System, method and processor readable medium for downloading information within a predetermined period of time to a device in a network responsive to price selection

• US 7,356,571 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IXI Mobile (R&D) Ltd. (IXI Mobile, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IXI Mobile (R&D) Ltd. (IXI Mobile, Inc.)
• Inventors: Haller, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAYARD, DJENANE M
• Application Number:
  US10/266,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/231, 709/218, 709/219, 709/203, 709/217, 370/252, 455/419, 455/406, 725/87, 705/20, 705/50
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1421 Indication of expected costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/46 Real-time negotiation between users and providers or operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/56 : On line or real-time flexible agreements between service providers and telecoms operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 : Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 : QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method, system, and processor readable medium allows a user to download information to a device within a predetermined period of time at a predetermined price. In an embodiment of the present invention, a processing device is coupled to a wide area network, including a cellular network, and transfers information to the device. A user selects a representation of the information to be downloaded. A user also selects a displayed associated predetermined price, in a plurality of prices, and respective predetermined download periods of time. A processing device transfers the information to the device within the selected predetermined period of time. The respective download periods of time are determined in response to a measured download rate and size of the information. In embodiments of the present invention, the information includes processor executable software such as a ring tone or a software game. In an embodiment of the present invention, the device is a cellular device, having a WAP browser, in a short-range radio network.

Claims

1. A system applicable to a mediating cellular device coupling between a wide area network and a short distance wireless network wherein a cellular network is used for ordering selected information from a processing device in the wide area network to be received by said mediating cellular device and wherein said selected information is received completely within a selected predetermined download period of time and associated corresponding price, comprising:

a statistic software component for obtaining and storing the average download rates for downloading information to a particular device at a particular location in said wide area network, wherein said average download rates are used to predetermine download periods of time and associated corresponding prices;

a first processing device, coupled to said wide area network, for storing and transferring information completely to said mediating cellular device through said cellular network, within the selected predetermined download period of time and associated corresponding price; and

said mediating cellular device, to receive said information completely within a first selected download period of time and at a selected first price, wherein said first selected download period of time represents an amount of time to transfer the information from said first processing device to said mediating cellular device, and wherein a selection of representation of downloaded information comprises a plurality of predetermined prices and respective predetermined download periods of time are displayed in said short distance wireless network to a user, and wherein a selected representation of downloaded information, the selected first price and a respective download period of time, predetermined by said user, are displayed in said short distance wireless network to said user, and wherein said plurality of predetermined prices and respective download periods of time include a second price and a second download period of time, wherein said selected first price is greater than said second price and said first selected download period of time is less than said second download period of time, and wherein said respective download periods of time are different amounts of times that begin from when said user selects said selected representation of downloaded information and said selected first price and ends when said selected information is received completely by said mediating cellular device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected first price is based on a content of the information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said selected representation of downloaded information and the selected first price is provided to a user from a web site.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said selected representation of downloaded information and the selected first price is provided to a user at a second device in the short distance wireless network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first selected download period of time is determined in response to a predetermined data rate at a particular time and a size of the information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second price is free and the second download period of time is approximately 24 hours.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mediating cellular device is a cellular telephone.

8. A method for ordering information from a processing device in a wide area network to be received by a mediating cellular device coupling between said wide area network and a short distance wireless network, wherein said information is received completely within a selected predetermined download period of time and associated corresponding price, comprising:

obtaining and storing the average download rates for downloading information to a particular device at a particular location in said wide area network;

predetermining download periods of time and associated corresponding prices according to said average download rates;

selecting a representation of the information to be downloaded to the mediating cellular device in a short distance wireless network;

selecting a first price and a first download period of time from a plurality of prices and respective download periods of time, wherein the first price is greater than a second price and the first download period of time is less than a second download period of time; and

completely transferring the information to the mediating cellular device within the first download period of time, wherein the respective download periods of time are different amounts of times that begin from selecting the first price and the first download period of time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the representation of the information is performed by a user of the mediating cellular device in the short distance wireless network.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the representation of the information is performed at a second device in the short distance wireless network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second device in the short distance wireless network is a computer.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the first price and the first download period of time is performed by a user of the mediating cellular device in the short distance wireless network.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

charging the first price in response to the transferring.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the mediating cellular device in the short distance wireless network is a cellular device.