Platform for enabling sponsors to sponsor functions of a computing device

• US 10,757,267 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 08/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
• Inventors: Neal, Daniel John
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Xiang
• Application Number:
  US13/917,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20140370847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,630 Days
• Field of Search: 455406
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described for sponsoring functions of computing devices associated with users. A sponsor may define a sponsorship that includes rules for sponsoring certain functions available to a user via a computing device. The execution of the functions may be facilitated, in some instances, by a service provider that may also specify rules and policies that control the functions. As such, when the user executes one or more of the sponsored functions by way of the computing device, instead of charging the associated cost to the user, the service provider may charge the cost to the sponsor based on the associated rules and policies.

Claims

1. A method executable on a first computing device associated with a sponsor for sponsoring a second computing device associated with a subscriber to services of a service provider, the service supporting a use of the second computing device over a network of the service provider, the method comprising:

sending, by the first computing device to an exchange platform, a request to establish an account associated with the sponsor and managed by the service provider, the account comprising an identifier of the sponsor;

sending, by the first computing device to the exchange platform, first information indicative of a selection of a sponsorship, the first information associating the selected sponsorship with the account and comprising a rule for applying the sponsorship to the second computing device, the rule usable to determine in real time whether the services of the service provider are allowed to be accessed by the second computing device based on the sponsorship, automatically applying the sponsorship for a specified period, without presentation of advertisements and notifications to initiate the sponsorship by the second computing device, and based on one or more conditions, including a current location of the second computing device, the services including a plurality of features that specify functionalities that the second computing device can access in association with a core network and independently of the core network; and

receiving, by the first computing device from the exchange platform, second information indicative of an application of the sponsorship to the second computing device based at least in part on the rule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second information comprises a charge associated with a cost for executing a function on the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the charge is posted to the account.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the account comprises units of value, and wherein the charge is deducted from the units of value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship sponsors any or a combination of:

a voice function, a data function, content that can be used by the second computing device, a data bandwidth available to the second computing device, a service upgrade associated with the execution of the function, a cost associated with obtaining the second computing device, or a cost associated with using the second computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the rule specifies at least a condition for applying the sponsorship to the second computing device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the condition comprises any or a combination of:

location-based condition, time-based condition, or a cost-based condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information comprises any or a combination of:

identifiers of users of computing devices that the sponsorship is made available to, identifiers of groups of the users of the computing devices, identifiers of service providers that facilitate uses of the computing devices, a time frame identifying when the sponsorship is available, a location within which the sponsorship is available, costs that are covered by the sponsorship, and information required from the users to sign-up for the sponsorship.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the account to dynamically update the rule for applying the sponsorship.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a notification indicative of a selection of the sponsorship by the subscriber.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the sponsor to send an alert to subscribers to the service provider, the alert comprising a description of the sponsorship.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the account to receive information about a balance due to the service provider and associated with the sponsorship, a market penetration of the sponsorship, and subscribers that the sponsorship is available to.

13. A system configured to define information about a sponsorship that sponsors a computing device, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to at least;

generate data usable to render an interface operative to allow a sponsor to define the information about the sponsorship, the information comprising a type of the sponsorship and a rule for applying the sponsorship, wherein the system dynamically adjusts the rule independent of a use of a computing device; and

send the information to a second system configured to support the use of the computing device, the computing device being associated with a user, the second system being associated with a network of a service provider, the second system being configured to support the use of the computing device based at least in part on a subscription of the user to services of the service provider, the information causing the second system to automatically apply, based at least in part on the rule, the sponsorship to the use of the computing device without presentation of advertisements and notifications to initiate the sponsorship, wherein the sponsorship is applied for a specified period and based on a current location of the computing device, and the subscription includes a plurality of features that specify functionalities that the computing device can use in association with a core network and independently of the core network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the rule specifies that the sponsorship covers a cost associated with the use of the computing device when the type of the sponsorship covers the use of the computing device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the type of the sponsorship comprises any or a combination of:

sponsored connectivity, sponsored content, sponsored data bandwidth, sponsored service upgrade, or a sponsored cost for obtaining the device.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the rule specifies any or a combination of:

a time frame when the sponsorship is available, a cost covered by the sponsorship, information required from the second user, or a location within which the sponsorship is available.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the rule specifies a condition for applying the sponsorship, wherein the condition comprises any or a combination of:

a demographic of the second user, a location of the computing device, a time restriction, or a threshold defined by the service provider.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the rule comprises a rule for deducting a cost associated with applying the sponsorship from units of value associated with the sponsor.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface allows the sponsor to search for users subscribed to the service and to make the sponsorship available to a set of the users.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to send an alert to the second user that the sponsor has defined the sponsorship and to receive an alert that the second user has selected the sponsorship.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, upon execution on a first system configured to allow a sponsor to generate a sponsorship associated a computing device, cause the first system to perform operations comprising:

associating one or more rules with the sponsorship, the one or more rules defined by the sponsor and specifying an automatic application of the sponsorship to the computing device, the sponsorship covering a cost associated with a use of the computing device based at least in part on the automatic application;

providing information indicative of the one or more rules to a second system configured to at least initiate the sponsorship for a specified period, based on a current location of the computing device, and facilitate the use of the computing device by a user without presentation of advertisements and notifications and based on the sponsorship, wherein the first system dynamically adjusts the one or more rules independently of the use of the computing device; and

receiving from the second system an indication of the use of the computing device, the indication comprising charging the cost associated with the use of the computing device to an account of the sponsor based on the sponsorship, the use including a plurality of features that specify functionalities that the computing device can execute in association with a core network and independently of the core network.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the use of the computing device comprises any or a combination of:

voice function, a data function, accessing content, or obtaining the computing device.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more rules are specified by the user.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the user is a sponsor, the computing device is associated with a subscriber subscribing to services provided by a service provider, the second system being associated with the service provider and comprising a network operated at least in part by the service provider.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more rules specify one or more conditions for applying the sponsorship to the computing device, the one or more conditions including a combination of any of:

identifiers of users of computing devices that the sponsorship is made available to, identifiers of groups of the users of the computing devices, identifiers of service providers that facilitate uses of the computing devices, a time frame identifying when the sponsorship is available, costs that are covered by the sponsorship, and information required from the users to sign-up for the sponsorship.