System and method for task specific, metered bandwidth control within shared client environment on mobile communications platforms

• US 8,594,618 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Macheen Incorporated (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Meyer, Justin B., Akers, Glenda J., Schwartz, Richard L., Trotter, James Cesar Alfred, Callen, Catherine T.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US13/369,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/566, 455/41.2, 455/556.2, 455/405, 455/414.2, 715/702, 715/835, 715/735, 715/810, 715/741, 715/752, 715/764, 701/22, 701/21, 463/3, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1432 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1442 at network operator level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/52 for operator independent billing system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8022 Determining tariff or charge band

Abstract

A method and system are provided for mobile communications. The system includes a first platform (103) associated with an MVNE; a second platform (105) which is integrated with said first platform and which has a plurality of tenants associated therewith, wherein each tenant has a set of mobile communications devices (107) associated with it, wherein each mobile communications device in the set has an instance of a client installed on it which maintains an open connection to a communications network, and wherein each client is equipped with a graphical user interface (GUI); and a group of offers (143) selected by a tenant which are displayed on the GUI of each member of the set of mobile communications devices associated with the tenant.

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

a first platform associated with a mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE);

a second platform associated with a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) which is integrated with said first platform and which has a plurality of tenants associated therewith, wherein each tenant has a set of mobile communications devices associated with it which has a plurality of members, wherein each mobile communications device in the set has an instance of a client installed on it which maintains an open connection to a communications network provided by the MVNE, and wherein each client is equipped with a graphical user interface (GUI); and

for each of the plurality of tenants, a group of offers selected by the tenant which are displayed on the GUI of each member of the set of mobile communications devices associated with that tenant;

wherein the GUI of each device displays a gauge on the GUI which graphically depicts the amount of network connectivity remaining;

further comprising;

adjusting the gauge as network connectivity is consumed to depict the current amount of network connectivity remaining.

2. The communications system of claim 1, wherein each offer is displayed as an icon on the GUI.

3. The communications system of claim 2, wherein each icon is associated with a third party service provider and is hot-linked to a web page associated with the third party service provider.

4. The communications system of claim 3, wherein selecting the icon causes a page to be displayed on the mobile communications device which contains details of the offer.

5. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said first and second platforms are distinct.

6. The communications system of claim 1, wherein each tenant has a plurality of mobile communications devices associated with it.

7. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

8. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the connection to the communications network is always hot.

9. The communications system of claim 1, wherein each mobile communications device within each set is a data only device.

10. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the amount of network connectivity remaining is measured as a function of time.

11. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the amount of network connectivity remaining is measured as a function of data transfer.

12. The communications system of claim 1, wherein the amount of network connectivity remaining is measured as a function of both time and data transfer.

13. A method for mobile communications, comprising:

providing a first platform associated with a mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE);

providing a second platform associated with a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) which is integrated with said first platform and which has a plurality of tenants associated therewith, wherein each tenant has a set of mobile communications devices associated with it which has a plurality of members, wherein each mobile communications device in the set has an instance of a client installed on it which maintains an open connection to a communications network provided by the MVNE, and wherein each client is equipped with a graphical user interface (GUI); and

for each of the plurality of tenants, displaying a plurality of icons selected by the tenant on the GUI of each mobile communications device associated with that tenant, wherein each of said plurality of icons is associated with a third party service provider and is hot-linked to a web page associated with the third party service provider;

further comprising;

displaying a gauge on the GUI which graphically depicts the amount of network connectivity remaining; and

adjusting the gauge as network connectivity is consumed to depict the current amount of network connectivity remaining.

14. The mobile communications system of claim 13, wherein said first and second platforms are distinct.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the communications network is the Internet.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the order in which the plurality of icons are displayed on the GUI is a function of the frequency with which each icon is selected.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein each icon is displayed within a tile of fixed dimensions.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the amount of network connectivity remaining is measured as a function of time.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the amount of network connectivity remaining is measured as a function of data transfer.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the amount of network connectivity remaining is measured as a function of both time and data transfer.