Methods and apparatuses for hybrid desktop environment data usage authentication

• US 8,832,799 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Matsimanis, Peter A., Root, Michael A., Satpathy, Ansuman Tapan, Sood, Vishal
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani, Taghi
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANE, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US13/285,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20130111556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4, 709/217, 709/231
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1489 dependent on congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5012 determining service availability, e.g. which services are available at a certain point in time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method in a portable electronic device (100) of authenticating enhanced wide area network data usage capabilities is provided. Data communication between the portable electronic device and a wide area network (104) is detected, along with commencement a dual-operating system hybrid environment (111). The dual-operating system hybrid environment can include a first operating system environment (114) operable to communicate with the wide area network at a restricted data rate and a second operating system environment (116) operable to communicate with the wide area network at either the restricted data rate or an enhanced data rate. A verification whether the portable electronic device is authorized to communicate with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate is then performed. Where true, the second operating system environment can be configured to communicate with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate.

Claims

1. A method in a portable electronic device of authenticating enhanced wide area network data usage capabilities, comprising:

establishing data communication between a communication device of the portable electronic device and a wide area network; and

detecting commencement of a dual-operating system hybrid environment on one or more processors of the portable electronic device, wherein the dual-operating system hybrid environment comprises;

a first operating system environment operable to communicate with the wide area network at a restricted data rate; and

a second operating system environment operable to communicate with the wide area network at either the restricted data rate or an enhanced data rate;

after the detecting, verifying whether the portable electronic device is authorized to communicate with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate; and

where the verifying indicates the portable electronic device is authorized to communicate with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate, configuring, with the one or more processors, the second operating system environment to communicate with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a timer, and upon expiration of the timer, again verifying whether the portable electronic device is authorized to communicate with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises identifying a hardware device is coupled with the portable electronic device, the hardware device comprising a dual-operating system hybrid environment license.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises:

transmitting a message with the communication device inquiring whether the portable electronic device is authorized for communication with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate; and

receiving a response message indicating whether the portable electronic device is authorized for communication with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when the portable electronic device is initially in communication with a local area network, further comprising waiting until local area network communication terminates before performing the verifying.

6. The method of claim 1, where the verifying indicates the portable electronic device is unauthorized to communicate with the wide area network at the enhanced data rate, configuring, with the one or more processors, the second operating system environment to communicate with the wide area network at the restricted data rate.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising presenting, on a display operable with the portable electronic device, a notification that the portable electronic device is unauthorized to communicate with the wide area network.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising restricting one or more applications from launching in the second operating system environment.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the detecting comprises identifying a hardware device is coupled with the portable electronic device, the hardware device comprising a dual-operating system hybrid environment license, further comprising maintaining data communication in the second operating system environment at the restricted data rate until the hardware device is detached from the portable electronic device.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing a local area network communication connection indication on a display operable with the portable electronic device.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising transitioning an access point name of the portable electronic device to a restricted usage mode access point name.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying occurs on an application-by-application basis.

13. A portable electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a communication device operable with the one or more processors;

a dual-operating system hybrid environment operable on the one or more processors having at least one operating system operable to communicate with a wide area network at either a restricted data rate or an enhanced data rate;

wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

confirm data communication between the communication device and the wide area network;

initiate the dual-operating system hybrid environment;

verifying by communication between the communication device and the wide area network whether the portable electronic device is authorized for the enhanced data rate communication with the wide area network; and

configure the communication device for enhanced data rate communication with the wide area network only where the verifying is true.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, further comprising an external port coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to initiate the dual-operating system hybrid environment upon a peripheral device comprising a dual-operating system license key being coupled to the external port.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the peripheral device comprises an external display device.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a timer, operable with the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to again verify whether the portable electronic device is authorized for the enhanced data rate communication with the wide area network upon expiration of the timer.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are configured to configure the communication device for restricted data rate communication with the wide area network where the verifying is false.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to configure the communication device for data communication with a local area network where the verifying is false.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are configured to disable one or more applications operable in the at least one operating system where the verifying is false.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to operate in at least a cellular telephone mode, wherein the wide area network comprises a cellular network.