Cost control system for access to mobile services

• US 7,613,445 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NortonLifeLock Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Stanev, Radoslav
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/318,241
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 455/407, 455/432.1, 455/552.1, 4554352-4353, 455/558, 455/406, 379/114.06
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• 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 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/858 Request users acknowledgement prior to use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8183 Request users acknowledgement prior to use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

The cost control module 120 controls costs associated with automated access to mobile services for processes running on mobile devices 110. The module 120 performs cost control in a user-friendly manner so the user is affected by the processes as minimally as possible, but the user is also not forced to pay large fees when the processes access certain mobile services. If a program needs to access a mobile data service to complete a function, the module 120 determines what various mobile services are available, and the cost of accessing each service. The module 120 prioritizes the services according to cost. The value of granting the program access to the service is weighed against the cost of access and a determination is made regarding whether access should be allowed.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions recorded thereon for controlling costs associated with access to a mobile data service through a mobile device, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

acquiring information regarding mobile data services available for a program on the mobile device at a current time in a current location to access to perform a function, wherein the information acquired is represented in one or more records, and a record uniquely represents the mobile device'"'"'s position in a multi-dimensional space including dimensions for mobile space, time, and mobile service;

assessing the costs for accessing the available mobile data services by the mobile device at the current time in the current location;

prioritizing the available mobile data services based on the costs to select a preferred mobile data service for access by the program, wherein prioritizing the available mobile data service comprises ordering the available mobile data services according to an expense to access the services at a current time and location;

determining a value of the function based on a level of importance associated with the function;

comparing the value to the costs for accessing the preferred mobile data service; and

determining whether to allow the program to access the preferred mobile data service based on the comparison.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the value measures a benefit conferred to the user if the program is granted access to the preferred mobile data service, and wherein the value is determined based on value information provided by the program about the value of performing the function.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions for acquiring information further comprise instructions for:

filtering the one or more records against a list of possible services through which the function can be performed to create a set; and

filtering the set to remove from the set services to which the user does not subscribe.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising executable computer program instructions for collecting and storing information about user preferences in advance of performing one or more of the steps for controlling costs.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions for prioritizing the available mobile data services based on the costs further comprise instructions for ordering the available mobile data services from least expensive to access to most expensive to access at a current time and location.

6. A computer-implemented method of controlling costs associated with access to a mobile service through a mobile device, the method comprising:

using a computer processor configured to execute method steps, the steps comprising;

acquiring information regarding mobile data services available for a program on the mobile device at a current time in a current location to access to perform a function, wherein the information acquired is represented in one or more records, and a record uniquely represents the mobile device'"'"'s position in a multi-dimensional space including dimensions for mobile space, time, and mobile service;

assessing the costs for accessing available mobile data services by the mobile device at the current time in the current location;

prioritizing the available mobile data services based on the costs to select a preferred mobile data service for access by the program, wherein prioritizing the available mobile data service comprises ordering the available mobile data services according to an expense to access the services at a current time and location;

determining a value of the function based on a level of importance associated with the function;

comparing the value to the costs for accessing the preferred mobile data service; and

determining whether to allow the program to access the preferred mobile data service based on the comparison.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein information describing a plan subscribed to by the user is represented in one or more records that include information regarding the costs of the available mobile data services provided under the plan.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more records are stored in a database and are retrieved for future cost analyses for accessing mobile data services.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising collecting information about user preferences in advance of performing one or more of the steps for controlling costs, wherein the user preferences are learned and applied in future cost analyses for accessing mobile data services.

10. A computer system for controlling costs associated with access to a mobile service through a mobile device, the system comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium storing executable software modules, comprising;

an information acquisition module for acquiring information regarding mobile data services available for a program on the mobile device at a current time in a current location to access to perform a function, wherein the information acquired is represented in one or more records, and a record uniquely represents the mobile device'"'"'s position in a multi-dimensional space including dimensions for mobile space, time, and mobile service;

a cost assessment module for assessing the costs for accessing available mobile data services by the mobile device at the current time in the current location;

a prioritization module for prioritizing the available mobile data services based on the costs to select a preferred mobile data service for access by the program, wherein prioritizing the available mobile data service comprises ordering the available mobile data services according to an expense to access the services at a current time and location;

a value determination module for determining a value of the function based on a level of importance associated with the function;

a comparison module for comparing the value to the costs for accessing the preferred mobile data service;

a decision module for determining whether to allow the program to access the preferred mobile data service based on the comparison; and

a processor configured to execute the software modules stored by the computer readable storage medium.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the value measures a benefit conferred to the user if the program is granted access to the preferred mobile data service.

12. The system of claim 10, the value determination module is further configured to include learning abilities allowing the value determination module to remember information about user preferences for use in future cost analyses.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the information acquisition module is further configured for:

filtering the one or more records against a list of possible services through which the function can be performed to create a set; and

filtering the set to remove from the set services to which the user does not subscribe.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile device includes preset information regarding the costs of mobile data services to which the user subscribes.

15. A computer system for controlling costs associated with access to a mobile service through a mobile device, the system comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions, the computer instructions comprising;

means for acquiring information regarding mobile data services available for a program on the mobile device at a current time in a current location to access to perform a function, wherein the information acquired is represented in one or more records, and a record uniquely represents the mobile device'"'"'s position in a multi-dimensional space including dimensions for mobile space, time, and mobile service;

means for assessing the costs for accessing available mobile data services by the mobile device at the current time in the current location;

means for prioritizing the available mobile data services based on the costs to select a preferred mobile data service for access by the program, wherein prioritizing the available mobile data service comprises ordering the available mobile data services according to an expense to access the services at a current time and location;

means for determining a value of the function based on a level of importance associated with the function;

means for comparing the value to the costs for accessing the preferred mobile data service;

means for determining whether to allow the program to access the preferred mobile data service based on the comparison; and

a processor configured to execute the computer program instructions stored by the computer readable storage medium.