Wireless communication system having mobility-based content delivery

• US 20060199583A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas E. Gorsuch
• Original Assignee: Thomas E. Gorsuch
• Inventors: Gorsuch, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,542,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/16 according to connection obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2013 Fixed data network, e.g. PDN, ATM, B-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/206 CDMA, i.e. Code Division Multiple Access
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 : Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 : comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• 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 28/0226 : based on location or mobility handoff or reselection H04W36/00; mobile application services making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 : of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes

Abstract

The delivery of content across a wireless communication link is based on a mobility state associated with a wireless transceiver. The system employs pricing tiers, which represent each subscriber'"'"'s mobility-based privileges to specific content. That is, a mobile user can be charged a premium to maintain the same quality of service as a stationary user. The impact of mobility is thus felt by the mobile subscriber, either by experiencing reduced bandwidth or through higher subscription fees. By limited content delivery, the impact of motion and similar phenomenon on the wireless resources as a whole can be reduced.

Claims

1. A method for delivering content to a subscriber access unit over a wireless link, the method comprising:

determining a mobility state associated with the subscriber access unit; and

limiting the transmission of content to the subscriber access unit based on the mobility state.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

measuring mobility metrics of the subscriber access unit; and

determining the mobility state from the mobility metrics.

3. A method a defined in claim 1 further comprising:

saving the mobility state associated with the subscriber access unit.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 further comprising:

fetching the saved mobility state;

fetching access rights associated with the subscriber access unit; and

using the fetched mobility state and access rights to limit the transmission of content to the subscriber access unit.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the subscriber access unit is associated with one or more allowed services.

6. A method as defined in claim 5 further comprising:

determining if a content type associated with the content is consistent with the allowed services associated with the subscriber access unit; and

allowing the content to be transmitted to the subscriber access unit, if the content type associated with the content is consistent with the allowed services associated with the subscriber access unit.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 further comprising:

disallowing the content to be transmitted to the subscriber access unit, if the content type associated with the content is not consistent with the allowed services associated with the subscriber access unit.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 further comprising:

queuing the disallowed content for later transmission to the subscriber access unit.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

returning a control message to the source of the content to notify the source to halt further delivery of the content.

10. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein the control message is an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) message.

11. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from the subscriber access unit;

determining if the request is consistent with a current service level of the subscriber access unit; and

allowing the request if the request is consistent with the current service level of the subscriber access unit.

12. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

forwarding a message to the subscriber access unit that indicates the determined mobility state of the subscriber access unit.

13. An apparatus for delivering content to a subscriber access unit over a wireless link, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving content for the subscriber access unit; and

a processor configured to;

(a) determine a mobility state associated with the subscriber access unit, and

(b) limit the transmission of the content to the subscriber access unit based on the mobility state.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to:

(a) measure mobility metrics of the subscriber access unit; and

(b) determine the mobility state from the mobility metrics.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to:

save the mobility state associated with the subscriber access unit.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 further comprising:

a table containing one or more fields,

wherein the mobility state is saved in a field associated with the subscriber access unit contained in the table.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to:

fetch the saved mobility state;

fetch access rights associated with the subscriber access unit; and

use the fetched mobility state and access rights to limit the transmission of content to the subscriber access unit.

18. An apparatus for delivering content to a subscriber access unit over a wireless link, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a mobility state associated with the subscriber access unit; and

means for limiting the transmission of content to the subscriber access unit based on the mobility state.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

means for measuring mobility metrics of the subscriber access unit; and

means for determining the mobility state from the mobility metrics.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

means for saving the mobility state associated with the subscriber access unit.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20 further comprising:

means for fetching the saved mobility state;

means for fetching access rights associated with the subscriber access unit; and

means for using the fetched mobility state and access rights to limit the transmission of content to the subscriber access unit.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein the subscriber access unit is associated with one or more allowed services.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 further comprising:

means for determining if a content type associated with the content is consistent with the allowed services associated with the subscriber access unit; and

means for allowing the content to be transmitted to the subscriber access unit, if the content type associated with the content is consistent with the allowed services associated with the subscriber access unit.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 23 further comprising:

means for disallowing the content to be transmitted to the subscriber access unit, if the content type associated with the content is not consistent with the allowed services associated with the subscriber access unit.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24 further comprising:

means for queuing the disallowed content for later transmission to the subscriber access unit.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

means for returning a control message to the source of the content to notify the source to halt further delivery of the content.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

means for receiving a request from the subscriber access unit;

means for determining a current service level of the subscriber access unit; and

means for allowing the request if the request is consistent with the current service level of the subscriber access unit.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

means for forwarding a message to the subscriber access unit that indicates the determined mobility state of the subscriber access unit.

29. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer-usable medium;

a set of computer operating instructions embodied on the medium, including instructions for a method for delivering content to a subscriber access unit, comprising instructions for;

determining a mobility state associated with the subscriber access unit; and

limiting the transmission of content to the subscriber access unit based on the mobility state.