System and method for providing a network service in a distributed fashion to a mobile device

• US 9,386,433 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Inventors: Fiatal, Trevor
• Primary Examiner(s): WYCHE, MYRON
• Application Number:
  US14/873,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8221 Message based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A system for providing mobile network services is disclosed. A first server is communicatively coupled to a mobile device over a mobile network and configured to receive a unique authentication token from the mobile device over the mobile network and provide a service to the mobile device via the mobile network, the service associated with the service of the first server. A second server is communicatively coupled to the mobile network and is configured to monitor usage of the mobile network by the mobile device.

Claims

1. A system for providing mobile network services comprising:

a first server communicatively coupled to a mobile device over a mobile network, the first server configured to;

receive a unique authentication token from the mobile device over the mobile network, and

provide a service to the mobile device via the mobile network, wherein the service is associated with the unique authentication token and branded by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network;

wherein the service is provided by;

the first server transmitting a list of available digital content stored at the first server to the mobile device, and transferring a representation of at least a portion of the digital content to the mobile device in response to a user selection,

a second server configured to monitor usage of the mobile network by the mobile device, the usage related to the service associated with the unique authentication token and provided to the mobile device by the first server,

wherein the second server is controlled by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service provided is downloading of a file, wherein the digital content received by the mobile device is configured to be removed after a period of time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server selects a format of the digital content to be transferred to the mobile device according to a formatting characteristic.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the formatting characteristic for the digital content is based on at least one of mobile device screen size, mobile device screen resolution, mobile device processing power, mobile device memory size, and mobile device available free memory.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the formatting characteristic for the digital content is based on available mobile network connection bandwidth.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the formatting characteristic for the digital content is based on one or more of a user-selectable preference and a preset preference.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the formatting characteristic for the digital content includes a screen resolution based on the type of the digital content requested by the user.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the digital content is formatted according to the formatting characteristic in advance of the digital content being selected by a user of the mobile device.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the digital content is configured for being streamed to the mobile device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is configured to dynamically adjust the list of available digital content based upon a location of the mobile device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server receives additional content from the mobile device over the mobile network.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to determine data that a user of the mobile device will request and provide the data in advance of a request from the mobile device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is configured to bill the user of the mobile device for a service plan relating to the service provided by the first server.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile network is a cellular network, wherein the first server is further configured to enforce at least one service policy, the at least one service policy includes optimization of a file size of a file being downloaded over the cellular network.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the available content includes a software application for installation on the mobile device.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to select a format of digital content to be transferred to the mobile device based on a characteristic of the mobile network.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server is further configured to transfer the representation of at least a portion of the digital content to a second device associated with a user of the mobile device.

16. A method for providing a service on a mobile network, comprising:

receiving a unique authentication token from a mobile device at a server that is communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the mobile network;

providing a service associated with the unique authentication token to the mobile device via the mobile network, wherein the service is branded by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network;

monitoring usage of the mobile network by the mobile device, the usage related to the service associated with the unique authentication token and provided to the mobile device via the mobile network;

transmitting a list of available digital content to the mobile device; and

transferring a representation of at least a portion of the digital content to the mobile device over the mobile network in response to a user selection,

wherein the monitoring is controlled by an entity other than an entity that operates the mobile network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the unique authentication token comprises at least one identifying element selected from a group comprising of Electronic Serial Number (ESN), telephone number, customer account number, user ID, and password.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the list of available digital content is dynamically adjusted based upon a location of the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 16, further including selecting a format of the digital content to be transferred to the mobile device according to a formatting characteristic, wherein the formatting characteristic for the digital content is based on at least one of mobile device screen size, mobile device screen resolution, mobile device processing power, mobile device memory size, and mobile device available free memory.

20. The method of claim 16, further including selecting a format of the digital content to be transferred to the mobile device according to a formatting characteristic, wherein the formatting characteristic for the digital content is based on available mobile network connection bandwidth.

21. The method of claim 16, further including selecting a format of the digital content to be transferred to the mobile device according to a formatting characteristic, wherein the formatting characteristic for the digital content includes a screen resolution based on the type of the digital content requested by the user.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital content is formatted according to a formatting characteristic in advance of the digital content being selected by a user of the mobile device.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein content received by the mobile device is uploaded over the mobile network.

24. The method of claim 16, further including determining data that a user of the mobile device will request and providing the determined data in advance of the request from the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein transferring a representation of at least a portion of the digital content to the mobile device in response to a user selection comprises transferring a representation of at least a portion of the digital content to the mobile device in response to a user selection at the mobile device.

28. The method of claim 16, further including selecting a format of digital content to be transferred to the mobile device based on a characteristic of the mobile network.

29. The method of claim 16, further including transferring the representation of at least a portion of the digital content to a second device associated with a user of the mobile device.

30. A method for providing a service on a mobile network, comprising:

receiving a unique authentication token from a mobile device at a server that is communicatively coupled to the mobile device over the mobile network;

providing a service associated with the unique authentication token to the mobile device via the mobile network;

monitoring usage of the mobile network by the mobile device, the usage related to the service provided to the mobile device via the mobile network;

transmitting a list of available digital content to the mobile device;

transferring a representation of at least a portion of the digital content to the mobile device over the mobile network in response to a user selection; and

formatting the digital content to be transferred to the mobile device according to a formatting characteristic, wherein the formatting characteristic is based on available mobile network connection bandwidth.