based on the second mobile device not having WLAN service.

126. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to establish a conference call among several devices as the communication, the several devices including the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a data component of a wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in the first mobile device as an automatic and conditional response to a control component of the wireless signal;

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause first content of the wireless signal to pass either through a first memory of the first mobile device or through a second memory of the first mobile device selected as an automatic and conditional response to whether or not second content of the wireless signal satisfies a first criterion; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to authorize a communication cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of the communication using WLAN access, the user account being associated with the first mobile device.

127. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to display via the second mobile device at least some of a wireless connectivity map depicting a cost-indicative service boundary prospectively relating to the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or not to adjust a latency threshold for user data used at the second mobile device; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to respond to the charge authorization and to an indication of the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been in progress when the second mobile device crossed a WLAN service space boundary by allocating a communication service cost component that depends upon when the second mobile device crossed the WLAN service space boundary to an account associated with the first mobile device.

128. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the first mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a decision whether or not to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the first mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the first mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured to respond to the charge authorization and to an indication of the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been in progress when the second mobile device crossed a WLAN service space boundary by allocating a communication service cost component that depends upon when the second mobile device crossed the WLAN service space boundary to an account associated with the first mobile device.

129. The communication management system of claim 28 further comprising:

the second transistor-based circuit configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

transistor-based circuitry configured to respond to the charge authorization and to an indication of the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been in progress when the second mobile device crossed a WLAN service space boundary by allocating a communication service cost component that depends upon when the second mobile device crossed the WLAN service space boundary to an account associated with the first mobile device;

a third transistor-based circuit, configured to obtain a first location estimate describing a first location of the second mobile device by receiving the first location estimate from the second mobile device;

a fourth transistor-based circuit, configured to obtain first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the second mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate by receiving the first provenance data from the second mobile device; and

a fifth transistor-based circuit configured to authorize a communication cost component to be posted to an account associated with the first mobile device conditionally, responsive to the second mobile device losing access to WLAN service during the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

31-32. -32. (canceled)

36-37. -37. (canceled)

41-47. -47. (canceled)

49-55. -55. (canceled)

59-60. -60. (canceled)

63-70. -70. (canceled)

72-74. -74. (canceled)

76-78. -78. (canceled)

79. A communication management system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

means for signaling a first decision whether or not to establish a communication via at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device partly based on a first determination whether or not a charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on a first determination whether or not the second mobile device has wireless local area network (WLAN) service; and

means for signaling a second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally, partly based on a second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on a second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service.

95. The communication management system of claim 79 further comprising:

the means for signaling the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

means for causing the second mobile device to indicate some of a wireless connectivity map that includes automatically curated map data.

80-94. -94. (canceled)

96-99. -99. (canceled)

100. A communication management method comprising:

signaling a first decision whether or not to establish a communication via at least a first mobile device and a second mobile device partly based on a first determination whether or not a charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on a first determination whether or not the second mobile device has wireless local area network (WLAN) service; and

invoking transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally, partly based on a second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on a second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service.

119. The communication management method of claim 100 further comprising:

the invoking transistor-based circuitry configured to signal the second decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device automatically and conditionally partly based on the second determination whether or not the charge authorization has been associated with the first mobile device and partly based on the first decision whether or not to establish the communication via at least the first mobile device and the second mobile device having been negative and partly based on the second determination whether or not the second mobile device has WLAN service including

causing an assignment of a cost component of the communication to an account associated with a third mobile device conditionally, in response to receiving the charge authorization from the third mobile device before receiving any charge authorization from the first mobile device.

101-118. -118. (canceled)

120-122. -122. (canceled)