Protocols for facilitating broader access in wireless communications

• US 9,807,582 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US13/954,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a status or decision concerning a wireless service or device within a region to a communication device (smartphone or wearable device, e.g.) or other wireless communication participant (motor vehicle having a wireless communication capability, e.g.).

Claims

1. A communication management system comprising:

at least one network device including one or more electronic devices, the one or more electronic devices including at least;

circuitry configured for obtaining at least one preference indication indicating selection of at least a first option or a second option from a user of at least one currently-subscribed mobile device associated with an account for a cellular service subscription still in effect and charged at a service subscription rate, the circuitry configured for obtaining the preference indication via the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device;

circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect;

circuitry configured for automatically and conditionally determining at least one decision responsive to the at least one preference indication wherein a first decision corresponding to the first option includes at least an indication to cause a unidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device with no additional charges incurred above the service subscription rate, and a second decision corresponding to the second option includes at least an indication to assign a communication cost component to the account for the cellular service subscription charged at a premium to the service subscription rate and an indication to establish a bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device; and

circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision.

2. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device, including a processor;

the circuitry configured for obtaining at least one preference indication indicating selection of at least a first option or a second option from a user of at least one currently-subscribed mobile device including a first medium containing a first instruction set that when executed by the processor obtains the preference indication either of the first option or of the second option from the user of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device;

the circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect including a second medium containing a second instruction set that when executed by the processor obtains the identification of a formerly-subscribed mobile device that has been temporarily disassociated from at least one cellular service subscription by a user implementing one or more unlocking protocols to adapt the formerly-subscribed mobile device to be useable at least one of outside a jurisdiction of the at least one cellular service subscription or without at least one cellular service provider associated with the at least one cellular service subscription;

the circuitry configured for automatically and conditionally determining at least one decision responsive to the at least one preference indication wherein a first decision corresponding to the first option includes at least an indication to cause a unidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device with no additional charges incurred above the service subscription rate, and a second decision corresponding to the second option includes at least an indication to assign a communication cost component to the account for the cellular service subscription charged at a premium to the service subscription rate an indication to establish a bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device including a third medium containing a third instruction set that when executed by the processor determines the at least one decision.

3. The communication management system of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device is configured for using a first nominal downlink frequency of at least about 59 GHz and of at most about 64 GHz; and

the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device is configured for using a second nominal downlink frequency of at least about 2.4 GHz and of at most about 5 GHz.

4. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

a wearable assembly including a never-subscribed mobile device, the wearable assembly configured for indicating some of a wireless connectivity map after a decision whether to update a wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally at least partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of the at least one non-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the at least one non-subscribed mobile device obtained the first location estimate.

5. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

circuitry configured for causing at least some of a wireless connectivity map to be displayed, the wireless connectivity map indicating a service boundary relating to a prospective interpersonal communication at least between the at least one non-subscribed mobile device and the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device, the prospective interpersonal communication being the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

6. The communication management system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one formerly-subscribed mobile device including a wearable assembly configured for presenting an audible notification of a WLAN service boundary, the WLAN service boundary being a component of a wireless connectivity map after a decision whether to update the wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally at least partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of another mobile device and at least partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the other mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate.

7. The communication management system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for displaying via the at least one non-subscribed mobile device at least some of a wireless connectivity map depicting a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective intercommunication, the prospective intercommunication being the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

8. The communication management system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for causing the at least one non-subscribed mobile device to indicate some of a wireless connectivity map that includes at least automatically curated map data.

15. The communication management system of claim 8 further comprising:

circuitry configured for obtaining a first location estimate describing a first location of the at least one non-subscribed mobile device by receiving the first location estimate from the at least one non-subscribed mobile device; and

circuitry configured for obtaining first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the at least one non-subscribed mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate by receiving the first provenance data from the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

30. The communication management system of claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for displaying via the at least one non-subscribed mobile device at least some of a wireless connectivity map depicting a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective intercommunication, the prospective intercommunication being the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device, the wireless connectivity map including automatically curated map data and comprising a specific positional model that represents both an isotropic radiator and an anisotropic radiator.

9. A communication management system comprising:

at least one network device including one or more electronic devices, the one or more electronic devices including at least

circuitry configured for obtaining at least one preference indication indicating selection of at least a first option or a second option from a user of at least one currently-subscribed mobile device associated with an account for a cellular service subscription still in effect and charged at a service subscription rate;

circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect;

circuitry configured for automatically and conditionally determining at least one decision responsive to the at least one preference indication wherein a first decision corresponding to the first option includes at least an indication to cause a unidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device with no additional charges incurred above the service subscription rate, and a second decision corresponding to the second option includes at least an indication to assign a communication cost component to the account for the cellular service subscription charged at a premium to the service subscription rate and an indication to establish a bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device; and

circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision.

10. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device, including a processor;

the circuitry configured for obtaining at least one preference indication indicating selection of at least a first option or a second option from a user of at least one currently-subscribed mobile device including a first medium containing a first instruction set that when executed by the processor obtains the preference indication either of the first option or of the second option from the user of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device;

the circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect including a second medium containing a second instruction set that when executed by the processor obtains the identification of a formerly-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription still in effect; and

the circuitry configured for automatically and conditionally determining at least one decision responsive to the at least one preference indication wherein a first decision corresponding to the first option includes at least an indication to cause a unidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device with no additional charges incurred above the service subscription rate, and a second decision corresponding to the second option includes at least an indication to assign a communication cost component to the account for the cellular service subscription charged at a premium to the service subscription rate and an indication to establish a bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device including a third medium containing a third instruction set that when executed by the processor automatically and conditionally determines the at least one decision.

11. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the IC chip having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion of the IC chip being the circuitry configured for obtaining the preference indication either of the first option or of the second option from the user of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device, the second portion of the IC chip being the circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect, the third portion of the IC chip being the circuitry configured for automatically and conditionally determining the at least one decision responsive to the at least one preference indication wherein a first decision corresponding to the first option includes at least an indication to cause the unidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device with no additional charges incurred above the service subscription rate, and a second decision corresponding to the second option includes at least an indication to assign the communication cost component to the account for the cellular service subscription charged at a premium to the service subscription rate and an indication to establish the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

12. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

a wearable assembly including a never-subscribed mobile device, the wearable assembly configured for indicating some of a wireless connectivity map after a decision whether to update the wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally at least partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of the at least one non-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the at least one non-subscribed mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate.

13. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

circuitry configured for causing a wireless connectivity map to indicate WLAN service apparently provided within a region as a conditional response to an indication from the at least one non-subscribed mobile device of the WLAN service being operative within the region.

14. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device, configured for generating an audible indication of whether the at least one non-subscribed mobile device is available to participate in the bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, at least partly based on an indication whether the at least one non-subscribed mobile device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time interval and at least partly based on an indication of the at least one non-subscribed mobile device having WLAN service.

16. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

circuitry configured for authorizing the communication cost component to be posted to the account associated with the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device conditionally, responsive to the at least one non-subscribed mobile device losing access to WLAN service during either the unidirectional communication or the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

17. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

circuitry configured for handing off a wireless communication from a WLAN access point to a cellular base station conditionally, responsive to the at least one non-subscribed mobile device losing access to WLAN service during the wireless communication, the wireless communication including either the unidirectional communication or the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

18. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

circuitry configured for causing at least some of a wireless connectivity map to be displayed via the at least one non-subscribed mobile device after a decision whether to update the wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally at least partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of at least one formerly-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the at least one formerly-subscribed mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate.

19. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

circuitry configured for causing at least some of a wireless connectivity map to be displayed, the wireless connectivity map indicating a service boundary relating to a prospective interpersonal communication at least between the at least one non-subscribed mobile device and the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device, the prospective interpersonal communication being the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

20. The communication management system of claim 9 further comprising:

at least one non-subscribed mobile device including a wearable assembly configured for presenting an audible notification of a WLAN service boundary, the WLAN service boundary being a component of a wireless connectivity map after a decision whether to update the wireless connectivity map automatically and conditionally at least partly based on a first location estimate describing a first location of another mobile device and at least partly based on first provenance data indicating a protocol by which the other mobile device apparently obtained the first location estimate.

21. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for displaying via at least one formerly-subscribed mobile device at least some of a wireless connectivity map depicting a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective intercommunication, the prospective intercommunication being the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

22. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for causing first content of a wireless signal to pass either through a first memory of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device or through a second memory of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device selected as an automatic and conditional response to whether second content of the wireless signal satisfies a first criterion.

23. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for causing a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device; and

circuitry configured for determining a decision whether to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device.

24. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for authorizing the communication cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of a wireless communication using WLAN access, the user account being the account associated with the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device.

25. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for handing off an interpersonal communication from a WLAN access point to a cellular base station, a usage of the cellular base station resulting in the communication cost component to the account associated with the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device, the interpersonal communication including either the unidirectional communication or the bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device.

26. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for causing the at least one non-subscribed mobile device to indicate some of a wireless connectivity map that includes at least automatically curated map data.

29. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the at least one network device includes:

at least one of a mobile switching center, a base transceiver station, a wireless access point, a wireless router, a wireless LAN router, a mobile hotspot, a handheld device, or a server.

31. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for causing a data component of a wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a handheld device as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and to a thermal state of a temperature sensor in the handheld device, the handheld device being the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device.

32. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for signaling the at least one decision includes:

circuitry configured for causing a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device; and

circuitry configured for determining a decision whether to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data volume of the first data queue crossing a volume threshold.

33. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect includes:

circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of a formerly-subscribed mobile device that has been temporarily disassociated from at least one cellular service subscription by a user implementing one or more unlocking protocols to adapt the formerly-subscribed mobile device to be useable at least one of outside a jurisdiction of the at least one cellular service subscription or without at least one cellular service provider associated with the at least one cellular service subscription.

34. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect includes:

circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of a formerly-subscribed mobile device that was configured by a first cellular service provider who maintains a subscriber database from which a customer identifier has now been removed.

35. The communication management system of claim 9 wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect includes:

circuitry configured for associating a formerly-subscribed mobile device with a second cellular service provider by enabling the formerly-subscribed mobile device to accept an off-brand subscriber identification module or other substitute network access component after an original wireless service subscription has ended.

27. A communication management system comprising:

at least one network device including one or more electronic devices, the one or more electronic devices including at least

means for obtaining at least one preference indication indicating selection of at least a first option or a second option from a user of at least one currently-subscribed mobile device associated with an account for a cellular service subscription still in effect and charged at a service subscription rate;

means for obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect;

means for automatically and conditionally determining at least one decision responsive to the at least one preference indication wherein a first decision corresponding to the first option includes at least an indication to cause a unidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device with no additional charges incurred above the service subscription rate, and a second decision corresponding to the second option includes at least an indication to assign a communication cost component to the account for the cellular service subscription charged at a premium to the service subscription rate an indication to establish a bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device; and

means for signaling the at least one decision.

28. A communication management method comprising:

obtaining at least one preference indication indicating selection of at least a first option or a second option from a user of at least one currently-subscribed mobile device associated with an account for a cellular service subscription still in effect and charged at a service subscription rate;

obtaining an identification of at least one non-subscribed mobile device that does not have an associated established cellular service subscription in effect;

invoking circuitry configured for automatically and conditionally determining at least one decision responsive to the at least one preference indication wherein a first decision corresponding to the first option includes at least an indication to cause a unidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device with no additional charges incurred above the service subscription rate, and a second decision corresponding to the second option includes at least an indication to assign a communication cost component to the account for the cellular service subscription charged at a premium to the service subscription rate and an indication to establish a bidirectional communication between the at least one currently-subscribed mobile device and the at least one non-subscribed mobile device; and

signaling the at least one decision.