Network based service policy implementation with network neutrality and user privacy

• US 9,137,739 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SINKANTARAKORN, PAWARIS
• Application Number:
  US12/380,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,388 Days
• Field of Search: 370252-253, 370465-468, 709223-226, 455405-408
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0876 Aspects of the degree of configuration automation
• 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 41/5003 : Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 : by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• 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 47/20 : Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 : for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 : Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 : Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 : for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 : by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 : avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• 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 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 : based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 : Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 : Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 : Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 : Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 : of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 : Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 : Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• 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 28/0268 : 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 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 : Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• 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: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning

Abstract

A method, device, and computer-readable medium for enabling a mobile end user device to access one or more Internet data services via a mobile communications network, obtain one or more usage value updates, each usage value update reflecting a used amount of the one or more Internet data services by a first application on the mobile end user device, establish that a notification condition associated with the first application has been met or a user has requested a notification of data usage by the first application, and, in response to the establishing, presenting, through a user interface of the mobile end user device, a notification message comprising an estimate of an amount of the one or more Internet data services used by or still available to the first application, the estimate being based on at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile end user device, the method comprising:

during a time period when the mobile end user device communicates some Internet data via a cellular network modem and some Internet data via a wireless local area network modem, obtaining one or more usage value updates for Internet data usage classified as occurring via the cellular network modem, each usage value update reflecting a used amount of Internet data associated specifically with a first application of a plurality of applications on the mobile end user device and capable of communicating Internet data via the cellular network modem and the wireless local area network modem;

establishing that a usage-notification condition associated with the first application and not associated with a second application of the plurality of applications has been met, or that a user has requested a notification of Internet data usage by the first application; and

in response to the establishing, presenting, through a user interface of the mobile end user device, a notification message comprising an estimate of an amount of Internet data usage, via the cellular network modem and not the wireless local area network modem, the estimate indicating usage associated specifically with the first application or still available to the first application relative to a usage limit for the first application, the estimate being based on at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage limit for the first application identifies when Internet data communication via the cellular network modem will be no longer available to the first application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage limit for the first application identifies when a billing rate for Internet data communication via the cellular network modem will change.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein Internet data communication via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application is classified as a first type prior to the usage limit for the first application being reached, and Internet data communication via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application is classified as a second type after the usage limit for the first application has been reached.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first type is sponsored, and the second type is user-paid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message indicates a percentage of use of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem relative to the usage limit for the first application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating the estimate based on the at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the one or more usage value updates comprises measuring Internet data usage via the cellular network modem by the first application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the one or more usage value updates comprises the estimate.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a first threshold amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem by the first application,

and wherein establishing that the usage-notification condition associated with the first application and not associated with the second application of the plurality of applications has been met or that a user has requested a notification of Internet data usage by the first application on the mobile end user device comprises comparing the first threshold amount to a usage amount reflected by the at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first threshold amount is selected by the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message includes a warning.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message includes an offer to associate the mobile end user device with a new service plan, or to cancel, modify, replenish or replace a service plan already associated with the mobile end user device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage-notification condition is based on a rate of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application or a projected amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile end user device is associated with a service plan having an accounting period, and wherein the one or more usage value updates enable the mobile end user device to track Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application during the accounting period.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the usage limit for the first application is a cost-based limit.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message comprises a graphical representation of the estimate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the graphical representation is a gauge reflecting the estimate.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message further comprises an estimate of an amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem used by or still available to the second application of the plurality of applications on the mobile end user device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimate of an amount of Internet data usage is specifically associated with either a home wireless wide area network or a roaming wireless wide area network.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the establishing, restricting or blocking further Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application.

22. A mobile end user device comprising:

a user interface;

a cellular network modem configurable to communicate Internet data over a wireless wide area network;

a wireless local area network modem configurable to communicate Internet data over a wireless local area network;

one or more processors configured to execute one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

during a time period when the mobile end user device communicates some Internet data via the cellular network modem and some Internet data via the wireless local area network modem, obtain one or more usage value updates for Internet data usage classified as occurring via the cellular network modem, each usage value update reflecting a used amount of Internet data associated specifically with a first application of a plurality of applications on the mobile end user device and capable of communicating Internet data via the cellular network modem and the wireless network modem,

determine that a usage-notification condition associated with the first application and not associated with a second application of the plurality of applications has been met, or that a user has requested a notification of Internet data usage by the first application, and

in response to the determination, present, through the user interface, a notification message comprising an estimate of an amount of Internet data usage classified as occurring via the cellular network modem, the estimate indicating usage associated specifically with the first application or currently available to the first application relative to a usage limit for the first application, the estimate being based on at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

23. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the usage limit for the first application identifies when Internet data communication via the cellular network modem will be no longer available to the first application.

24. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the usage limit for the first application identifies when a billing rate for Internet data communication via the cellular network modem will change.

25. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein Internet data communication via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application is classified as a first type prior to the usage limit for the first application being reached, and Internet data communication via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application is classified as a second type after the usage limit for the first application has been reached.

26. The mobile end user device recited in claim 25, wherein the first type is sponsored, and the second type is user-paid.

27. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to calculate the estimate based on the at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

28. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein to cause the one or more processors to obtain one or more usage value updates comprises to cause the one or more processors to measure Internet data usage via the cellular network modem by the first application.

29. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the at least one of the one or more usage value updates comprises the estimate of the amount of Internet data usage associated specifically with the first application.

30. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, further comprising memory for storing a first threshold amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem by the first application, and wherein determine that the usage-notification condition associated with the first application and not associated with the second application of the plurality of applications has been met or that a user has requested a notification of Internet data usage by the first application comprises compare the first threshold amount to a usage amount reflected by the at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

31. The mobile end user device recited in claim 30, wherein the first threshold amount is selected by the user.

32. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the notification message includes a warning.

33. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the notification message includes an offer to associate the mobile end user device with a new service plan, or to cancel, modify, replenish or replace a service plan already associated with the mobile end user device.

34. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the usage-notification condition is based on a rate of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application or a projected amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application.

35. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the mobile end user device is associated with a service plan having an accounting period, and wherein the one or more usage value updates enable the mobile end user device to track Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application during the accounting period.

36. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the usage limit for the first application is a cost-based limit.

37. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the notification message comprises a graphical representation of the estimate.

38. The mobile end user device recited in claim 37, wherein the graphical representation is a gauge reflecting the estimate.

39. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the notification message further comprises an estimate of an amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem used by or still available to the second application of the plurality of applications on the mobile end user device.

40. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the estimate of an amount of Internet data usage is specifically associated with either a home wireless wide area network or a roaming wireless wide area network.

41. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the one or more instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

in response to the determination, restrict or block further Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application.

42. The mobile end user device recited in claim 22, wherein the notification message indicates a percentage of use of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem relative to the usage limit for the first application.

43. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing machine-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a mobile end user device, cause the one or more processors to:

during a time period when the mobile end user device communicates some Internet data via a cellular network modem and some Internet data via a wireless local area network modem, obtain one or more usage value updates for Internet data usage classified as occurring via the cellular network modem, each usage value update reflecting a used amount of Internet data associated specifically with a first application of a plurality of applications on the mobile end user device and capable of communicating Internet data via the cellular network modem and the wireless network modem;

determine that a usage-notification condition associated with the first application and not associated with a second application of the plurality of applications has been met, or that a user has requested a notification of Internet data usage by the first application; and

in response to the determination, cause a notification message to be presented through a user interface of the mobile end user device, the notification message comprising an estimate of an amount of Internet data usage classified as occurring via the cellular network modem, the estimate indicating usage associated specifically with the first application or still available to the first application relative to a usage limit for the first application, the estimate being based on at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the one or more machine-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

in response to the establishing, restrict or block further Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the usage limit for the first application identifies when Internet data communication via the cellular network modem will be no longer available to the first application.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the usage limit for the first application identifies when a billing rate for Internet data communication via the cellular network modem will change.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein Internet data communication via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application is classified as a first type prior to the usage limit for the first application being reached, and Internet data communication via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application is classified as a second type after the usage limit for the first application has been reached.

48. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 47, wherein the first type is sponsored, and the second type is user-paid.

49. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the notification message indicates a percentage of use of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem relative to the usage limit for the first application.

50. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the one or more machine-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to calculate the estimate based on the at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

51. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein causing the one or more processors to obtain one or more usage value updates comprises causing the one or more processors to measure Internet data usage via the cellular network modem by the first application.

52. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the at least one of the one or more usage value updates comprises the estimate of the amount of Internet data usage associated specifically with the first application.

53. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein, when executed by the one or more processors, the one or more machine-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to obtain, from memory, a first threshold amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem by the first application, and wherein causing the one or more processors to determine that the usage-notification condition associated with the first application and not associated with the second application of the plurality of applications has been met or that a user has requested a notification of Internet data usage by the first application comprises causing the one or more processors to compare the first threshold amount to a usage amount reflected by the at least one of the one or more usage value updates.

54. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 53, wherein the first threshold amount is selected by the user.

55. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the notification message includes a warning.

56. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the notification message includes an offer to associate the mobile end user device with a new service plan, or to cancel, modify, replenish or replace a service plan already associated with the mobile end user device.

57. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the usage-notification condition is based on a rate of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application or a projected amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application.

58. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the mobile end user device is associated with a service plan having an accounting period, and wherein the one or more usage value updates enable the mobile end user device to track Internet data usage via the cellular network modem and associated with the first application during the accounting period.

59. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the usage limit for the first application is a cost-based limit.

60. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the notification message comprises a graphical representation of the estimate.

61. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 60, wherein the graphical representation is a gauge reflecting the estimate.

62. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the notification message further comprises an estimate of an amount of Internet data usage via the cellular network modem used by or still available to the second application of the plurality of applications on the mobile end user device.

63. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium recited in claim 43, wherein the estimate of an amount of Internet data usage is specifically associated with either a home wireless wide area network or a roaming wireless wide area network.