Ensuring communication device capabilities comply with content provider specifications

• US 9,264,522 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Reeves, Raymond Emilio, Wick, Ryan Alan, Karki, Prabhat, Bassett, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US12/553,272
• Time in Patent Office: 2,357 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A communication system comprises a gateway. The gateway is configured to receive a content request from a communication device, wherein the content request indicates requested content from a content provider, determine a set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider, transfer a status request to the communication device to determine a status of the set of capabilities of the communication device, receive a status response from the communication device indicating the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device, and if the status response indicates that the status of the set of capabilities complies with the set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider, then transfer the content request to the content provider.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a content request transmitted from a communication device, wherein the content request indicates requested content from a content provider;

determining a set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider;

transferring a status request for delivery to the communication device to determine a status of the set of capabilities of the communication device;

receiving a status response transmitted from the communication device indicating the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device, wherein the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device indicates whether settings within the communication device are set to comply with the set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider; and

if the status response indicates that the status of the set of capabilities complies with the set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider, then transferring the content request for delivery to the content provider.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the set of capabilities of the communication device comprises:

transferring a capabilities request message to the content provider; and

receiving a capabilities response message from the content provider, wherein the capabilities response message comprises the set of capabilities.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the set of capabilities of the communication device comprises:

transferring a first capabilities request message to a database;

receiving a first capabilities response message from the database;

if the first capabilities response message does not comprise the set of capabilities, then;

transferring a second capabilities request message to the content provider;

receiving a second capabilities response message from the content provider, wherein the second capabilities response message comprises the set of capabilities; and

storing the set of capabilities of the communication device in the database.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of capabilities comprises requirements of the content provider, preferences of the content provider, and a retry location.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the status request comprises instructions to redirect the communication device to the retry location if the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device indicates noncompliance with the requirements of the content provider.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the status request comprises instructions to configure the communication device to comply with the requirements of the content provider.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the instructions to configure the communication device to comply with the requirements of the content provider direct the communication device to automatically configure settings within the communication device to comply with the requirements of the content provider.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the status request comprises instructions to configure the communication device to comply with the preferences of the content provider.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the status request comprises instructions for the communication device to download an application necessary to comply with the requirements of the content provider.

10. A communication system comprising:

a gateway, wherein the gateway comprising program instructions stored in memory and executed by a hardware processor, configured to receive a content request transmitted from a communication device, wherein the content request indicates requested content from a content provider, determine a set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider, transfer a status request for delivery to the communication device to determine a status of the set of capabilities of the communication device, receive a status response transmitted from the communication device indicating the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device, wherein the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device indicates whether settings within the communication device are set to comply with the set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider, and if the status response indicates that the status of the set of capabilities complies with the set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider, then transfer the content request for delivery to the content provider.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the gateway, to determine the set of capabilities of the communication device, transfers a capabilities request message to the content provider, and receives a capabilities response message from the content provider, wherein the capabilities response message comprises the set of capabilities.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the gateway, to determine the set of capabilities of the communication device, transfers a first capabilities request message to a database, receives a first capabilities response message from the database, if the first capabilities response message does not comprise the set of capabilities, then the gateway transfers a second capabilities request message to the content provider, receives a second capabilities response message from the content provider, wherein the second capabilities response message comprises the set of capabilities, and stores the set of capabilities of the communication device in the database.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the set of capabilities comprises requirements of the content provider, preferences of the content provider, and a retry location.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the status request comprises instructions to redirect the communication device to the retry location if the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device indicates noncompliance with the requirements of the content provider.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the status request comprises instructions to configure the communication device to comply with the requirements of the content provider.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the status request comprises instructions to configure the communication device to comply with the preferences of the content provider.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the status request comprises instructions for the communication device to download an application necessary to comply with the requirements of the content provider.

18. A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:

receiving a content request transmitted from a communication device, wherein the content request indicates requested content from a content provider;

determining a set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider by transferring a first capabilities request message to a database and receiving a first capabilities response message from the database, wherein the capabilities response message comprises the set of capabilities;

transferring a status request for delivery to the communication device to determine a status of the set of capabilities of the communication device, wherein the status request comprises the set of capabilities of the communication device;

in the communication device, determining the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device based on the status request, wherein the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device indicates whether settings within the communication device are set to comply with the set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider;

receiving a status response transmitted from the communication device indicating the status of the set of capabilities of the communication device; and

if the status response indicates that the status of the set of capabilities complies with the set of capabilities of the communication device as specified by the content provider, then transferring the content request for delivery to the content provider.