Protocols for facilitating broader access in wireless communications responsive to charge authorization statuses

• US 9,813,887 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2013
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US14/098,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20140273940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 455405, 455406, 455407, 455408, 455410, 455411, 4554141, 4554561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1478 the splitting involving only the communication parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a status or decision concerning a wireless service or device within a region to a communication device (smartphone or wearable device, e.g.) or other wireless communication participant (motor vehicle having a wireless communication capability, e.g.).

Claims

1. A communication management system comprising:

one or more one or more computing devices; and

one or more instructions when executed on the one or more computing devices cause the one or more computing devices to perform at least;

obtaining a first charge authorization status relating to an affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a first account associated with a first currently-subscribed mobile device;

obtaining a second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a second account associated with a second currently-subscribed mobile device;

automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device, the affiliation-dependent mobile device being at least one of an unsubscribed mobile device, a formerly-subscribed mobile device, or a formerly-charged mobile device; and

causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device.

2. A communication management system comprising:

one or more electronic devices including at least;

circuitry configured for obtaining a first charge authorization status relating to an affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a first account associated with a first currently-subscribed mobile device;

circuitry configured for obtaining a second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a second account associated with a second currently-subscribed mobile device;

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device, the affiliation-dependent mobile device being at least one of an unsubscribed mobile device, a formerly-subscribed mobile device, or a formerly-charged mobile device; and

circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device.

3. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes:

circuitry configured for accessing at least one voltage from at least one electrical node set upon which a voltage configuration manifests the at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device.

4. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes:

circuitry configured for retrieving at least a Boolean value manifesting a negative charge authorization status from a data table as the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device, the negative status indicating that the affiliation-dependent mobile device is not authorized to post any charges to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device.

5. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein:

at least one of;

the affiliation-dependent mobile device is configured as a jailbroken communication device;

the affiliation-dependent mobile device is configured as an unlocked communication device;

or

the affiliation-dependent mobile device is configured as a wearable device.

6. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for transmitting at least streaming satellite television media.

7. The communication management system of claim 2 further comprising:

the affiliation-dependent mobile device configured to use a first nominal uplink frequency of at least about 5 GHz and configured to use a first nominal downlink frequency of at least about 900 MHz and of at most about 2.2 GHz.

8. The communication management system of claim 2 further comprising:

the affiliation-dependent mobile device configured as a formerly-subscribed handheld device.

9. The communication management system of claim 2 further comprising:

the affiliation-dependent mobile device configured as an unsubscribed smartphone.

10. The communication management system of claim 2 further comprising:

cellular communication equipment configured for relaying at least one communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second currently-subscribed mobile device as a conditional response to a voltage configuration manifesting the at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device.

11. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for accessing at least one voltage from at least one node set manifesting a credential relating to a communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device, the credential comprising at least one of a policy number, digital certificate, or a password.

12. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for causing at least one data component of a wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a handheld device as an automatic and conditional response to a thermal state of a temperature sensor in the handheld device, the handheld device being either the first or second currently-subscribed mobile device.

13. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

at least one of;

circuitry configured for causing at least a first content of a wireless signal to pass either through a first memory of a particular device or through a second memory of the particular device selected as an automatic and conditional response to whether second content of the wireless signal satisfies a first criterion, the particular device being either the first or second currently-subscribed mobile device;

circuitry configured for detecting at least a series of service region departure events incrementally decreasing a dataflow through a wireless communication channel to the affiliation-dependent mobile device;

or

circuitry configured for implementing at least a specific positional model relating to a position of the affiliation-dependent mobile device to represent both an isotropic radiator and an anisotropic radiator.

14. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device wherein at least one of the first account or the second account is associated with at least one cellular communications subscription.

15. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

at least one of;

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device wherein at least one of the first account or the second account is associated with at least one sponsor motivated to facilitate communication via the affiliation-dependent mobile device;

or

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device wherein at least one of the first account or the second account is associated with at least one sponsor providing free access to participants in a part-cellular communication for the affiliation-dependent mobile device when located in proximity to at least one predetermined location.

16. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for transmitting at least user data via an ad hoc network, the ad hoc network including a wireless linkage, the user data including a communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device.

17. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for displaying via a mobile device at least some of a map that depicts a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective intercommunication, the mobile device being the affiliation-dependent mobile device.

18. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes:

circuitry configured for obtaining the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device by retrieving a Boolean value signaling the second charge authorization status from a data table.

19. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for obtaining the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes:

circuitry configured for obtaining the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device by receiving the second charge authorization status from a user of the second currently-subscribed mobile device.

20. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes:

circuitry configured for triggering the affiliation-dependent mobile device to present a menu indicating the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device.

21. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for presenting at least one indication of an inter-device sponsorship via a speaker of the affiliation-dependent mobile device.

22. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

at least one of;

circuitry configured for accessing at least one voltage from at least one electrical node set manifesting a credential relating to a communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device, the credential comprising at least one of a policy number, digital certificate, or a password;

circuitry configured for transmitting at least user data via an ad hoc network, the ad hoc network including a wireless linkage, the user data including the communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device;

circuitry configured for authorizing at least one cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of the communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device using wireless local area network access, the user account being either the first account or the second account;

or

circuitry configured for causing at least one data component of the communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device to be processed by a special-purpose module in a portable device as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the portable device, the portable device being either the first or second currently-subscribed mobile device.

23. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

at least one of;

circuitry configured for displaying via the affiliation-dependent mobile device at least some of a map that depicts a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective intercommunication;

circuitry configured for causing at least one data component of a wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in a handheld device as an automatic and conditional response to a thermal state of a temperature sensor in the handheld device, the handheld device being either the first or second currently-subscribed mobile device;

circuitry configured for implementing at least one specific positional model relating to a position of the affiliation-dependent mobile device to represent both an isotropic radiator and an anisotropic radiator;

or

circuitry configured for causing at least one particular device to indicate some of a wireless connectivity map that includes automatically curated map data, the at least one particular device including the affiliation-dependent mobile device.

24. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

at least one of;

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on at least one evaluation protocol accepting a credential relating to at least one communication;

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on at least one evaluation protocol accepting a credential relating to at least one communication signal relayed by at least one tower, the credential included in the communication signals as at least one of an acceptable policy number, a digital certificate, a password, or an account identifier;

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on at least one evaluation protocol determining whether at least one credential meets one or more mathematical criteria;

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on at least one evaluation protocol determining at least one of a password confirmation or a biometric identity verification function;

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device, wherein the at least one cost allocation includes at least one charge authorization that specifies or triggers a quantity of at least one of minutes, currency, or resource to be charged to at least one of the first account or the second account;

or

circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on at least one evaluation protocol establishing at least one appropriate credential by implementing at least one of a checksum, a mathematical criterion including a cryptographic hash function, or a mathematical criterion including a cyclic redundancy check function.

25. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on at least one evaluation protocol wherein at least one of the first account or the second account is associated with at least one business entity having manifested a willingness to sponsor participation of the affiliation-dependent mobile device in communications.

26. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for transmitting at least communication satellite signals associated with at least one of the first account or the second account supported by at least one wireless service provider.

27. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for transmitting at least satellite radio signals.

28. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for triggering at least one broadcast based at least partly on the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation.

29. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

circuitry configured for real-time streaming of multimedia content based at least partly on the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation.

30. The communication management system of claim 2 wherein the circuitry configured for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the affiliation-dependent mobile device automatically indicating at least one or the first account or the second account when at least one of joining or handing off at least one communication from a WLAN zone to a free-ride zone.

31. A communication management system comprising:

one or more electronic devices including at least;

means for obtaining a first charge authorization status relating to an affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a first account associated with a first currently-subscribed mobile device;

means for obtaining a second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a second account associated with a second currently-subscribed mobile device;

means for automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device, the affiliation-dependent mobile device being at least one of an unsubscribed mobile device, a formerly-subscribed mobile device, or a formerly-charged mobile device; and

means for causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device.

32. A communication management method comprising:

obtaining a first charge authorization status relating to an affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a first account associated with a first currently-subscribed mobile device;

obtaining a second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to a second account associated with a second currently-subscribed mobile device;

automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and at least partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device, the affiliation-dependent mobile device being at least one of an unsubscribed mobile device, a formerly-subscribed mobile device, or a formerly-charged mobile device; and

causing the affiliation-dependent mobile device to indicate the automatically determined at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device.

33. The communication management method of claim 32 wherein the automatically determining at least one cost-allocation to at least one of the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device or the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device at least partly based on the first charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the first account associated with the first currently-subscribed mobile device and partly based on the second charge authorization status relating to the affiliation-dependent mobile device and to the second account associated with the second currently-subscribed mobile device includes at least:

authorizing a cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of a wireless communication from the affiliation-dependent mobile device using wireless local area network access, the user account being either the first account or the second account.