Systems and methods for monitoring data and bandwidth usage

• US 9,350,634 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Application Number:
  US14/193,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/851 Determined tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/852 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/885 limit per application
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/815 Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8158 Low balance or limit reached
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

Access to a communications network may be provided via a data provider that may charge for access. In some cases, the access fee may be related to the amount of network resources consumed (e.g., amount of data downloaded or bandwidth used). In some cases, a user may have access to a particular amount of data provider resources and be required to pay an additional fee for using resources in excess of the particular amount. To assist the user in managing his data resource consumption, a resource utilization component may provide different alerts and notices informing the user of current consumption, expected future consumption, and recommendations for reducing data provider resources consumed (e.g., stopping particular processes or data provider requests, such as downloading media). If several electronic devices in a network are connected to the same data provider resources, a network component may manage the data provider resource use among the several electronic devices (e.g., allow only particular users or devices access).

Claims

1. A system for monitoring resource utilization of data provider resources, comprising:

an electronic device operative to consume data provider resources over at least a first communications network and a second communications network; and

a resources utilization component incorporated within the electronic device, the resources utilization component operative to monitor the data provider resources consumed by the electronic device and, based at least in part on the monitoring, to automatically constrain consumption of data provider resources on the first communications network to remain within a limit by switching from consuming data provider resources on the first communications network to using the second communications network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the resources utilization component is further operative to:

determine that the electronic device has consumed an amount of data provider resources that is within a predetermined range of a data provider resource limit; and

indicate to the electronic device the determined consumption amount.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined range comprises a dynamically changing range.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the dynamically changing range is operative to change based on the current day within a subscription period associated with the data provider resource limit.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the resources utilization element is operative to define the dynamically changing range based on the expected data provider resource consumption for the time remaining in a subscription period associated with the data provider resource limit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the resources utilization component is further operative to:

review data provider resource usage from previous subscription periods associated with the data provider resource limit;

extract variations to linear data provider resource usage based on the reviewed usage; and

define the dynamically changing range based on the extracted variations.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device has access to the same data using the first communications network and the second communications network.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor of an electronic device, the instructions configured to cause the processor to:

monitor data provider resources consumed by the electronic device over a first communications network and a second communications network; and

automatically constrain consumption of data provider resources on the first communications network to remain within a limit, based on the monitoring, by switching from consuming data provider resources on the first communications network to using the second communications network.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, the instructions further configured to cause the processor to:

determine that the electronic device has consumed an amount of data provider resources that is within a predetermined range of a data provider resource limit.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the predetermined range comprises a dynamically changing range.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the dynamically changing range is operative to change based on the current day within a subscription period associated with the data provider resource limit.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the resources utilization element is operative to define the dynamically changing range based on the expected data provider resource consumption for the time remaining in a subscription period associated with the data provider resource limit.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, the instructions further configured to cause the processor to:

review data provider resource usage from previous subscription periods associated with the data provider resource limit;

extract variations to linear data provider resource usage based on the reviewed usage; and

define the dynamically changing range based on the extracted variations.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the electronic device has access to the same data using the first communications network and the second communications network.

13. A method for monitoring resource utilization of data provider resources, comprising:

by an electronic device;

monitoring data provider resources consumed by the electronic device over a first communications network and a second communications network; and

automatically constraining consumption of data provider resources on the first communications network to remain within a limit, based on the monitoring, by switching from consuming data provider resources on the first communications network to using the second communications network.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining that the electronic device has consumed an amount of data provider resources that is within a predetermined range of a data provider resource limit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined range comprises a dynamically changing range.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the resources utilization element is operative to define the dynamically changing range based on the expected data provider resource consumption for the time remaining in a subscription period associated with the data provider resource limit.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

reviewing data provider resource usage from previous subscription periods associated with the data provider resource limit;

extracting variations to linear data provider resource usage based on the reviewed usage; and

defining the dynamically changing range based on the extracted variations.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic device has access to the same data using the first communications network and the second communications network.