U.S. patent number 6,996,537 [Application Number 09/929,220] was granted by the patent office on 2006-02-07 for system and method for providing subscribed applications on wireless devices over a wireless network.
This patent grant is currently assigned to QUALCOMM Incorporated. Invention is credited to Richard Wayne Gardner, III, Eric J. Lekven, Brian Minear, Phil Tien Nguyen, Mitchell B. Oliver, Stephen A. Sprigg.
United States Patent |
6,996,537 |
Minear , et al. |
February 7, 2006 |
System and method for providing subscribed applications on wireless
devices over a wireless network
Abstract
A system and method for the provision of downloadable
subscription-based software applications to one or more wireless
devices where the applications are downloadable from one or more
application download servers across a wireless network. An
accounting module receives subscription-based application download
data from the one or more application download servers for each
subscription-based application downloaded by a wireless device, and
subscription-based application deletion data from each wireless
device that has deleted a subscription-based application. The
accounting module accounts for the use of the subscribed software
applications based upon the subscription-based software application
download data and subscription-based application deletion data.
Inventors: |
Minear; Brian (San Diego,
CA), Gardner, III; Richard Wayne (Solana Beach, CA),
Sprigg; Stephen A. (Poway, CA), Nguyen; Phil Tien (San
Diego, CA), Oliver; Mitchell B. (San Diego, CA), Lekven;
Eric J. (Carlsbad, CA) |
Assignee: |
QUALCOMM Incorporated (San
Diego, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
25457504 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/929,220 |
Filed: |
August 13, 2001 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20030033209 A1 |
Feb 13, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/26.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q
30/0601 (20130101); H04W 4/24 (20130101); H04M
15/00 (20130101); H04M 15/51 (20130101); G06Q
30/02 (20130101); G06Q 40/12 (20131203); H04M
2215/54 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06Q
30/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;705/26,27,57,759 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Goldenberg-Hart, Diane "A Glossary of Selected Internet and
Computing Terms", Yale University Library, Jun. 1996. Retrieved
from http://www.library.yale.edu/ref/internet/intgloss.htm on Nov.
12, 2004. cited by examiner .
No Author, "AvantGo 4.0 powers wireless applications and services",
Customer Inter@action Solutions, May 2001, vol. 19, Iss. 11, p. 71.
Retrieved from ProQuest on Nov. 11, 2004. cited by examiner .
Dialog File: 16, Acc#: 08832890 "Sony Pictures to sell movies via
Internet", Jul. 9, 2001. cited by examiner .
No Author, "CyberSource Begins to Offer Software of Symantec and
Others on the Internet", Wall Street Journal, Jan. 31, 1995.
Retreived from Dialog File: 16, Acc#: 03736326. cited by
examiner.
|
Primary Examiner: Smith; Jeffrey A.
Assistant Examiner: Haq; Naeem
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wadsworth; Philip R. O'Connell;
Robert J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for providing downloadable subscription-based software
to one or more wireless devices, comprising: one or more wireless
devices, each wireless device in selective communication with a
wireless network and selectively downloading one or more
subscription-based software applications to be executable on the
wireless device, and each wireless device being configured to
passively transmit subscription-based application deletion data for
any downloaded subscription-based application that has been deleted
by the wireless device, wherein each device is configured to
transmit voice communication from a user to the wireless network;
one or more application download servers, each application download
server communicating with the one or more wireless devices across
the wireless network and downloading to the wireless devices at
least one subscription-based software application, each application
download server generating subscription-based application download
data for each subscription-based software application downloaded by
a wireless device therefrom; and an accounting module to account
for the use of subscription-based software applications by each
wireless device, the accounting module receiving subscription-based
application download data from the one or more application download
servers and subscription-based application deletion data from each
wireless device, and wherein the accounting is based upon the
subscription-based software application download data and
subscription-based application deletion data.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the accounting module is resident
on the application download server from which a subscription-based
software application was downloaded.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the accounting module is resident
on an application download server.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein upon deletion of a
subscription-based software application, the wireless device
bridges a communication link with the one or more application
download servers and transmits subscription-based application
deletion data to the one or more application download servers.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more application
download servers receive subscription-based application deletion
data from a wireless device and send the subscription-based
application deletion data to the accounting module.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the accounting module receives
subscription-based application deletion data transmitted from the
one or more download servers.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the accounting module receives
subscription-based application deletion data directly from a
wireless device that has deleted a subscription-based
application.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a cellular
telephone.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a personal
digital assistant.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a
pager.
11. A system for providing downloadable subscription-based software
across a wireless network, comprising: wireless communication means
for selectively communicating with the wireless network and
downloading one or more subscription-based software applications to
be executable on the wireless communication means, the wireless
communication means being configured to passively transmit
subscription-based application deletion data for any downloaded
subscription-based application that has been deleted by the
wireless communication means, wherein the wireless communication
means includes a wireless device configured to transmit voice
communication from a user to the wireless network; application
download means for communicating with the wireless communication
means across the wireless network and downloading at least one
subscription-based software application thereto, each application
download means generating software application download data for
each subscription-based software application downloaded to a
wireless communication means therefrom; and an accounting means for
accounting for the use of the subscription-based software
application by the wireless communication means, the accounting
means receiving subscription-based software application download
data from the application download means and subscription-based
application deletion data from the wireless communication means,
and wherein the accounting is based upon the subscription-based
application download data and subscription-based application
deletion data.
12. A method for providing downloadable subscription-based software
on one or more wireless devices in selective communication with one
or more application download servers across a wireless network, the
method comprising the steps of: downloading one or more
subscription-based software applications from an application
download server to a wireless device, the downloaded
subscription-based software applications executable on the wireless
device, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit voice
communication from a user to the wireless network; generating at
the application download server subscription-based application
download data for each subscription-based software application
downloaded by a wireless device therefrom; passively transmitting
subscription-based application deletion data from each wireless
device that has deleted a subscription-based software application
to an accounting module; and accounting for the use of
subscription-based software applications by each wireless device on
the accounting module, the accounting based upon the
subscription-based software application download data and
subscription-based application deletion data.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of accounting for the
use of subscription-based software applications by each wireless
device occurs on an accounting module resident on the application
download server from which a subscription-based software
application was downloaded.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of accounting for the
use of subscription-based software applications by each wireless
device occurs on an accounting module resident on an application
download server.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of, prior
to the step of transmitting subscription-based application deletion
data from each wireless device, the wireless device bridging a
communication link to the one or more application download servers
after the wireless device has deleted a subscription-based software
application.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of accounting for the
use of subscription-based software applications by each wireless
device occurs on an accounting module located remotely from the one
or more application download servers.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of
receiving the transmitted subscription-based application deletion
data at an application download server and sending the
subscription-based application deletion data to the accounting
module.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of transmitting
subscription-based application deletion data from each wireless
device to an accounting module is transmitting subscription-based
application deletion data from each wireless device directly to the
accounting module located remotely from the one or more application
download servers.
19. A method for providing downloadable subscription-based software
on one or more wireless devices in selective communication with one
or more application download servers across a wireless network, the
method comprising the steps of: a download step for downloading one
or more subscription-based software applications from an
application download server to a wireless device, the
subscription-based software applications executable on the wireless
device, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit voice
communication from a user to the wireless network; a
subscription-based application download data generation step for
generating at the application download server subscription-based
application download data for each subscription-based software
application downloaded by a wireless device therefrom; a
subscription-based application deletion data transmission step for
passively transmitting subscription-based application deletion data
from each wireless device that has deleted a subscription-based
software application to an accounting module; and an accounting
step for accounting for the use of subscription-based software
applications by each wireless device on the accounting module, the
accounting based upon the subscription-based software application
download data and subscription-based application deletion data.
20. A computer-readable medium encoded with an accounting module
for accounting for the use of subscription-based software
applications by one or more wireless devices in selective
communication with one or more application download servers across
a wireless network, wherein each wireless device downloads from an
application download server one or more subscription-based software
applications to be executable on the wireless device and each
wireless device that has deleted a subscription-based software
application passively transmits subscription-based application
deletion data to the accounting module, and each application
download server generates application download data for each
subscription-based software application downloaded by a wireless
device therefrom, and wherein the accounting module receives
subscription-based application download data from the one or more
application download servers and subscription-based application
deletion data from the one or more wireless devices, and accounts
based upon the subscription-based application download data and the
subscription-based application deletion data, wherein each wireless
device is configured to transmit voice communication from a user to
the wireless network.
21. The accounting module of claim 20, wherein the accounting
module is resident on an application download server.
22. The accounting module of claim 20, wherein the accounting
module is located remotely to the one or more application download
servers.
23. The accounting module of claim 22, wherein the accounting
module receives the subscription-based application deletion data
from the one or more application download servers.
24. The accounting module of claim 20, wherein the accounting
module receives the subscription-based application deletion data
directly from the one or more wireless devices.
25. In a computer readable medium, a program that directs a
computer to account for the use of subscription-based software
applications by one or more wireless devices in selective
communication with one or more application download servers across
a wireless network through performing the steps of: receiving
subscription-based application download data from the one or more
application download servers, the subscription-based application
download data for each subscription-based software application
downloaded by a wireless device from the one or more application
download servers, wherein the wireless device is configured to
transmit voice communication from a user to the wireless network;
receiving subscription-based application deletion data passively
transmitted from each wireless device that has deleted a
subscription-based software application; and accounting for the use
of subscription-based software applications by each wireless device
based upon the subscription-based software application download
data and subscription-based application deletion data.
26. A system for providing downloadable subscription-based software
to one or more wireless devices, comprising: one or more wireless
devices, each wireless device operable to communicate with a
wireless network and operable to download one or more
subscription-based software applications to be executable on the
wireless device, and each wireless device operable to passively
transmit subscription-based application deletion data for any
downloaded subscription-based software application that has been
deleted by the wireless device; one or more application download
servers, each application download server operable to communicate
with the one or more wireless devices across the wireless network
and operable to download to the wireless devices at least one
subscription-based software application, each application download
server operable to generate subscription-based application download
data for each subscription-based software application downloaded by
a wireless device therefrom; and an accounting module operable to
account for the use of the subscription-based software applications
by each wireless device, the accounting module operable to receive
subscription-based application download data from the one or more
application download servers and subscription-based application
deletion data from each wireless device, and wherein the accounting
is based upon the subscription-based software application download
data and subscription-based application deletion data.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein the wireless network is a
packet-switching network.
28. The system of claim 26, wherein upon the deletion of a
subscription-based software application, the wireless device
performing the deletion bridges a communication link with the one
or more application download servers and transmits
subscription-based application deletion data to the one or more
application download servers.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the one or more application
download servers receive subscription-based application deletion
data transmitted from the wireless device and send the
subscription-based application deletion data to the accounting
module.
30. A method for providing downloadable subscription-based software
applications across a wireless network, the method comprising the
steps of: receiving at a wireless device, over the wireless
network, a subscription-based software application; deleting from
the wireless device the subscription-based software application;
passively generating subscription-based application deletion data
associated with the deleting the subscription-based software
application; transmitting from the wireless device, over the
wireless network, the subscription-based application deletion data;
an application download server operable to communicate with the
wireless device across the wireless network and operable to
download at least one subscription-based software application
thereto, the application download server operable to generate
subscription-based application download data for each
subscription-based software application downloaded to the wireless
device therefrom; and an accounting module operable to perform the
accounting associated with the use of the subscription-based
software application by the wireless device, the accounting module
operable to receive the subscription-based application download
data from the application download server and the
subscription-based application deletion data from the wireless
device, and wherein the accounting is based upon the
subscription-based application download data and the
subscription-based application deletion data.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the wireless network is a
packet-switching network.
32. The system of claim 30, wherein upon deletion of a
subscription-based software application, the wireless device
bridges a communication link with the application download server
and transmits subscription-based application deletion data to the
application download server.
33. A system for providing downloadable subscription-based software
to one or more wireless devices, each wireless device operable to
communicate with a wireless network and operable to download one or
more subscription-based software applications to be executable on
the wireless device, and each wireless device operable to transmit
subscription-based application deletion data for any downloaded
subscription-based software application that has been deleted by
the wireless device, the system comprising: one or more application
download servers, each application download server operable to
communicate with the one or more wireless devices across the
wireless network and operable to download to the wireless devices
at least one subscription-based software application, each
application download server operable to generate subscription-based
application download data for each subscription-based software
application downloaded by a wireless device therefrom; and an
accounting module operable to account for the use of the
subscription-based software applications by each wireless device,
the accounting module operable to receive subscription-based
application download data from the one or more application download
servers and subscription-based application deletion data passively
transmitted from at least one wireless device, and wherein the
accounting is based upon the subscription-based software
application download data and subscription-based application
deletion data.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data networks and
computer communications across the data networks. More
particularly, the invention relates to the provision of software
applications that require a subscription for authorized use thereof
being installed on wireless devices from one or more application
download servers on a wireless data network, and the subscription
is automatically accounted for on a server-side accounting module
until the subscribed application is deleted from the wireless
device.
II. Description of the Related Art
Wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, communicate packets
including voice and data over a wireless network. Cellular
telephones themselves are being manufactured with increased
computing capabilities and are becoming tantamount to personal
computers and hand-held personal digital assistants ("PDAs"). These
"smart" cellular telephone have installed application programming
interfaces ("APIs") onto their local computer platform that allow
software developers to create software applications that operate on
the cellular telephone. The API sits between the wireless device
system software and the software application, making the cellular
telephone functionality available to the application without
requiring the software developer to have the specific cellular
telephone system source code.
The software applications can come pre-loaded at the time the
wireless telephone is manufactured, or the user may later request
that additional programs be downloaded over cellular
telecommunication carrier networks, where the programs are
executable on the wireless telephone. As a result, users of
wireless telephones can customize their wireless telephones with
programs, such as games, printed media, stock updates, news, or any
other type of information or program available for download through
the wireless network. Some of the software applications are
downloadable to the user only if the user has a paid a fee to the
provider of the software applications. And in some existing
computer networks, software applications are only downloadable if
the user subscribes to the use the software application such that
the user is billed at periodic intervals for the use of the
application.
The provider typically insures that only authorized users have
access to cost-based applications through the provision of licenses
within the software application itself. The wireless device API
normally checks the software either at the time execution is
requested or at some other period to determine if the software is
licensed for use on the computer platform of the wireless device.
As long as the license is current, the software application can be
executed on the platform. However, most software licenses have a
finite duration for which they will permit the user to have access
to the licensed application. For some applications, the license is
of a lasting duration and the user is billed for the application
based upon the date when the application was downloaded.
In existing wireless networks, if the user of the wireless device
desires to download and use a subscription-based software
application, the user will typically either call a service provider
or contact the service provider through other means, such as
through an Internet access, and the service provider will either
transmit the subscribed application to the wireless device across
the wireless network or allow the user access to secure site where
the subscription-based application is downloadable or accessible.
To end the subscription of the application that has been downloaded
to or is accessible from the wireless device, the user typically
has to make an affirmative step to end the subscription, such as
contacting the service provider from the wireless device, which can
be expensive, or waiting until a less expensive connection can be
made, such as from a land-based telephone line or an Internet
connection.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system and
method whereby a subscription-based software application can be
downloaded to wireless devices and accounted for by the application
provider, while still permitting the user easy removal of the
subscription-based application with virtually concurrent cessation
of billing for the application subscription. Further, such
subscription-based software application should be easily removed
from the wireless device without significant action required by the
user of the wireless device to contact the software application
provider to have the subscription discontinued. It is thus to the
provision of such a system and method that can account for the use
of subscription-based software applications on wireless devices
that the present invention is primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a system and method for the provision of
downloadable subscription-based software applications on one or
more wireless devices where the applications were downloaded from
one or more application download servers across a wireless network.
The subscription-based software application can be treated as a
regular application resident on the wireless device, or
alternately, the subscription-based application can include a
license indicating that the application is subscription-based. An
accounting module receives subscription-based application download
data from the one or more application download servers for each
subscription-based application downloaded by a wireless device, and
subscription-based application deletion data from each wireless
device that has deleted a subscription-based application. The
system includes one or more wireless devices, such as a cellular
telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), pager, or other
wireless computer platform. Each wireless device is in selective
communication with a wireless network, such as a cellular network,
and the wireless device can selectively download one or more
subscription-based software applications, such as a game, news
feed, stock quotes, or the like, whereby the subscription-based
application is installed and executable on the wireless device.
The system also includes one or more application download servers
where each application download server selectively communicates
with the one or more wireless devices across the wireless network
and, in response to requests from the wireless devices, downloads
to wireless devices subscription-based software applications. Each
application download server generates application download data for
each subscription-based software application downloaded by a
wireless device therefrom for tracking which wireless device
downloaded which subscription-based application.
The accounting module, preferably implemented in software, accounts
for the use of subscription-based software applications by each
wireless device based upon the subscription-based software
application download data received from the application download
servers and subscription-based application deletion data received
from the wireless devices. The accounting module can be resident on
either one of the application download servers, the application
download server from which a subscription-based software
application was downloaded, or on any computer platform on the
wireless network or server-side network.
In one embodiment, upon deletion of a subscription-based software
application, the wireless device bridges a communication link with
the one or more application download servers and transmits
subscription-based application deletion data to the one or more
download servers, which in turn transmit the deletion data to the
accounting module if the accounting module is not resident on that
server. Alternately, the accounting module selectively receives
subscription-based application deletion data transmitted directly
from a wireless device.
The invention also includes a method for providing downloadable
subscription-based software on the one or more wireless devices in
selective communication with one or more application download
servers across a wireless network including the steps of
selectively downloading one or more subscription-based software
applications from an application download server to a wireless
device whereby the subscription-based software is executable on the
wireless device, and then generating at the application download
server subscription-based application download data for each
subscription-based software application downloaded by a wireless
device therefrom. The method then includes the steps of selectively
transmitting subscription-based application deletion data from each
wireless device that has deleted a subscription-based software
application to the accounting module, and accounting for the use of
subscription-based software applications by each wireless device on
the accounting module where the accounting is based upon the
subscription-based software application download data and
subscription-based application deletion data. The method also
further preferably includes the step of, prior to the step of
selectively transmitting subscription-based application deletion
data from each wireless device, the wireless device bridging a
communication link to the one or more application download servers
after the wireless device has deleted a subscription-based software
application. An example of bridging a communication link is
effecting a cellular teleconnection.
The step of accounting for the use of subscription-based software
applications by each wireless device can occur on an accounting
module resident on the application download server from which a
subscription-based software application was downloaded, on an
accounting module resident on an application download server, or on
an accounting module located remotely from the application download
servers.
In one embodiment, the method can further include the step of
receiving the transmitted subscription-based application deletion
data at an application download server and sending the
subscription-based application deletion data to the accounting
module for the accounting step. Alternately, the step of
selectively transmitting subscription-based application deletion
data from each wireless device to an accounting module can be
selectively transmitting subscription-based application deletion
data from each wireless device directly to the accounting module
located remotely from the one or more application download
servers.
The invention also provides an accounting module specifically for
accounting for the use of the subscription-based software
applications by the one or more wireless devices. The accounting is
performed primarily based upon subscription-based application
download data supplied from each application download server for
each subscription-based software application downloaded by a
wireless device therefrom, and subscription-based application
deletion data supplied from each wireless device that has deleted a
subscription-based software application.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to
provide a system and method whereby a subscription-based software
application can be downloaded to wireless devices from one or more
application download servers, and the wireless devices provides
data indicative of deletion of the subscription-based application
such that the use of the subscribed applications can be accounted
for by the application provider without having to constantly
determine if the subscription-based application is present on the
wireless device. Further, the user can easily delete the
subscription-based application and cause virtually concurrent
cessation of billing for the application subscription. The present
invention thus provides an advantage to the user of the wireless
device in that the subscription-based software application can be
easily removed from the wireless device without significant action
taken by the user of the wireless device to contact the software
application provider to have the subscription discontinued.
Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention
will become apparent after review of the hereinafter set forth
Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the
Invention, and the Claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a representative diagram of a wireless network and the
computer hardware and wireless devices that can be used within the
inventive system.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the hardware components of the
wireless network providing communication between different wireless
devices, the application download server, the accounting server,
and their respective databases.
FIG. 3 is a file table resident on the application download server
and/or stored application-related database identifying the software
applications that are downloaded and/or deleted on specific
wireless devices.
FIG. 4A is a flowchart illustrating the process on a wireless
device of downloading and installing a subscription-based software
application.
FIG. 4B is a flowchart illustrating the process at the application
download server in transmitting a copy of a subscribed software
application to the wireless device, this process in conjunction
with the process of FIG. 4A on the wireless device.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the process of the wireless
device deleting a subscription-based application and transmitting
the subscription-based application deletion data indicative of the
deletion to the accounting module, either directly or
indirectly.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the accounting module's process
of accounting for usage of subscribed software applications based
upon the subscription-based application download data and
subscription-based application deletion data.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to the figures in which like numerals represent like
elements throughout, FIG. 1 illustrates the present inventive
system 10 for providing subscribed software applications to one or
more wireless devices, such as cellular telephone 12, in
communication across a wireless network 14 with at least one
application download server 16 that selectively downloads
subscribed software applications to the wireless devices across a
wireless communication portal or other data access to the wireless
network 14. As shown here, the wireless device can be a cellular
telephone 12, a personal digital assistant 18, a pager 20, which is
shown here as a two-way text pager, or even a separate computer
platform 22 that has a wireless communication portal, and may
otherwise have a wired connection 24 to a network or the Internet.
The inventive system 10 can thus be performed on any form of remote
module including a wireless communication portal, including without
limitation, wireless modems, PCMCIA cards, access terminals,
personal computers, access terminals, telephones without a display
or keypad, or any combination or sub-combination thereof.
The application download server 16 is shown here on a local
server-side network 26 with other computer elements in
communication with the wireless network 14. There is also shown a
stand-alone accounting server 32 and a accounting records database
30 which perform the accounting functions as herein described;
however, accounting server 32 and database 30 are not necessary as
all server-side functions can be performed on one server, such as
application download server 16. Further, any computer server-side
computer platform can provide separate services and processes to
the wireless devices 12,18,20,22 across the wireless network
14.
The stored-application-related database 28 preferably contains
stored-application related data to include the records for the
specific applications downloaded by specific wireless devices
12,18,20,22, from the server through the wireless network 14. The
records can then be used to generate the subscription-based
download data requisite to bill the users of the wireless devices
for the applications downloaded thereto.
In FIG. 2, a block diagram is shown that more fully illustrates the
components of the wireless network 14 and interrelation of the
elements of the present inventive system 10. The wireless network
14 is merely exemplary and can include any system whereby remote
modules, such as wireless devices 12,18,20,22, communicate
over-the-air between and among each other and/or between and among
components of a wireless network 14, including, without limitation,
wireless network carriers and/or servers. The application download
server 16 and the stored application-related database 28, and
accounting server 32 and accounting records database 30, and any
other components which are needed to provide cellular
telecommunication services. The application download server 16
and/or accounting server 32 communicate with a carrier network 40,
through a data link, such as the Internet, a secure LAN, WAN, or
other network. The carrier network 40 controls messages (sent as
data packets) sent to a messaging service controller ("MSC") 42.
The carrier network 40 communicates with the MSC 42 by a network,
the Internet and/or POTS ("plain ordinary telephone system").
Typically, the network or Internet connection between the carrier
network 40 and the MSC 42 transfers data, and the POTS transfers
voice information. The MSC 42 is connected to multiple base
stations ("BTS") 44. In a similar manner to the carrier network,
the MSC 42 is typically connected to the BTS 44 by both the network
and/or Internet for data transfer and POTS for voice information.
The BTS 44 ultimately broadcasts messages wirelessly to the
wireless devices, such as cellular telephone 12, by short messaging
service ("SMS"), or other over-the-air methods known in the
art.
The wireless device, such as cellular telephone 12, has a computer
platform 50 that can receive and execute software applications
transmitted from the application download server 16. The computer
platform 50 includes an application-specific integrated circuit
("ASIC") 52, or other processor, microprocessor, logic circuit, or
other data processing device. The ASIC 52 is installed at the time
of manufacture of the wireless device and is not normally
upgradeable. The ASIC 52 or other processor executes the
application programming interface ("API") layer that interfaces
with any resident programs in the memory 56 of the wireless device.
The memory can be comprised of read-only or random-access memory
(RAM and ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, flash cards, or any memory common to
computer platforms. The computer platform 50 also includes a local
database 58 that can hold applications not actively used in memory
56, such as the subscription-based software applications downloaded
from the application download server 16. The local database 58 is
typically a flash memory cell, but can be any secondary or tertiary
storage device as known in the art, such as magnetic media, EPROM,
EEPROM, optical media, tape, or soft or hard disk.
The wireless device, such as cellular telephone 12, can download
subscription-based applications, such as games, news, sports data,
stock monitors, and the like, to be held the local database 58 when
not in use. The subscription-based software application can be
treated as a regular software application resident on the wireless
device 12,18,20,22, and the only way to access the application is
to obtain a subscription to have download access to the application
on the application download server 16. Alternately, the
subscription-based application can include a license indicating
that the application is subscription-based. The wireless device can
then selectively upload stored resident applications, to include
subscription-based applications, from the local database 58 to
memory 56 for execution on the API 54 when so desired by the user.
The user of the wireless device 12,18,20,22 can also selectively
delete a software application from the local database, and if the
software application was subscription-based, the application
provider for use of the subscribed software application should no
longer charge the user. Thus, the deletion of the
subscription-based application must be communicated to the
accounting module.
The system 10 uses an accounting module to account for the use of
the subscription-based application based upon the date when the
wireless device 12,18,20,22 downloaded the application, and the
date when the wireless device deletes the software-application. The
accounting module, which is preferably a software application that
can be a stand-alone module or can be integrated into a larger
software application, receives subscription-based application
download data from the one or more application download servers,
such as server 16, for each subscription-based application
downloaded by a wireless device 12,18,20,22, and subscription-based
application deletion data from each wireless device 12,18,20,22
that has deleted a subscription-based application. In such manner,
the usage of the subscribed application can be billed solely based
upon the download date and deletion date of the subscribed
application. Although, other downloads and interconnections can be
made between the application download server 16 and the wireless
device 12,18,20,22, such as updating the application, and such
interconnection can update the accounting records database 30. The
accounting module can be resident the application download server
16, and specifically the application download server 16 from which
a subscription-based software application was downloaded, or can be
resident on any computer platform resident on the server-side
network 26 or wireless network 14.
FIG. 3 illustrates a table 60 of the subscription-based application
data held resident on the application download server 16 or stored
application-related database 28, and which is sent to the
accounting module wherever resident in the system 10. The
application column 62 holds three software applications, shown here
as chess, a golf score keeper, and a stock monitor, and the
specific client identification number 64 that has downloaded the
particular application. The table 60 also has other client and
application related data, such as the client phone number 66, the
specific phone model 68, the carrier for telecommunication service
70, and the region of the carrier 72. The table 60 also includes
the download date column 74 containing the specific dates the
applications were downloaded. The table 60 also includes an
optional deletion column 76 such that the application download
server can track if the wireless device deleted a specific
application, from application column 62. The deletion column 76
includes a single bit wherein 0 indicates that no deletion signal
has been received, and 1 indicates that the user has deleted the
application. Thus, the stock monitor application in table 60 has
been deleted by the wireless device. The application download
server 16 can keep the date of deletion if necessary, but at the
least, relays the deletion data to the accounting module so that
proper accounting for the duration of the subscription of the
application can occur. The table 60 can be held in any relational,
entity-relational, or object-oriented database on the application
download server 16 or on the stored application-related database
28.
As shown in FIG. 4A, in operation of the system 10, the wireless
device 12,18,20,22 receives a request to subscribe to a software
application, as shown at step 80, and then the wireless device
transmits a request to the application download server 16, as shown
at step 82, to have the application subscribed to and downloaded.
The application download server 16, as shown in FIG. 4B, receives
the request to download the subscription-based application, as
shown at step 94, transmits a copy of the subscription-based
application to the wireless device, as shown at step 96. Either at
the same time as step 96 or at some time thereafter, the
application download server 16 generates the subscription-based
application download data, as shown at step 98, and then outputs
the subscription-based application download data, as shown as data
100.
On the wireless device side, a determination is made as to whether
the application download server has transmitted the application, as
shown at decision 34. If the application has not been sent, then
the user is informed of the failure to download the
subscription-based application download data, as shown at step 86,
and then the download process terminates. Otherwise, if the
application download server 16 has sent the subscription-based
application at decision 84, then the wireless device 12,18,20,22
receives the subscription-based application, as shown at step 88,
and the subscription-based application is installed on the wireless
device, as shown at step 90, and the downloaded process terminates.
In downloading the application, the wireless device 12,18,20,22 has
subscribed to the application and the user/owner of the wireless
device will be billed under whatever terms the subscription
entails, which is typically a recurrent periodic fee.
With reference to FIG. 5, when the user desires to remove the
subscription-based application from the wireless device
12,18,20,22, the wireless device receives the request from the user
to delete the application, as shown at step 110, and then the
wireless device deletes the subscription-based application
completely from the wireless device, i.e. deleted from local
database 58 and memory 56. The wireless device then attempts to
transmit, at the same time as step 112 or thereafter, the
subscription-based application deletion data to the accounting
module, and determines if the transmission as possible, as shown at
decision 114. In other words, the wireless device must communicate
the fact of the deletion of the application in order to have the
user stopped being charged for the subscription, and for example,
if the wireless device is out of the wireless network, then the
wireless device must wait until back in network in order to
communicate the subscription-based application deletion data. Thus,
if the wireless device cannot transmit the deletion data at
decision 114, the user is informed of the failure to unsubscribe
from the application and the device enters a wait state at decision
114 until the subscription-based application deletion data can be
transmitted. Once the deletion data can be transmitted at decision
114, then the subscription-based application deletion data is
transmitted from the wireless device, as shown at step 118, and the
process terminates with the output of the subscription-based
application deletion data, as shown as data 120.
The accounting method of the accounting module is shown in the
flowchart of FIG. 6. The accounting module, wherever resident,
receives the subscription-based application download data 100 from
one or more application download servers, such as application
download server 16, as shown at step 122, and also receives the
subscription-based application deletion data 120 from the one or
more wireless devices 12,18,20,22, as shown at step 124. The
particular order of receipt of the data is irrelevant as long as
both data are present so that the accounting process can occur. As
shown at step 126, the accounting module then accounts for the
usage of subscribed applications by the wireless devices based upon
the download date and deletion date for each application. The
accounting module then generates billing information for usage of
the subscribed applications, as shown at step 128, and then the
accounting process terminates. The accounting module perform a wide
variety of accounting functions such as generation of simple
billing information to full generation of the actual bill to the
user/owner of the wireless device.
In order to transmit the subscription-based application deletion
data, the wireless device 12,18,20,22 preferably bridges a
communication link to the one or more application download servers,
such as application download server 16, such as making a cellular
teleconnection to a server. The receiving application download
server 16 then forwards the deletion data to the accounting module
for processing as shown in FIG. 6. Alternately, the transmission of
the subscription-based application deletion data from each wireless
device 12,18,20,22 to the accounting module can be direct to the
accounting module located remotely from the one or more application
download servers, such as a separate accounting server 32.
In view of the inventive method and module, the present invention
includes a program resident in a computer readable medium, where
the program directs a wireless device having a computer platform to
perform the inventive steps of the method. The computer readable
medium can be the memory 56 of the computer platform 50 of the
cellular telephone 12, or other wireless device, or can be in a
local database, such as local database 58 of the cellular telephone
12. Further, the computer readable medium can be in a secondary
storage media that is loadable onto a wireless device computer
platform, such as a magnetic disk or tape, optical disk, hard disk,
flash memory, or other storage media as is known in the art.
In the context of FIGS. 4A 6, the present inventive methods may be
implemented, for example, by operating portion(s) of the wireless
network 14 to execute a sequence of machine-readable instructions,
such as wireless platform 50, the application download servers 16,
and accounting server 32. The instructions can reside in various
types of signal-bearing or data storage primary, secondary, or
tertiary media. The media may comprise, for example, RAM (not
shown) accessible by, or residing within, the components of the
wireless network 14. Whether contained in RAM, a diskette, or other
secondary storage media, the instructions may be stored on a
variety of machine-readable data storage media, such as DASD
storage (e.g., a conventional "hard drive" or a RAID array),
magnetic tape, electronic read-only memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, or
EEPROM), flash memory cards, an optical storage device (e.g.
CD-ROM, WORM, DVD, digital optical tape), paper "punch" cards, or
other suitable data storage media including digital and analog
transmission media.
While the foregoing disclosure shows illustrative embodiments of
the invention, it should be noted that various changes and
modifications could be made herein without departing from the scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore,
although elements of the invention may be described or claimed in
the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the
singular is explicitly stated.
* * * * *
References