System and method for collecting, reporting, and analyzing data on application-level activity and other user information on a mobile data network

• US 8,755,297 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Securities Corp. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zettics Incorporated. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalavade, Asawaree
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhao, Wei
• Application Number:
  US13/357,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20120147769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 709/223
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

System and method for collecting and analyzing information on application-level activity and other user information on a mobile data network. A platform non-intrusively and transparently monitors data activity on a mobile data network in real-time so that user-level information can be reported to an operator. The platform comprises a plurality of collectors, a data manager, and a report manager. The collectors communicate with network routers to almost all network data. The collectors inspect the data for IP addresses and correlate them to user mobile phone numbers. The data manager receives the data and augments it with information obtained by querying carrier information. The data manager stores the data and monitors it to see if it satisfies a set of defined real-time reports. The report manager then works with the data manager to develop and test new reports based on operator instructions for a specific report.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring user application activity on mobile devices in a mobile data network in order to provide a report to an operator, the method comprising:

receiving substantially all data communications from a plurality of routers in a mobile operator data network, the data communications originating from the mobile devices;

filtering the data communications to remove network management traffic and to identify application-level data;

inspecting the filtered data communications to detect source IP addresses associated with the data communications;

correlating the detected source IP addresses with phone numbers of the mobile devices;

detecting events in the data communications caused by the user application activity on the mobile devices;

augmenting each detected event to satisfy a set of predefined report criteria by;

querying carrier information associated with a mobile device that caused an event, using at least one of the detected source IP address and the phone number, to identify at least one of a location of the mobile device, content of a site requested by the mobile device, and demographics associated with the mobile device;

tracking session state information of the mobile device that caused the event using the detected source IP address and the phone number;

computing, using the session state information, at least one of how much time was spent in connection with the detected event and data consumed in connection with the detected event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the data communications using a blacklist to remove images and background activity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes at least one of a request for an advertisement by the mobile device and a click through of an advertisement by a user of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein computing at least one of how much time was spent in connection with the detected event and data consumed in connection with the detected event includes identifying a plurality of events belonging to a single session on the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein augmenting each detected event further includes calculating a bandwidth consumed in connection with the detected event.

6. An apparatus for monitoring user application activity on mobile devices in a mobile data network in order to provide a report to an operator, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor including computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive substantially all data communications from a plurality of routers in a mobile operator data network, the data communications originating from the mobile devices;

filter the data communications to remove network management traffic and to identify application-level data;

inspect the filtered data communications to detect source IP addresses associated with the data communications;

correlate the detected source IP addresses with phone numbers of the mobile devices;

detect events in the data communications caused by the user application activity on the mobile devices;

augment each detected event to satisfy a set of predefined report criteria by;

querying carrier information associated with a mobile device that caused an event, using at least one detected source IP address and the phone number, to identify at least one of a location of the mobile device, content of a site accessed by the mobile device, and demographics associated with the mobile device;

track session state information of the mobile device that caused the event using the detected source IP address and the phone number;

computing, using the session state information, at least one of how much time was spent in connection with the detected event and data consumed in connection with the detected event.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured to cause the processor to filter the data communications, using a blacklist, to remove images and background activity.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured such that detecting events includes detecting at least one of a request for an advertisement by the mobile device and a click through of an advertisement by a user of the mobile device.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured such that computing at least one of how much time was spent in connection with the detected event and data consumed in connection with the detected event includes identifying a plurality of events belonging to a single session on the mobile device.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured such that augmenting each detected event further includes calculating a bandwidth consumed in connection with the detected event.