Network-based service access for wireless communication devices

• US RE47,487 E1
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Angle, Travis, Dzuban, Daniel, Gibbs, Graeme M., Griffin, Jeffrey, Karlsson, Joachim, Meyer, Seneca D., Norbury, Kenneth Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Carlson, Jeffrey D
• Application Number:
  US15/381,789
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• CPC Class Codes: N/A

Abstract

A device and method facilitates communication with a network-based service or application such as a Social Networking Service (SNS), for example. The device may be a cellular telephone that is not normally equipped to communicate with such services. However, a controller in the device selects a bearer service that can be used to communicate with the service.

Claims

1. A low-tier or mid-tier wireless communications device comprising:

a user interface to receive user input data;

memory configured to store an application module;

a controller configured to execute the application module to;

receive the user input data from the user interface;

receive a command signal from a communications network that identifies a selected bearer service of a plurality of bearer services;

responsive to receiving the command signal from the communications network, select a the selected bearer service from a of the plurality of bearer services to carry the user input data to a Social Networking Service (SNS) server in a the communications network; and

convert the user input data into one or more messages according to a protocol associated with the selected bearer service; and

a transceiver configured to transmit the one or more messages to the SNS server over the selected bearer service.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to execute the application module to:

store metrics in the memory indicating how a user communicates with the SNS server;

analyze the metrics based on one or more criteria; and

select the bearer service based on the results of the analysis.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a display configured to display the plurality of bearer services as options to the user.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to generate a control signal to switch from a current bearer service to the selected bearer service.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal responsive to receiving user input selecting the bearer service.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal responsive to receiving a command signal from the network identifying the selected bearer service.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to execute the application module to convert messages received from the SNS server and formatted according to a corresponding bearer service protocol into data for display to the user of the wireless communications device.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bearer services includes a short message service (SMS) bearer service and an internet protocol (IP) bearer service.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the communications network comprises a cellular communications network.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the transceiver comprises a cellular radio transceiver.

23. The device of claim 1 wherein the communications network comprises a cellular network that provides voice and data services, and an IP network that is interconnected with the cellular network and that provides IP services.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having an application module stored thereon, the application module being executable by a controller in a low-tier or mid-tier wireless communications device and comprising:

a plurality of conversion modules, each module being associated with a different bearer service and configured to convert user input data into one or more messages according to a corresponding bearer service protocol for transmission to a Social Networking Service (SNS) server over an associated bearer channel; and

a mediator module configured to select one of the conversion modules to perform the a conversion, and to provide the user input data from the a user interface of the wireless communications device to the selected conversion module, wherein the mediator module is configured to select the selected conversion module responsive to receiving a command signal identifying a selected bearer service via a wireless communications network.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the mediator module is further configured to select the conversion module based on selected criteria comprising one or more of:

a least cost to the user;

a least cost to a network provider;

an amount of congestion in the network;

the user'"'"'s historically selected bearer services;

a change in the user'"'"'s tariff plan; and

the user'"'"'s activity for a given bearer service within a predetermined time period.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the mediator module is further configured to switch from a current conversion module to the selected conversion module.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the mediator module is configured to switch to the selected conversion module responsive to receiving input identifying a new bearer service.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the mediator module is configured to switch to the selected conversion module responsive to receiving a command signal identifying a new bearer service via a wireless communications network.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein each conversion module is further configured to convert messages received from the SNS server into data for display to the user at the wireless communications device.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein at least one of the different bearer services is a short message service (SMS) bearer service and wherein at least another one of the different bearer services is an internet protocol (IP) bearer service.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the wireless communications network comprises a cellular communications network.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the wireless communications network comprises a cellular network that provides voice and data services, and an IP network that is interconnected with the cellular network and that provides IP services.

14. A method of communicating user data between a low-tier or mid-tier wireless communications device and a network server associated with a Social Networking Service (SNS), the method comprising:

receiving user data bound for an the SNS server at a user interface of a low-tier or mid-tier the wireless communications device;

responsive to receiving a command signal from a service provider, switching from a current bearer service to a selected bearer service selected from among a plurality of bearer services available to the low-tier or mid-tier wireless communications device to communicate the user data to the SNS server;

converting the user data into one or more messages according to the selected bearer service; and

transmitting the one or more messages to the SNS server over the selected bearer service.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

storing metrics indicating how a user communicates with the SNS server; and

selecting the bearer service based on an analysis of the stored metrics.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein selecting a bearer service from a plurality of bearer services comprises selecting the bearer service based on an analysis of selected criteria comprising one or more of:

a least cost to the user;

a least cost to a network provider;

an amount of congestion in the network;

the user'"'"'s historically selected bearer services;

a change in the user'"'"'s tariff plan; and

the user'"'"'s activity for a given bearer service within a predetermined time period.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein switching from a current bearer service to a selected bearer service comprises switching to the selected bearer service responsive to receiving user input identifying the bearer service.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein switching from a current bearer service to a selected bearer service comprises switching to the selected bearer service responsive to receiving a command signal from a service provider via the communications network.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving messages from the SNS server in a first bearer service format;

converting the received messages from the first bearer service format into data for display to the user on the user'"'"'s wireless communications device; and

displaying the converted messages to the user.

27. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of bearer services includes a short message service (SMS) bearer service and an internet protocol (IP) bearer service.

28. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless communications device operates on a cellular communications network.

29. The method of claim 14 wherein the one or more messages are transmitted via a cellular radio transceiver.

30. The method of claim 14 wherein the communications device operates on a communications network, and wherein the communications network comprises a cellular network that provides voice and data services, and an IP network that is interconnected with the cellular network and that provides IP services.

31. A wireless communication device comprising:

a user interface configured to receive user input data;

a processing circuit configured to;

receive the user input data from the user interface;

request, from a network, information indicative of a selected bearer service selected from a plurality of bearer services;

receive a command signal from the network identifying the selected bearer service;

responsive to receiving the command signal, switch to the selected bearer service; and

convert the user input data into one or more messages according to a protocol associated with the selected bearer service; and

a communication interface configured to transmit the one or more messages to a Social Networking Service (SNS) server over the selected bearer service.

32. The device of claim 31 wherein the plurality of bearer services includes a short message service (SMS) bearer service and an internet protocol (IP) bearer service.

33. The device of claim 31 wherein the network comprises a cellular communications network.

34. The device of claim 31 wherein the communication interface comprises a cellular radio transceiver.

35. The device of claim 31 wherein the network comprises a cellular network that provides voice and data services, and an IP network that is interconnected with the cellular network and that provides IP services.

36. A method of operating a wireless communication device in a network, the method comprising:

receiving user input data;

requesting from the network information indicative of a selected bearer service selected from a plurality of bearer services;

receiving a command signal from the network identifying the selected bearer service;

responsive to receiving the command signal, switching to the selected bearer service;

converting the user input data into one or more messages according to a protocol associated with the selected bearer service; and

transmitting the one or more messages to an SNS server over the selected bearer service.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the plurality of bearer services includes a short message service (SMS) bearer service and an internet protocol (IP) bearer service.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the network comprises a cellular communications network.

39. The method of claim 36 wherein the one or more messages are transmitted over a cellular radio transceiver.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the network comprises a cellular network that provides voice and data services, and an IP network that is interconnected with the cellular network and that provides IP services.

41. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which instructions, when executed by a controller in a wireless communications device, cause the wireless communication device to perform steps comprising:

requesting from the network information indicative of a selected bearer service selected from a plurality of bearer services;

receiving a command signal from the network identifying the selected bearer service;

responsive to receiving the command signal, switching to the selected bearer service;

converting user input data into one or more messages according to a protocol associated with the selected bearer service; and

transmitting the one or more messages to an SNS server over the selected bearer service.

42. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 41 wherein the plurality of bearer services includes a short message service (SMS) bearer service and an internet protocol (IP) bearer service.

43. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 41 wherein the network comprises a cellular communications network.

44. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 41 wherein the one or more messages are transmitted over a cellular radio transceiver.

45. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 41 wherein the network comprises a cellular network that provides voice and data services, and an IP network that is interconnected with the cellular network and that provides IP services.