Mobile router with rate limiting

• US 8,830,974 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Auto MFT Mobile Incorporated
• Inventors: Moeller, Douglas S, Pashby, Ronald W
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zewari, Sayed T
• Application Number:
  US13/466,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20120257573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 379/114.01, 379/114.02, 379/114.03, 379/114.04, 379/114.05, 379/114.07, 379/114.1, 455/422.1, 455/232, 455405-410, 370/338, 370/252, 370/328
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

One embodiment of a mobile router, comprises: a wireless wide area network interface to access a cellular network and operable to receive downloaded data; a memory comprising a data rate limiting rule; and a processor. The processor is operable to generate usage data based on the quantity of the downloaded data during a predetermined time period, and is operable to control the data rate of downloaded data based on the usage data and the data rate limiting rule.

Claims

1. A mobile router, comprising:

a wireless wide area network interface to access a cellular network and operable to receive downloaded data;

a memory, said memory comprising a data rate limiting rule, said data rate limiting rule is received via said wide area network interface, said data rate limiting rule comprises a data quantity and a second data rate;

a processor, said processor operates said mobile router to download said downloaded data at a first data rate;

said processor is operable to generate usage data based on the quantity of said downloaded data during a predetermined time period, and is operable to control the data rate of downloaded data based on said usage data and said data rate limiting rule;

said processor operates said mobile router at said first data rate to receive said downloaded data unless said usage data exceeds said data quantity during said predetermined time period; and

said processor operates said mobile router at said second data rate subsequent to said usage data exceeding said data quantity during said predetermined time period.

2. A mobile router in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said second data rate is slower than said first data rate.

3. A mobile router, comprising:

a wireless wide area network interface to access a cellular network to receive download data;

a memory, said memory comprising a plurality of data rate limiting rules, said plurality of data rate limiting rules are received via said wireless wide area network interface, said plurality of data rate limiting rules comprise at least a first data quantity and a corresponding second data rate, and a second data quantity and a third data rate; and

a processor;

said processor is operable to generate usage data based on the quantity of said download data during a predetermined time period;

said processor is operable to control the data rate of download data based on said usage data and said plurality of data rate limiting rules;

said processor is operable to control downloading of said download data at a first data rate;

said processor controls the downloading of said download data at said first data rate unless said usage data usage data exceeds said first data quantity during said predetermined time period; and

said processor controls the downloading of said download data at said second data rate subsequent to said usage data exceeding said first data quantity during said predetermined time period.

4. A mobile router in accordance with claim 3, wherein:

said second data rate is slower than said first data rate.

5. A mobile router in accordance with claim 4, comprising:

said processor controls the downloading of said download data at said second data rate unless said usage data usage data exceeds said second data quantity during said predetermined time period; and

said processor controls the downloading of said download data at said third data rate subsequent to said usage data exceeding said second data quantity during said predetermined time period.

6. A mobile router in accordance with claim 5, wherein:

said third data rate is slower than said second data rate.

7. A mobile router comprising:

a wireless wide area network interface to access a cellular network;

a data rate limiting rule comprising one or more predetermined conditions for changing said data rate, said predetermined conditions comprise accumulated transferred data quantities;

a processor operable to utilize said data rate limiting rule to control the data rate of data transferred via said cellular network, said processor accumulates a total quantity of said transferred data, compares said accumulated total quantity to said accumulated transferred quantities, and utilizes said comparison to select a data rate for subsequent data transfers, said processor resetting said accumulated total quantity and said data rate at the end of a predetermined period.

8. A mobile router in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

said processor controls said data rate at a first data rate until said data rate limiting rule is triggered.

9. A mobile router in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

said processor resets said data rate to said first data rate at the end of said predetermined period.

10. A mobile router in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

said processor initially controls transfer of said data at a first data rate.

11. A mobile router in accordance with claim 10, wherein:

said data rate information comprises a second data rate for transferring said data.

12. A mobile router in accordance with claim 11, wherein:

said second data rate is a predetermined slower data rate.

13. A mobile router receiving data services from a service provider via a cellular network provided by a cellular network carrier, said mobile router comprising:

a wireless wide area network interface to access a cellular network;

a processor operable to control the data rate of data transferred via said cellular network;

data rate information received from said service provider, said data rate information comprises one or more data rates that are slower than said first data rate, said data rate information comprises one or more data quantities and corresponding one or more second data rates;

said processor is operable to initially control said data rate at a first data rate;

said processor is operable to utilize said data rate information to determine the data rate of data subsequently transferred via said cellular network; and

said processor is operable to accumulate the quantity of data transferred via said cellular network, compare said accumulated quantity to each of said one or more data quantities, and control the data rate of data transferred subsequent to said accumulated quantity exceeding one of said one or more data quantities to the corresponding one of said one or more second data rates.

14. A mobile router in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

said processor is operable at the end of a predetermined period to reset said data rate for subsequent data transfers to said first data rate.

15. A mobile router in accordance with claim 14, wherein:

said predetermined period is a billing period determined by said service provider.

16. A mobile router in accordance with claim 14, comprising:

said predetermined period is a recurring time period.

17. A mobile router in accordance with claim 16, comprising:

said predetermined period is determined by said service provider.

18. A mobile router in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

a memory comprising said data rate information.