Feature management of a communication device

• US 8,588,735 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Inventors: Neal, Daniel John, Politi, Carol Ann, Weintraub, Ben Julian, Baker, Matthew Donald, Geller, Steven Ira, Kesser, Douglas Owen
• Primary Examiner(s): MITCHELL, NATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/786,775
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/10 Account details or usage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/35 Pay as you go
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the establishment and enforcement of policies or rules associated with the feature or functions that may be performed with the device, such as making and receiving calls, exchanging data, playing games and music, sending and receiving email, accessing web sites, and paying for goods and services. If a child or employee is using the device, there may be a need to regulate how that device can be used and to determine who will pay for what goods or services. In addition to providing all of the features associated with a device, service providers need to be able to establish and enforce rules (policies) regulating how and when that device can be used and who will pay for a good or service requested by the user of the device.

Claims

1. A system for managing a computing device of a plurality of computing devices, the system comprising a memory bearing instructions that, when executed on the system, cause the system to at least:

generate a plan associated with the plurality of computing devices and accessible by an administrator, the plan usable to facilitate execution of one or more functions of the plurality of computing devices, the plan indicative of an allocation of a first set of units of value to a first allowance associated with the computing device of the plurality of computing devices, the allocation based on input associated with the administrator, the first allowance associated with a function of the computing device of the plurality of computing devices and associated with a user, wherein the plan is indicative of an allocation of a second set of units of value to a second allowance associated with the administrator;

generate a first rule that is independent of the input associated with the administrator, the first rule usable to determine whether performing the function of the computing device of the plurality of computing devices is allowed independently of the first allowance and the second allowance; and

generate a second rule based on the input associated with the administrator, the second rule being applicable when performing the function of the computing device of the plurality of computing devices depends on the first allowance or the second allowance, and the second rule usable to determine that performing the function of the computing device of the plurality of computing devices is charged to the first allowance under a first condition and to the second allowance under a second condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device of the plurality of computing devices is a communication device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second rule comprises making a first determination whether the first allowance lacks sufficient units of value to cover a cost associated with performing the function and, based on the first determination, making a second determination whether the cost is charged to the second allowance.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second rule specifies a list of one or more identifiers associated with one or more computing devices of the plurality of computing devices, and wherein the second rule specifies that charges associated with performing the function to interact with one or more computing devices from the list are to be charged to the second allowance.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second rule further specifies that charges associated with performing the function to interact with the one or more computing devices from the list are to be charged to the units of value that are associated with the second allowance when the first allowance lacks sufficient units of value to pay for the interaction.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the second rule further specifies that charges associated with performing the function to interact with the one or more computing devices from the list are to be charged to the first allowance when the units of value that are associated with the second allowance are insufficient to pay for the interaction.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the second rule further specifies that performing the function to interact with the one or more computing devices from the list is prohibited when the units of value that are associated with the second allowance are insufficient to pay for the interaction and the first allowance lacks sufficient units of value to pay for the interaction.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second rule specifies that even if the second condition is satisfied and the units of value in the second allowance are to be charged for the function, if the units of value in the second allowance are insufficient to pay the for the function, the first allowance is to be charged if the first allowance comprises sufficient units of value to pay for the function.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for controlling a first computing device, the medium comprising instructions that, when executed on a computing system, cause the computing system to at least:

associate a first allowance with the first computing device and a second computing device, the first allowance being accessible by an administrator and comprising units of value, the first computing device associated with a user, the second computing device associated with the administrator;

allocate a set of the units of value from the first allowance to a second allowance, the second allowance being uniquely associated with the first computing device and used to manage a function of the first computing device, the allocation being based on input associated with the administrator;

generate a first rule that is agnostic of a context of the first computing device and that determines whether performing the function on the first computing device is permitted; and

generate a second rule based on input associated with the administrator, the second rule being applicable when performing the function is permitted and determining whether units of value associated with performing the function are decremented from the first allowance or from the second allowance.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the units of value comprise credits applicable toward services or applications provided by a service provider.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the second rule specifies that if the units of value in the second allowance are equal to or greater than a predefined level, a notification is generated.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the notification is transmitted to the first computing device and to another computing device associated with the administrator.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first rule is defined based on input associated with a service provider that facilitates the performing of the function.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first rule specifies that performing the function on the first computing device is permitted when the first allowance comprises sufficient units of value to pay for the function.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first rule specifies that performing the function on the first computing device is permitted when the first allowance lacks sufficient units of value to pay for the function and when performing the function causes interaction with another computing device that is identified by the service provider.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the units of value are usable to pay for communication services.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the units of value are usable to pay for a purchase of a product or a service.

18. A method for controlling a first computing device configured to communicate on a network serviced by a service provider, the method comprising:

providing a first allowance associated with the first computing device and a second computing device and accessible by an administrator, the first allowance comprising units of value, the first computing device associated with a user, and the second computing device associated with the administrator;

associating a second allowance with the first computing device, the second allowance comprising a number of the units of value, the second allowance controlling a function of the first computing device, the number of the units of value being allocated from the first allowance;

generating a network rule based on input associated with the service provider, the network rule determining whether performing the function on the first computing device is permitted independently of the first allowance or is permitted dependently on the first allowance; and

generating a user rule based on input associated with the administrator, the user rule operative when performing the function is permitted dependently on the first allowance, and the user rule operative to determine whether performing the function is charged to the first allowance or to the second allowance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the function comprises at least one of voice calling, messaging, data surfing, gaming, content accessing, goods purchasing, and service purchasing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the units of value are usable to pay for performing the function on the first computing device.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the second computing device is associated with a third allowance that comprises a second number of the units of value.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the user rule determines that performing the function on the first computing device is charged to the third allowance when the first allowance lacks sufficient units of value to pay for the function.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising providing a transfer function, the transfer function operative to enable the administrator to transfer units of value from the first allowance to the second allowance.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the transfer function is operative to enable the administrator to transfer units of value, up to a predetermined maximum level, to the second allowance when the units of value in the second allowance are equal to or greater than a predetermined level.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the user rule is operative to enable the transfer function to automatically transfer units of funds from the first allowance to the second allowance when the units of value in the second allowance reach a predetermined threshold.

26. A system for managing a computing device, the system comprising:

means for generating a first allowance associated with the computing device and accessible by an administrator, the first allowance comprising units of value and associated with the administrator;

means for generating a second allowance uniquely associated with the computing device and comprising a subset of the units of value, the subset being defined based on input associated with the administrator, the second allowanced being associated with a user;

means for generating a first rule that is independent of the input associated with the administrator, the first rule operative to determine whether performing a function of the computing device is allowed independently of the first allowance and the second allowance; and

means for generating a second rule based on the input associated with the administrator, the second rule being applicable when performing the function depends on the first allowance or the second allowance, and the second rule operative to determine whether performing the function is charged to the first allowance or to the second allowance.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising means for providing a user interface, the user interface operative to enable the administrator to define the second allowance and the second rule.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the user interface is operative to enable the administrator to transfer in real-time units of value from the first allowance to the second allowance.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the user interface is operative to enable the administrator to update in real-time the second rule.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the user interface is operative to enable the administrator to define a contact that is associated with a second computing device, and wherein the second rule specifies that, when performing the function causes interaction with the second computing device, units of value associated with performing the function are deducted from the first allowance when the second allowance lacks sufficient units of value to pay for the interaction.