Anticipating data use in a wireless device

• US 9,167,404 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Freed, Ian W, Robison, Keela N
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Mehmood B
• Application Number:
  US13/626,734
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/14 Billing aspects relating to the actual charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

This application describes, in part, systems and methods that may be used to proactively deliver anticipated data to a mobile device while the mobile device is connected to a wireless network that will not result in a charge for transmitting the data. In one example, data that may be accessed by a user of the mobile device and a time of that likely access is determined. In addition, anticipated wireless network connection events are determined to identify times when the wireless device will likely be connected to a fixed fee wireless network. Based on the determined information, the anticipated data is scheduled for delivery during a fixed fee wireless network connection event that occurs prior to the time at which the anticipated data is requested by the user of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A system for managing communication, comprising:

a data processing component for;

receiving wireless device information and user event information from a wireless device;

determining a planned connection pattern for the wireless device, wherein the planned connection pattern includes a first anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event anticipated to occur at a first time, a second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event anticipated to occur at a second time, and an anticipated variable fee wireless network connection event anticipated to occur at a third time, wherein the first time is before the third time and the second time is before the third time;

determining a first anticipated duration of the first anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event;

determining a second anticipated duration of the second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event;

a program processing component for receiving program module usage information and identifying anticipated data that will likely be requested by a user during an occurrence of the variable fee wireless network connection event;

the data processing component further for;

determining an estimated transfer time needed to transfer the anticipated data to the wireless device;

determining that the first anticipated duration of the first anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is not sufficient to transfer the anticipated data to the wireless device;

determining that the second anticipated duration of the second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is sufficient to transfer the anticipated data to the wireless device; and

planning, prior to an occurrence of the first anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event and prior to the occurrence of the second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event, delivery of the anticipated data to the wireless device over a fixed fee wireless network to occur during the occurrence of the second fixed fee wireless network connection event such that the anticipated data is available to the user when requested.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first fixed fee wireless network is a wireless network in which the user does not incur a charge for delivery of data through the wireless network.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the anticipated variable fee wireless network connection event is a connection between the wireless device and a variable fee wireless network.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the variable fee wireless network is a wireless network in which the user does incur a charge for delivery of data through the wireless network.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is determined based at least in part on the user event information and the wireless device information.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is determined based at least in part on a standard connection pattern and received user event information.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data processing component is further for determining a confidence of at least one of the first fixed fee wireless network connection event occurring or the second fixed fee wireless network connection event occurring;

and

wherein planning includes determining that the second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event has a high confidence of occurring.

8. A computer implemented method, comprising:

under control of one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions, determining a planned connection pattern for a wireless device, wherein the planned connection pattern includes;

an anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event; and

at least one of an anticipated variable fee wireless network connection event or an anticipated unavailable connection event, wherein the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is anticipated to occur before the at least one of the anticipated variable fee wireless network connection event or the anticipated unavailable connection event;

determining, prior to an occurrence of the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event, a first anticipated data use time representative of a first anticipated time at which a first anticipated data may be requested by a user of a wireless device, wherein the first anticipated data use time is anticipated to occur during the at least one of the anticipated variable fee wireless network connection event or the anticipated unavailable connection event; and

determining, prior to the occurrence of the fixed fee wireless network connection event;

a second anticipated data use time for a second anticipated data; and

a first likelihood that the first anticipated data will be requested by the user of the device before the second anticipated data is requested by the user of the device;

a second likelihood that the second anticipated data will be requested by the user of the device before the first anticipated data is requested by the user of the device;

determining that the first likelihood is higher than the second likelihood; and

planning, prior to the occurrence of the fixed fee wireless network connection event, delivery of the first anticipated data to the wireless device over a fixed fee wireless network during the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event.

9. A computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein determining the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event further includes:

determining that an anticipated duration of the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event will be sufficient to deliver the first anticipated data to the wireless device during the occurrence of the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event.

10. A computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein determining the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event includes:

determining an anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event that is anticipated to occur before the wireless device is unavailable.

11. A computer-implemented method of claim 8,

the method further comprising, the one or more computing systems configured with executable instructions,

determining a second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event anticipated to occur prior to the anticipated data use and prior to the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event;

and

determining that the second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is a low probability wireless network connection event; and

wherein planning, prior to the occurrence of the fixed fee wireless network connection event, delivery of the first anticipated data to the wireless device over the fixed fee wireless network during the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is based at least in part on determining that the second anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is a low probability wireless network connection event.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to at least:

determine a planned connection pattern for a wireless device, wherein the planned connection pattern includes;

an anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event anticipated to occur at a first time, an anticipated variable fee wireless network connection event anticipated to occur at a second time, and an anticipated unavailable connection event anticipated to occur at a third time during which the wireless device is unavailable, wherein the first time is before the third time and the second time is before the third time;

determine anticipated data that will likely be requested by a user of the wireless device during the anticipated unavailable connection event;

determine a first anticipated duration of the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event;

determine an estimated transfer time needed to transfer the anticipated data to the wireless device;

determine that the first anticipated duration of the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event is sufficient to transfer the anticipated data to the wireless device; and

plan, prior to the third time, delivery of the anticipated data to occur during an occurrence of the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the anticipated data is identified based at least in part on information received from the wireless device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the anticipated data is identified based at least in part on user event information.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the anticipated data is identified based at least in part on external information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the anticipated data includes a plurality of data that has not been requested by the wireless device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the planned connection pattern is determined based at least in part on a determined standard connection pattern and user event information, the planned connection pattern based at least in part on exceptions to the standard connection pattern determined from the user event information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions that when executed by the processor further cause the processor to at least:

determine that the wireless device will be connected to a power source and charging during the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the instructions that when executed by the processor further cause the processor to at least:

determine that the wireless device will be idle during the anticipated fixed fee wireless network connection event.