System and method for managing a mobile device

• US 9,344,552 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tangoe US, Inc. (Asentinel Holdings LP)
• Original Assignee: Tangoe Incorporated
• Inventors: Leemet, Jaan, Rudich, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US14/549,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20150140989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/412.2, 455/405, 370/252, 370/241, 709/203, 709/230
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724634 With partially locked states, e.g. when some telephonic functional locked states or applications remain accessible in the locked states
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/886 limit per terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system and method for managing a mobile device(s) to provide for a notification(s) when specified thresholds are reached and/or execute defined rules for the mobile device(s). The rules can relate to any function of the mobile device(s), including but not limited to, notification when a percentage of voice/data/SMS is reached during a billing cycle, notification when a mobile device(s) leaves a geo-fence, and restrict a mobile device(s) when a threshold is reached. The system provides a versatile management system allowing a user to effectively control use of a mobile device(s) and manage costs.

Claims

1. A system for managing a telecommunications device having and associated telecommunications plan, the system comprising:

a server coupled to a network, said server accessible by a user with a user computer;

a storage accessible by said server;

a registration module executing in connection with said server allowing the user to register;

a mobile device plan module executing in connection with said server and receiving information relating to a service plan associated with a mobile device;

a threshold module executing in connection with said server allowing a user to set at least one threshold for the mobile device; and

a notification module executing in connection with said server generating a notification when the threshold is reached;

a rules module executing in connection with said server and allowing a user to set at least one rule for the mobile device;

said at least one rule is selected from the group consisting of;

mobile device is restricted during selected time of day, mobile device is restricted in specified location, mobile device is restricted when a threshold relating to voice or data usage is reached, and combinations thereof.

2. The system according to claim 1 where said mobile device comprises a smart device.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the information relating to the service plan is selected from the group consisting of:

user name, user address, mobile number, total minutes for a billing cycle, total data for a billing cycle and a total number of text messages for a billing cycle.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the threshold is selected as:

a percentage of total minutes for a billing cycle, or a percentage of total data for the billing cycle, or a percentage of text messages for the billing cycle or combinations thereof.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the notification includes information indicating that the threshold has been reached.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the notification is transmitted as a text message, an email or other electronic notification.

7. The system according to claim 5 wherein the notification includes a link that when clicked on navigates a computer to a webpage where additional information related to the notification is presented.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said rules module allows the user to define one or more a geo-fence areas for the mobile device such that if the mobile device is moved in or out of the geo-fence, the threshold is reached.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the restriction for the mobile device is selected from the group consisting of:

limit telephone call, limit duration of telephone call, limit text messaging, limit data usage, restrict application usage, restrict data sources and combinations thereof.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein when the restriction is selected as limit telephone call, the mobile device may only connect with specified telephone numbers defined in the rules module.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the notification comprises a report.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein the report includes at least one graph that depicts actual mobile device usage.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the at least one graph depicts predicted mobile device usage over a current billing cycle.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein predicted mobile device usage is generated based on actual mobile device usage during a current billing cycle or on historical mobile device usage during at least one previous billing cycle or combinations thereof.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a plurality of mobile devices associated with the service plan.

16. The system according to claim 1 further comprising an analysis module executing in connection with said server for analyzing the mobile device usage and providing an output accessible by the user, the output including information for reducing costs associated with the mobile device.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein said output includes information relating to alternative service plans.

18. A system for managing a mobile telecommunications device having and associated telecommunications plan, the system comprising:

a server having a storage and coupled to a network, said server accessible by a user computer;

software executing in connection with said server to register a mobile device with the system wherein an associated service plan defines a service limit for a billing cycle;

software executing in connection with said server to set at least one threshold for the mobile device, the threshold associated with at least one service provided under the associated service plan, the service selected from the group consisting of;

voice minutes, or data usage, or text messages, or email, or a geographic location for the mobile device, or combinations thereof;

software executing in connection with said server generating a notification when the threshold is reached setting at least one rule for the mobile device selected from the group consisting of;

mobile device is restricted during selected time of day, or mobile device is restricted in specified location, mobile device is restricted when the threshold relating to voice or data usage is reached, or combinations thereof.

19. The system according to claim 18 where said at least one mobile device comprises a smart device.

20. The system according to claim 18 wherein a notification is generated when the threshold is reached.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein a notification provides actual usage for said mobile device over a current billing cycle.

22. The system according to claim 20 wherein the notification provides a prediction for said mobile device usage over a current billing cycle.

23. The system according to claim 22 wherein the predicted usage is based on actual usage during the current billing cycle or on historical mobile device usage during at least one previous billing cycle or combinations thereof.

24. The system according to claim 18 further comprises software executing in connection with said server setting at least one rule for the mobile device, said rule defines a geo-fence area for the mobile device, said software tracking the location of the mobile device such that if the mobile device is moved in to or out of the geo-fence, the threshold is reached.

25. The system according to claim 24 wherein said geo-fence is associated with a school location.

26. The system according to claim 18 wherein the mobile device comprises a plurality of mobile devices associated with the service plan.

27. A system for managing a mobile device, the system comprising:

a server coupled to a network, said server accessible by a user with a user computer;

a storage accessible by said server;

a registration module associated with said server and allowing the user to register a mobile device;

a threshold module associated with said server allowing a user to set at least one threshold for the mobile device, the threshold associated with at least one geo-fence area and at least one time period;

a rules module associated with said server configured to allow a user to set at least one rule for the mobile device, the rule relating to at least one function and at least one of the thresholds such that when said threshold is reached said rule is applied to the function to either restrict or enable the function.

28. The system according to claim 27 where said mobile device comprises a smart device.

29. The system according to claim 27 further comprising a notification module associated with said server generating a notification accessible by the user when the threshold is reached.

30. The system according to claim 27 wherein the function is restricted when the mobile device is within or outside of the geo-fence during the time period.

31. The system according to claim 27 wherein the function is restricted when the mobile device is within or outside the geo-fence during the time period.

32. The system according to claim 27 wherein the rule is applied to the function to restrict access to the function and the restriction is selected from the group consisting of:

limit outgoing telephone call, limit duration of outgoing telephone call, limit text messaging, limit data usage, limit application usage, limit data sources and combinations thereof.

33. The system according to claim 32 wherein when the rule is selected as limit telephone call, the mobile device may only connect with specified telephone numbers.

34. The system according to claim 27 wherein said geo-fence area is defined by the user.