Feature management of a communication device

• US 8,634,802 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2013
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Inventors: Kesser, Douglas Owen, Neal, Daniel John, Politi, Carol Ann, Weintraub, Ben Julian, Baker, Matthew Donald, Geller, Steven Ira
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US13/786,950
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-408, 455/410, 455/411, 705/52, 705/53
• US Class Current: 455/405
• 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 associated with a plan, the system comprising a memory storing thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by the system, cause the system to at least:

based on the plan, allocate units of value to an allowance associated with the computing device;

generate a decision as to whether a request from the computing device to use a function is granted or denied based on a policy that controls whether the use of the function on the computing device is granted or denied;

determine whether to decrement units of value from the units of value allocated to the allowance or from units of value associated with the plan and unallocated to the allowance when the request is granted;

allow the device to use the function when the request is granted; and

decrement units of value from the units of value allocated to the allowance or from units of value associated with the plan and unallocated to the allowance based on the determination.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile phone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the units of value represent credits for paying for the use of the function by the computing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the function comprises one or more of voice calling, messaging, data surfing, gaming, content accessing, goods purchasing, and service purchasing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plan is provided by a service provider and is shared between a plurality of computing devices that include the computing device, and wherein the policy and the allocation of the units of value from the plan into the allowance are defined based on input associated with an administrator of the plurality of computing devices.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed on the system, further cause the system to:

cause generation of a user interface;

receive the input entered via the user interface; and

update in real-time the policy or the allocation of units of value to the allowance based on the received input.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy is associated with one or more contacts, wherein the policy grants use of the function when the use of the function causes the computing device to interact with a second computing device associated with the one or more contacts and when the units of value allocated to the allowance are insufficient to pay for the use of the function.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the units of value are decremented from the units of value associated with the plan and unallocated to the allowance when the use of the function causes the computing device to interact with the second computing device associated with the one or more contacts and when the units of value allocated to the allowance are insufficient to pay for the use of the function.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to decrement units of value from the allowance or from the plan outside of the allowance when the request is permitted is based on a rule associated with the policy, and wherein the rule defines a first list of one or more functions and a second list of one or more functions, wherein the rule specifies that units of value are decremented from the allowance when the function is associated with the first list of one or more functions, and wherein the rule specifies that units of value are decremented from the plan outside the allowance when the function is associated with the second list of one or more functions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether to decrement units of value from the units of value allocated to the allowance or from the units of value associated with the plan and unallocated to the allowance when the request is granted is based on a rule associated with the policy, and wherein the rule defines a first list of one or more uses of the function and a second list of one or more uses of the function, wherein the rule specifies that units of value are decremented from the units of value allocated to the allowance when the use of the function is associated with the first list of one or more uses, and wherein the rule specifies that units of value are decremented from the units of value associated with the plan and unallocated to the allowance when the use of the function is associated with the second list of one or more uses.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy is associated with one or more allowed contacts and one or more blocked contacts, wherein the policy grants use of the function when the use of the function causes the computing device to interact with a computing device associated with the one or more allowed contacts, and wherein the policy denies the use of the function when the use of the function causes the computing device to interact with a computing device associated with the one or more blocked contacts.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy controls content that can be sent, received, or used by the computing device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the policy includes one or more rules that manage content that can be sent, received, or used by the computing device, and wherein a first rule among the one or more rules overrides at least a second rule among the one or more rules.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions, when executed on the system, further cause the system to provide a notification to a user of the computing device, to an administrator of the computing device, or to both the user and the administrator when the units of value in the allowance pass a predefined level or when the policy denies the request.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for managing a computing device based on a plan associated with a network serviced by a service provider, the medium bearing computer readable instructions that, when executed on a system, cause the system to at least:

based on the plan, assign a first set of credits to an account associated with the computing device, the first set of credits being defined based on input associated with an administrator;

store a rule that determines whether credits associated with a use of a function of the computing device will be deducted from the account or from credits associated with the plan and unallocated to the account, the rule being defined based on input associated with the administrator;

store a policy that controls the use of the function, the policy being defined based on input associated with the administrator;

in response to receiving a request to use the function, allow or disallow the computing device to use the function based on the policy; and

in response to allowing the computing device to use the function, determine whether credits associated with using the function are deducted from the account or from credits associated with the plan and that are unallocated to the account based on the rule.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the rule is associated with one or more contacts, wherein the rule specifies that, when the function is used to interact with a second computing device associated with a first contact from the one or more contacts, credits are deducted from the account, and wherein the rule specifies that, when the function is used to interact with a third computing device associated with a second contact from the one or more contacts, credits are deducted from the credits associated with the plan and unallocated to the account.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the policy is associated with a list of contacts, wherein the policy specifies that, when the function is used to interact with a second computing device associated with a first contact from the list of contacts, the function is allowed, and wherein the policy specifies that, when the function is used to interact with a third computing device associated with a second contact from the list of contacts, the function is disallowed.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the policy and the rule are associated with one or more contacts, wherein the policy specifies that, when the function is used to interact with a computing device associated with a first contact from the one or more contacts, the function is allowed, and wherein the rule specifies that, when the function is used to interact with the computing device associated with the first contact from the one or more contacts, credits are deducted from the account when the account comprises sufficient units of value to pay for the use of the function and from the credits associated with the plan and unallocated to the account when the account lacks the sufficient units of value to pay for the use of the function.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the policy and the rule are associated with one or more contacts, wherein the policy specifies that, when the function is used to interact with a computing device associated with a first contact from the one or more contacts, the function is allowed, and wherein the rule specifies that, when the function is used to interact with the computing device associated with the first contact, credits are deducted from the credits associated with the plan and unallocated to the account.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the policy manages any of a type and an amount of content that can be sent, received, or used by the computing device in a given period of time.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computing device can be geographically located within the network, and wherein the policy establishes a geographic location within which the function can be used to send, receive, or use the content.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the policy comprises a quality of service policy, and wherein disallowing the use of the function comprises degrading the use of the function based on the quality of service policy.

23. A method for managing a computing device based on a plan associated with a network serviced by a service provider, the method comprising:

assigning, based on the plan, units of value to an allowance associated with the computing device, the assignment being defined by an administrator;

determining that a first rule is inapplicable to a request for a use of a function of the computing device, the first rule specifying whether the use of the function is allowed independently of the plan and being defined by the service provider;

allowing or disallowing the use of the function based on the determining and based on a policy, the policy restricting the use of the function and being defined by the administrator; and

in response to allowing the use of the function, determining based on a second rule whether units of value associated with using the function are deducted from the allowance or from units of value that are associated with the plan and that are unassigned to the allowance, the second rule being defined by the administrator.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first rule is associated with one or more contacts, wherein the first rule specifies that no units of value are deducted when the use of the function causes the computing device to interact with a computing device associated with the one or more contacts.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the policy is associated with a contact and specifies that the use of the function is allowed when the use of the function causes the computing device to interact with a second computing device associated with the contact.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the second rule specifies that units of value associated with the use of the function are deducted from the units of value that are associated with the plan and that are unassigned to the allowance when the use of the function causes the computing device to interact with the second computing device associated with the contact.

27. A system for managing a first computing device associated with a plan, the system comprising:

means for assigning a first set of credits associated with the plan to a first account associated with the first computing device;

means for storing a rule that determines whether credits associated with a use of a function will be deducted from the first account or from credits associated with the plan and unallocated to the first account;

means for storing a policy that controls whether the use of the function is allowed or disallowed;

means for, in response to receiving a request for the use of the function, allowing or disallowing the use of the function based on the policy; and

means for, in response to allowing the use of the function, determining whether the credits associated with the use of the function are deducted from the first account or from the credits associated with the plan and unallocated to the first account based on the rule.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the plan is shared between the first computing device and a second computing device, wherein the second computing device is associated with a second account that comprises a second set of credits from the plan, and wherein the first set of credits and the second set of credits are assigned based on input associated with an administrator of the plan.

29. The system of claim 28 further comprising means for providing a user interface and means for updating the first set of credits, the second of credits, the rule, and the policy based on input received at the user interface.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising means for transferring units between the first account and the second account, the transferring being automatic, periodic, or based on a threshold.