Wireless device applying different background data traffic policies to different device applications

• US 9,674,731 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G., Lavine, James, Raissinia, Alireza
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US15/220,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20160337883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 370401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1492 negotiation of tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5006 Creating or negotiating SLA contracts, guarantees or penalties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/803 Application aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 : QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 : User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 : Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 : Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 : based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 : Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 : taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 : the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 : Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 : Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 : Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 : based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 : Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 : Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 : using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/021 : in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 : based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 : power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 : based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0257 : the individual bearer or channel having a maximum bit rate or a bit rate guarantee
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0284 : detecting congestion or overload during communication monitoring arrangements H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 : Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 : Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 : Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 : over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 : based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 : by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless end-user device can communicate data using a home network or a roaming network. The device stores a network service usage activity classification list that indicates which of a plurality of background data traffic policies to apply respectively to each of a plurality of applications resident on the device. A processor on the device determines which type of network the device currently connects through, and whether a particular application is currently operating as a background application. According to the applicable policy, a given application operating in the background may be allowed to perform network service usage activities on both network types, on only one of the network types, or on neither of the network types.

Claims

1. A wireless end-user device, comprising:

a processor;

one or more wireless modems to communicate data for network service usage activities between the device and a selected one of at least a home network and a roaming network; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium to store a network service usage activity classification list indicating which of a plurality of background data traffic policies to respectively apply to each of a plurality of applications resident on the device, the plurality of background data traffic policies including at least a first policy that allows background data traffic on a home network type and a roaming network type, a second policy that disallows background data traffic on the home network type and the roaming network type, and a third policy that allows background data traffic on the home network type and disallows background data traffic on the roaming network type;

the processor configured to

for a wireless network to which the device currently connects through one of the wireless modems in order to communicate data for network service usage activities, classify that wireless network to one of the home network type and the roaming network type to form a first classification,

classify that a particular application is currently operating according to a background application classification,

determine, for the particular application and based at least in part on the network service usage activity classification list, which of the plurality of background data traffic policies applies to the particular application, and

selectively allow or deny one or more network service usage activities by or on behalf of the particular application, by applying, based on the first and background application classifications, the determined applicable background data traffic policy to the one or more network service usage activities.

2. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein to classify that the particular application is currently operating according to a background application classification comprises determining that the particular application is not in the foreground of user interaction.

3. The wireless end-user device of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to determine that the particular application is in the foreground of user interaction when the user of the device is directly interacting with that application or perceiving any benefit from that application.

4. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an update to at least a portion of the network service usage activity classification list from a network element.

5. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically change the application of one or more of the background data traffic policies based on a power state of the device.

6. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to dynamically change the application of one or more of the background data traffic policies based on a device usage state.

7. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to classify that the particular application is currently operating according to a background application classification based on a state of user interface priority for the application.

8. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, according to at least one of the background data policies, prevent one or more applications from changing the power state of at least one of the modems.

9. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, the processor further configured to, based on user input received from the user interface, change which of the background data traffic policies to apply to a selected application.

10. The wireless end-user device of claim 9, the processor further configured to, for at least one other application than the selected application, prevent user input from changing which of the background data traffic policies to apply to the at least one other application.

11. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the network service usage activity classification list is set on the device by a service provider.

12. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein to determine for the particular application and based at least in part on the network service usage activity classification list, which of the plurality of background data traffic policies applies to the particular application comprises to select a default rule when the particular application is not in the network service usage activity classification list.

13. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein to selectively deny one or more network service usage activities by or on behalf of the particular application comprises reporting to the particular application that no network is available.

14. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, the processor further configured to report the background application classification to the particular application.

15. The wireless end-user device of claim 14, the processor further configured to report the first classification to the particular application.

16. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, the processor further configured to report the determined applicable background data traffic policy to the particular application.

17. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, the processor further configured to report the background application classification and the determined applicable background data traffic policy to the particular application.

18. The wireless end-user device of claim 17, the processor further configured to report the first classification to the particular application.

19. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, the network service usage activity classification list indicating which of the plurality of background data traffic policies to respectively apply to at least some of the plurality of applications resident on the device by including in the network service usage activity classification list an application identifier.

20. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, the processor further configured to, when a application is newly downloaded to the device from a network, update the network service usage activity classification list with an indication received from the network of the background data traffic policy applicable to the newly downloaded application.