Usage Measurement Patents (Class 455/405)
  • Patent number: 8923809
    Abstract: The throttling of mobile device data rates is provided at events, e.g., sporting events, and other venues with large, dense crowds. The system can monitor the loading of the mobile radio antennas at the venue, and when the loading reaches a threshold loading point, the system can selectively throttle the data rates of mobile devices at the venue. In some embodiments, the system can throttle the data rates of certain applications on the mobile devices, or can select mobile devices that are placing a large strain on the network infrastructure to throttle. In other embodiments, the system can set maximum upload and download speeds for all the mobile devices at the venue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, Mark Wade Pack
  • Patent number: 8923808
    Abstract: A policy determination function (PDF) makes policy and charging control decisions based on radio spectrum blocks. More particularly, the PDF: receives radio spectrum block data via an interface; and determines, using the radio spectrum block data, a first radio spectrum block for use during a session for a subscriber, wherein the first radio spectrum block is one of a plurality of radio spectrum blocks, and wherein the subscriber has a unique set of policy and charging control (PCC) rules corresponding to each of the radio spectrum blocks in the plurality. The PDF further selects and provides to a policy enforcement function the set of PCC rules for the subscriber corresponding to the first radio spectrum block, for applying to communications with the subscriber during the session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Trent J. Miller, James A. Marocchi, Deborah J. Monks
  • Publication number: 20140378092
    Abstract: Shared usage plans are popular with families, friends, and small businesses. These shared usage plans share some cumulative utilization of resources, such as communications services. Even though multiple devices may share a monthly allotment of resources, an individual threshold is established for each device. The multiple individual thresholds may then be dynamically regulated to maintain the monthly allotment of resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James Carlton Bedingfield, SR., Quenton Lanier Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20140378091
    Abstract: A method of providing enhanced mobile communications services through collecting, analyzing, and utilizing cellular network data is described. The method configures an intelligence engine based on a set of rules. The method receives the set of rules through a user interface or generates the set of rules through performing an analysis on the network data by the intelligence engine. The method receives network data events and correlates the received network data events. The intelligence engine determines an action in response to a correlated network data event. The action includes sending a text message or email containing an offer to a mobile communications services subscriber, or updating a database. The method then performs the action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Scott Andrew Irwin, John Greer Moore, Robert Wayne Boucher, Michael J. Dimperio, Maria F. Vaughan, Paolo Teotino
  • Patent number: 8917611
    Abstract: A system for managing wireless devices in a wireless network comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to: receive a diagnostic request to analyze a problem associated with a wireless device operating in the wireless network; retrieve diagnostic information associated with the wireless device from the wireless network; retrieve diagnostic information associated with the wireless device from the wireless device; determine at least one solution for the problem associated with the wireless device based on the retrieved diagnostic information from the wireless network and the wireless device; transmit the at least one solution; and receive a confirmation that the problem has been resolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Jasper Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Terrence Poon, Suparna Kumar, Sunil P. Sheshadri, Carl Keller, Amit Gupta, Scott Potter, Curtis Govan, Macario Namie, Jahangir Mohammed, Daniel Collins, Scott Barkley, Jack McGwire
  • Patent number: 8918086
    Abstract: A telecommunications addressing system/method allowing selection of a telephone instrument device (TID) using arbitrary identifiers is disclosed. The system/method allows a source TID (STD) to select a target TID (TTD) by the use of a Target Telephone Identifier (TTI) data string rather than a traditional numeric telephone identification (NTI). This TTI is then indexed within a TTI/NTI mapping server (TMS) that functions as a hierarchical repository of TTI/NTI mappings. STD/TTD communication is established by first performing a lookup of the STD-selected TTI within the TMS to identify the NTI of the TTD. Once the NTI of the STD has been identified by the TMS, communication between the STD and TTD is established using the NTI via the normal public switched telephone network (PSTN). TMS TTI lookup may be performed via STD TID web application and/or via PSTN infrastructure interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Inventor: Maqsood A. Thange
  • Patent number: 8918076
    Abstract: Network node and method in a telecommunication network, the network node receiving from a calling terminal a request to set up a call with a called terminal. The network node retrieves call set up information from a stored connection table and utilizes the retrieved data to set up the call. The connection table comprises data relating to set up of a call between the calling terminal and the called terminal. A first region class for the calling terminal is determined, and a second region class for the called terminal, each being associated with locations of the calling terminal and the called terminal, respectively. Furthermore, a rating category for the call to be set up is determined using the first region class and the second region class using the connection table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Johannes Jan Bot
  • Publication number: 20140370845
    Abstract: Information associated with a communication is gathered at a switching point during the routing process to determine subscriber metric information associated with an active service identifier. The information relates to the originator of the communication and the target. The information is compared to a provider database to determine a carrier originally associated with the active service identifier. The information is then compared to a porting database to determine if the active service identifier was ported, and if so, to which carrier the active service identifier was ported. A determination can then be made regarding which carrier is associated with the active service identifier. The data may be aggregated for a large amount of switched communications, representing a large amount of active service identifiers for a given market. Thus, a number of subscribers for a given carrier in a given market may be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Gregory Evan Mishkin
  • Publication number: 20140370844
    Abstract: The method comprises acquiring information from signals exchanged between a user's mobile computing devices and a plurality of Base Transceiver Stations, or BTSs, analyzing said acquired information for determining, over a period of time, the locations of said user's mobile computing device and deduce through a statistical model the points of interest, identifying and labelling at least part of said user's mobile computing device determined locations as points of interest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: TELEFONICA, S.A.
    Inventors: Ruben Lara, Rocio Martinez, Miguel Angel Rodriguez, Alberto Martin, Ana Armenta
  • Publication number: 20140370843
    Abstract: Network traffic usage information for a set of registered devices is monitored, analyzed, and reported within a cellular service provider portion of a communications network. The network traffic usage information can relate to data traffic, voice traffic, and/or short message service traffic. Reporting the network traffic usage information is customizable such that parameters associated with the network traffic usage can be changed, depending on the parameters that are of current interest to an organization affiliated with the set of registered devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Cynthia Cama, Jeffrey Erman, Wen-Ling Hsu, Yu Jin, Ann E. Skudlark, Lien K. Tran
  • Patent number: 8913987
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for providing a Quality of Service (QoS)-based service in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes providing a Mobile Station (MS) with at least one QoS plan indicating a price policy for a QoS acceleration service having a higher QoS than a default QoS designated for a user of the MS in response to a request from the MS, providing the MS with an authorized token and a QoS quota based on a selected QoS plan in response to a purchase request of the MS, providing the MS with service contents selected by the user through a radio bearer for the QoS acceleration service, notifying the MS, if a usage of the QoS acceleration service reaches a threshold, of an impending expiration of the QoS acceleration service, and notifying the MS of the expiration of the QoS acceleration service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-Cheol Lee, Sung-Ho Choi, Haris Zisimopoulos, Song-Yean Cho, Alper Yegin, Erik Guttman, Beom-Sik Bae
  • Patent number: 8914849
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for the broadcast replenishment of account parameters for select groups of wireless devices, where select groups of wireless devices have their internally-stored account parameters (e.g., prepaid amount of usage authorization) simultaneously updated as a group by a single broadcast message, such as an encrypted SMS message. An account update message is generated based on the account parameters to be updated and encrypted using an encryption key uniquely associated with the select group of wireless devices. The encrypted account update message is broadcast for receipt by the select group of wireless devices, such only those wireless devices previously provided with a key for decryption can receive and decrypt the broadcast account update message. The wireless devices use information and/or instructions in the broadcast message in order to update their internally stored account parameters accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Satish Ramprasad, Sergio Rivera
  • Patent number: 8914002
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a mobile virtual network are disclosed. A mobile virtual network operator is disclosed as an entity that provides a mobile networking service to a user, the mobile networking service being provided using a physical mobile network provided by a third party. The mobile virtual network operator may provide content distribution services, data access services, or messaging services to a user of a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Seven Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Trevor Fiatal
  • Patent number: 8909271
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting positioning measurements. The methods include designating a reference cell, choosing a positioning signal, and, for inter-frequency measurements, determining which inter-frequency cell to measure and how to make such an inter-frequency positioning measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Janet A. Stern-Berkowitz, Marian Rudolf, Charles A. Dennean
  • Patent number: 8909202
    Abstract: System and method of detection and management of user interactions with foreground applications on a mobile device in distributed caching are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method of mimicking, remote from the mobile device, timing characteristics of user activity with the mobile client, polling a content source for the mobile application based on the timing characteristics of the user interaction, on behalf of the mobile device and allowing responses cached on the mobile device for the user activity to be used until a change at the content source is detected, remote from the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seven Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Luna, Ross Bott
  • Patent number: 8909192
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a mobile virtual network are disclosed. A mobile virtual network operator is disclosed as an entity that provides a mobile networking service to a user, the mobile networking service being provided using a physical mobile network provided by a third party. The mobile virtual network operator may provide content distribution services, data access services, or messaging services to a user of a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seven Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Trevor Fiatal
  • Patent number: 8909472
    Abstract: A user interface of a wireless user terminal provides a forecast of a future rate discount that may apply at a future time and/or at a possible future location of the wireless user terminal. The forecast may be displayed as a map and/or as textual or graphical information, and may be provided in response to a user request, in response to receipt of a message from the wireless network and/or automatically at a given time. Related systems, methods and devices are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Robert Tornkvist, Elias Blomqvist, Geert Claassen, Ulf Eriksson
  • Patent number: 8897428
    Abstract: A device for recording the content of live communications sessions allocates each session with a unique identifier which is also communicated to a server, exchange, switch or endpoint having control of that session. A log of events occurring in the session is updated with the unique identifier of the recorded content, and following the session, the log of events is communicated to the recording device, indexed under the unique identifier, and stored with the recorded content of the session itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Walker, John Costello, David Murray
  • Patent number: 8897146
    Abstract: A Core Service Platform (CSP) system is integrated with an operator network and IT system to provide services to subscribers and operators. Based on information collected from the operator network and IT system, the CSP system delivers alerts to a subscriber's device and provides offers to resolve the condition causing the alerts. The CSP system provides customized contextual offers to the subscriber's device based on contextual assessments of a subscriber's current context, such as time in contract, loyalty status, data and voice usage, value of customer, time, location and purchase history. The CSP system also provides an operator a suite of tools for the operator to manage its pricing, offers, campaigns and other subscriber-related issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Jasper Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Terrence Poon, Suparna Kumar, Sunil P. Sheshadri, Carl Keller, Amit Gupta, Scott Potter, Curtis Govan, Macario Namie, Jahangir Mohammed, Daniel Collins, Scott Barkley, Jack McGwire
  • Patent number: 8897748
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for monitoring message usage on a communication device. An audible message may be outputted on the communication device in replacement of a pre-determined telephone tone. A duration parameter of outputting the audible message in replacement of the pre-determined telephone tone may be determined, and provided to a billing system for determining a compensation parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Sorel Bosan, Janice Zima, Sherryl Lee Lorraine Scott
  • Patent number: 8897743
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device implements a service policy for assisting billing for the communications device use of a service on a network; and monitors use of the service based on the service policy, in which a local service usage is synchronized with a network based service usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC
    Inventor: Gregory G. Raleigh
  • Patent number: 8897744
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device implements a service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on a network, in which the service profile includes service policy settings, and the service profile is associated with an ambient service plan that provides for initial access to the service with limited service capabilities prior to activation of a new service plan; and monitors use of the service based on the service profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC
    Inventor: Gregory G Raleigh
  • Patent number: 8897745
    Abstract: An approach for optimizing the rate of delivery of data records required by a billing system associated with a service provider is described. A mediation platform collects session records for specifying data about sessions conducted by network subscribers via the network and transport records for specifying data about the transport of data via the network during a correlation cycle. The mediation platform also generates, based on a minimal threshold of correlation, a charging data record based on a mapping of data associated with a session record and multiple transport records. The mediation platform also transmits the charging data record to a billing system of the provider prior to the collecting of all of the session records and transport records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Cellco Partnership
    Inventors: Andrew T. Davis, Thomas P. Paull, Edward V. Goldbloom
  • Patent number: 8897762
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to managing applications configured for execution on a mobile device. An embodiment of the disclosure receives one or more network access requests from one or more applications executing on the mobile device, determines that the mobile device is operating in a background mode, suppresses transmission to a network of the one or more network access requests to a network based on the determination, and transmits a subset of the one or more network access requests upon transition out of the background mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: George Cherian, Rashid A. Attar, Donna Ghosh, Linhai He, Rashmi Keshava Iyengar, Christopher Lott
  • Publication number: 20140342690
    Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), the method including: receiving a RADIUS accounting request (ACR) start message from a network access server (NAS); establishing a RADIUS session with the NAS; applying rules by a rules engine to information in the ACR start message to determine a traffic detection function (TDF) to be updated; establishing a Sd session with the TDF; and binding the Sd session to the RADIUS session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: ALCATEL-LUCENT CANADA INC.
    Inventors: Ivaylo TANOUCHEV, Matthew YEE, Shanawaz SHAIK, Kugendran SABARATNAM
  • Publication number: 20140342695
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and media for logging phone calls are provided. In some embodiments, methods for logging phone calls are provided, the methods comprise: causing a phone call to a client to be made; creating at least one note based on received user input; transmitting information about the phone call and the created note to the first server; causing the information and the note to be stored in association with the client by the first server; causing the information about the phone call and the note to be transmitted from the first server to a second server, wherein the information and the note are stored in an electronic medical record on the second server that is associated with the client; receiving an analysis of phone calls associated with the client over a period of time; and causing the analytical information to be presented based on the received analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Henry Gross, Jennifer Gross
  • Publication number: 20140342692
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for delivering a message to and receiving an acknowledgement from a mobile device, and more specifically, the system and method allows network operators, or any central administration group(s) to issue messages and warnings to a mobile device, which requires an acknowledgement in order for the mobile device to continue functioning without restriction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Jaan Leemet, Daniel Rudich
  • Publication number: 20140342691
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for real-time, multi-dimensional reporting and analyzing of data on application level activity and other user information on a mobile data network. A report manager communicates with a data manager to develop and test real-time reports about aggregate and user-level network usage. The data manager provides a database of non-aggregate, user-specific event data and a set of tables specifying combinations of monitored variables satisfying a set of defined reports. The report manager comprises a report generation module, which receives operator instructions for aggregate usage information. The report module determines whether the requested information can be satisfied by combinations of monitored aggregate variables, or whether it must be retrieved from a non-aggregate, user-specific, event data database. Furthermore, the report module is responsive to operator instructions to add a test report to the set of defined real-time reports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Zettics, Inc.
    Inventor: Asawaree Prabhakar KALAVADE
  • Patent number: 8892068
    Abstract: A subscriber device receives a message from a network device external to the subscriber device, where the network device implements a first metering engine that meters usage of a network service by a subscriber using the subscriber device and where the message includes the subscriber's usage data. The subscriber device includes a second usage metering engine that receives the subscriber's usage data from the usage synchronization unit, and performs real-time metering of the subscriber's usage of the network service, based on the subscriber's usage data received from the network device and independently of the first metering engine of the network device, to generate real-time usage metering data. The second usage metering engine further outputs the real-time usage metering data to a display at the subscriber device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Cellco Partnership
    Inventors: Patricia Ruey-Jane Chang, Louis A. Chan-Lizardo, Barry F. Hoffner, Scott Alan Tiziani, Javier Alejandro Ferro, Phillip Andrew Ritter
  • Patent number: 8886255
    Abstract: A mobile terminal device includes: a display section that displays information; a storage section that stores processing programs for internal processings; a communication section; and a control section that updates any of the processing programs by acquiring an update program concerning the processing program in the communication section, wherein the storage section stores a plurality of update screens, and the control section displays one of the update screens on the display section and switches the display on the display section to another update screen each time writing on a predetermined number of blocks of the storage section occurs or any processing of reading from, writing on, and erasing from the storage section occurs when updating the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Hirokazu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8885011
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method for implementing a video call with a Bluetooth-based headset and a video communication terminal. The method includes: looking up a Bluetooth headset; starting a VTCALL unit of the AP module and an AG unit; sending a VTCALL command and an AG command to the audio module; switching an audio channel to a BTVTCALL channel; starting a recording and playing mode of the video communication terminal, collecting uplink and downlink audio data, and transmitting the uplink and the downlink audio data to the Bluetooth module; transmitting the uplink and the downlink audio data to the Bluetooth headset; executing the data exchange with the Bluetooth headset for implementing a Bluetooth video call. The present invention implements the Bluetooth video call by modifying software, thereby using the current hardware resources and decreasing the cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Huizhou TCL Mobile Communication Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rili Zhong, Xianglai Li, Jinggao Zhou
  • Patent number: 8886163
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are for subsidizing data usage in a mobile wireless network. A method for subsidizing data usage may include monitoring data traffic traversing the mobile wireless network, determining if the data traffic is directed to a unique uniform resource locator that is associated with a computing resource that data directed thereto is to be subsidized, and recording data usage for the data traffic and providing the data usage to a charging system of the mobile wireless network in response to determining that the data traffic is directed to the unique uniform resource locator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Luis Francisco Albisu
  • Patent number: 8886161
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for discovering spectrum usage of mobile carriers. An example method includes extracting channel information from a plurality of messages transmitted to mobile devices over a wireless communications radio spectrum, identifying a mobile carrier based on the channel information, associating the channel information with a network parameter of the mobile carrier, and determining a channel usage characteristic associated with mobile carrier based on the channel information and the network parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
    Inventor: Dominic H. Ngai
  • Patent number: 8886162
    Abstract: Methods and computer-readable media for determining that an end-user device is connected to or attempting to connect to the first wireless access network; obtaining an indication that usage of the first wireless access network is associated with a first cost; and, based on one or both of the indication that first wireless access network is associated with the first cost and the determination that the end-user device is connected to or attempting to connect to the first wireless access network, restricting communications associated with a first service activity over the first wireless access network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC
    Inventor: Gregory G. Raleigh
  • Patent number: 8886170
    Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for managing service for carrier subscribers and migrating them to service bundles. In an embodiment, the method comprises obtaining a list of existing services to which a subscriber is subscribed; comparing the list of services to available service bundles; and determining if there is an exact match of services between the list of existing services and services included in one or more available service bundles, and if so, migrating the subscriber to the one or more available service bundles with the exact match. A subscriber may be manually migrated if migration is not possible with an exact match or partial match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Ronald Roth, Cynthia Taylor, Jia-Lin Chin
  • Patent number: 8886160
    Abstract: A terminal includes a data receiving unit to receive data from a first target terminal via near field communication (NFC); and a data processing unit to process service information from the data received from the data receiving unit. A method includes establishing a connection via NFC; receiving data via NFC; determining if a service is provided from the data; if a service is provided, determining if a service usage history information update is set; and if a service usage history information update is set, updating the service information of the provided service; and if the service usage history update is not set, initializing the service information. A system includes a terminal with NFC capability; a first target terminal with NFC capability, wherein the first target terminal provides the service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Pantech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyuk Rai Kim
  • Patent number: 8880040
    Abstract: A mobile device can send a mobile operator identification request to a mobile operator identification server to determine the mobile network operator for a mobile device. The request comprises mobile operator identifier data, which can include data stored at mobile device smart cards and in mobile device memory. The identification server comprises an identification engine that determines whether the identifier data satisfies one of a plurality of mobile operator rules. If a rule is satisfied, mobile operator identification data is sent to and stored at the mobile device. The mobile device can share the mobile operator identification data with mobile device provider online marketplaces to take advantage of business relationships between the mobile operator and the mobile device provider. Identification of the mobile operator is also useful for determining the appropriate billing methods and ensuring the proper mobile operator branding information is presented at the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: J. Sage Schreiner, Jeremy Corley, Rahul Dhar, Ori Bar-Niv, Steve Lunsman, Tal Goldbloom, Derrick Tan, Sean Nordberg, Matt Pisut
  • Patent number: 8880024
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of updating location numbers of cells associated with a mobile switching center, MSC (110), wherein each cell has a location number (124), identifying the cell and representing a discount applicable to the cell, wherein a first set of one or more digits (D1) of the location number represents a first discount applicable to service usage in the cell during a first time interval, and a second set of one or more digits (D2) of the location number represents a second discount applicable to service usage in the cell during a second time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Yinghai Ye, Geert Claassen, Yingbao Long, Karl-Johan Ă–sth, Jenny HĂĄkansson
  • Patent number: 8880689
    Abstract: A method of notifying estimated QoEs (Quality of Experiences) for applications between a mobile terminal and a plurality of application servers that provide services of the applications, may measure first QoEs for the applications between the apparatus and the mobile terminal, measure second QoEs for the applications between the apparatus and the application server, estimate the estimated QoEs for the applications, based on the first and second QoEs for the applications, and notify the estimated QoEs to the mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
    Inventors: Naoaki Yamanaka, Eiji Oki, Yutaka Arakawa
  • Patent number: 8880022
    Abstract: An environment is described in which a processing system provides application-level usage information to users. In one scenario, for example, the processing system may provide personal usage information to a user who is operating a user device. The personal usage information itemizes the amount of data (and/or other resources) that has been consumed by each application run by the user device. In another scenario, the processing system may provide expected usage information associated with at least one candidate application provided by a marketplace system. The expected usage information describes an expected consumption of data (and/or other resources) by the candidate application upon running the candidate application by the user device. The processing system can tailor the expected usage information that it sends to a particular user based on user profile data. The user profile data describes a manner in which users operate applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Sharad Agarwal, Ming Zhang, Lin Zhong, Ardalan Amiri Sani, Paramvir Bahl
  • Publication number: 20140323081
    Abstract: A user identity recognition method for a mobile terminal includes that: a mobile terminal detects and tracks a user's behavior before a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card is replaced, and records characteristics of the user's behavior; after the SIM card is replaced, the mobile terminal detects and tracks a user's behavior and records characteristics of the user's behavior; the mobile terminals determines whether the characteristics of the user's behavior before the SIM card is replaced are same as or similar to the characteristics of the user's behavior after the SIM card is replaced; if so, the mobile terminals determines that the user is a legal user; otherwise, the mobile terminals determines that the user is an illegal user. Correspondingly, a mobile terminal is also disclosed, which is difficult to crack, more secure, and easy and convenient to implement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: ZTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keping Wang, Zhonghui Che, Guanjun Tan, Xin Song, Leshen Hu
  • Publication number: 20140323080
    Abstract: Information associated with a communication is gathered at a switching point during the routing process to determine subscriber metric information associated with an active service identifier. The information relates to the originator of the communication and the target. The information is compared to a provider database to determine a carrier originally associated with the active service identifier. The information is then compared to a porting database to determine if the active service identifier was ported, and if so, to which carrier the active service identifier was ported. A determination can then be made regarding which carrier is associated with the active service identifier. Various systems and methods may be used to determine a number of subscribers, a number of new subscribers, and a number of disconnected subscribers for a given carrier in a given market.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Gregory Evan Mishkin, Francis B. Linnane, Jeffrey T. Johnson, Nancy Florence Burton
  • Patent number: 8874143
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus: when a time indicated by the one access history associated with the one user corresponds to the use period included in the one use history associated with the user, specifies a position specified based on the user position specifying information included in the use history, as a position at which the mobile terminal is present at the time of the access related to the access history; and associates and outputs information which indicates the specified position and information which indicates a communication carrier which operates the mobile communication network through which the access related to the access history is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Rakuten, Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi Okatake, Hiromitsu Ishii
  • Patent number: 8874075
    Abstract: The invention generally pertains to a method for providing a purchase incentive associated with the purchase of a product bundle to an end user using a mobile device connected to a transaction server over a mobile phone network. By way of example, a secure connection is created over the mobile phone network to exchange information between the transaction server and the mobile device. The end user selects the desired product bundle level—as a result receives a purchase incentive, i.e., cash rebate, remittance, refund and/or other monies—and delivery method using the mobile device. The mobile device connects to a third party payment processor over a secure connection, which charges the end user for the purchase of the product bundle. Specifically, the third party payment processor charges the purchase to the user's mobile phone account with a mobile carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Inventor: Willard S. Dean
  • Patent number: 8872880
    Abstract: A system may include a device that receives requests to initiate a videoconference call. The requests may include an indication of a service priority tier that should be applied to the call and first and second client devices for the call. The system may determining bandwidth availability in a network and determine, based on the bandwidth availability and based on the indication of the service priority tier of the call, whether to admit the videoconference call to the network. The device may provision, when it is determined to admit the call to the network, traffic policies corresponding to one or more network devices, where the policies are determined based on the service priority tier of the videoconference call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Juniper Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Taras Matselyukh, Scott Stevens, Vijay Kamisetty, Darpan Gogia, Naveen Udoshi, Gregory A. Sidebottom
  • Publication number: 20140315515
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring and displaying Internet traffic of a mobile phone, includes a traffic measurement module and a traffic display module. The apparatus also includes a SIM card account creation module configured to create a SIM card account for each of a plurality of SIM cards. The traffic measurement module measures the Internet traffic of each of the SIM card accounts. The traffic display module displays the Internet traffic of each of the SIM card accounts. The Internet traffic of each SIM card on the mobile phone may be measured and displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventor: Zhiquan Yuan
  • Publication number: 20140315514
    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: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel Collins, Jack McGwire, Rakesh Kumar, Terrence Poon, Scott Potter, Andrew Privett, Dusko Zgonjanin
  • Patent number: 8868030
    Abstract: A method of identifying abnormal activity within a communication system between one or more vehicles and a wireless carrier system. The method may include receiving a first record from a wireless carrier system or a call center. It may further include automatically receiving a second record from a data logger via a vehicle telematics unit. The second record may be a data upload record and includes information pertaining to a wireless connection that includes an event type (mode) and a call type (mode). The event type may indicate whether the wireless connection was SMS, circuit switched, or packet switched. The call type may indicate a transaction during the wireless connection. The method may include determining the occurrence of an abnormal activity based on the first record and the second record. And the method may also include providing a report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: General Motors LLC
    Inventors: Anthony J. Sumcad, Matthew R. Waldner, James Doherty
  • Patent number: 8867715
    Abstract: A method and a system for the management of telecommunication services provided by an operator to users (4) and (6) of telecommunication services, the method comprising: assigning a subscriber network identifier (IS) to each subscribed user (6); monitoring inbound communications toward the subscriber network identifiers (IS) assigned to subscribed users; creating, by virtue of means (8) for creating and managing virtual accounts, a virtual account (CV) registered to each network identifier originating communications (IC); informing, by virtue of information means (14), at least the user (4) or (6) of telecommunication services who originates the communication toward the subscriber network identifier (IS) and/or the registrant of the network identifier originating communications (IC) of the existence and/or balance of the virtual account (CV). The telecommunication service management system comprises means for implementing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Inventor: Marco Fiorentino
  • Patent number: RE45239
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for supporting a communication session of an user equipment, by means of a communication system that includes at least one entity between the user equipment and a node with which the user equipment is arranged to establish a session, the method including the steps of establishing a session between the user equipment and the node via the at least one entity, putting the session on hold, reserving resources for the session while the session is on hold, and resuming the session and distributing charging information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Marco Stura, Gabor Bajko