Systems and methods for monitoring data and bandwidth usage

• US 8,706,863 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Application Number:
  US12/241,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,031 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• 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 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/885 limit per application
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8158 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

Access to a communications network may be provided via a data provider that may charge for access. In some cases, the access fee may be related to the amount of network resources consumed (e.g., amount of data downloaded or bandwidth used). In some cases, a user may have access to a particular amount of data provider resources and be required to pay an additional fee for using resources in excess of the particular amount. To assist the user in managing his data resource consumption, a resource utilization component may provide different alerts and notices informing the user of current consumption, expected future consumption, and recommendations for reducing data provider resources consumed (e.g., stopping particular processes or data provider requests, such as downloading media). If several electronic devices in a network are connected to the same data provider resources, a network component may manage the data provider resource use among the several electronic devices (e.g., allow only particular users or devices access).

Claims

1. A method for managing data provider resource consumption, comprising:

monitoring, using a device consuming data provider resources, data provider resource consumption by the device over a first communications network;

determining, using the device, that the data provider resource consumption is within a predetermined range of a data provider resource limit;

automatically providing a notice related to the consumed data provider resources using the device in response to determining that the data provider resource consumption is within the predetermined range of the data provider resource limit;

limiting access to data provider resources, by the device, in response to the device determining that the data provider resource consumption is within the predetermined range of the data provider resource limit;

identifying a restricted set of data provider resource usages, wherein the identified set comprises at least one of;

data provider resource usage by a particular electronic device;

data provider resource usage by a particular process;

data provider resource usage using a particular communications protocol;

data provider resource usage for a particular type of data transfer;

or

data provider resource usage for a particular type of data;

detecting that a requested use is within the identified set; and

preventing access to the data provider resources for the requested use in response to the detecting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

monitoring further comprises monitoring during a subscription period; and

the data provider resource limit comprises a data provider resource limit during the subscription period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an option for preventing consumption of data provider resources beyond the data provider resource limit.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an option for accessing additional data provider resources beyond the data provider resource limit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing further comprises receiving purchase information for accessing additional data provider resources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein limiting access to data provider resources occurs automatically.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified set comprises data provider resource usage by a particular process, and wherein the particular process comprises at least one of a scheduled download, an auto-update, or a rogue process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified set comprises data provider resource usage by a particular application, and wherein the particular application is not included in a list of authorized applications.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting a quality of transferred media.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting further comprises at least one of changing the resolution of transferred media, changing the display size of transferred media, or changing the codec used for decoding the transferred media.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the notice further comprises an estimation of expected future data provider resource consumption for a particular period.

12. A method for managing the consumption of data, comprising:

monitoring, using at least one of a plurality of electronic devices, data consumption by the plurality of electronic devices, wherein the plurality of electronic devices consume data through a common account of a data provider;

determining, using the at least one of the plurality of electronic devices, that the data consumption has reached a predetermined resource limit associated with the common account;

automatically indicating, using the at least one of the plurality of electronic devices, to at least one other one of the plurality of electronic devices that the predetermined resource limit has been reached;

identifying, in response to the determining, at least one of the plurality of electronic devices based on the data consumed by the identified at least one of the plurality of electronic devices; and

managing access of the identified at least one of the plurality of electronic devices to data, wherein managing comprises reducing the data available to the identified electronic device, and wherein reducing comprises at least one of;

preventing the identified electronic device from transferring a particular type of data;

preventing the identified electronic device from transferring data using a particular communications protocol;

preventing the identified electronic device from consuming data using a particular application;

or

preventing the identified electronic device from consuming data at a particular time of day or week.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein monitoring further comprises monitoring individual data consumption by each of the plurality of electronic devices.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein identifying further comprises identifying at least one electronic device consuming a disproportionately large amount of data and at least one electronic device consuming a disproportionately small amount of data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein managing further comprises at least one of:

preventing the identified electronic device from consuming data;

changing attributes of a transferred media file;

changing attributes of a transfer of a media file;

restricting particular programs from consuming data;

or

receiving purchase authorization from the identified electronic device to purchase access to additional data.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating a resource limit with each of the plurality of electronic devices;

detecting that one of the plurality of electronic devices has reached the resource limit associated with the detected electronic device; and

automatically providing an indication that the resource limit has been reached to the one of the plurality of electronic devices.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising directing the one of the plurality of electronic devices to at least one of:

limit data consumed;

or

purchase access to additional data.

18. A non-transitory computer readable memory medium comprising program instructions for managing data provider resource consumption by a device, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor in the device to cause the processor to:

monitor data provider resource consumption by the device over a first communications network;

determine that the data provider resource consumption is within a predetermined range of a data provider resource limit;

automatically provide a notice related to the consumed data provider resources in response to the determining that the data provider resource consumption is within the predetermined range of the data provider resource limit; and

automatically limit access to data provider resources in response to the determining that the data provider resource consumption is within the predetermined range of the data provider resource limit;

wherein, in limiting access to data provider resources, the program instructions are executable to cause the processor to;

identify a restricted set of data provider resource usages;

detect that a requested use is within the identified set; and

prevent access to the data provider resources for the requested use in response to the detecting;

wherein the identified set comprises at least one of;

data provider resource usage by a particular user;

data provider resource usage by a particular electronic device;

data provider resource usage by a particular application;

data provider resource usage by a particular process;

data provider resource usage using a particular communications protocol;

data provider resource usage for a particular type of data transfer;

or

data provider resource usage for a particular type of data.

19. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 18, wherein:

in monitoring the data provider resource consumption, the program instructions are executable to monitor during a subscription period; and

the data provider resource limit comprises a data provider resource limit during the subscription period.

20. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

provide an option for preventing consumption of data provider resources beyond the data provider resource limit.

21. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

provide an option for accessing additional data provider resources beyond the data provider resource limit.

22. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 18, wherein the identified set comprises data provider resource usage by a particular application, and wherein the particular application is not included in a list of authorized applications.

23. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 18, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

adjust a quality of transferred media.

24. The non-transitory computer readable memory medium of claim 23, wherein, in adjusting a quality of transferred media, the program instructions are executable to cause the processor to perform at least one of:

changing the resolution of transferred media, changing the display size of transferred media, or changing the codec used for decoding the transferred media.