Wireless end-user device with secure network-provided differential traffic control policy list

• US 9,319,913 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• 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., Lavine, James, Raissinia, Alireza
• Primary Examiner(s): Skripnikov, Alex
• Application Number:
  US14/685,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20150223109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1492 negotiation of tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• 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 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5006 Creating or negotiating SLA contracts, guarantees or penalties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5051 Service on demand, e.g. definition and deployment of services in real time
• 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 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/12 Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2425 for supporting services specification, e.g. SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2475 for supporting traffic characterised by the type of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/803 Application aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 : QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/808 : User-type aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 : Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 : Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 : based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 : Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 : taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 : the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 : Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 : Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 : Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 : based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 : Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 : Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 : using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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 28/021 : in wireless networks with changing topologies, e.g. ad-hoc networks self-organizing networks H04W84/18
• 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 28/0221 : power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 : based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0257 : the individual bearer or channel having a maximum bit rate or a bit rate guarantee
• 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 28/0284 : detecting congestion or overload during communication monitoring arrangements H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 : Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 : Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 : Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 : over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 : based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 : by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• 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: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A wireless end-user device has wireless wide-area network (WWAN) and wireless local-area network (WLAN) modems. One or more processors classify whether an application is interacting with a user in a user interface foreground of the device. At a time when Internet service activities are communicated through a first wireless network type, the processors use a differential traffic control policy list to determine whether or not to apply a differential traffic control policy to an application requesting Internet service access. When the policy is applicable, and the application is not classified as interacting with a user in the device user interface foreground, the Internet service access request is blocked. A network element supplies or contributes to the contents of the traffic control policy list via secure updates transmitted to the processor(s).

Claims

1. A wireless end-user device, comprising:

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) modem to communicate data for Internet service activities between the device and at least one WWAN, when configured for and connected to the WWAN;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) modem to communicate data for Internet service activities between the device and at least one WLAN, when configured for and connected to the WLAN; and

one or more processors configured to

securely receive, from a first network element, at least a portion of a differential traffic control policy list, the differential traffic control policy list distinguishing between a first one or more applications resident on the device and a second one or more applications resident on the device,

receive Internet service access requests associated with applications resident on the device, including a plurality of applications distinguished by the differential traffic control policy list,

classify, as a first classification, a wireless network to which the device currently connects in order to communicate data for Internet service activities as at least one of a plurality of network types that the device can connect with,

classify, as a second classification, whether a particular application associated with a

given received Internet service access request, and capable of both interacting with a user in a user interface foreground of the device, and

at least some Internet service activities when not interacting with a user in the device user interface foreground,

is interacting with the user in the device user interface foreground, and

apply a differential traffic control policy to the given received Internet service access request, based on

(i) the first and second classifications performed by the one or more processors, and

(ii) the differential traffic control policy list,

such that, when the particular application is one of the first one or more applications, the one or more processors are operable to

block the given received Internet service access request in a first state of the first and second classifications, wherein the classified wireless network is a first one of the network types, and the particular application is classified as not interacting with a user in the device user interface foreground, and

allow the given received Internet service access request under at least one different state of the first and second classifications.

2. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to classify that the particular application is interacting with the user in the device user interface foreground when the user of the device is directly interacting with that application or perceiving any benefit from that application.

3. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, further comprising the user interface, wherein the user interface is to provide the user of the device with information regarding why the differential traffic control policy is applied to the particular application.

4. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, further comprising the user interface, wherein the user interface is to inform the user of the device when there are options to set, control, override, or modify service usage controls that affect the differential traffic control policy and/or the differential traffic control policy list.

5. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the differential traffic control policy is part of a multimode profile having different policies for different ones of the network types.

6. The wireless end-user device of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to select a traffic control policy from the multimode profile based at least in part on the classified wireless network type.

7. The wireless end-user device of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, when the classified wireless network type is at least one type of WLAN, select a traffic control policy from the multimode profile based at least in part on a type of network connection from the WLAN to the Internet.

8. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network types include three or more of 2G, 3G, 4G, home, roaming, and WiFi.

9. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, the one or more processors further configured to query the first network element to determine whether a given one of the applications resident on the device is included in the differential traffic control policy list.

10. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further to apply the differential traffic control policy such that, when the particular application is one of the second one or more applications, the one or more processors are operable to allow the given received Internet service access request in a second state of the first and second classifications, wherein the classified wireless network is the first one of the network types, and the particular application is classified as not interacting with a user in the device user interface foreground.

11. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network types include a roaming WWAN type and a home WWAN type, and the one or more processors are to apply the differential traffic control policy to one of but not both of the roaming WWAN type and the home WWAN type.

12. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network types include a WWAN type and a WLAN type, and the one or more processors are to apply the differential traffic control policy to one of but not both of the WWAN type and the WLAN type.

13. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to dynamically change the application of the differential traffic control policy based on a power state of the device.

14. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to dynamically change the application of the differential traffic control policy based on a device usage state.

15. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to dynamically change the application of the differential traffic control policy based on power control state changes for one or more of the modems.

16. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the differential traffic control policy defines that the first one or more applications can only access the first one of the network types during particular time windows.

17. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors operable to block the Internet service access request are configured to selectively block the given received Internet service access request by intercepting open, connect, and/or write requests by the particular application to a network stack.

18. The wireless end-user device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are configured to respond to an intercepted request by the particular application by emulating network messaging.

19. The wireless end-user device of claim 18, wherein emulating network messaging comprises responding to a network request from the particular application by blocking the network request from passing to a network stack and returning to the particular application a message indicating the network request was not successful.

20. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to classify that the particular application is interacting with a user in the device user interface foreground based on a state of user interface priority for the particular application.

21. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the second one or more applications are not subject to a differential network access control that is applicable to the first one or more applications.

22. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, further comprising a policy agent to:

monitor Internet service activity usage for a third application that is neither one of the first one or more applications nor one of the second one or more applications; and

to report the activity usage to the first network element or a second network element when Internet service activity usage by the third application exceeds a data usage threshold.

23. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to classify between:

user applications;

system applications, utilities, functions, or processes; and

operating system application, utilities, functions, or processes.

24. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the second one or more applications comprises foreground services.

25. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein block comprises intermittently block when the given received Internet service access request occurs during selected time windows.

26. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to prevent the first one or more applications from changing the power state of at least one of the modems, and to not prevent the second one or more applications from changing the power state of the same modem or modems.

27. The wireless end-user device of claim 1, wherein the at least one different state of the first and second classifications comprises a state wherein the classified wireless network is the first one of the network types, and the particular application is classified as interacting with a user in the device user interface foreground.