U.S. patent application number 12/184666 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-18 for traffic shaping of cellular service consumption through delaying of service completion according to geographical-based pricing advantages.
Invention is credited to Christopher James Dawson, Rick Allen Hamilton, II, James Wesley Seaman, Timothy Moffectt Waters.
Application Number | 20080311885 12/184666 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35910248 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080311885 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dawson; Christopher James ;
et al. |
December 18, 2008 |
Traffic Shaping of Cellular Service Consumption Through Delaying of
Service Completion According to Geographical-Based Pricing
Advantages
Abstract
Changes in user behavior of usage of wireless services from a
mobile device are encouraged in order to effect shaping of traffic
and utilization patterns among a plurality of cells within a rate
plan region, wherein a discount indicator disposed in said mobile
device is provided to notify a user of a discount available for
consuming wireless service from a given cell. A geo-cost policy
established for that user or mobile device in which rules and
conditions according to the available discounts and class of
service are defined. A service completer queues services and
automatically completes queued services upon present conditions
meeting said geo-cost policy rules, such as delaying and later
delivering messages when the mobile device relocates to a cell
where discounts are being offered.
Inventors: |
Dawson; Christopher James;
(Arlington, VA) ; Hamilton, II; Rick Allen;
(Charlottesville, VA) ; Seaman; James Wesley;
(Falls Church, VA) ; Waters; Timothy Moffectt;
(Hiram, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IBM CORPORATION (RHF)
C/O ROBERT H. FRANTZ, P. O. BOX 23324
OKLAHOMA CITY
OK
73123
US
|
Family ID: |
35910248 |
Appl. No.: |
12/184666 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11391962 |
Mar 29, 2006 |
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12184666 |
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10912487 |
Aug 5, 2004 |
7076237 |
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11391962 |
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10912478 |
Aug 5, 2004 |
7328001 |
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10912487 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/406 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/1091 20130101;
H04M 2215/7414 20130101; H04M 15/8016 20130101; H04M 2215/92
20130101; H04L 67/18 20130101; H04M 2215/32 20130101; H04M 15/8083
20130101; H04M 15/30 20130101; H04W 4/24 20130101; H04L 47/32
20130101; H04M 15/80 20130101; H04M 2215/0184 20130101; H04L 47/22
20130101; H04M 2215/0152 20130101; H04M 2215/7435 20130101; H04W
84/042 20130101; G06Q 40/12 20131203; H04M 15/28 20130101; H04M
15/8033 20130101; H04W 4/029 20180201; H04L 47/10 20130101; H04L
67/325 20130101; H04W 4/00 20130101; H04L 47/2416 20130101; H04W
4/02 20130101; H04M 15/83 20130101; H04L 47/14 20130101; H04M
2215/82 20130101; H04W 28/14 20130101; H04M 2215/2026 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/406 |
International
Class: |
H04M 15/00 20060101
H04M015/00 |
Claims
1. A system for shaping of traffic and utilization patterns among a
plurality of cells within a rate plan region, said system
comprising: a traffic shaping server cooperative with a cellular
telephone and data network, said traffic shaping server comprising
at least one computer and one or more computer programs, and having
and using behavior shaping rules, user rate plans, and customer
profiles to define marked discounts in order to modify service
consumption behaviors in favor of underutilized or cost-effective
cells, wherein underutilization comprises a historical traffic
level below a network service provider preference, and wherein
cost-effectiveness comprises a cost by said network service
provider to operate a cell, its associated equipment, and
associated personnel; a discount indicator portion of a user
display disposed in a mobile communications device, said discount
indicator configured to indicate a discount value available for
consuming wireless service from a selected cell, said discount
indicator comprising an iconic indicator, said discount value being
a discount from said network service provider's rate plan for a
user of said mobile communications device, said discount indicator
being controlled by said traffic shaping server; a geo-cost policy
accessible by said traffic shaping server, said geo-cost policy
defining a set of rules and conditions according to said network
service provider's rate plan discount value; an indicator control
configured to allow said traffic shaping server to modify an
appearance of said discount indicator according to said geo-cost
policy; and a service control portion of said mobile communications
device configured: to delay and block completion of a service from
said mobile communications device to said network initiated by a
user of said mobile communications device while said mobile
communications device is not in range of said selected cell, to
queue initiation of said service by receiving and storing
user-input information on said mobile communications device, and to
automatically complete said queued services upon present conditions
meeting said geo-cost policy rules including said mobile
communications device arriving in range of said selected cell by
delivering said stored information using network communications
thereby delaying the use of user-initiated services until geo-cost
policy conditions are met.
2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said service control
portion is configured to queue and automatically complete a
wireless service selected from the group of sending a text message,
receiving a text message, sending a voice message, receiving a
voice message, sending picture, and receiving a picture.
3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said service control
portion is configured to automatically dial a telephone number.
4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said service control
portion is configured to queue and automatically complete a
wireless service selected from the group of automatically
connecting to a web address, automatically downloading a data
structure, and refreshing a stored web page from a source web
page.
5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said discount
indicator comprises an indicator selected from the group of a user
icon, a text message, and a computer-readable data value.
6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said geo-cost policy
is accessed by evaluating service classes based upon a selection
from the group of telephone number, buddy name, web address, and
keyword.
7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said service control
portion is configured to automatically complete a queued service
according to one or more geo-cost conditions selected from the
group of currently offered discount value for a given cell, a
mobile device battery low indicator, a mobile device power-off
request, a clock time, a calendar day, and a mobile device low
wireless signal strength indicator.
8. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a geo-cost
policy editor configured to edit said geo-cost policy.
9. A set of interoperating computer memories, a first memory
operable by a traffic shaping server computer, a second memory
operable by mobile communications device, said memories encoding
computer program code comprising: server code disposed in said
first memory and configured to provide said traffic shaping server
computer cooperative with a cellular telephone and data network
which uses behavior shaping rules, user rate plans, and customer
profiles to define marked discounts in order to modify service
consumption behaviors in favor of underutilized or cost-effective
cells, wherein underutilization comprises a historical traffic
level below a network service provider preference, and wherein
cost-effectiveness comprises a cost by said network service
provider to operate a cell, its associated equipment, and
associated personnel; user display control code disposed in said
second memory configured to display a discount indicator in a
mobile communications device indicating a discount value available
for consuming wireless service from a selected cell, said discount
indicator comprising an iconic indicator, said discount value being
a discount from said network service provider's rate plan for a
user of said mobile communications device, said discount indicator
being controlled by said traffic shaping server; policy management
code disposed in at least one of said memories, configured to
access a geo-cost policy defining a set of rules and conditions
according to said network service provider's rate plan discount
value; server display control code disposed in said first memory
and configured to control said discount indicator by said traffic
shaping server according to said geo-cost policy; and service
control code disposed in said second memory and configured: to
delay and block completion of a service from said mobile
communications device to said network initiated by a user of said
mobile communications device while said mobile communications
device is not in range of said selected cell, to queue initiation
of said service by receiving and storing on said mobile
communications device information from said user; and to
automatically complete said queued services by said mobile
communications device upon present conditions meeting said geo-cost
policy rules including said mobile communications device arriving
in range of said selected cell by delivering said stored
information using network communications thereby delaying the use
of user-initiated services until geo-cost policy conditions are
met.
10. The memories as set forth in claim 9 wherein code configured to
queue and complete a mobile service comprises code configured to
queue and automatically complete a wireless service selected from
the group of sending a text message, receiving a text message,
sending a voice message, receiving a voice message, sending
picture, and receiving a picture.
11. The memories as set forth in claim 9 wherein said code
configured to queue and complete a mobile service comprises code
configured to automatically dial a telephone number.
12. The memories as set forth in claim 9 wherein said code
configured to queue and complete a mobile service comprises code
configured to queue and automatically complete a wireless service
selected from the group of automatically connecting to a web
address, automatically downloading a data structure, and refreshing
a stored web page from a source web page.
13. The memories as set forth in claim 9 wherein said discount
indicator comprises an indicator selected from the group of a user
icon, a text message, and a computer-readable data value.
14. The memories as set forth in claim 9 wherein said code
configured to access a geo-cost policy comprises code configured to
evaluate service classes based upon a selection from the group of
telephone number, buddy name, web address, and keyword.
15. The memories as set forth in claim 9 wherein said code
configured to queue and complete a mobile service comprises code
configured to automatically complete a queued service according to
one or more geo-cost conditions selected from the group of
currently offered discount value for a given cell, a mobile device
battery low indicator, a mobile device power-off request, a clock
time, a calendar day, and a mobile device low wireless signal
strength indicator.
16. The memories as set forth in claim 9 further comprising code
configured to edit said geo-cost policy.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a Continuation Application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/391,962, docket number
AUS920040335US2, filed on Mar. 29, 2006, now under allowance, which
as a Continuation Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/912,487, docket number AUS920040335US1, filed on Aug. 5, 2004,
now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,076,237, which was a
Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/912,478, filed on Aug. 5, 2004, docket number AUS920040334US1,
now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,001, all filed by Christopher J.
Dawson, et al., and which are commonly assigned with the present
patent application.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0002] The aforementioned related U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.
11/391,962, 10/912,487, and 10/912,478, are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entireties, including figures.
[0003] This patent application is a Continuation Application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/391,962, docket number
AUS920040335US2, filed on Mar. 29, 2006, now under allowance, which
as a Continuation Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/912,487, docket number AUS920040335US1, filed on Aug. 5, 2004,
now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,076,237, which was a
Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/912,478, filed on Aug. 5, 2004, docket number AUS920040334US1,
now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,328,001, all filed by Christopher J.
Dawson, et al., and which are commonly assigned with the present
patent application.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STATEMENT
[0004] This invention was not developed in conjunction with any
Federally-sponsored contract.
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0005] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0006] 1. Field of the Invention
[0007] This invention relates to technologies and business
processes for dynamic cellular phone rate pricing based on cellular
traffic patterns, and especially to methods and systems which
encourage consumer behavior changes which optimize loading of
equipment and return on investment for cellular infrastructure.
[0008] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0009] Millions of people around the world use cellular phones as a
means to connect talk with one another and to access to various
sources of information. With a cellular telephone, users are able
to use an incredible array of features and functions such as
storing contact information, making to-do task lists, sending or
receiving text or voice messages and being able to connect to the
Internet.
[0010] Regardless of the makes and models of cellular phones being
supplied to the marketplace, cellular phone companies actively
offer different rate plans to attract and retain new and existing
customers. Various rate plans include, but are not limited to,
prepaid, area-limited and either one or two-tiers of time-based
services such as "peak," "off-peak," and "nights and weekends." The
last being the most commonly used in today's marketplace.
[0011] A cell phone is actually a sophisticated radio that
functions along with cell phone towers. The battery-powered,
portable devices which perform wireless networking for voice and/or
data communications as all or part of their functionality are well
known in the art, including but not limited to: [0012] (a) cellular
telephones; [0013] (b) wireless web browsers; [0014] (c) cordless
telephones and cordless small office/home office (SOHO) telephone
switch systems; [0015] (d) laptop computers, palm top computers and
personal digital assistants (PDA) equipped with wireless local area
network (LAN) or cellular data interface cards; and [0016] (e)
one-way, two-way, text and voice pagers and terminal devices.
[0012] For the remainder of this description, we will refer
primarily to cellular telephone examples and implementations to be
representative of a range of these devices. Certain terms from
cellular telephone parlance are analogous in functionality to terms
from other networking technologies, such as Personal Communications
Systems ("PCS") towers being similar to "base stations" or wireless
access points. It will be readily recognized by those skilled in
the art, however, that the problems and the invention presented
herein are common to all the various wireless network
battery-powered devices as previously exemplified.
[0013] A key aspect of each cellular system is the division of a
service area into small "cells", each cell being served by a single
tower, access point or base station. Turning to FIG. 1, two "cells"
(10, 11) are shown geographically adjacent to each other, each cell
having a "tower" (12, 13) located at its center. Typically, cells
are considered to be of hexagonal shapes (15, 17) for network
planning and management purposes in PCS architecture, but in
reality, the signals from the towers propagate equally well for a
generally circular area (14, 16) of coverage. This often produces
areas of coverage overlap (18) between adjacent cells. In practice,
a cellular system (19) comprises multiple cells in a honeycomb
arrangement, but only two adjacent cells are shown here for ease of
understanding.
[0014] When a terminal device such as a PCS handset or wireless web
browser is at a position P.sub.1 outside of reception range (14,
16) of a tower within the system, the device will be unable to
perform its functions such as making or receiving telephone calls,
performing data communications, receiving text messages, etc. Most
systems will continuously "search" for a tower signal, performing
some type of protocol to make contact with one or more towers which
may be within reception range.
[0015] This process of searching may simply include measuring a
signal strength on a frequency and/or channel from the tower, or
may be more active such as sending or transmitting a signal from
the device's transmitter to initiate a contact with an in-range
tower. While the former approach will consume some power for the
search, the latter almost always consumes even more power as
transmission of signals is usually a more power intensive operation
than simply receiving a signal.
[0016] As a device reaches or travels to a position P.sub.2 in the
"fringe" area of coverage for a tower, it may detect a usable
signal strength from the tower (12) within its reception range,
and/or may be able to effectively transmit a code, registration or
other signal to the tower (12). At this position, the device is
technically within the tower's cell (10).
[0017] The "logging in" or "registration" process as a device
enters a tower's cell varies between different wireless
technologies. For example, the registration process employed by PCS
systems is different than the registration process used by its
predecessor "analog" (e.g. "AMPS") cellular system, and both are
very different than the registration process employed by wireless
data networking technologies such as BlueTooth, IEEE 802.11b,
Motorola's Ricochet network, two-way pager networks, etc. For
illustrative purposes, however, we now present a brief overview of
the PCS registration process.
[0018] Cell phones and base stations use low-power transmitters, so
that the same frequencies can be reused in non-adjacent cells which
allows millions of people to use cell phones simultaneously. Each
city comprises, for example, of hundreds of towers while each
carrier in each city runs one central office called Mobile
Telephone Switching Office ("MTSO"), which handles all of the phone
connections to the normal land-based phone system and controls all
of the base stations in the region. A cell phone is composed of
three unique codes that help carriers identify each gadget and
facilitate call transmission. Each cell phone has its unique 32-bit
number programmed into the phone when it is manufactured called
Electronic Serial Number ("ESN"). Once service is activated, the
cell phone will have the 10-digit phone number called the Mobile
Identification Number ("MIN") and an unique 5-digit number that
assigns to each carrier (e.g. Spring, MCI, AT&T, Verizon, etc.)
by the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") called the System
Indentication Code ("SID") programmed.
[0019] When a cell phone is first powered up, it "listens" for an
SID on the control channel. The phone and base station uses the
control channel, a predetermined special frequency, to talk to one
another about things like call set-up and channel changing. If the
phone cannot find any control channel to listen to, then it knows
that it is out of range and displays a "No Service" indicator or
"Out of Range" message. When the phone receives the SID, it
compares it to the SID programmed into the phone. If authentication
is successful, then the phone is communicating with its home
system. The phone transmits a registration request along with the
SID, which is received by one or more towers within range while the
MTSO keeps track of your phone's location in a database. For
example, in FIG. 1, if the handset is in position P.sub.2, only one
tower (12) may receive the registration request. If the handset is
in position P.sub.4, however, when it is powered ON initially, it
may be within the overlap of multiple cells, and the registration
request may be received by multiple towers (12, 13), or may be
directed to the tower for which the strongest signal strength is
detected.
[0020] This allows the MTSO to know which cell grid the user is
currently in so it knows when to ring the phone. When the MTSO
receives a call, it searches the database to see which cell the
user is in. The MTSO selects a frequency pair that the phone will
use in the cell grid to take the call. By using the control
channel, the MTSO communicates with the phone to inform which
frequencies to use. Once the user's phone switches on those
frequencies, the call will be connected.
[0021] Many wireless networked systems are designed to handle
providing continuous service as a unit travels from one cell to
another, while other technologies do not provide this
functionality. For example, a PCS telephone is expected to be used
in a moving vehicle or while walking, and as such, the PCS system
specifications and design include protocols and schemes for "hand
off" of service to a handset from one cell tower to another. So,
for example, as a handset moves from position P.sub.3 to position
P.sub.4, and then to position P.sub.5, the handset may initially be
served by a first tower (12), and then be handed off to another
tower (13) according to signal strength criteria and channel
availability in each area of coverage (14, 15).
[0022] The cellular base station constantly notes a user's signal
strength is diminishing as the user moves toward the edge of the
base cell grid. At the same time, the base station in the cell the
user is moving toward is aware of the increasing phone signal
strength by listening and measuring signal strength on all
frequencies. Then, the two base stations coordinates with each
other through the MTSO, and at some point, your phone gets a signal
via control channel to change frequencies. This hand off switches
the user's phone to the new cell. If the SID on the control channel
does not match the SID programmed on the mobile device, then the
phone knows that it is roaming. The local MTSO of the cell where
the user is roaming will contact the MTSO of the home system to
verify its database that the phone's SID is valid. Once
verification occurs, the local MTSO will track roaming usage as the
phone moves through its cell.
[0023] Turning to FIG. 2, a larger portion of a cellular network
(24) is illustrated, to show how a terminal or handset may traverse
multiple positions P.sub.1, P.sub.2, P.sub.3, P.sub.4, P.sub.5,
P.sub.6, P.sub.7, and P.sub.8, starting outside a network, entering
the fringe of the network, passing through and being served by
multiple cells (20, 21), and finally passing through the fringe and
out of the network. Certain cells (23, 22) may never provide
service to the handset based upon its position and proximity to
other, closer towers.
[0024] Turning to FIG. 3, a generalized architecture (40) of these
types of hardware platforms is depicted. Although each actual
device available on the market may vary in detail from this
depiction, the general functionality and capabilities of each
platform fit within the general view of this figure. Each system
typically includes all or some of the following functions: [0025]
(41) a microprocessor, microcontroller, or control logic for
implementing the logical processes of the unit; [0026] (42) one or
more application specific integrated circuits ("ASIC") for voice
compression, decompression, protocols, error checking/correction,
security, encryption/decryption, and radio signal
modulation/demodulation; [0027] (43) an audio microphone and
speaker or earphone for audible interfacing with the user; [0028]
(44) a radio frequency ("RF") frontend including intermediate
frequency stages, and an antenna (45) for receiving and
transmitting RF signals (401) from and to a tower, base station, or
wireless access point (404); [0029] (46) one or more memory devices
and types including some or all of Random Access Memory, FLASH Read
Only Memory, battery-backed memory, and Read Only Memory, with one
or more memory expansion slots (47) in some cases; [0030] (48) a
display such as a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), color TFT, or
cathode ray tube ("CRT") display, often coupled with a touch screen
sensor for receiving user input and selections, typically provided
with a keypad or keyboard or other special buttons for receiving
user input and selections; [0031] (49) often several external I/O
connectors for battery chargers, external speakers and microphones,
expansion keyboards and displays; [0032] (400) often additional
data interfaces such as IrDA or PCMCIA slots for receiving add-on
hardware, interfaces, program packs, or software; and [0033] (403)
a clock, timer and/or calendar for keeping time in units such as
seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years.
[0034] More advanced wireless network devices may include a
location technology in detail such as a GPS receiver or E911
capability (402).
[0035] As mentioned before, carriers offer a wide range of cellular
rate plans to users. Most services providers offer three different
levels of coverage such as local, regional and national, generally
illustrated in FIG. 4. Local coverage (451) usually limits service
area to a particular metropolitan area. The plan typically provides
more minutes per month than other coverage plans for local call,
and calls in extended (453) areas may be higher. Calls originated
from a roaming (452) area may incur charges from other carriers, as
well. Other regions (450) may not have coverage at all.
[0036] Some carriers now offer unlimited local airtime to lure
customers. Many recoup their costs by charging more per minute for
roaming and by tacking on a per-minute airtime charge for calls
made outside the local area.
[0037] Regional coverage enlarges the service area to include the
entire state as well as selected surrounding ones. For example,
local coverage in a southeastern U.S. plan might include Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Calls within and
between any of these states don't have any associated roaming and
long distance charges. These plans cost more and also give you
fewer airtime minutes per month than similarly priced local plans.
In addition, if one uses more minutes than provided within the
plan, a surcharge will apply for extra usage.
[0038] National coverage (453) is often a flat-rate national plan,
that is available anywhere in the United States where the carrier
offers service with no roaming or long distance charges. Most
carriers reach close to 95 percent of the United States with a
combination of analog and digital service. National plans offer
even less airtime per month than regional plans and are usually the
most expensive option.
[0039] The very popular service plan most consumers use today is
the fixed monthly rate pricing that buys a certain number of
airtime minutes for both peak and off-peak hours and other extra
features for add-on such as text messaging, call waiting and
Internet browsing. After a customer passes a credit check, carriers
usually recommend signing a contract for a certain period of time
from eleven months to three years. The carrier, in return, offers
free or steeply discounted phones, accessories and even pricing
plans for the duration. Like any other contract with its
provisions, should the user decide to cancel before the term of the
contract, a steep penalty charge is incurred.
[0040] Turning to FIG. 5, a typical monthly rate plan is shown in
table form. The rate table (50) includes a number of "types" of
services, such as minutes of voice usage in the local calling area,
in the rows (51). The pricing or allowed consumption varies based
on several characteristics such as the coverage area (51), type of
service (52), number of minutes included based on minute types such
as daytime (53), nighttime (54), weekend (55) or anytime (56). So,
for each entry in the table, a carrier may define a maximum number
of minutes included in the rate plan, and may define a surcharge
for each minute of that type of service over the prepaid amount in
a period of time such as a month. For example, at $39.99 a month,
hypothetically call "MetroTalker", consumer can have the standard
local voice 3000 minutes which consists of 500 daytime minutes
(LV-Day) from 7 AM to 7 PM on weekdays, 2000 nights (LV-Night)
after 7 PM on weekdays, 500 weekends (LV-Weekend) and zero anytime
(LV-Anytime) minutes. For any additional minutes use, depending on
time period, a surcharge is incurred on a per minute basis. For
example, day overage charge may be 14 cents per minute, and night
or weekend overcharge may be 8 cents per minute. So, the entries in
the table (50) for this rate plan "MetroTalker" would be:
[0041] LV-Day=(500, 14)
[0042] LV-Night=(2000, 8)
[0043] LV-Weekend=(500, 8)
[0044] LV-Anytime=(0, 0)
[0045] Similarly, extended area and roaming minute maximums and
overcharges can be defined for voice services, as well as defined
for other types of calls (e.g. data, pictures, text messaging, web
browsing).
[0046] It is important to note, however, that these rate plans take
into account the time of day and week of the service usage (e.g.
night vs. day, weekend vs. weekday), the type of usage (e.g. voice,
data, browsing, etc.), and the service region or area from which
the call originates, wherein each region or area contains multiple
cells (e.g. multiple towers).
[0047] Turning to FIG. 6, a generalization of the present-day
billing reconciliation process (60) is shown. The mobile device
(61) makes a call through a tower (62), and its service usage data
is recorded by a base station (63). The base station (63), also
captures the time and day of the usage (64). The base station is
not aware of specific rate plans the mobile device is assigned
because it can be a MTSO of another carrier. Usage records (65,
65') are transferred to a billing server (66) for accounting
processing. The billing server consolidates the usage records,
verifies them against rate plans (68) and gathers customer profile
information (67) to generate customer monthly invoice (69). The
billing plan is either time-based or rate plan based.
[0048] It is important to note, again, that the invoice to the
customer contains calculations and charges based upon the minutes
of service used during a billing cycle, when those minutes were
used (e.g. time, day of week), and the region from which the
service originated or was consumed (e.g. home, extended, roaming,
etc.). There is no calculation of the charges due to the customer
based upon any other factors typically.
[0049] As such, cellular phone carriers offer fixed rate plans
which do not take into account the geographically based costs
associated with cellular services within regions of service.
Geographic costs associated with cellular telephone usage include
the cost of land lease, towers, switches, and other associated
processing equipment, the human costs of cellular company
employees, and the costs associated with service levels.
[0050] For example, consider a local region that has 67 towers or
67 cells in it. Each of those towers has its own set of costs: cost
of leasing the land on which the tower is placed, cost of operating
and maintaining the equipment in the tower and base station, etc.
Some towers are owned by the service provider, while others are
leased from other owners.
[0051] For instance, in a low usage cell, underutilized equipment
is a cost, and inversely, in an overly busy area, excessive usage
may drive the need for additional bandwidth. Similarly, newer
towers may be more costly than older, depreciated towers. But, the
fees collected from the users for using these different towers or
cells within a rate region are the same. For example, let's assume
a prepaid cellular plan provides for debiting a user's account
balance at the rate of 9 cents per minute for calls made from home
region. Also assume, again, that there are 67 towers in the home
region. Further assume that cell #19 is the newest cell, and has a
cost of operation of 15 cents per minute, and that cell #45 is the
oldest cell and has a cost of operation of 2 cents per minute. If
the user makes a call from cell #19, the revenue from the call is 9
cents per minute, even though the cost to operate the cell is 15
cents per minute. So, calls handled by this cell under this rate
plan actually lose 6 cents per minute. However, calls originating
from cell #45 produce a positive revenue of 7 cents per minute.
[0052] To be profitable, the sum total of all of the cellular
operational costs in a calling region must not exceed the sum total
of the revenue from service consumed by all users on all rate plans
within that region.
[0053] Often times, though, the newer and more expensive to operate
cells are also the most heavily used. Consider a growing
metropolitan area in which a downtown area is experiencing a
business boom. This means that more towers will be needed in the
downtown area. But, these new towers fall within the existing
"local" region of rate plans, and as such, the revenue from their
usage will be the same as that from the existing towers in the
local region. Thus, to meet increasing demand and traffic, carriers
are often forced to install new equipment, which often results in a
negative revenue generation.
[0054] Carriers currently have no means for redirecting calls and
services from a higher cost cell to a lower cost cell, especially
for cells within the same rate region. Therefore, there exists a
need in the art for a method which utilizes service consumption to
modify consumer behavior encouraged by geographical-based pricing
advantages related to cellular operational characteristics within a
rate plan region.
[0055] It would be difficult to publish a map of cells within
regions to users, especially considering the overlap of coverage
between adjacent cells. Radio range coverage not only varies based
upon geographical conditions (e.g. hill sides, buildings, etc.),
but also upon varying weather conditions.
[0056] Additionally, rate plans are already complicated and many
consumers complain about their inability to understand the pricing
schemes already employed. Publishing a rate plan which breaks the
fees into cells within regions would further exasperate this
problem.
[0057] Further, publishing rate plans and brochures is costly, and
therefore is only performed periodically by cell phone companies.
However, changes to usage and costs of individual cells is
relatively dynamic. It would not be practical, however, to publish
a new rate plan brochure or guide daily or weekly in order to
update costs of usage by cell.
[0058] In some jurisdictions, rate plans must be approved by a
regulatory body or agency, which can be costly, timely and
laborious to update. For this reason as well, dynamically changing
a rate plan is not desirable.
[0059] Therefore, there additionally exists a need in the art for a
new system and method for adapting service usage among multiple
cells within a rate plan region without requiring new rate plans to
be published, documented, authorized, approved, comprehended or
adopted.
[0060] The invention described in the related patent application,
which is incorporated herein, allows wireless service providers to
selectively enhance the utilization of cell towers through consumer
behavior modification based on dynamically generated market
incentives. This invention allows wireless service providers to use
dynamic pricing and discounts correlated to specific cells in which
the consumer wishes to use service as a mechanism, in a more
effective manner, to affect individual cell tower usage.
[0061] According to one aspect of the present invention, pricing
models become more dynamic in response to with real-time usage
data. Rather than using the traditional area coverage rate plan, or
in addition to a traditional area-based plan, a graduated
stand-alone or graduated comparative pricing model is introduced by
the invention, in which the users are shown in real-time
dynamically generated pricing and cost incentives to delay usage in
high-traffic or high-cost-of-operation cells, and to encourage
usage in low-traffic or low-cost-of-operation cells.
[0062] Consumers may learn patterns of discounts and market
incentives, and will adjust their behavior accordingly, thereby
affecting desirable traffic load changes among cells within a rate
plan region without the need for publishing complicated maps,
committing to contractual discounts, and educating the users with
respect to technology complications and details.
[0063] It is also desirable, in view of the discount and incentives
provided by the related invention, to allow a user to establish a
set of preferences under which certain activities on the mobile
device could be completed while in the higher cost cell, but for
which the actual network servicing of the operation would be
delayed until the mobile device reaches a lower cost cell where the
incentives are being offered to the consumer. By delaying service
completion but allowing the user to perform certain actions in the
higher cost cell, the user is able to queue certain services to
occur while he or she is mindful of it, but the completion of which
will be made in a lower cost cell, thereby providing maximum
convenience and cost advantage to the user.
[0064] Therefore, there also exists a need in the art for a system
and method which allows a user to establish a set of service
delaying preferences, to provide certain preliminary actions by the
user to initiate a delayed service, and then to automatically
complete that service when the mobile unit has reached a lower cost
cell or under other circumstances defined by the user's
preferences.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0065] The following detailed description when taken in conjunction
with the figures presented herein present a complete description of
the present invention.
[0066] FIG. 1 depicts the architecture of the cellular telephone
system including multiple small cells.
[0067] FIG. 2 illustrates a larger portion of a cellular network
and how a terminal or handset may traverse multiple positions.
[0068] FIG. 3 shows a generalized architecture of cellular
telephones and other wirelessly networked devices.
[0069] FIG. 4 describes the typical three different regions of
coverage.
[0070] FIG. 5 shows a typical monthly rate plan pricing table.
[0071] FIG. 6 illustrates the present-day billing reconciliation
process.
[0072] FIG. 7 depicts in more detail a number of service regions,
each of which contain multiple cells, in which each cell generates
the same revenue as the other cells within the same region.
[0073] FIG. 8 illustrates a portion of the logical process of the
present invention involving collecting real-time usage
statistics.
[0074] FIG. 9 shows user consumption behavior modified by service
incentives according to the present invention.
[0075] FIG. 10 shows usage shaping rate rules according to one
aspect of the present invention, the Graduated/Stand-alone Discount
Profile.
[0076] FIG. 11 depicts our Graduated/Stand-alone Discount Profile
in graphical format.
[0077] FIG. 12 illustrates another aspect of the present invention,
Graduated/Comparative Discount Profile.
[0078] FIG. 13 illustrates a portion of the logic of the present
invention according to the Graduated/Comparative Discount Profile
aspect.
[0079] FIG. 14 depicts several optional embodiments of a geo-cost
notifications icon for display on a cellular telephone, PDA, or
other mobile device's user interface.
[0080] FIG. 15 shows the logical processes of the present invention
which defers service completion based upon geographical-based
pricing advantages and user preferences.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0081] In conjunction with the discount and incentives provided by
the related invention, user's of mobile devices are allowed to
establish a set of preferences under which certain activities on
their mobile device can be completed while in a higher cost cell,
but for which the actual network servicing of the operation is
delayed until the mobile device reaches a lower cost cell where the
incentives are being offered to the consumer. By delaying service
completion but allowing the user to perform certain actions in the
higher cost cell, the user is able to queue certain services to
occur while he or she is mindful of it, but the completion of which
will be made in a lower cost cell, thereby providing maximum
convenience and cost advantage to the user.
[0082] For example, when a user initiates editing of a text message
on his or her cell phone, the cell phone may determine (or query
the user) that the message is of a class "personal". According to a
set of user preferences, personal messages are preferred to be
delivered only in discounted cells. So, if the cell where the phone
is currently located is offering a discount, the message would be
sent immediately. But, if the phone is currently located in a
full-price cell, the message would be stored by the phone, and
transmission would be delayed until the phone is notified that it
has reached a discounted cell.
[0083] According to one aspect of the invention, the user may
designate a plurality of classes of services and actions, such as
"personal", "business", "family", etc. Ordinary actions, such as
text messaging, voice calls, web browsing, etc., can be determined
to exist in one of the user's defined classes based upon address
book entries, queries of the user, etc.
[0084] According to another aspect of the present invention,
additional conditions may be defined by the user under which
completion of queued services would be done besides reaching a
discounted cell, such as upon a maximum delay time per action,
reaching a certain time of day, receiving a power-off request by
the user, low signal strength, or low battery power, etc.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0085] The present invention is preferably realized as circuitry or
firmware stored in a wireless network device's memory (46) and
executable by the device's controller (41), cooperating with
logical processes provided by a server system operated by a
wireless network service provider. The portion of the invention
realized as executable by the wireless network device may be
preprogrammed into the device, or it may be downloaded from a
memory card, the wireless network or another data network or
interface, as the capabilities of the device allow and within the
business model of the service provider.
[0086] Throughout this disclosure, we will refer specifically to
and provide examples of embodiments with respect to cellular
telephone services. The present invention, however, is not limited
to these embodiments, but may equally well be realized in
conjunction with any wireless network services and systems wherein
the service geography is served by a plurality of radio access
points, such as wireless LAN access points, BlueTooth, etc. As
such, when we refer to a cell phone or mobile device, we are
referring in general to any such wirelessly networked device such
as a PDA, cell phone, laptop computer, pager, etc. Additionally,
when we refer to a "tower", we are referring to any wireless
network access point, such as a LAN wireless access point, a
BlueTooth transceiver, and a cellular telephone tower (analog or
digital).
[0087] Additionally, the present invention is preferably realized
in conjunction with the invention set forth in the related patent
application, the disclosure of which is contained herein and which
has been incorporated by reference. It will be recognized by those
skilled in the art, however, that the present invention may be
realized in alternative embodiments in conjunction with other
network services and systems without departing from the scope of
the invention.
[0088] Currently, network load smoothing is done using pricing
based upon time of day embodied in a region-based rate plan. This
entails offering users lower service pricing for weekends and after
7 PM where demands for cell phone usage is less, for example. Rate
plans also offer pricing incentives for using the services within
certain rate plan regions (e.g. home or local), and pricing
premiums for using service in other regions (e.g. roaming).
[0089] These rate plan schemes provide no ability, however, for the
providers to adjust pricing on a cell-by-cell basis within a rate
plan region. As such, new towers, access points, etc., installed
within a rate plan region generate the same review as existing
towers within that region. Due to differences in cost of operating
each tower, and/or due to loading variations among the towers
within a rate plan region, some towers may actually generate
negative revenue.
[0090] The present invention enables cell phone network providers
to use pricing as a mechanism to enhance usage of specific cell
phone towers within each rate plan region to provide further
balancing of traffic among towers within a region, and to allow
enhanced return-on-investment ("ROI") on underutilized towers.
[0091] Our invention extends upon the region-based rate plans to
further allow dynamic variation in service pricing based upon the
current utilization of cell towers. Rather than using the
traditional area coverage rate plan, or in addition to a
traditional area-based plan, a pricing policy is provided by the
invention in which the users are shown, real-time, dynamically
generated pricing and cost incentives to delay usage in
high-traffic or high-cost-of-operation cells, and to encourage
usage in low-traffic or low-cost-of-operation cells. Through usage
of the invention over time, consumers may learn patterns of
discounts and market incentives, and they will adjust their
behavior accordingly, thereby affecting desirable traffic load
changes among cells within a rate plan region without the need for
publishing complicated maps, committing to contractual discounts,
and educating the users with respect to technology complications
and details. This allows cell phone carriers to make its services
more attractive for users to defer using cell phones until a cell
tower utilization is low, therefore lowering cost.
[0092] Turning to FIG. 7, each rate plan region, such as a home or
local region (451), contains a plurality of cells (71, 72, 73, 74)
Each of the cell towers (71, 72, 73, 74) within the rate plan
region have its varied utilization usage depending upon present and
historical user traffic. This is also true in other rate plan
regions, such as roaming regions (452) and extended or national
regions (453). It will be recognized by those skilled in the art
that the pictorial of FIG. 7 is simplified for illustrative
purposes, and in practice, each rate plan region comprises of
multiple cell towers. It will also be recognized by those skilled
in the art that there may be more than one of each type of rate
plan region, and that other names or descriptions for rate plan
regions may be adopted.
[0093] Now let's consider actual traffic or usage of tower's or
cells within a region to illustrate the problem to which the
invention is directed. For example, a particular cell phone tower
that services users working in the vicinity of Times Square, New
York City, is much more highly utilized than a cell tower covering
a suburb at certain times, such as during the commuting hours to
and from work (e.g. 7:00 am-9:00 am and 4:00 pm-7:00 pm). In fact,
cell phone usage typically dramatically increases around the end of
the work day period in downtown and urban areas, but then traffic
on these same towers is relatively light during the weekends and
evenings. At other times, though, certain cell towers in the
suburban areas will be more heavily loaded than the downtown
towers, such as during weekends or holidays when users are
congregated closer to their homes.
[0094] Some wireless services consumed are "real time" services,
such as the completion and connection of two-way voice calls. Some
services, however, are one-way, such as the authoring of a Short
Message Service ("SMS") text message or leaving of a voice message
recording for a certain party. Traditionally, these one-way
services are also conducted "real time" (e.g. the message is
delivered at the same time the user creates it), even during the
busiest periods of use of a particular cell tower.
[0095] All of these towers, downtown and suburban, though are
located within the same rate plan region according to the typical
rate plans offered by service providers today. So, usage of a cell
phone during a commute when a tower is heavily loaded generates the
same amount of revenue as usage of a cell phone in that same cell
when tower traffic is lower, using the region rate plan scheme
known in the art.
[0096] Consider a specific user, who we will call "user A",
wireless service usage habits and patterns. When User A ends the
work day, an SMS message is authored and transmitted to User B to
confirm a dinner plan, for example. This message would be sent soon
after leaving the workplace, perhaps on the sidewalk near Times
Square while walking to the closest subway station. Alternatively,
the user may leave a voicemail for User B, which according to the
current technology would be transmitted over the telephone network
immediately and stored at User B's voicemail box server.
[0097] Under the current pricing model, the message sent by User A
(or minutes used to record and send a voicemail) will be charged
based on the type of monthly plan purchased according to the
"local" region rate. The tower serving this cell, though, is
experiencing a very high load of traffic, as many other users are
doing the same type of thing at the same time (e.g. they are all
leaving work and making a personal call, sending a message, etc.).
There is little or no incentive for each user to delay sending an
SMS message at this time, say 5:15 p.m., because their "nighttime"
minutes don't start until 7:00 p.m., or even 9:00 p.m., which would
be too late for organizing dinner plans, for example.
[0098] Each tower tracks and maintains its traffic level which
varies by components such as number of users servicing, number of
calls or services consumed (e.g. calls, sessions, messages, etc.),
and length of consumption (if relevant). According to one aspect of
the present invention, these statistics and data are utilized as
shown in FIG. 8 by collecting real-time usage information from the
base stations. Each base station (71, 72, 79) provides real-time
traffic and loading statistics (80) to a traffic shaping server
(81). The traffic shaping server (81) receives this information in
near real-time mode, and the traffic shaping server (81) has access
to a set of behavior shaping rules (83), and optionally the user
rate plans (68) and customer profiles (67).
[0099] Our shaping rules (83) of the related invention comprise
discount policies that define market discounts to be offered to
users in order to modify consumption behaviors and direct usage to
underutilized or more cost-effective cells within the same rate
plan region.
[0100] Additionally, using historical data (82) regarding each cell
tower's historical usage, the potential utilization of each cell
tower at a specific time period can be determined.
[0101] With this information, the shaping server (81) can determine
when a service is being initiated by a user in a certain cell if
that cell is currently highly utilized or loaded, and if so, if
there is a nearby or adjacent cell which is relatively lowly
utilized or historically underutilized. If so, the user can be
provided a signal or indication that a discount would be available
for using the service or making the call from an alternate cell, in
order to encourage the user to delay service consumption, thereby
alleviating the busy cell of the additional traffic. The process of
signaling the user is described in more detail in the following
paragraphs.
[0102] For example, at 5:00 p.m. on a weekday, the carrier can send
a notification to User A that the current cell where the user is
located is a full price cell. Later, when User A arrives in a lower
cost cell (e.g. lower utilized cell), the carrier can send a
notification to User A that a discount applies to making calls or
using other services while in this cell. It is important to note
that the two cells described here are both within the same rate
plan region, and would not have been priced differently under the
standard region-based rate plan of the prior art.
[0103] So, after this set of experiences are had by the user, the
user will learn that by using the present invention, he or she may
record a voice message or author a text message at any time (e.g.
even when located in a full price cell), but the system can
automatically delay the transmission of his or her text or voice
message according to his or her discount preferences, the user's
costs can be managed and minimized. The network operator also
realizes an benefit as this change in their consumers' behavior
distributes the load of messages to cell towers which are less in
demand. In this example, if the user is leaving the office headed
for a 20 minute subway ride to his or her neighborhood, the user
notices that when leaving the office building, the rates are full
price. But, when emerging from the train station in the
neighborhood, there is a discount available. As such, the user will
learn to take advantage of the discounts by configuring his or her
preferences to delay the sending of non-urgent messages for a few
minutes until he or she is in the lower cost cell. The user may
author or record the message at any time, though, so that the user
will not forget to create and send the message later, and so that
the user's convenience is not negatively impacted.
[0104] Through this method, the related invention encourages user
behavior changes without committing to a new rate plan, without
publishing new rate plans, and can accommodate dynamic changes in
the network loading conditions. For example, if in the future the
cell in the neighborhood also becomes historical busy during the
5:00-6:00 p.m. range, the discount offer can be discontinued by
simply not indicating a discount to the user.
[0105] The foregoing example is illustrated in a general sense in
FIG. 9, which can be interpreted for any number of other sequences
of actions of a user and the wireless network system. Rather than
having User A author and transmit a message near Times Square using
the user's mobile device (61) at a certain time, a message
transmitted in the Bronx may be given a discount after the user
moves (94) to a more underutilized cell. More specifically, the
mobile device (61) within the first cell (71) initiates a call (91)
or other service request (e.g. text message, web browsing, etc.),
which is intercepted by our traffic shaping server (81).
[0106] The traffic shaping server (81) conducts a check on all the
real-time statistics of the cell (71), and potentially of other
cells within the same rate plan region, and sends a geographical
cost ("geo-cost") value notification back to the mobile device
(92). This notification can be any of several embodiments,
including setting an icon on the mobile device's display, sending a
text message to the mobile device, or providing a data value to the
mobile device which is then used by a program on the mobile device
to notify the user (e.g. the mobile device may receive a data value
and then may display it, annunciate it using voice or tones, etc.).
User A, knowing that discounts may be available in other cells, may
decide to cancel the current call (93) or service request, and to
make the call at a later time after relocating (94) to another cell
(72). Likewise for text or voice messaging, the user may decide to
author or record the message immediately, but to allow the mobile
device to store the message for later delivery when located in a
cell where a discount is offered.
[0107] When the mobile device (61) reaches the new cell tower
coverage (72), if the cell where the mobile device is currently
located is an underutilized or low-cost cell, the shaping server
will determine this using the real-time traffic statistics, rate
plans and shaping rules as previously described. Then, an updated
geo-cost indicator is provided (95) to the mobile device which will
alert the user to the fact that a discount currently applies to
calls or services consumed from this cell. So, for example, once
our hypothetical User A arrives in his or her neighborhood, perhaps
the Bronx, the geo-cost indicator on the phone be updated to show a
discount is in effect. This may result in the user deciding to
initiate and consume (96) a service for the case of a telephone
call. In the case of a stored message, the message will be
automatically delivered, as described in the following
paragraphs.
[0108] When this pattern is repeated a few times to the user, most
users will learn that discounts are usually available at certain
times on certain days in certain places (e.g. in certain cells).
They will learn only the portions of the discount plan that apply
to them, thereby minimizing the "learning curve" which would be
otherwise required to understand a complicated table of rates,
times, and a map of cells within a rate plan region. Additionally,
as traffic is redirected historically to cells which are
underutilized, the discounts offered can be lessened or even
eliminated. Even when the discounts are eliminated, some consumers
will continue their habit of placing calls in the lower cost
cells.
[0109] By offering incentives to consumers in this manner, one
embodiment of an incentive pricing model (1050) according to the
invention can be realized in our shaping rules as shown in FIG. 10.
Cell phone network providers can offer discounts based on
percentage of tower utilization in this model. For example, if a
cell tower is more than 60% occupied at a certain time, then no
discounts are available. However, if the tower traffic is between
20% and 60% utilized, then a 40% discount can be applied to calls
made from that cell at that time. These discounts can be applied to
the standard or "full" rates for that rate plan region and period
of time. For example, if the user is within a 50% utilized cell in
an extended rate plan region at night and is attempting to send a
text message, the "full" rate of XM-Night is reduced by 50%. For
cells with even greater underutilization, such as less that 20%
utilization in this example, even greater discounts (e.g. -60%) can
be offered. This pricing strategy promotes usage awareness and
encourages change in user consumption behavior--the greater the
discounts offered, the greater the incentive to change usage
patterns, and the greater the return to the service provider. Of
course, our example here uses three tiers of cell tower
utilization, which could be expanded to any number of tiers (from 2
to many). Likewise, different discount rates can be defined for
different types (52) of service even though we have shown for
simplicity similar discount rates among different types of service.
The shaping rules described in the foregoing paragraphs and shown
in FIG. 10 are our Graduated/Stand-Alone ("GSA") pricing policy,
which is shown graphically in FIG. 11. The amount of discount
(1151) from standard or full rate is a stepwise function (1153) of
the traffic loading (1152) of a particular cell at a given time
and/or historically. Turning to FIG. 12, an alternate set of
shaping rules (1050'), which we refer to as a Graduated/Comparative
("GC") discount policy, is illustrated in correlation to a standard
region-based rate plan (50). Rather than providing discount
thresholds which are a function solely on traffic conditions within
the cell where the mobile device is currently located, the GC
policy produces discounts as a function of relative traffic
conditions between the current cell where the user is located and
adjacent cells (e.g. cells where the user is most likely to travel
soon). This is provided in this example policy by taking a ratio of
an adjacent cell's utilization compared to the current cell's
utilization, and then what percentage discount is due. For example,
if the adjacent cell is less utilized (e.g. ratio is less than 1.0)
up to 20% more utilized than the current cell, no discount would be
offered (e.g. the neighboring cell is similarly loaded). However,
if the neighboring cell is particularly more loaded than the
current cell (e.g. the ratio is 1.2-1.6), then a discount, perhaps
40%, would be offered to encourage the user to use a service now in
the current cell (rather than potentially waiting and using the
service when located in the higher utilized cell). Likewise, the
adjacent cell is greatly much more utilized than the current cell
(e.g. ratio is greater than 1.6), and even greater discount or
incentive is offered to the user to encourage using the service in
the current cell.
[0110] FIG. 13 illustrates the logic of comparing utilization
statistics (80', 80''') of adjacent cells (71, 72) to a current
cell (73) utilization statistics (80'') using ratio calculators
(1161), the results of which can be considered by the shaping
server (81).
[0111] As mentioned previously, discount notifications are sent to
mobile devices when it becomes available. These geo-cost
notifications can display in various forms such as icons, text
messages, or value. However, it will be recognized by those skilled
in the art that the present invention is not limited to the
following display formats, but may be alternatively realized.
[0112] For example, a text message reading as follows could be sent
to the mobile device when a discount is being offered in a
particular cell: [0113] "Cool!! Make a call now and save an extra
20%! [0114] Thanks for Using MegaServe Wireless today!"
[0115] Alternatively, a geo-cost icon or indicator can be displayed
on the mobile device's user interface, such as those shown in FIG.
14. For example, to notify users the costs of each call, message,
or other unit of consumption of service, a cost meter can be used
to show gradual increasing costs one bar (a) for highly discounted,
to two bars (b) with some discount, to full or standard rate
(c).
[0116] Following a similar scheme, alternate iconic representations
can be dollar signs of graduated size from greatest discount to
standard rate (d, e, f respectively), a partially filled dollar
sign (g, h, i), or stacks of coins (j, k, l).
[0117] Any of these icons can be filled with numerous colors to
denote changes or value, such as using green for greatest discount
and red for standard rate. Also, the use of any other graphic
symbol which readily conveys the meaning of cost or money can be
used in place of the dollar symbols, especially for systems
designed for use in cultures which use other monetary symbols such
as British pound .English Pound., the European Union's Euro , or
the Japanese Yen .
[0118] According to another embodiment of the related invention, a
downloaded JAVA applet executed by the mobile device can receive a
data value from the shaping server, and then can determine how to
notify the user of the discount opportunities using icons, images,
and/or sounds.
[0119] Authoring Messages Real-Time and Delaying Message Completion
According to Cost Incentives and Preferences. Turning now to FIG.
15, our method (2000) of the present invention is shown which
allows realtime or immediate authoring or recording of messages,
and automatically defers or delays service completion (e.g. message
transmission) based upon geographical-based pricing advantages and
user preferences. Services which are one-way in nature, such as
authoring and sending a text message, capturing and sending a
picture or video, or recording and delivering a voice message, are
handled differently from the technology currently available in that
they are not created and completed at the same time. In other
words, the creation of the information to be delivered and delivery
of that information are separated in time as such: [0120] (a) user
creates information to be sent (e.g. authors a text message,
captures a picture or video, records a voice message) at any time,
and immediately to the user's need to create a message, regardless
of the current pricing of the cell where the mobile device is
located; [0121] (b) if user's cost incentive preferences are not
currently met in the current cell, the information (e.g. voice
recording, text message, etc.) is stored in the user's mobile
device and is not delivered or transmitted, thereby avoiding any
network usage at the current cost or pricing level; [0122] (c) a
delay period is incurred according to the user's preferences by the
invention embodied in the mobile device; and [0123] (d) upon
completion of the delay period (or upon the meeting of an alternate
preference setting), the stored information is delivered (e.g. the
text message is transmitted, the picture or video is transmitted,
the recorded voice message is delivered to the addressee's
voicemail box, etc.).
[0124] Normally, step (d) above is completed in a cell which is
offering a cost incentive, which allows the user to obtain savings
for certain types of service, and defers the network traffic caused
by those delayed services to another cell tower which is not as
busy, less expensive to operate, etc. Alternate preferences for
completing a deferred service can be defined as well, such as
completing all deferred messages when a battery is detected as low,
or when the power to the mobile device is being turned off by the
user, as will be described in more detail in the following
paragraphs. Using our hypothetical User A who authors a text
message (or records a voice message, etc.) addressed to User B, a
wireless service is initiated (2001). The mobile device (e.g. cell
phone, PDA, etc.) determines (2002) if the initiated service is a
type for which service completely can be delayed (e.g. a text
message, voice message, web connection, etc.). If it is not of a
type which can be delayed, then the handling of the service
proceeds normally (2003). Optionally, the user is provided a
control or prompt which allows the user to override any delays of
service completion, which provides an ability to selectively
complete service normally (2003) under user control, e.g. a text
message is sent immediately to User B while charges are recorded
based on User A's regular pricing plan.
[0125] Otherwise, if (2003) the service can be delayed, then the
system performs (2004) a check of the user's geo-cost delay policy
(2005). An user's geo-cost delay policy is preferably a file or
data structure stored in the mobile device, but may optionally be a
data structure or query available to the mobile device from a
network server. It comprises a set of rules and policies that
dictate when services can be completed according to a
classification of the attempted service and the current pricing
incentives being offered in the cell where the mobile device is
currently located.
[0126] For example, Table 1 shows an example Geo-Cost Delay
Policy.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Example User Geo-Cost Delay Policy In
(plan-area=home), for: text_messages: queue if rate not discounted;
auto-transmit if rate discounted or queued 1 hour or battery is low
or if power-off button; receive always; voice_messaging: auto-dial
business always; queue personal if rate not discounted; auto-dial
personal if rate is discounted or time is after 10:00 pm or if
battery is low or if day is weekend; receive all always
web_browser: auto-connect business and investment always; queue
personal if rate not discounted; auto-connect personal if rate
discounted; In (plan-area=roam), for: text_messages: queue if rate
not discounted; auto-transmit if rate discounted or queued 1 hour
or battery is low or if power-off button; receive if rate discount;
voice_calls: auto-dial business after prompt; queue personal if
rate not discounted; auto-dial personal after prompt; receive all
after prompt; web_browser: auto-connect after prompt;
[0127] This example geo-cost policy defines two sets of rules or
preferences, a first set for services made from the "home" rate
plan region, and a second set for services attempted from a
"roaming" rate plan region. Additionally, it defines three classes
of services (a) business, (b) personal, and (c) investment. These
same classes are preferably stored in an address book in
association with each entry (e.g. denoting each telephone number,
pager number, buddy name, web address, etc., as personal, business
or investment). Optionally, the user may be prompted to select a
class of service upon initiation of the service, especially when
located in a full-rate cell.
[0128] According to this example set of rules, when the user is
located in a home region, text messages will be queued if rate not
currently discounted from standard "home" rate, and the stored and
queued messages will be automatically transmitted from the mobile
device through the network when the mobile device is relocated to a
cell where the rate is discounted. Additionally, the messages
stored by the mobile device may be automatically transmitted after
they have been delayed for 1 hour, or when the mobile device's
battery is low or when the user presses the power-off button. Text
messages of all classes are handled the same way, according to this
set of rules.
[0129] Voice calls initiated from a home region are handled
differently depending on the availability of discounts, and the
class of the service. For example, business calls will always be
connected and completed without delay, but personal calls are
queued if the rate is not discounted (e.g. a voice message is
recorded into the mobile device's memory and stored for later
delivery to the intended recipient). When queued, the telephone
number and voice recording is stored in memory, and then
automatically dialed (e.g. auto-connected) and delivered (e.g.
played), or transmitted to the recipient's voicemail box, when the
mobile device reaches a cell where a discount is offered. As in
this example, if the current time is after 10:00 p.m., the battery
is low, or when the day is a weekend day, the recorded voice
message would automatically be delivered. Additionally, inbound
calls are always received, regardless of service class.
[0130] Similarly, web browsing attempts (e.g. attempt to connect or
view a web page) while in a home region are allowed without delay
for business and investment web sites and addresses, but are queued
for personal web sites and pages if the mobile device is not
currently located in a cell where a discount is being offered.
Personal web sites are auto-connected (e.g. automatically
downloaded or refreshed in memory) when the mobile device reaches a
discounted cell, without exception to battery power, time, etc.,
according to this example.
[0131] Likewise, similar rules are established for services
initiated from a "roam" rate plan region, except that most of the
rules provide for prompting of the user to either complete
immediately or queue the service.
[0132] By providing such a user-configurable set of rules, this
provides the user with the option to have messages and other
services deferred until being automatically completed when his or
her preferences are met. This allows users to take advantage of the
pricing discounts based on tower traffic, but does not require the
user to remember to repeat the service initiation when the lower
cost cell is reached (e.g. avoids the user forgetting to send that
message later when a discount is offered).
[0133] Once the system conducts the geo-cost delay policy (2005)
checks (2004), it preferably prompts (2006) the user to decide
whether or not to queue (2007) the service completion after waiting
(2008) to reach a discounted cell, or until another logical
condition is met (e.g. power-off, battery low, etc.). If the user
wants the message to be sent instantly, then service will be
initiated and completed normally (2003), according to the preferred
embodiment. If the service completion is queued and after the
conditions set forth in the delay policy are met, the service is
automatically initiated (2009) using the stored telephone number,
address, etc.
[0134] According to other aspects of the present invention, the
user may establish his or her geo-cost delay policy by using the
user interface of the mobile device to directly edit and configure
his or her preferences, or he or she may be provided with a web
page or portal which allows the user to edit the policy which would
then be downloaded to the mobile device.
[0135] In another optional embodiment, the policy is not stored by
the mobile device, but is stored by a network server, and is made
available to the mobile device through a specific query action.
[0136] As mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the user is
preferably allowed to define his or her own classes of services,
such as business, personal, investment, news, sports, family,
weather, etc., without limit as to number of classes. In an
alternative embodiment, the user may be provided with or limited to
pre-determined classes, and may be provided with a pre-configured
policy which the user may or may not be allowed to change.
CONCLUSION
[0137] The present invention has been described in general terms
and by use of illustrative embodiment examples. It is within the
skill of those in the art to make certain alterations
modifications, such as programming language, computing platforms,
implementation methodology, in order to realize an alternative
embodiment of the invention for use with an alternative system.
Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be determined
by the following claims.
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