System and method for managing a mobile device

• US 8,626,119 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2013
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tangoe US, Inc. (Asentinel Holdings LP)
• Original Assignee: Tangoe Incorporated
• Inventors: Leemet, Jaan, Rudich, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/742,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20130267196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/412.2, 455/405, 370/252, 370/241, 709/203, 709/230
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/886 limit per terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system and method for managing a mobile device(s) to provide for a notification(s) when specified thresholds are reached and/or execute defined rules for the mobile device(s). The rules can relate to any function of the mobile device(s), including but not limited to, notification when a percentage of voice/data/SMS is reached during a billing cycle, notification when a mobile device(s) leaves a geo-fence, and restrict a mobile device(s) when a threshold is reached. The system provides a versatile management system allowing a user to effectively control use of a mobile device(s) and manage costs.

Claims

1. A system for managing a mobile telecommunications device comprising:

a server having a storage and coupled to a network, said server presenting a webpage accessible by a user computer;

software executing on said server allowing a user to register at least one mobile device with the system;

software executing on said server receiving information relating to a telecommunications service plan associated with the at least one mobile device;

software executing on said server to set at least one threshold for the at least one mobile device, the threshold selected from the group consisting of;

an amount of voice minutes, or an amount of data usage, or an amount of text messages, or an amount of email, or a geographic location for the mobile device, or combinations thereof;

software executing on said server generating a notification when the at least one threshold is reached;

software executing on said server setting at least one rule for the at least one mobile device selected from the group consisting of;

mobile device is restricted during selected time of day, or mobile device is restricted in specified location, or mobile device is restricted when the at least one threshold is reached, or combinations thereof.

2. The system according to claim 1 where said at least one mobile device comprises a smart phone.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the information relating to a telecommunications service plan is selected from the group consisting of:

user name, user address, mobile number, total minutes for a billing cycle, total data for a billing cycle and a total number of text messages for a billing cycle.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the notification is transmitted as either a text message or an email.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the restriction is selected from the group consisting of:

restrict voice usage, or restrict text messaging, or restrict data usage, or restrict application usage, or restrict data sources or combinations thereof.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein when the restriction is selected as restrict voice usage, the mobile device may only connect with specified telephone numbers for voice usage.

7. The system according to claim 1 further comprises software executing on said server setting at least one rule for the mobile device, said rule defines a geo-fence area for the mobile device, said software tracking the location of the mobile device such that if the mobile device is moved out of the geo-fence, the at least one threshold is reached.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the threshold is reached if the mobile device remains stationary for a pre-defined period of time.

9. The system according to claim 7 wherein the location of the tracked mobile device is stored in the storage, and said software presents the tracking information to a user that logs into the webpage and views the stored tracking information.

10. The system according to claim 7 wherein said geo-fence is associated with a school location.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the notification provides actual usage for said at least one mobile device over a current billing cycle.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein the notification provides a prediction for said at least one mobile device usage over a current billing cycle.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the predicted usage is based on actual usage during the current billing cycle or on historical mobile device usage during at least one previous billing cycle or combinations thereof.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a plurality of mobile devices associated with the telecommunications service plan.

15. A system for managing a mobile telecommunications device comprising:

a server having a storage and coupled to a network, said server having a webpage accessible by a user computer;

software executing on said server to register a mobile telecommunications device with the system having an associated telecommunications service plan defining a service limit for a billing cycle;

software executing on said server to set at least one threshold for the mobile telecommunications device, the threshold associated with at least one telecommunications service provided under telecommunications service plan, the service selected from the group consisting of;

voice minutes, or data usage, or text messages, or email, or a geographic location for the mobile device, or combinations thereof;

software executing on said server setting at least one rule for the at least one mobile device selected from the group consisting of;

mobile device is restricted during selected time of day, or mobile device is restricted in specified location, or mobile device is restricted when the at least one threshold is reached, or combinations thereof.

16. The system according to claim 15 where said at least one mobile device comprises a smart phone.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein a notification is generated when the at least one threshold is reached and the notification is transmitted as either a text message or an email.

18. The system according to claim 15 further comprises software executing on said server setting at least one rule for the mobile device, said rule defines a geo-fence area for the mobile device, said software tracking the location of the mobile device such that if the mobile device is moved out of the geo-fence, the at least one threshold is reached.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein said geo-fence is associated with a school location.

20. The system according to claim 15 wherein a notification is generated when the at least one threshold is reached and the notification provides actual usage for said at least one mobile device over a current billing cycle.

21. The system according to claim 15 wherein a notification is generated when the at least one threshold is reached and the notification provides a prediction for said at least one mobile device usage over a current billing cycle.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the predicted usage is based on actual usage during the current billing cycle or on historical mobile device usage during at least one previous billing cycle or combinations thereof.

23. The system according to claim 15 wherein the mobile device comprises a plurality of mobile devices associated with the telecommunications service plan.