Usage Measurement Patents (Class 455/405)
  • Patent number: 9071702
    Abstract: A mobile terminal includes a memory configured to store a prior usage pattern of at least one application, the prior usage pattern being used to control when the at least one application is executed. The controller further includes a controller configured to apply at least one setting related to execution of the at least one application in accordance with the prior usage pattern or provide a menu for applying the at least one setting related to execution of the at least one application in accordance with the prior usage pattern and execute the at least one application after the at least one setting is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyeonchang Choi, Jaeyoung Choi, Changhoon Lee
  • Patent number: 9066230
    Abstract: A system for policy and charging enforcement function on a mobile access terminal. The system comprises a radio transceiver, a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. The application stored in the memory, when executed by the processor, receives policy and charging rules via the radio transceiver, and enforces the policy and charging rules when the mobile access terminal initiates a wireless communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Lyle W. Paczkowski, William M. Parsel, Arun Rajagopal
  • Patent number: 9065752
    Abstract: A method, program product and system for dynamically offering upgraded services in a network. The method comprising the steps of: selecting users for a possible offer of an upgrade to services within the network, based on user activity at user devices accessing the network; obtaining network context data information regarding the user activity and the network; sequentially ordering the selected users based on a likelihood that the users will purchase the upgrade to services; determining the upgrade to services to be offered based on a service prediction availability within the network; and offering the upgrade to services to the selected users for a specific time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Malolan Chetlur, Umamaheswari C. Devi, Partha Dutta, Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, Ravindranath Kokku, Dinesh C. Verma
  • Patent number: 9064255
    Abstract: A payment card is provided with a display. A card may be provided to a user with a number of inactivated products. The products may be assigned to the user at card issuance. A user may then activate these products online or via phone. Accordingly, a user may be provided with a cross-selling platform for new products. Discounts, fee waivers, and/or value may be added to an account when an inactivated product is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: DYNAMICS INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Mullen, Philip W. Yen, Christopher J. Rigatti
  • Patent number: 9060292
    Abstract: An embodiment user equipment has a list of predictive data that a user may request, and programming to receive prefetched data based on the list of predictive data at a reduced cost, wherein the reduced cost is lower than a network cost of downloading the data, and to store the prefetched data within the UE for future consumption. An embodiment base station has a list of predictive data a UE may request, a high priority queue for data requested by the UE, and a low priority queue with predictive data corresponding to the list of predictive data. The base station further includes programing to send the requested data and to send the predictive data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Callard, Alex Stephenne, Petar Djukic
  • Patent number: 9049267
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing information via networked computers leverage request handlers, process handlers, and task handlers to provide efficient distributed processing of processing jobs. A request handler can receive service requests for processing jobs, process handlers can identify tasks to be performed in connection with the processing jobs, and task handlers can perform the identified tasks, where the request handler, the process handlers, and the task handlers can be distributed across a plurality of networked computers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Appistry, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Louis Hinni, Guerry Anderson Semones, Michael Scott Groner, Roberto Raul Lozano
  • Patent number: 9049589
    Abstract: Embodiments automatically adjust one or more terms of a data usage plan of a user to reduce network transfer costs for the user. Data usage statistics representing network data consumption by at least one computing device of the user are received or collected. The data usage plan is compared with the data usage statistics (e.g., to estimate any excess network transfer costs), and the data usage plan is adjusted accordingly and based on other data usage plans or adjustments that are available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gil Zalmanovitch, Gregory James Scott, Shai Guday, Alec Garvin Kwok, Yue Jiang, Kenneth Vincent Ma
  • Publication number: 20150147999
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and system for predictive analysis of technical issues in a technical support environment. In some embodiments, the method may include receiving information associated with a first technical support issue reported by a customer, associating at least one category with the first technical support issue based on an analysis of the received information and a history of system operation status data, and transmitting at least a portion of the information associated with the first technical support issue and the associated at least one category to an agent workstation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: VONAGE NETWORK LLC
    Inventors: Lisa M. Venezia, Eric Verbel, Kavitha Sreenath, Jose Martinez
  • Publication number: 20150148000
    Abstract: A method in a telecom node for controlling a grace period associated with a licensed capacity usage in the telecom node is provided. The telecom node is comprised in a cellular telephone network. The licensed capacity usage is associated with a capacity license limit. The telecom node measures over a specific amount of time, the capacity usage in the telecom node overshooting the capacity licence limit. When the measured capacity usage exceeds a preset value of an allowed capacity usage overshoot, the telecom node triggers a grace period of the licensed capacity usage at the expiry of the specific amount of time. During the grace period capacity usage overshoot is allowed. Upon expiry of said grace period the licensed capacity usage is enforced according to the capacity licence limit unless the licensed capacity usage is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Andreas Limber, Anders Nordlund
  • Patent number: 9043455
    Abstract: A method is presented that enables an electronic device, having embedded wireless data communication capabilities, to be controlled from a remote terminal via a wireless network. The method includes recognizing the device, associating the device with a user, and accessing an application. The application relates to monitoring or control of the device. The application is processed through an application program interface to configure the application for a user terminal. The configured application is then accessible through a network communication for execution by the user terminal. The server or system offering the configured application may also act as a proxy between the user terminal and the electronic device, for wireless monitoring or control of the electronic device while the user terminal executes the application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Cellco Partnership
    Inventor: Nematolah Kashanian
  • Patent number: 9042862
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a method is described that includes receiving mobile device usage data directly from each of a plurality of mobile devices associated with a particular enterprise, aggregating the usage data from each of the plurality of mobile devices at a central database, and generating one or more mobile device usage reports based on the aggregated usage data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: MOBILE IRON, INC.
    Inventors: Ojas Udayan Rege, Robert Bates Tinker, Sanjeev Kumar Mishra, Sandilya Garimella, Stuart Carleton Eichert
  • Publication number: 20150140956
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media for call flow analysis using comparison level indicators (CLIs) are disclosed. One exemplary method includes emulating a plurality of user devices, transmitting test traffic to at least one device under test (DUT) using the emulated user devices, receiving traffic from the at least one DUT in response to the traffic transmitted by the emulated user devices, and analyzing the traffic received from the at least one DUT using one or more CLIs, wherein each CLI indicates particular information associated with the traffic to analyze or compare.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Winn Prewitt, II, Kalyan Sundhar, Martin Robert Mathieson
  • Publication number: 20150140955
    Abstract: A method, computer-readable storage device, and an apparatus for reducing power consumption in a wireless network are disclosed. For example, the method performs an analysis of a usage pattern for a cell site, determines whether a threshold is reached for reducing the power consumption based on the analysis of the usage pattern, and reduces the power consumption when the threshold is reached for reducing the power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Soumyajit Chakraborty, Shiv Kumar, Michael John Zinnikas
  • Patent number: 9036800
    Abstract: An exemplary method implemented in a telecommunication network generates a charging data record (CDR) for a subscriber that is supported by a visited network while away from the subscriber's home network. A request is transmitted from a first node in the visited network for profile information about the subscriber to be obtained from the home subscriber server (HSS) in the subscriber's home network. A reply is received at the first node in the visited network in response to the request where the reply includes at least a portion of the profile information about the subscriber stored in the HSS of the subscriber's home network. The first node stores the at least portion of the profile information received in the reply, and generates the CDR associated with the subscriber as supported in the visited network where the CDR includes subscriber data derived from the stored at least portion of the profile information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Yigang Cai, Chunguang Xu
  • Publication number: 20150133081
    Abstract: Techniques are described for traffic volume determination and reporting by an access node and/or a node of a core network in a wireless communications system. One or more wireless connections may be established with a user equipment (UE) to serve one or more streams of traffic using a first cell and a second cell, which may have different cell characteristics. A first traffic volume for the UE may be determined based on traffic volume served over the first cell, and a second traffic volume for the UE may be determined based on traffic volume served over the second cell. A charging data record may be generated based on the first traffic volume and the second traffic volume. Traffic volume served over the first cell then may be charged at a different rate that traffic served over the second cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Miguel Griot, Durga Prasad Malladi, Gavin Bernard Horn
  • Publication number: 20150133077
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention describes a wireless device comprising a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) further comprising a memory for storing program code for performing a plurality of operations, and a processor for processing the program code to execute the plurality of operations, the operations including receiving over-the-air instructions via a wireless network from a control center to create a rules set in the SIM, wherein the rules set defines an acceptable behavior of the wireless device, monitoring requests from a wireless modem of the wireless device for access files stored in the SIM, detecting an aggressive behavior of the wireless device based on the rules set, and blocking the wireless modem from generating traffic in the wireless network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel Collins, Jack McGwire, Rakesh Kumar, Terrence Poon, Scott Potter, Andrew Privett, Dusko Zgonjanin
  • Publication number: 20150133076
    Abstract: A software application for monitoring the performance of other software applications on mobile devices using efficient crowd sourced data and efficient proxies for performance of the applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Michael Brough
  • Publication number: 20150126149
    Abstract: Devices, terminals and methods are provided for contacts management. For example, one or more first contacts included in a communication log are received, wherein the communication log includes a call log or an SMS log; contact frequencies of the first contacts are calculated based on at least information associated with the communication log; one or more second contacts are selected to be managed from the first contacts based on at least information associated with the contact frequencies; if the second contacts exist in an address book is determined; and in response to the second contacts existing in the address book, the second contacts in the address book are extracted as frequent contacts; and a list of frequent contacts are generated based on at least information associated with the frequent contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Xiaolong Zhang, Qianya Lin, Wen Zha, Shuo Wang, Yonglong Wei
  • Publication number: 20150126148
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products determine home locations of mobile devices. Times of usages of network base stations are summed to determine a dominant base station that is frequently used by a mobile device. The dominant base station is assigned as a home location for the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Olivia Hong
  • Patent number: 9026076
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling time limit triggers for offline charging. In one embodiment, a network element that serves an active session for User Equipment (UE) includes a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) that detect expiry of a time limit for triggering an interim accounting request to an offline charging system during the active session. The CTF then identifies a data usage by the UE during the time limit, and determines if the data usage by the UE during the time limit exceeds a threshold. If the data usage exceeds the threshold, then the CTF sends the interim accounting request to the offline charging system responsive to expiry of the time limit. If the data usage does not exceed the threshold, then the CTF stops the interim accounting request from being sent to the offline charging system responsive to expiry of the time limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Ranjan Sharma, Yigang Cai
  • Patent number: 9026078
    Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including monitoring events relating to activities by a plurality of communication devices, content sources supplying content to the plurality of communication devices, and network conditions during content exchanges between the plurality of communication devices and the content sources, tagging the events to generate tagged events, detecting an event initiated by a communication device of the plurality of communication devices, obtaining tagged event information from the tagged events according to the event detected, generating a policy according to the tagged event information, and transmitting the policy to a policy enforcement function system to facilitate a communication session between the communication device and the content source according to the policy. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Qingmin Hu, Farooq Bari, Terry Figurelle, Jie McKnight
  • Patent number: 9026075
    Abstract: Systems and methods that handle failover between peer charging functions for offline charging. In one embodiment, a Charging Trigger Function (CTF) of a network element detects an interim chargeable event during a session, and generates an interim accounting request for the session responsive to the interim chargeable event. The CTF inserts a session anchor timestamp in the interim accounting request indicating the start time for the session, and transmits the interim accounting request to a charging function. The charging function then monitors a time limit trigger for closing a Charging Data Record (CDR) for the session based on the session anchor timestamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Ranjan Sharma, Yigang Cai
  • Patent number: 9026665
    Abstract: Technology is disclosed herein for executing multiple gaming applications on a computing device. According to at least one embodiment, a computing device receives requests for network connections with remote servers from multiple gaming applications running on the computing device. The computing device further establishes a network connection with a proxy server. The proxy server initiates and maintains proxy network connections with the remote servers. The proxy server batches network messages received from the remote servers, where the network messages includes gaming content. The proxy server aggregates network messages received in a time period into a single batch, where a time length of the time period is determined based on one or more game events of the games being played on the computing device. Further, the proxy server batches network messages such that the computing device stays at a high power consumption state for a shorter time period than an overall time period required without batching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Inventor: Michael A. Chan
  • Patent number: 9026459
    Abstract: A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Inventor: Michelle Fisher
  • Patent number: 9026074
    Abstract: Systems and methods for distributed computing between communication devices. A femto node is treated as a trusted extension of a user equipment and performs processing tasks on behalf of the user equipment. The femto node is also treated as a trusted extension of network servers and performs services on behalf of the network servers. Tasks are thus distributed between the network servers, the femto node and one or more user equipments. The tasks include processing data, filtering incoming messages, and caching network service information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Dilip Krishnaswamy, Subbarao V. Yallapragada, Sanjiv Nanda, Soumya Das, Samir Salib Soliman, Peerapol Tinnakornsrisuphap, Vidya Narayanan
  • Patent number: 9020463
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to measure mobile device usage are disclosed. An example method to determine mobile device usage includes filtering, with a processor, a debug log file stored in the device to obtain debug file entries representative of device usage information, the debug log file having been modified by at least one of an operating system of the device or a device application, and sending, to a server, a filtered log file based on filtering the debug log file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Anil Kandregula
  • Patent number: 9020123
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a server having a controller to obtain billing data associated with a plurality of calls over a Voice Over Internet Protocol network, determine special service calls being made based on the billing data, monitor for the special service calls being associated with at least one of one calling number or one network node, and determine an undesired condition based at least in part on the special service calls being made from the one calling number or through the one network node exceeding a threshold. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Li-Jin Chung, Yu-Lein Kung, Jeffrey Stein, Ching-Chyuan Shieh
  • Patent number: 9020836
    Abstract: A method for transmitting data between a mobile communication device and a server. The method includes running a mobile application on the mobile communication device. The mobile application is hosted on the mobile communication device through the server as a Software as a Service (SaaS). The method further includes transmitting data associated with the mobile application between the mobile communication device and the server, in which transmission of the data between the mobile communication device and the server is monitored through the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Inventors: Michelle Fisher, Rathin Guha
  • Publication number: 20150111528
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments to prevent, detect, or take action in response to the moving a device credential from one device to another, the improper configuration of a service processor, a missing service processor, or the tampering with a service processor in device-assisted services (DAS) systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory G. Raleigh, James Lavine
  • Publication number: 20150112791
    Abstract: Methods and systems for user, activity and application profiling for a mobile device are provided. According to one embodiment, activity stream data is received by an activity monitoring module running on a mobile device. The activity stream data includes information regarding usage of one or more applications installed on the mobile device. The activity stream data is provided by the activity monitoring module to a central server that collects activity stream data from multiple mobile devices, including the mobile device. The collected activity stream data is processed by the central server in conjunction with auxiliary data to create derived mobile user activity profiles for users of the mobile devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: Quettra, Inc.
    Inventor: Ankit Jain
  • Patent number: 9015064
    Abstract: A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventor: Michelle Fisher
  • Patent number: 9013486
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes at least one physical computing device 1) determining a first strength of communication metric representative of a strength of communications initiated by a first user towards a second user during a time period and a second strength of communication metric representative of a strength of communications initiated by the second user towards the first user during the time period, 2) generating a strength of communication graphic that graphically represents the strength of the communications initiated by the first user towards the second user relative to the strength of the communications initiated by the second user towards first user, and 3) providing the graphic for display by an access device associated with the first user. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Shadman Zafar, Brian F. Roberts
  • Patent number: 9015063
    Abstract: A method for transmitting data between a mobile communication device and a server. The method includes running a mobile application on the mobile communication device. The mobile application is hosted on the mobile communication device through the server as a Software as a Service (SaaS). The method further includes transmitting data associated with the mobile application between the mobile communication device and the server, in which transmission of the data between the mobile communication device and the server is monitored through the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventor: Michelle Fisher
  • Patent number: 9014354
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to updating routing patterns in an enterprise network. In some implementations, a method for routing sessions includes identifying information associated with call sessions in an enterprise network. The information includes costs to an enterprise for using carrier services during the call sessions. Routing patterns for call sessions are dynamically updated through at least a portion of the enterprise network based, at least in part, on the costs associated with the call sessions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Service Bureau Intetel S.A.
    Inventor: Claudio Marcelo Lopez
  • Patent number: 9014023
    Abstract: Mobile network services are performed in a mobile data network in a way that is transparent to most of the existing equipment in the mobile data network. The mobile data network includes a radio access network and a core network. A first service mechanism in the radio access network breaks out data coming from a basestation, and performs one or more mobile network services based on the broken out data. A second service mechanism in the core network performs one or more mobile network services based on the network traffic remaining after the first service mechanism performs its breakout. An optional third service mechanism coupled to the core network provides one or more mobile network services in the mobile data network. An overlay network allows the first, second and third service mechanisms to communicate with each other. The overlay network is preferably a private virtual network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce O. Anthony, Jr., Ronald L. Billau, Canio Cillis, Robert B. Nicholson
  • Publication number: 20150105043
    Abstract: A flow analyzer analyzes data consumption of flows associated with a user device of a user. The flow analyzer determines, for a given flow associated with the user device, whether to generate a notification alerting the user about data consumption on the network associated with the given flow. For example, if the given flow contains a large object requiring an inordinate amount of data consumption or contains many smaller objects that in the aggregate require an inordinate amount of data consumption to provide the flow to the user device, the flow analyzer may generate a notification including information alerting the user to the size of the flow or object. Thus, the user may elect whether to continue a flow that may significantly impact their data allowance prior to incurring the costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Naveen Puvvula, Nitin Bhandari
  • Patent number: 9008609
    Abstract: Technologies are generally described for usage recommendation for mobile device. In some examples, a method performed under control of a mobile device includes determining whether to recommend using a right ear or a left ear of a user of the mobile device based at least in part on usage information of the right ear and the left ear and notifying the determination of whether to use the right ear or the left ear to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventor: Hyun Oh Oh
  • Patent number: 9008610
    Abstract: A mobile computing device that supports cost-aware application components for operation over a metered network. A current basis for computing usage charges over one or more networks may be made available to the cost-aware application components through an application programming interface supported by an operating system service. That service may receive a policy for charging for data usage over a network and may also obtain information defining data usage for the mobile computing device. Based on this information, the service may determine a current basis for charging for data usage. With this information, the application component can determine a manner for executing network operations that involve data transmission over the network, such as deferring the operation or selecting an alternative network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Pascal Menezes, Marco Piumatti, Upshur W. Parks, Ravi Rao
  • Patent number: 9008614
    Abstract: A method of controlling use of electronic communication services in an electronic communications network (103), the method comprising: receiving (301) a first credit control request for usage quota from a system providing service (104) for an electronic communication service requested by a first subscriber (101-1); retrieving (302) subscriber account information for the first subscriber (101-1) to be charged for the requested service by a first charging device (105); determining (303a) based on the retrieved subscriber account information at least a second subscriber (102-1) to be charged for at least part of the requested service; determining (303c) a first hash of a rate plan for the first subscriber; setting (305a) a status to indicate that control of the subscriber account information of the first subscriber (101-1) is temporary transferred to the second charging device (106); sending (306) to the second charging device (106) a second credit control request for the electronic communication service (101-1;
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Petter Ahlgren, Robert Törnkvist
  • Patent number: 9008613
    Abstract: A server and related method embodiments for determining usage on a wireless network are described. The server includes a connection detector, a connection classifier connected with the connection detector, and a usage tracker connected with the connection classifier. The connection detector detects a connection from a mobile station. The connection classifier determines the type of the detected connection. The usage tracker determines usage for each detected connection based on the connection type. A connecting mobile station for accessing the server includes a session controller for controlling a session with the server, a connection controller for controlling a connection related to the session, and an application assigner for controlling assignment of an application executed by the client to a particular connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Xiaohui Du
  • Patent number: 9008612
    Abstract: A system monitors calls for a service provider. A number of simultaneous communications of a given technology type is monitored for either inbound communications and/or outbound communications associated with at least one service provider. A determination is made if the number of simultaneous communications from the service provider is in excess of a adjustable but set number of simultaneous communications of a given technology type that are permissible. A predetermined action is taken if the number of simultaneous calls or text messages (e.g., SMS, IM, email) is in excess of the set limit, e.g., the call may be terminated or other action taken. Both voice communications and/or non-voice communications (such as SMS, IM, Email, or MMS) can be monitored and throttled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Poremba
  • Patent number: 9008611
    Abstract: A system and method for providing prepaid billing for users of an instant messaging system. A method includes determining whether a prepaid account balance associated with an IM client request satisfies a pre-determined criteria, establishing a regular IM session if the prepaid account satisfies the criteria, and establishing a limited IM session if the prepaid account does not satisfy the criteria. The system includes a prepaid account screener operable to determine whether a prepaid account balance satisfies the criteria, establish a regular IM session if the prepaid account satisfies the criteria, and establish a limited IM session if the prepaid account does not satisfy the criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Unwired Planet, LLC
    Inventors: Madhukar Narayan Thakur, Mingzhe Zhuang, Francisco Jose Kattan
  • Publication number: 20150099483
    Abstract: A system and method for data usage management in an electronic device is provided. The method includes tracking an estimated cost of a download in a currency set by a user, determining the estimated cost of the download in the currency set by the user, displaying the estimated cost of the download, determining application data usage, implementing notifications of the data usage, and displaying the data usage, wherein a widget or an application is used to display the data usage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Ananya Vetaal, Aditi Chaturvedi, Shreyoshi Ghosh, Roma Singh, Munwar Khan, Varun Airon, Priyanka Goel, Akhilesh Gupta
  • Patent number: 9002955
    Abstract: A computing network, including: a plurality of peer computing devices including code, which when executed by a peer computing device causes the executing peer computing device to cooperate with at least one other of the peer computing devices; at least one server including code, which when executed by the at least one server locates at least one of the peer computing devices; and at least one mediator including code, which when executed by the at least on mediator collects charging information from at least some of the peer computing devices; wherein, the peer computing devices, at least one sever and at least one mediator are communicatively coupled via an at least carrier-grade telecommunications network being suitable for enhancing cooperation among the cooperating ones of the peer computing devices relative to best-efforts communications among the cooperating ones of the peer computing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignees: ZTE Corporation, ZTE USA Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Shaoyan Ma, Weiyong Zhu, Li Mo
  • Patent number: 9003489
    Abstract: A method is provided in one example and includes communicating an access request to a network element, the access request is associated with network authentication relating to a subscriber. The method also includes receiving an access response that includes a profile associated with the subscriber. The profile can include a group attribute that defines the subscriber as being part of a group of subscribers sharing a network data plan, which defines a data allotment assigned to the group over a specified time interval. In more detailed embodiments, a unique data string sent by an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting element is received, where the unique data string identifies a full set of subscribers belonging to the group. Data underutilization of a first subscriber is offset by data overutilization of a second subscriber, where a summation of the data underutilization and the data overutilization do not exceed the data allotment assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dhiraj D. Ballal, Venkatesh Gota B R, Saravanadas P. Subramanian
  • Patent number: 9002319
    Abstract: Integration of a mobile hotspot into a service provider network is disclosed. A network node establishes a first wireless communication link with a mobile hotspot device. The mobile hotspot device is configured to establish a second wireless communications link with at least one client device. The network node receives an access request message from the mobile hotspot device which comprises credentials provided by the at least one client device. The network node determines that the at least one client device is authorized to access the service provider network through the mobile hotspot device based on the credentials and indicates to the mobile hotspot device that the at least one client device is authorized to access the service provider network through the mobile hotspot device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Bright House Networks, LLC
    Inventor: Leo Cloutier
  • Publication number: 20150094017
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer-program product for flexible balance management using reservation consumption are disclosed. For example, a method according to embodiments of the methods and systems disclosed herein includes receiving a request message and, in response to the receiving the request message, updating a consumed reservation balance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Jerome Guionnet, Richard Tasker
  • Patent number: 8995963
    Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus and computer program products are described for controlling content presented on user-controlled wireless device assets and/or features, such as ringtone, wallpaper, wireless device memory and the like. In present aspects, a user-requested control state change is undertaken from a user-controlled state to an advertisement-control state. In this regard, once the user has conceded control of the wireless device asset over to an advertiser or advertisement provider, the advertiser is allowed to provide advertisements to the designated wireless device asset for a predetermined period of time. From the advertiser or advertisement provider perspective present aspects provide for advertisements to be presented on novel platforms. Additionally, by gaining control over the wireless device asset the advertisers or advertisement providers are assured that their advertisements will be executed for the duration of the control period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel H. Agre, Nakul Duggal, Vikram Yashpal
  • Patent number: 8995952
    Abstract: A system and method for the real-time management of a device, and more particularly to the establishment and enforcement of policies or rules associated with the feature or functions that may be performed with the device, such as making and receiving calls, exchanging data, playing games and music, sending and receiving email, accessing web sites, and paying for goods and services. If a child or employee is using the device, there may be a need to regulate how that device can be used and to determine who will pay for what goods or services. In addition to providing all of the features associated with a device, service providers need to be able to establish and enforce rules (policies) regulating how and when that device can be used and who will pay for a good or service requested by the user of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Kajeet, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Donald Baker, Steven Ira Geller, Douglas Owen Kesser, Daniel John Neal, Carol Ann Politi, Ben Julian Weintraub
  • Patent number: 8995954
    Abstract: Notifying users of mobile communication devices, which may include providing options for response to notifications. A component of a communication service provider system receives an indication of a notification for a user of a mobile communication device. The notification may be received from a source internal or external to the communication service provider system. A component of the mobile communication service provider formats the notification so that it is compatible with the mobile communication device of the user and sends the notification to the mobile communication device of the user. The notification may include one or more options to respond to the notification using the mobile communication device. The notification may, for example, pertain to minutes-of-use in a mobile communication service plan, or to other information, including notifications from outside service providers such as airlines, banks, restaurants, hotels, libraries, credit card companies, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventor: Steve Clayton