U.S. patent application number 14/037987 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-23 for network access device for providing restricted broadband wireless access to a network.
This patent application is currently assigned to Macheen, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Macheen, Inc.. Invention is credited to Glenda J. Akers, Catherine T. Callen, Justin B. Meyer, Richard L. Schwartz, James Cesar Alfred Trotter.
Application Number | 20140023026 14/037987 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49755839 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140023026 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Meyer; Justin B. ; et
al. |
January 23, 2014 |
Network Access Device for Providing Restricted Broadband Wireless
Access to a Network
Abstract
A network access device is provided which includes a connector,
a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, and a computer
program stored in the medium. The connector is adapted to
releasably engage a port in a mobile communications device, thereby
bringing the network access device into electrical communication
with the mobile communications device. The computer program
contains suitable programming instructions which, when executed,
provide the mobile communications device with broadband access to a
network through an MVNO or MNO, subject to a predefined set of
restrictions defined by a tenant of the MVNO.
Inventors: |
Meyer; Justin B.; (Austin,
TX) ; Akers; Glenda J.; (Austin, TX) ;
Schwartz; Richard L.; (Austin, TX) ; Trotter; James
Cesar Alfred; (Frisco, TX) ; Callen; Catherine
T.; (Austin, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Macheen, Inc. |
Austin |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Macheen, Inc.
Austin
TX
|
Family ID: |
49755839 |
Appl. No.: |
14/037987 |
Filed: |
September 26, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13690834 |
Nov 30, 2012 |
|
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|
14037987 |
|
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|
13369055 |
Feb 8, 2012 |
8594618 |
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13690834 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
370/329 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/20 20130101;
H04M 15/60 20130101; H04M 15/8022 20130101; H04W 48/02 20130101;
H04L 12/1403 20130101; H04L 67/02 20130101; H04M 15/58 20130101;
G06F 3/0482 20130101; H04M 1/72561 20130101; H04M 15/41 20130101;
H04L 12/1442 20130101; H04L 12/1432 20130101; H04L 41/5061
20130101; H04M 15/51 20130101; H04M 15/52 20130101; G06Q 20/145
20130101; H04W 72/04 20130101; H04M 15/8016 20130101; H04M 15/80
20130101; H04W 4/60 20180201; H04M 1/72519 20130101; H04M 15/70
20130101; H04L 12/1485 20130101; H04W 4/24 20130101; H04W 48/00
20130101; H04M 15/43 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/329 |
International
Class: |
H04W 72/04 20060101
H04W072/04; H04W 4/24 20060101 H04W004/24; H04W 48/02 20060101
H04W048/02 |
Claims
1-25. (canceled)
26. A method for controlling access to a network, comprising:
defining a set of rules which govern access to the network by said
plurality of mobile communications devices; providing a network
device which includes (a) transceiver which communicates data
between a network and a plurality of mobile communications devices,
(b) a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium, and (c) a
computer program stored in said medium and containing suitable
programming instructions which, when executed, provide each of said
the mobile communications devices with broadband access to the
network via the network access device, subject to said set of
rules; establishing a first communications link between each of
said mobile communications devices and said network device; and
establishing a second communications link between said network
device and said network.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein said transceiver communicates
packetized data between said network and said plurality of mobile
communications devices.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein said rules are recorded in said
computer-readable medium.
29. The method of claim 26, wherein said broadband network access
is limited to a single site on said network.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said broadband network access
extends to other sites on the network on a subscription basis.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein said broadband network access
extends to other sites on the network on a pay-per-use basis.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein said pay-per-use basis is a
function of connection time to said other sites.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein said pay-per-use basis is a
function of bandwidth used during connection to said other
sites.
34. The method of claim 26, wherein said network access device is
provided by an MVNO or MNO, and wherein said access is limited to
sites on the network designated by the MVNO or MNO.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein said mobile communications
device is equipped with a display, wherein said program causes a
landing page to be displayed on said display, and wherein the
landing page varies as a function of at least one item selected
from the group consisting of (a) the region the mobile
communications device is located in, (b) the type of device the
mobile communications device is, (c) the tenant, (d) the device,
and (e) the corporate sponsor.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein said MVNO or MNO has a
corporate sponsor associated therewith, and wherein said group
further consists of (d) the corporate sponsor.
37. The method of claim 26, wherein said access is limited to a
predetermined start and end time.
38. The method of claim 26, wherein said access terminates in
response to an action taken by the user.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein said action taken by the user
includes clicking on a hot-link for access to a different
website.
40. The method of claim 26, wherein said mobile communications
device is equipped with a display, wherein said program causes a
set of icons to be presented on said display, and wherein each icon
is hot-linked to a specific website.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein said access commences when the
user selects a first icon from the set of icons, and wherein said
access terminates when the user selects a second icon from the set
of icons.
42. The method of claim 38, wherein said access is provided in
response to an action taken by the user which is selected from the
group consisting of (a) watching an advertisement; (b) filling out
a survey; (c) clicking a link; or (d) referring others to a
service.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein said mobile communications
device has a plurality of applications resident thereon which are
adapted to access the network, and wherein said access is limited
to a subset of said applications which has fewer members than the
entire set of said applications.
44. The method of claim 42, wherein said access is allowed for some
communications protocols, but denied for others, and wherein the
communications protocols for which access is allowed or denied is
defined by said set of predefined rules.
45. The method of claim 42, wherein said access is allowed for some
URLs, but denied for others, and wherein the URLs for which access
is allowed or denied is defined by said set of predefined
rules.
46. The method of claim 42, wherein said access is allowed for some
ports, but denied for others, and wherein the ports for which
access is allowed or denied is defined by said set of predefined
rules.
47. The method of claim 42, wherein said access is allowed for some
domain names, but denied for others, and wherein the domain names
for which access is allowed or denied is defined by said set of
predefined rules.
48. The method of claim 42, wherein said access is allowed for some
IP addresses, but denied for others, and wherein the IP addresses
for which access is allowed or denied is defined by said set of
predefined rules.
49. The method of claim 44, wherein said access is allowed for http
traffic and https traffic.
50. The method of claim 44, wherein said access is denied for RTSP
traffic.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
13/690,834 (Meyer et al.), filed on Nov. 30, 2012, and entitled
"FRACTIONAL APPLICATIONS PRODUCT CATALOG", which is incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety, which is a
continuation-in-part application and claims the benefit of U.S.
Ser. No. 13/369,055 (Meyer et al.), filed on Feb. 8, 2012, and
entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TASK SPECIFIC, METERED BANDWIDTH
CONTROL WITHIN SHARED CLIENT ENVIRONMENT ON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
PLATFORMS", now allowed, which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/440,471 (Meyer et al.), filed on Feb. 8,
2011, and entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TASK SPECIFIC, METERED
BANDWIDTH CONTROL WITHIN SHARED CLIENT ENVIRONMENT ON MOBILE
COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORMS", which is also incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety, and which also claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/563,234 (Meyer et al.),
filed on Nov. 23, 2011, and entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TASK
SPECIFIC, METERED BANDWIDTH CONTROL WITHIN SHARED CLIENT
ENVIRONMENT ON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORMS", which is also
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to bandwidth
allocation on mobile devices, and more particularly to systems and
methods for metering bandwidth in a shared client environment on
mobile communications devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003] Mobile network operators (MNOs) are responsible for an
increasingly large portion of the communications network
infrastructure in the modern world. Typically, MNOs are defined as
companies that have both a licensed frequency allocation of the
radio spectrum over which they can operate, and the required
infrastructure needed to run an independent mobile network. Such
infrastructure may include, for example, GSMs (global systems for
mobile communications), CDMAs (code division multiple access
systems, which are digital radio systems that transmit streams of
bits or PN codes) and other core mobile network related
infrastructure, such as mobile switching centers (MSCs) and a radio
access network.
[0004] As mobile networks have continued to develop, the companies
providing the services required to operate and use these networks
have had to adopt newer business models to keep pace with evolving
consumer demands. In combination with changing government
regulations, this has led to the evolution of mobile virtual
network operators (MVNOs).
[0005] Unlike MNOs, MVNOs do not have their own licensed frequency
allocation, and frequently do not even have all of the
infrastructure required to provide mobile communications. Instead,
MVNOs work in concert with other companies having these assets to
provide mobile communications platforms to customers. In some
instances, a company may operate as both an MNO and an MVNO. For
example, if an MNO lacks a frequency spectrum allocation in a
particular geographical region, it may operate as an MVNO in that
region.
[0006] Significant efficiencies are obtained by the MVNO business
model, since an MVNO does not incur the significant capital
expenditure on spectrum and infrastructure that an MNO does, nor
does it have the time consuming task of rolling out extensive radio
infrastructure. Rather, this division of responsibilities allows
MVNOs to concentrate on their role of value-added service
providers, while many aspects of network maintenance and operation
are performed by other companies behind the scenes.
[0007] The continued evolution of mobile communications networks
has brought about even further specialization of services. Hence,
while some MVNOs run their own billing and customer care solutions
(commonly known in the art as business support systems (BSS)),
others delegate these services to a mobile virtual network enabler
(MVNE). MVNEs provide services to MVNOs such as billing, network
element provisioning, administration, operations, support of base
station subsystems and operations support systems, and provision of
back end network elements, to enable provision of mobile network
services such as cellular phone connectivity.
[0008] A MVNE typically does not have a relationship with end-user
customers. Instead, an MVNE provides infrastructure and services to
enable MVNOs to offer services and have a relationship with
end-user customers. Hence, MVNEs allow MVNOs to focus on their core
strengths (typically brand, customer loyalty and marketing), while
leaving the back-end enablement and operations to the MVNEs. An
MVNE typically also has shared risk-reward arrangements with the
MVNO with various kinds of revenue sharing models which are usually
tied to the number of subscribers that the MVNO has projected in
their business plan.
[0009] From a systems standpoint, designing an MVNE is a complex
process that frequently includes taking commercial off-the-shelf
applications and converting them to work in a multi-tenancy model
in a seamless fashion. Here, multi-tenancy refers to the principle
in software architecture where a single instance of the software
runs on a server, serving multiple client organizations (tenants).
Multi-tenancy may be contrasted with a multi-instance architecture
where separate software instances (or hardware systems) are set up
for different client organizations.
[0010] With a multitenant architecture, a software application is
designed to virtually partition its data and configuration, and
each client organization works with a customized virtual
application instance. In a multi-tenancy environment, multiple
customers share the same application, running on the same operating
system, on the same hardware, with the same data-storage mechanism.
The distinction between the customers is achieved during
application design, and hence, the customers do not share or see
each other's data.
[0011] There are currently three main types of MVNEs. These may be
categorized according to their MVNO solutions:
[0012] (a) Aggregator MVNEs: these offer consulting and integration
services and have bundled all of the back-office network components
through alliances. These promote their ability to quickly provide
order-to-cash solutions to MVNOs.
[0013] (b) Aggregator MVNEs with their own service delivery
platforms (SDPs): this includes aggregators which have developed
one or more back-office solutions internally, and have complemented
them with partnerships to provide end-to-end enablement
services.
[0014] (c) Specialized enablers: these offer only parts of the
back-office network such as messaging platforms, data platforms and
billing solutions. They are not solely focused on the MVNO
market.
[0015] The SDP associated with an MVNE is a set of components that
provides a service delivery architecture (such as service creation,
session control & protocols) for a particular type of service.
SDPs became popular with the introduction of open standards as IP
technologies were introduced, and with the rapid expansion of
Voice-over-IP (VoIP) for transmission of voice data over packet
networks and the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for standardized
media control, especially regarding enterprise voice communication.
In this new standards-supported environment, convergence of the
voice and data worlds has become an avenue for the production of
new and better consumer and business services.
[0016] The last few years have seen the introduction and
proliferation of various SIP programming libraries and products
based on the relatively new SIP standard, and the IP Multimedia
Subsystem standard defined by the 3GPP (a collaboration between
groups of telecommunications associations to make a globally
applicable third-generation (3G) mobile phone system specification)
has gained a substantial following. SDPs, whose power comes in
large part from the quality and acceptance of these supporting
standards, are rapidly gaining acceptance as widely applicable
architectural patterns. SDPs are commonly considered for the telco
type environments as core systems which interconnect the customer's
access and network infrastructure with BSS and OSS systems
(operational support systems), the computer systems used by
telecommunications service providers (the term OSS is most
frequently used to describe "network systems" dealing with the
telecom network itself, supporting processes such as maintaining
network inventory, provisioning services, configuring network
components, and managing faults). SDPs in this context are usually
associated to a particular service regime such as mobile telephones
or for converged services.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a system architecture which may
be used to implement the systems and methodologies described
herein.
[0018] FIG. 2 is an illustration of the architecture of an MNVE
platform which may be utilized in the systems and methodologies
disclosed herein.
[0019] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a screenshot of an embodiment
of the GUI of an on-device client in accordance with the teachings
herein, which depicts the gauge feature used to depict the amount
of connection time or data remaining that is still available to a
user.
[0020] FIGS. 4-11 are screenshots of methods for using the GUI of
an on-device client in accordance with the teachings herein for the
presentation of offers to the user.
[0021] FIG. 12 is an illustration of an APN network architecture in
an embodiment of a system in accordance with the teachings
herein.
[0022] FIG. 13 is an illustration of the network architecture in an
embodiment of a system in accordance with the teachings herein.
[0023] FIG. 14 is a diagraph illustrating the structure of an
APN.
[0024] FIG. 15 is a diagram of an implementation of a white label
process for mobile communications services in accordance with the
teachings herein.
[0025] FIG. 16 is an embodiment of a system architecture which may
be utilized to provide content and applications for mobile services
within the context of some of the restricted or metered bandwidth
control paradigms of the types disclosed herein.
[0026] FIG. 17 is an embodiment of a system architecture which may
be utilized for administration, activation and provisioning of
content and application services within the context of some of the
restricted or metered bandwidth control paradigms of the types
disclosed herein.
[0027] FIG. 18 is an embodiment of a system architecture which may
be utilized to provide end users on a first network with fractional
access to applications on a second network.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0028] In one aspect, a communications system is provided which
comprises (a) a first platform associated with an MVNE; (b) a
second platform which is integrated with said first platform and
which has a plurality of tenants associated therewith, wherein each
tenant has a set of mobile communications devices associated with
it, wherein each mobile communications device in the set has an
instance of a client installed on it which maintains an open
connection to a communications network, and wherein each client is
equipped with a graphical user interface (GUI); and (c) a group of
offers selected by a tenant which are displayed on the GUI of each
member of the set of mobile communications devices associated with
the tenant.
[0029] In another aspect, a method for providing offers over a
mobile communications platform is provided. The method comprises
(a) providing a first platform associated with an MVNE; (b)
providing a second platform which is integrated with said first
platform and which has a plurality of tenants associated therewith,
wherein each tenant has a set of mobile communications devices
associated with it, wherein each mobile communications device in
the set has an instance of a client installed on it which maintains
an open connection to a communications network, and wherein each
client is equipped with a graphical user interface (GUI); and (c)
displaying a plurality of icons on the GUI, wherein each of said
plurality of icons is associated with a third party service
provider and is hot-linked to a web page associated with the third
party service provider.
[0030] In a further aspect, a data only device is provided which is
equipped with an always-hot connection to the Internet or to
another communications network.
[0031] In still another aspect, a method is provided for indicating
the consumption of network connectivity. The method comprises (a)
providing a mobile communications device which is equipped with a
GUI and which is connected to a network; and (b) displaying a gauge
on the GUI which graphically depicts the amount of network
connectivity remaining.
[0032] In another aspect, a network adapter is provided which
comprises (a) a connector adapted to releasably engage a port in a
mobile communications device, thereby bringing the network adapter
into electrical communication with the mobile communications
device; (b) a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium;
and (c) a computer program disposed in or stored in said medium and
containing suitable programming instructions which, when executed,
provide the mobile communications device with free or paid
broadband access to a network; wherein said free or paid access is
limited to specific sites on the network.
[0033] In another aspect, a network access device is provided. The
device comprises (a) a transceiver which communicates data between
a network and a plurality of mobile communications devices; (b) a
tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium; and (c) a
computer program stored in said medium and containing suitable
programming instructions which, when executed, provide each of said
the mobile communications devices with broadband access to the
network via the network access device, subject to a predefined set
of rules.
[0034] In a further aspect, a method is provided for controlling
access to a network. The method comprises (a) defining a set of
rules which govern access to the network by said plurality of
mobile communications devices; (b) providing a network device which
includes (i) transceiver which communicates data between a network
and a plurality of mobile communications devices, (ii) a tangible,
non-transitory, computer-readable medium, and (iii) a computer
program stored in said medium and containing suitable programming
instructions which, when executed, provide each of said the mobile
communications devices with broadband access to the network via the
network access device, subject to said set of rules; (c)
establishing a first communications link between each of said
mobile communications devices and said network device; and (d)
establishing a second communications link between said network
device and said network.
[0035] In another aspect, a system is disclosed for providing
broadband communication services, comprising (a) a first entity
which distributes wireless mobile communications devices to
consumers; and (b) a second entity which provides broadband
wireless access to a network; wherein said second entity provides
said broadband wireless access on a white label basis to said first
entity, and wherein said wireless mobile communications devices are
configured to provide broadband wireless access to the network
under a private label applied by the first entity to the white
label broadband wireless access.
[0036] In still another aspect, a method is disclosed for providing
broadband communication services. The method comprises (a)
providing broadband wireless access to a network; and (b) selling
broadband wireless access to a first entity on a white label basis,
wherein said first entity distributes wireless mobile
communications devices to consumers, wherein said wireless mobile
communications devices are configured to provide broadband wireless
access to the network under a private label applied by the first
entity to the white label broadband wireless access.
[0037] In a further aspect, a method is disclosed for providing
broadband communication services. The method comprises (a)
obtaining, on a white label basis, broadband wireless access to a
network; (b) applying a private label to the broadband wireless
access; and (c) distributing wireless mobile communications devices
to consumers, wherein said wireless mobile communications devices
are configured to provide broadband wireless access to the network
under the private label.
[0038] In yet another aspect, a method is provided for controlling
access to applications or services over a network which includes
(a) a plurality of client mobile communications devices, and (b) a
network appliance equipped with (i) a product catalog which
contains a listing of a plurality of applications or services, and
(ii) a set of service rules which governs access to any of the
applications or services in the product catalog by the client
devices. The method comprises (A) receiving a request, from one of
the plurality of client devices, for an action selected from the
group consisting of (a) activating an application or service, and
(b) renewing a previously activated application or service; (B)
determining whether the request is allowable by (i) ascertaining
whether the requested application or service is in the product
catalog, and (ii) ascertaining whether the service rules permit the
client device to access the requested application or service; (C)
if the request is allowable, updating the network service appliance
to indicate that the requested service or product is allowed for
the requesting client device; and (D) if the request is not
allowable, sending a notice to the requesting client device that
access to the requested application or service has been denied.
[0039] In still another aspect, a method is provided for
controlling access to applications or services available on a
second network by a plurality of client mobile communications
devices on a first network, wherein the first network includes (a)
a first database comprising (i) a product catalog which contains a
listing of a subset of the applications or services available on
the second network, and (ii) a set of service rules which governs
access to any of the applications or services in the product
catalog by the client mobile communications devices; (b) a second
database which specifies the applications or services that have
been activated for each of the plurality of client mobile
communications devices; and (c) a network appliance which is in
communication with the second database and which grants access by
each of the client mobile communications devices to the respective
applications and services specified as active for that device. The
method includes (a) receiving a request, from one of the plurality
of client mobile communications devices, for an action selected
from the group consisting of (i) activating an application or
service, and (ii) reactivating a previously activated application
or service; (b) determining whether the request is allowable by (i)
ascertaining whether the requested application or service is in the
product catalog, and (ii) ascertaining whether the service rules
permit the client device to access the requested application or
service; (c) if the request is allowable, updating the second
database to indicate that the application or service has been
activated for the requesting client device; and (d) if the request
is not allowable, sending a notice to the requesting client device
that the request has been denied.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A1. Overview
[0040] Despite the aforementioned advances in the art and the
evolution of SDPs, mobile communications platforms today are still
limited in some material respects. In particular, such platforms,
and the service offerings that have arisen around them, are
premised on conventional models for providing mobile broadband
services, typically involving monthly or annual subscription fees.
Such models do not account for or leverage the fact that many
consumers access the Internet or other networks for specific
purposes. Moreover, such models are primarily geared towards
providing services such as broadband access to consumers, without
considering ways in which broadband access may be leveraged to
provide new methods and systems for consuming online services.
[0041] It has now been found that new service models and product
offerings, and new means for service consumption, may be provided
by divorcing service offerings from conventional models of mobile
broadband service consumption. This end may be achieved, for
example, through the provision of a means by which consumers can
consume services independently of mobile broadband, and through a
means by which businesses are provided with new opportunities for
deriving revenue streams independently of mobile broadband. In
particular, business models are disclosed herein in which mobile
broadband service may be used merely as a pipe for other services,
offers and consumption models.
[0042] For example, in some of the systems and methodologies
described herein, an on-device client is provided which is in
communication with a platform associated with an MVNO OR MNO (this
platform may be integrated with another platform associated with an
MVNE). The device may be in an "always connected" or "always hot"
relationship with a mobile broadband service which may be free to
the user or paid for by the user. However, unless the user buys
general broadband access (by, for example, purchasing 30-day
service pass), the user can only go to a website associated with
the MVNO OR MNO (or to a set of websites associated with or
sponsored by tenants of the MVNO OR MNO), and can only get access
to offers provided by tenants of the MVNO OR MNO. Hence, the user
is given an "always hot" connection (either for free or paid for by
the user), but the user is restricted in terms of what the user can
do with the service.
[0043] This arrangement facilitates new ways of doing business and
providing services independently of mobile broadband service. This
arrangement also shifts the traditional paradigm away from
purchasing network (e.g., Internet) connectivity based on time and
data, to one where connectivity may be purchased based on what the
consumer wants to do with the connectivity.
[0044] As an example, a consumer electronics company that provides
mobile communications devices to consumers may use such an
arrangement to maintain a hot connection to the device. This hot
connection may then be utilized to stream or display offers to
consumers and to provide consumers with the ability to browse
certain designated websites, even when the consumer does not
otherwise have access to the Internet or another network. As a
result, the company has the ability to engage in revenue sharing
activities with other parties in exchange for making offers from
those parties available to the consumer over the "always hot"
connection the company is providing.
[0045] As a further example, a service provider may use the systems
and methodologies described herein to provide session-based network
access to consumers. Hence, rather than paying for Internet access
in general, the consumer has the ability to pay for a specific
task, such as the ability to access the Facebook.TM. social network
ten times, or the ability to watch a particular movie. The service
provider (which may be, for example, an MVNO OR MNO or a tenant
thereof) thus has the ability to engage in revenue sharing with
parties providing these sites or services, in exchange for making
their site accessible or for providing a hotlink to their site in
the real estate provided on the consumer's mobile communications
device.
B1. System Architecture
[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates a first particular, non-limiting
embodiment of a general system architecture which may be used to
implement some of the systems and methodologies described herein.
As seen therein, the system architecture 101 comprises a first MVNE
platform 103 which is associated with an MVNE, and a second MVNO
platform 105 associated with an MVNO.
[0047] The MNVE platform 103 is preferably an SDP and hence
contains a set of components that provides a service delivery
architecture (such as service creation, session control &
protocols) for a particular type of service. The MNVE platform 103
has associated with it a first database 133 containing operator
information, SIM information and rate plans, and a second database
135 containing account information and hierarchies. Of course, it
will be appreciated that the MNVE platform 103 may contain
additional databases, that the first 133 and second 135 databases
may be combined into a single database, or that any the components
of the first 133 and second 135 databases may be disposed in other
(possibly additional) databases.
[0048] The MVNO platform 105 is a multitenant platform which
interfaces with the MNVE platform 103 and with a plurality of
tenant-branded on-device clients 107. The MVNO platform 105 has
associated with it a first database 141 containing data for
self-service first level support, and a second 143 database
containing marketing teasers and other advertisement data. Of
course, it will be appreciated that the MVNO platform 105 may
contain additional databases, that the first 141 and second 143
databases may be combined into a single database, or that any the
components of the first 141 and second 143 databases may be
disposed in other (possibly additional) databases.
[0049] The MVNO platform 105 is further equipped with suitable
client proxies to allow it to interface with the clients 107, and
is also equipped with the necessary software and hardware to
implement the desired functionalities 117 of the MVNO. Such
functionalities 117 may include, but are not limited to, account
registration, the ability to add money or credits to an account,
starting a time pass, generating notifications, viewing or
modifying account information, viewing SIM usage and account
balances associated with a SIM, adding or transferring balances
between SIMs, providing marketing teasers, and supporting a
self-help tutorial, which may include frequently asked questions
(FAQs) or information about how to perform common tasks
("how-to's").
[0050] The MVNO platform 105 and the MNVE platform 105 exchange
information and otherwise cooperate to support various
functionalities 119, 120 for the clients 107 and the associated
users. Such functionalities 120 may include, but are not limited
to, account registration, the ability to add money or credits to an
account, starting a time pass, generating notifications, viewing or
modifying account information, viewing SIM usage and account
balances associated with a SIM, and adding or transferring balances
between SIMs. These functionalities 119 may further include
services required to support the operations of the MVNO, which may
include, but are not limited to, providing reports, maintaining a
network operations center (NOC), processing operator settlements,
and providing support services to the MVNO. Such support services
may include, but are not limited to, SIM logistics (such as
requesting shipment of SIMs), activating, deactivating or blocking
SIMs, processing trouble tickets, and modifying balances (e.g.,
applying credits or debits).
[0051] The reporting functionalities provided by the MVNO platform
105 include service reporting 111 and royalty reporting 113 to the
tenants. The royalty reports typically include details on network
usage and revenue sharing on a tenant-by-tenant basis. The service
reports typically include details regarding the number of consumers
that activated service on a given day, the number of users that
have received their machines and powered up, and the number of
users that have not used the service recently.
[0052] As previously noted, the MVNO platform 105 interfaces with a
plurality of tenant-branded on-device clients 107. The clients 107
may be thick or thin clients, and may be browser-based. Each client
107 is equipped with an application programming interface (API)
which has been defined to it. An MVNO may use the MVNO platform 105
to provide a tenant with white-label services so that the tenant
has the ability to use the client 107 provided by the MVNO, and can
simply brand it. The tenant may also provide its own client 107 and
may cut to the API. As part of the service offering, the MVNO
platform 105 provides Wi-Fi, fixed and mobile broadband
connectivity to its tenants.
[0053] Preferably, the MVNO works with each of the tenants to
define a set of services the tenant wants to go to market with,
establish goals and requirements, assemble the business processes
required by the tenant, and instrument the client (in both the MVNE
103 and MVNO 105 platforms). From a consumer perspective, then, the
consumer buys a service which is sold by the MVNO, and the MVNO and
tenant work together to support the care of that service.
[0054] The MVNO platform 105 is preferably implemented on a server
which is in communication with a self-service portal 109. The
self-service portal 109 is defined in both the browser and the
on-device clients 107, and is preferably implemented with a
multi-layer protocol. The self-service portal 109 provides
self-service 1.sup.st level support to consumers, and allows them
to access the functionalities 117 described above. The MVNO
platform 105 is also preferably equipped with teaser interfaces 115
(such as e-mail) which may be used for marketing and advertisement
purposes.
B2. MNVE Platform
[0055] The MNVE platform 103 is a service delivery platform through
which the MNVE interfaces with an MNO 127 and a service aggregator
125. The MNVE platform 103 interacts with modules or services which
provide e-mail receipt 131, a payment gateway 123 and a service for
order fulfillment and returns 121. The latter service processes the
activation/deactivation of IMSIs (international mobile subscriber
identities), subscriber names and addresses, free day passes, and
service IDs.
[0056] Referring still to FIG. 1, the MNVE platform 103 acts as a
service delivery platform which preferably provides comprehensive
convergent rating and charging capabilities to handle advanced
prepaid, postpaid, interconnect and roaming requirements. This
platform may leverage a software solution which offers a complete
solution for multiple play customer care and billing (CC&B).
The CC&B may be modular and rapidly deployable, and preferably
supports such processes as customer initiation, order management,
customer activation, service provisioning, customer care, usage
rating, invoicing, accounts receivable, collections and reporting.
The software solution also preferably allows the MVNO to manage
complex, multi-layered relationships and create service packages
consisting of multiple voice and value added services (VAS). The
software solution may be deployed in a multi-tenant configuration
so as to enable the SDP to support specific customer management
processes, and to order management workflows and billing
configurations for each of its MVNO customers on a single instance
of the software.
[0057] The software solution preferably affords the flexibility for
the MVNO to provide custom solutions which are configured to the
specific operational requirements of the MVNO. The MVNO customers
benefit from the ability to support their brands with multiple
service combinations and advanced rating and charging options.
[0058] The software suite may also provide a range of customer
management and billing solutions which enable the MVNO to deliver a
personalized and effective customer experience, expand service and
product offerings and increase operational efficiency. The software
solution may be based on a modular product portfolio that includes
billing, rating, product catalog, CRM, self care, e-billing and
data analysis. In a preferred embodiment, the software solution
includes the following modules:
[0059] (a) a web-based customer management module that centrally
manages customer information and processes the workflow of customer
lifecycle events;
[0060] (b) an event and usage based rating engine which processes
complex rating schemes in real-time and supports rating hierarchies
for vendor, partner and other third party compensation;
[0061] (c) a robust billing and invoicing engine that processes
invoices, calculates periodic charges (usage, recurring, one-time,
credits) and applies applicable discounts, promotions and taxes;
and
[0062] (d) catalog software that enables the MVNO to define and
manage an enterprise catalog of convergent product offerings and
packages with advanced pricing and discount schemes.
B2. MNVE Platform Components
Customer Management Module
[0063] The web-based customer management module enables the MVNO to
establish an operational framework to build a customer base, while
also attracting new customers. This module is preferably a
web-based customer management application which provides service
providers with the following functionalities: (a) customer
relationship management (CRM), (b) partner management, (c) order
management, (d) workforce management, (e) resource management, (f)
service configuration and provisioning, (g) accounts receivable,
and (h) cash collections. These functionalities are preferably
integrated into a single, unified front-end HTML framework that
provides a detailed view of all customer information, while
streamlining the business processes between activities.
[0064] The web-based customer management module may be adapted to
provide a 360.degree. view of all customer related information and
activities. The customer centric functionality of the customer
management module enables customer service representatives (CSRs)
to quickly respond to all customer inquiries and requests from a
centralized application. Hence, with the customer management
module, CSRs can avoid having to access multiple applications or
having to transfer customers to other departments.
[0065] The customer management module also preferably processes
customer lifecycle events using a flexible, rule-based workflow
mechanism and supports advanced task management with resolutions
and escalation procedures. Customer-oriented functions, such as
customer registration, service activation, online pricing plan
assignment, customer request and complaint handling, the issuance
of letters and notices, and customer profile modification, may all
be supported within the framework of an automated workflow
mechanism.
[0066] The order management processes for the fulfillment of
multiple play service orders in the customer management module are
processed by an embedded workflow engine. Each step of the order
management activities are configured according to specific
operational business processes and policies covering the
initiation, modification and termination of services, the automatic
provisioning of interfaces, and the fulfillment of orders to
external devices and third parties. The order management features
of the customer management module support the configuration,
validation and assignment of complex services and bundles.
B3. MNVE Platform Components
Rating Engine
[0067] The event and usage based rating engine processes multiple
play services and matrix structured rating schemes. This engine
allows service providers to capture all revenue generating
opportunities by processing complicated usage and event billing
scenarios and hierarchical structure rating plans.
[0068] The event and usage based rating engine is preferably a
carrier-grade rating engine that supports high volume processing of
real-time and batch event and usage records. The event and usage
based rating engine handles traditional retail, business and
inter-carrier rating scenarios, as well as multilayered rating
hierarchies to support partner and vendor relationships. The event
and usage based rating engine is preferably capable of rating
expanded services, incentive-based pricing, discount structures and
loyalty schemes. The event and usage based rating engine gathers
usage information from internal and external sources, validates and
formats the information, identifies the subscribers to be billed
and rates the usage according specific subscriber usage plans. The
event and usage based rating engine also preferably contains
features for monitoring and controlling processes, including
exception handling, re-rating and rollback functionalities.
[0069] From a single instance of the event and usage based rating
engine, any combination of products and services may be rated. As a
service-neutral rating engine, the event and usage based rating
engine can process a high volume of usage records acquired from
various external devices and gateways, while handling multiple
input streams simultaneously. The event and usage based rating
engine may also support pay-per-speed, pay-per-bandwidth,
pay-per-view, pay-per-event, volume-based and IP time-based
events.
[0070] The event and usage based rating engine preferably
incorporates service level agreements and network quality of
service ratings to accurately charge for usage. These rating
capabilities may allow for processing both in-collects and
out-collects for intricate partner compensation and reconciliation.
The event and usage based rating engine also reevaluates data
records to check for fraud, while rated usage output can be
exported to external decision support systems (DSS) and data
warehousing applications.
[0071] Standalone or multiple instances of the event and usage
based rating engine may be deployed and run in parallel to increase
operational throughput. The event and usage based rating engine
preferably has a scalable design that is capable of handling rapid
and unlimited increases in customer numbers and traffic volume.
B4. MNVE Platform Components
Billing and Invoicing Engine
[0072] The billing and invoicing engine compiles, generates and
summarizes the elements that make up a customer invoice. The
billing and invoicing engine calculates recurring charges based on
customer price plans and compiles other relevant charges for a
billing period. The billing and invoicing engine calculates the
applicable taxes for the invoice according to each customer's tax
plan.
[0073] The billing and invoicing engine is preferably a convergent
billing engine that is able to calculate charges for a multiple of
products and services on a consolidated bill or bill for each
product and service separately. The billing and invoicing engine
helps expand revenue streams by supporting volume discounts,
cross-product discounts, rewards and promotions.
[0074] With respect to volume discounts, the billing and invoicing
engine is preferably adapted to aggregate customer usage according
to several categories and to apply appropriate volume discounts.
With respect to cross-product discounts, the billing and invoicing
engine is preferably adapted to apply discounts based on diverse
combinations of products and packages. With respect to rewards, the
billing and invoicing engine is preferably adapted to dynamically
calculate discount eligibility based on customer profiles and
usages volumes, and to apply rewards in the form of discounts on
the invoice, free usage or bonus points. With respect to
promotions, the billing and invoicing engine preferably operates to
ensure that customer usage of promotional offers remain within
predefined limitations.
[0075] The billing and invoicing engine preferably allows invoices
to be split into multiple billing cycles, while numerous bill runs
can be validated and authorized in parallel. The billing and
invoicing engine also preferably supports prorated billing for
products and plans, according to actual active dates, and further
preferably includes hot bill functionality for out-of-cycle and
on-the-fly billing.
[0076] The billing and invoicing engine helps to ensure billing
accuracy through an established bill verification and approval
process, and provides detailed log files showing generation
statistics in order to reduce billing errors. The billing and
invoicing engine also preferably includes a rollback functionality
that allows bill generations to be reversed and new invoices to be
created.
[0077] The billing and invoicing engine preferably supports
multiple billing formats and multilingual invoices according to
specific operational and regional needs. The billing and invoicing
engine may also handle third party billing to support the needs of
distribution partners and revenue sharing scenarios. Preferably,
the billing and invoicing engine outputs XML, PDF or PostScript
files and includes a configurable archiving system.
[0078] The billing and invoicing engine is preferably built with an
architecture that enables multiple bill runs to be processed in
parallel. Preferably, bills can be viewed during the validation
stage before being committed to the storage database in order to
perform quality assurance on output.
B5. MNVE Platform Components
Catalog Software
[0079] The catalog software is preferably an enterprise product
catalog that allows service providers to construct and manage a
catalog of complex product and package offerings with advanced
price discount schemes. The catalog software may be utilized to
improve operational efficiency by removing the need to manage
multiple instances of product information in different OSS/BSS
systems.
[0080] The catalog software preferably integrates product
information with pricing strategies and synchronizes the product
catalog across all OSS/BSS systems. It may support customer-based
processes with relevant product information related to customer
product fit.
[0081] Order management processes are preferably centrally defined
in the catalog software so as to enable the configuration and
validation of product fulfillment. The product codes stored in the
catalog software may be mapped from one system to another for
adjusting revenues and computing cost and revenue centers.
Moreover, provisioning parameters relating to different product
lines may be configured in the catalog software, thereby enabling
centralized and unified control of the capabilities of various
network elements. Also, price catalog and billing parameters may be
managed centrally in the catalog software, thereby removing the
need to define and maintain product information separately in
different billing systems.
[0082] The catalog software may be adapted to support multiple play
products and packages from fixed line, ISP, mobile, cable TV and
utilities-based services. The catalog software may be adapted to
allow multiple internal departments within a service provider to
easily control various aspects of product offerings,
configurations, pricing and discount schemes. The catalog software
is preferably equipped with an automated workflow mechanism that
enables separate product profiles and tasks to be defined and
initiated by other applications in order to achieve a centralized
repository for controlling product management.
[0083] The catalog software is preferably adapted to allow service
providers to define prices for various products and packages and to
adjust tariffs and create discount plans. The catalog software also
preferably allows for the bundling of products across different
business lines into new packages.
[0084] The catalog software may also serve as a centralized
knowledge center for marketing and technical information about all
products and packages. As a result, the catalog software
streamlines business processes and reduces the time-to-market with
associated defining new products and packages, while reducing
operational overhead.
C1. Functionalities of MNVE Platform
[0085] FIG. 2 illustrates the functionalities of a preferred
embodiment of the MNVE platform 201. The MNVE platform 201 has a
front end 205 and a back end 207 within the infrastructure of the
MVNO 203, and a set of business support systems 209. The front end
205 and a back end 207 may be addressed through a client 231. Each
of the functionalities provided by the MNVE is described in greater
detail TABLE 1 below:
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Functionalities of MNVE Platform MODULES
DESCRIPTION SMSC Handles SMS and real-time charging of SMS. Prior
to granting an SMS (211) submission (or reception) the SMS Charger
requests permission from Charging. Real-time charging is applicable
to roaming- and home network users. MMSC Handles MMS traffic
together with real-time charging of MMS. Prior to (213) granting an
MMS submission (or reception) the MMS Charger requests permission
from Charging. Real-time charging is applicable to roaming- and
home network users. SCP Handles call control and real-time charging
of voice/data/fax/video calls. (215) All traffic is monitored in
real time with refusal of service if e.g. insufficient funds. GGSN
(incl. Handles real-time charging of packet traffic. Prior to
granting data Packet Charger) traffic the Packet Charger requests
permission from Charging. Real-time (217) charging is applicable to
roaming- and home network users. Event Charger Handles event
charging requests from external applications such as (219) content
providers and value-added service platforms. Number Number
portability gives the service provider the means to use number
Portability DB portability information (network operator ID) for
rating and traffic (221) routing. Voice Mail Flexible and
integrated solution for recording and storage of voice (213)
messages. Includes features such as multi-language support, auto
provisioning and self management (via USSD, etc), complete message
convergence, e.g. MMS and e-mail voice message delivery. IVR
Handles various subscriber interactions, like top up management and
(225) customer self care with interactive voice responses. USSD
Handles various subscriber interactions, like top up management and
(227) customer self care with interactive text message. The USSD
Gateway also acts as a USSD Menu Server, interacting with external
applications. WAP Gateway Handles all WAP traffic. (229) Charging
Receives charging requests and ensures these are rated, reserved
and committed. Rating Responsible for rating all traffic types for
all subscription types. Subscriber Contains customer, account and
subscription data. Great flexibility in services creating customer
structures/packages, loyalty bonuses, etc. Includes tools to
administrate customer-related logistics (in batch or individually)
for phone numbers and SIM cards. Vouchers Voucher Management
handles creation and management of vouchers, virtual calling cards
and PIN codes. Full voucher lifecycle logistics are supported. B2B
and B2C Responsible for handling billing, i.e. generation of
invoicing files. accumulations Contains CDR data that is kept
online for a set period and then archived/exported to other
systems. Outbound and Outbound provisioning is handled towards
external systems such as inbound HLR. Inbound provisioning is
handled via CAI (Customer provisioning Administration Interface).
Discounting Accumulation based discounts. TAP Import Importing and
B2C charging of TAP3 roaming files. Client The Client is a
graphical user interface (GUI) for configuration and creation of
products and services, rate plans and billing schemes, as well as
administration and management of the system.
D1. On-Device Client
[0086] FIG. 3 depicts a particular, non-limiting embodiment of a
GUI 401 which may be associated with an instance of a client
installed on a mobile communications device in some of the systems
and methodologies disclosed herein. In some such embodiments, each
tenant on an MVNO (see, e.g., FIG. 1) may have a set of mobile
communications devices associated with it, and each mobile
communications device in a set may have an instance of such a
client installed on it.
[0087] As seen in FIG. 3, the GUI 401 has a first display portion
403 on which a plurality of tiles 405 or icons are displayed, and a
second display portion 407 on which status information 409 relating
to the user's account is displayed.
[0088] The status information 409 includes a gauge 411, similar to
a fuel gauge on an automobile display. The gauge provides a
real-time indication of resource consumption and, in particular, an
indication of how much bandwidth usage or access or connectivity
time is available to the user before replenishment will be
necessary. Such a gauge 411 may be implemented by, for example,
integrating time and bandwidth consumption rates into a numerical
scale, in a manner analogous to the way a fuel consumption gauge on
an automobile integrates the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel
tank with the fuel consumption rate. Hence, the gauge 411 provides
a visual indication of the consumption of data, network time or
connectivity occurring on a device (such as, for example, a mobile
communications device), and may be adjusted as any of these
resources are consumed so that it depicts the current amount of
network the resource remaining Consumption may be depicted as a
function of any suitable variable, or combination of variables
including, but not limited to, time and data transfer.
[0089] It will be appreciated that the gauge 411 may assume a
variety of different formats. For example, into addition to the
"fuel gauge" type embodiment described above, the gauge 411 may
take the form of, or may include, various dials, graphs, bars, or
partially shaded figures or gradients. By way of example, but not
limitation, the gauge may utilize or take the form of any of the
graphical depictions commonly used to indicate the remaining amount
of battery life, fuel, or other consumable commodities in business
or consumer oriented devices.
[0090] Each of the tiles 405 or icons in the first display portion
403 of the GUI 401 is an offer for a service. These offers may be
provided by, or associated with, one or more tenants on an MVNO
platform of the type depicted in FIG. 1. Such a tenant may be, for
example, a third party service provider, and the tiles or icons 405
may be hot-linked to a web page associated with the third party
service provider. In some embodiments, each tenant may have a
plurality of mobile communications devices associated with it. In
some embodiments, such devices may be "data only" devices.
[0091] Each offer can be expanded upon (in the second display
portion 407) by selecting the tile 405 or by dragging the tile 405
into the second display portion 407, which causes a page to be
displayed on the second display portion 407 of the GUI 401 that
contains the details of the offer. In other words, selecting a tile
405 causes the focus of the second display portion 407 to change to
the context of the offer.
[0092] This process is illustrated in FIGS. 4-5 for a particular
offer 416 (see FIG. 5) having to do with access to the Facebook.TM.
social network. In particular, the offer 416 provides the user with
free access to the Facebook.TM. social network, while other parts
of the Internet or other networks may be unavailable to the user or
may require a subscription, charge, time pass, or the like. The
connection to the communications network that is provided to the
user may be "always hot". Hence, in the context of the foregoing
example, in such embodiments, the user may enjoy continuous access
to the Facebook.TM. social network for as long as the offer is in
effect.
[0093] Referring again to FIGS. 4-5, selecting a tile 405 may also
cause revision in the gauge 411 shown in FIG. 3 to the gauge 413
shown in FIGS. 4-5. In particular, in the embodiment depicted, the
gauge 411 of FIG. 3 is revised into the dual gauge 413 of FIG. 4
which shows the bandwidth and time remaining Selecting a tile may
also activate one or more icons or indicia 415, such as the
depicted "Macheen Inside" indicia, which may be displayed in a
placeholder in the second display portion 407.
[0094] As shown in FIG. 5, the offer displayed in the second
display portion 407 may include a radio button 417 or other means
by which the user may indicate acceptance of the offer. When the
user thus indicates acceptance of the offer, the icon corresponding
to that service is added to the next free tile position available
in the active services field within the first display portion 403
of the GUI 401. As shown in FIG. 6, this causes the second display
portion 407 of the GUI 401 to display a configuration window 418
which allows the user to configure certain parameters of the
service, and also causes display of a call-out 420 that indicates
that the experience involves free bandwidth.
[0095] When the "save" radio button 422 is selected, the panel
refreshes to show the current state of the service as shown in FIG.
7 which, in the embodiment depicted, contains information about the
user's Facebook.TM. account 424. The resulting page is refreshed
anytime the user selects the "Refresh now" radio button 419 or the
corresponding panel focus icon 405. Clicking on any part of the
notification panel 426 or selecting the "Go Online to Facebook Now"
radio button 421 will take the user to the user's Facebook.TM.
homepage, and will prompt the user to start a new time pass if
there is currently no active session.
[0096] FIGS. 8-9 show another offer 428 (expanded), which may be
accepted by selecting the "Accept" radio button 429 in the second
display portion 407. This particular offer 428 is for free access
to Yahoo!.TM. Local, a web portal for businesses, organizations,
and other items of local interest 431 (see FIG. 9). Preferably, a
heavier style is utilized and is associated with services that are
available to dock, rather than just being used on the fly. By
contrast, FIG. 10 shows a different offer 430 (expanded) which is
associated with services used on the fly, such as the indicated
product registration.
[0097] FIG. 11 shows another expanded offer 432, this one offering
a selection of movies from Amazon's Instant Video.TM. service. This
offer 432 illustrates the difference between one time transactions
involving an account charge (here, $10 per movie purchased), versus
a docked transaction involving a settlement.
[0098] Various modifications are possible with embodiments of the
type depicted in FIGS. 3-11. For example, the order in which the
tiles 405 or icons are displayed on the first display portion 403
of the GUI 401 may be dictated by various considerations, such as
the order in which each tile 405 or icon was selected, or the
frequency with which each tile 405 or icon was selected. Moreover,
while it is preferred that the tiles 405 or icons all have the same
size, embodiments are also possible in which this is not the case.
Embodiments are also possible wherein a maximum size is dictated
for the tiles 405 or icons, or wherein each icon is displayed
within a tile 405 of fixed dimensions.
[0099] The manner in which the client is resident on the mobile
communications device, or on a memory or storage medium associated
with the mobile communications device, may also vary. For example,
in some embodiments, the client may comprise software which is
downloaded on a mobile communications device or is installed on the
device by the device manufacturer, by a tenant on an MVNO, or by a
party to a white label process or arrangement.
[0100] In other embodiments, the client (or a computer program or a
set of suitable programming instructions which, when executed,
provide the mobile communications device with free or paid access
to a network, subject to a predefined set of restrictions) may be
resident on a network access device, such as a network access card
or a wireless adapter. In particular, the client may be resident on
or stored in a tangible medium or memory associated with such a
device. Such a network access device may be equipped with a USB
adapter or another suitable connector which is adapted to
releasably engage a port (which may be, for example, a USB port)
in, or is otherwise adapted to couple with, a mobile communications
device, thereby bringing the network access device into electrical
(or possibly optical) communication with the mobile communications
device.
[0101] Embodiments of the type depicted in FIGS. 3-11 may also
enable a wide variety of restricted access and consumption models.
For example, in some embodiments, free or paid access (or free or
paid broadband access) to a network may be limited to a single site
on the network, or to a set of sites on the network (these sites
may be, for example, sites associated with or designated by tenants
on an MVNO). Access to other sites on the network may be extended
on a subscription or pay-per-use basis, on a time limited basis
(e.g., 30 minutes of access to the Wall Street Journal site per
day), on a bandwidth usage, limitation, or allocation basis, or
subject to various other restrictions or requirements. For example,
such access may be subject to the requirement that a user view an
advertisement prior to gaining access to a site or set of sites on
the network.
C1. Metered Bandwidth Control
[0102] One significant feature of some of the systems and
methodologies disclosed herein is the ability they provide to use
Access Point Names (APNs) to create new business models to settle
out mobile broadband access and/or usage. APNs are configurable
network identifiers which are used by mobile communications devices
when connecting to a GSM carrier (GSM refers to the Global System
for Mobile Communications, a popular standard for mobile telephony
system). The carrier uses the APN to determine the type of network
connection that should be created, including such details as the IP
address (or addresses) that should be assigned to the mobile
communications device, the security methods that should be
employed, and how the device should be connected to a private
customer network. The APN identifies an IP packet data network
(PDN) that a mobile data user wants to communicate with, and may
also be utilized to define the type of service provided by the PDN
(e.g., connection to a wireless application protocol (WAP) server,
multimedia messaging service (MMS), and the like).
[0103] As shown in FIG. 14, an APN 501 consists of a network
identifier 503 and an operator identifier 505. The network
identifier 503 defines the external network to which the gateway
GPRS support node (GGSN) is connected, and may also include the
service requested by the user. The operator identifier 505 defines
the specific operator's packet domain network in which the GGSN is
located.
[0104] The GGSN is a main component of the GPRS network, and is
responsible for the interworking between the GPRS network and
external packet switched networks, such as the Internet and X.25
WiMax networks. The GGSN acts as a router to a sub-network by
hiding the GPRS infrastructure from the external network. When the
GGSN receives data addressed to a specific user, it checks if the
user is active. If it is, the GGSN forwards the data to the Serving
GPRS Support Node (SGSN) serving the mobile user, but if the mobile
user is inactive, the data is discarded. On the other hand,
mobile-originated packets are routed to the correct network by the
GGSN.
[0105] The SGSN is responsible for the delivery of data packets to
and from mobile stations within its geographical service area. The
SGSN implements packet routing and transfer, mobility management
(attach/detach and location management), logical link management,
and authentication and charging functions. The location register of
the SGSN stores location information, such as, for example, current
cell and current visitor location register (VLR). The visitor
location register is a temporary database of the subscribers who
have roamed into the jurisdiction of the MSC (Mobile Switching
Center) which it serves. The location register of the SGSN also
stores the user profiles (such as, for example, IMSI and addresses
used in the packet data network) of all GPRS users registered with
the SGSN. The IMSI (international mobile subscriber identity) is a
unique identification associated with all GSM and UMTS (Universal
Mobile Telecommunications System) network mobile phone users, which
is typically stored as a 64-bit field in the SIM inside the
phone.
[0106] APNs are utilized in an APN resolution process. APN
resolution is the process of domain name system (DNS) look-up to
determine the IP address of the GGSN that provides connectivity to
the PDN identified by the APN. When a GPRS mobile phone sets up a
data connection which it wants to connect to, APN resolution is
used to select the GGSN and provide an IP address.
[0107] In some embodiments of the systems and methodologies
described herein, a service provider may create and use one or more
unique APNs to control access and/or charging for mobile broadband
usage. A client associated with the service provider may control
access to the service provider's marketing bandwidth APN.
Consequently, traffic may be allowed or denied based on the
application the customer is using.
[0108] Such an approach has several possible advantages. For
example, it may no longer necessary when using this approach for
the subscriber to purchase a general mobile Internet access
session. In addition, a client associated with the service provider
may allow access based on rules established by the service provider
and/or the tenants associated with the service provider. As an
example, these rules may (a) allow free or paid access to client
administration services provided by the service provider; (b) allow
the subscriber to browse, buy or use content on the subscriber's
device; (c) allow the subscriber to access or use teasers; and (d)
allow the subscriber to access specific applications.
[0109] The foregoing configuration is illustrated in the system 601
depicted in FIG. 12. As seen therein, a client 603 associated with
the service provider or MVNO (Macheen) is configured to use APN IP
addresses 605 for paid service and marketing zones. The APN is
configured to the MNO operator 607, which itself is configured or
managed by the architecture of the service provider platform 609.
This platform architecture checks access rights to the Internet 611
or other network, begins the metering process, and proxies to the
IP address requested. If there is a client service panel request,
the service provider makes API calls to the MNVE and returns
information through the service provider and to the client 603. A
regular APN is used in the event that the subscriber has a paid
plan. If the request is to the Marketing Zone, then the APN is used
which is associated with that pricing, charging or settlement
model. Suitable communications links 621, 623, 625, 627, 629 and
631 may be employed in the architecture of the service provider
platform 609 to enable the foregoing functionalities.
C2. Metered Bandwidth Control
[0110] Some of the systems and methodologies disclosed herein are
advantageous in that they provide the ability to implement white
label processes for services to mobile communications devices. FIG.
13 depicts further details of a particular, non-limiting embodiment
of a system 701 over which such a white label process may be
implemented, it being understood that this system is preferably
being implemented within the general system architecture depicted
in FIG. 1.
[0111] The system 701 depicted in FIG. 13 includes a service
platform 703 and one or more tenants 705. The service platform 703
includes both a service provider portion 702 and a subscriber
portion 704. The service provider portion 702 includes such
elements as the MNO 713, the MNVE 717, the leased line 716 between
the MNO 713 and the MNVE 717, a control module 719, a help desk 721
for processing service tickets, and a payment gateway 723. The
subscriber portion includes such elements as email service 707, the
device client 709 and a self service portal 711. Associated with
the service platform 703 are such support services as tenant
support 725, system support 727, financial operations 729, and
system service operations 731. System service operations 731 work
with a logistics provider 733 for the order and shipment of SIMS
cards.
[0112] Various reporting and point of sale (POS) services are
provided to the tenant 705. These include service reports (S/M)
741, settlement reports (finance) 743 and hosted offer management
(Ops) 745.
[0113] Typically, the business model of an MVNO revolves around
selling mobile services to businesses and consumers. However, the
white label processes described herein has a business model which
is typically business to business to business, or business to
business to consumer.
[0114] In the particular embodiment depicted, the process allows a
first entity (such as, for example, an MVNO or MNO) to provide a
second entity with a mobile service that they can brand as their
own and market or sell as part of their bill of materials for the
devices. For example, the second entity may be a consumer
electronics company or other distributor or manufacturer of
consumer devices (and especially mobile technology platforms, such
as mobile communications devices and mobile computing devices).
This arrangement allows such second entities to create unique
mobile offerings that showcase their devices and enhance their
brand identity, without requiring the infrastructure and overhead
typically associated with developing and operating a mobile
network.
[0115] FIG. 15 illustrates a particular, non-limiting embodiment of
a set of service interfaces 801 that may be associated with the
aforementioned white label processes for services to mobile
communications devices. As seen therein, the interface 801
comprises a set of service provider processes 803 and a set of
tenant integration points 805. The set of service provider
processes 803 include such processes as integration of the order
fulfillment process, white labeling to mobile clients, the
provision of standard reports, the provision and review of content
for tenant POS and sales training, the development, training and
implementation of the tenant's 1.sup.st level support team on
service, and the development and review of service definition with
the tenant product group.
[0116] These processes are provided through service interfaces to
various tenant integration points, such as order fulfillment 811,
client applications 813, service reporting 815, point of sale (POS)
817, 1.sup.st level support 819 and service definition 821. The set
of service interfaces 801 depicted in FIG. 16 facilitates or
enables a variety of novel services. For example, it allows access
to a specific site or sites on the Internet or on another network,
while blocking access to all other sites on the network when the
host device is connected to mobile broadband. This service may be
provided to the entire customer base, to a subset of the customer
base identified by an attribute defined by the tenant, or to a
single customer.
[0117] The service may be provisioned in a variety of ways. For
example, the service may be provisioned in advance with start times
and ends times, or it may be provisioned in real time (instantly)
based on selections made by the user from among various options
presented. The service may also be defined such that access to the
service lasts indefinitely, ends at a time specified by the service
provider, or ends after a defined number of minutes or a defined
amount of data. Access to the service may also end in response to a
new user action, such as clicking a different tile for access to a
different website (see the embodiment of FIGS. 3-11). The service
may be provisioned in real time (instantly) in response to user
actions such as watching an advertisement, filling out a survey,
clicking a link, or referring other users. Access to content may
also be provided as a fixed charge, or free of charge to the
subscriber by time increment.
[0118] Content services may be targeted to small or medium
businesses, to enterprises, and/or to consumers. The content
service definition may include access to one network or Internet
service (e.g., a single URL), or a group of network or Internet
services (e.g., many URLs). The content service may also be defined
as access to the Internet or other network for a specific device
application (such as, for example, games, email, or IM).
[0119] In some embodiments, the methodologies described herein may
be implemented through the provision of a suitable hardware device
that provides a mobile broadband connection. Such hardware may take
the form, for example, of a USB stick, an internal modem, a network
adapter, or another suitable device that allows access to
pre-defined websites when a connection is made, but blocks access
to all other websites unless the user purchases access to the full
Internet. The hardware device may provide session-based access to
the Internet or other networks based on time or data limits.
[0120] In some embodiments, the network or Internet access provided
to a user may allow a specific application or set of applications
on the user's device (or on the host device) to access the network,
while denying access to other applications on the host device. For
example, in a particular embodiment, Yahoo Instant Messenger.TM.
may be permitted to access the Internet or other network on the
host device, while other programs such as Skype.TM. and Internet
Explorer.TM. are denied access. In these embodiments, service may
be provided in all the same ways as indicated above.
[0121] In some embodiments, network traffic may be allowed from a
specific protocol or protocols, while network traffic from other
protocols is denied. For example, HTTP/HTTPS traffic may be
allowed, but video may be denied (at least on a free-of-charge
basis) using RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) and/or HTTP/HTTPS
as the blocker. This approach may allow the service provider and
its tenants more control over the content that is accessed and
consumed by users. By way of example, access to Facebook.TM. may be
offered, but the user may not be permitted to watch videos. Service
may be provided in all the same ways as indicated above.
[0122] In some embodiments, the systems and methodologies described
herein may provide a customized display experience (different
landing page). The landing page display may be based, for example,
on (a) region, (b) machine or device type, (c) tenant, or (d)
corporate sponsor. By way of illustration, each tenant on an MVNO
may have one or more corporate sponsors associated with it, and the
landing page experienced by a particular user or employed by an
instance of a client may be dictated by the corporate sponsor of
the tenant associated with that user or client. This approach
allows for a customized icon/tile selection based on one or more of
the foregoing factors.
[0123] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the services
described herein are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they may be
accumulated on top of each other. For example, a customer may
purchase or receive free access to one Internet service (URL) for a
given timeframe (for example, one limited to a predetermined start
time and end time) by taking a certain action, and may then receive
free access (or purchase access) to another Internet service (URL)
on top of the existing access (that is, the user may accumulate
Internet services access or multiple URLs). In some embodiments,
free access may also terminate in response to an action taken by a
user (such as, for example, clicking on a hot-link for access to a
particular website, set of web sites, or class of web sites). The
customer may also receive promotions for all SMB to receive access
to the tenant's support portal, and may then purchase access to
specific Internet services (URLs) (in other words, the customer may
accumulate free access based on account characteristics, and
individual access based on purchases). Of course, it will be
appreciated that any combination of the previously outlined
services may be accumulated one on top of another.
[0124] FIG. 16 depicts a particular, non-limiting embodiment of a
system architecture 901 which may be utilized to provide content
and applications for mobile services within the context of some of
the restricted or metered bandwidth control paradigms of the types
disclosed herein. As seen therein, when a mobile device/subscriber
904 requests access 903 to the Internet 902 over a modem, a
determination is made 905 by the mobile virtual network operator
906 as to whether there is an active session 907 (based on time and
data) that allows the mobile device/subscriber 904 to access the
entire Internet 902. If the determination is made 909 that there is
no active session (based on time and data), then the mobile
device/subscriber 904 is validated or identified 911 and content
services are provisioned 913. The content rules 914 for the
provisioned services are then obtained and applied 915 to the
request 903 for access. As part of this application, Internet
access is restricted based on the content service definitions
(e.g., filters are applied based on URLs, application types, IP
address, protocol, or other such considerations).
[0125] As a result of the rules application, the request for access
903 is either allowed 917 or denied 919. In the case where the
request for access 903 is denied 919 and it was a browser request,
that request is redirected 921 to a designated website or portal,
where the subscriber can choose content and application services or
session offers, or manage their account. If the request is not
browser-based, then a request denied notification 923 is sent to
the mobile device/subscriber 904. It is to be noted that the rules
have a hierarchy and can be applied to a subscriber, a group of
subscribers, a company, a country, etc.
[0126] FIG. 17 depicts a particular, non-limiting embodiment of a
system architecture 951 which may be utilized for administration,
activation and provisioning of content and application services
within the context of some of the restricted or metered bandwidth
control paradigms of the types described herein. The system
architecture 951 comprises a web portal 953 which accesses a
service network 955 over a mobile network 957 (with or without an
active session) or over the Internet 959. The service network 955
controls access to the Internet 961.
[0127] As seen therein, a subscriber or plan administrator for
group plans uses a laptop, notebook or other mobile communications
device to access the web portal 953 from which the subscriber or
plan administrator creates a service request 973 involving a
selection of content or application service. The web portal 953 may
be accessed over the mobile network 957 (with or without an active
session) or over the Internet 959. The service administration 963
provides updates and deletes rules as necessary and defines
relevant groups/hierarchies 965. Notably, no changes are required
to applications on the laptop, notebook or other mobile
communications device being used by the subscriber/administrator,
since any defined rules or policies are applied in the service
network 955.
[0128] When a subscriber makes an Internet service request 973 via
the Mobile Operator Network 957 it is processed as a real-time
Internet traffic request 967. A check is done to determine if there
is an active session for this subscriber. If there is an active
session then session based 971 processing is performed and the
request is granted access 979 on the Internet 961.
[0129] If there is no active session (based on time and data) that
allows the device to access the entire Internet 961, then the
selection is passed to CAS processing 969, where a request for
service provisioning or activation 975 is made which specifies the
service requested and the subscriber or device ID. If the request
is granted 979, then the content or application service that was
requested is permitted to be accessed on the Internet 961. In
either case, over time, new services are created 983 with rules
965, and groups or hierarchies are defined.
[0130] As noted above, some of the systems and methodologies
disclosed herein feature the concept of fractional applications,
that is, mobile access which is restricted to a particular
application or set of applications on a network (such as the
Internet), as opposed to general access to the network. In some of
these systems and methodologies, these fractional applications may
be assembled into product catalogs, and the product catalogs may be
combined with various service rules to provide a variety of service
offerings.
[0131] FIG. 18 depicts a particular, non-limiting embodiment of the
foregoing type of fractional application system 1001. As seen
therein, this system may be utilized to provide end users 1007,
1015 on a first network 1018 with fractional access to applications
(such as, for example, web sites or web-based products or services)
on a second network 1021. In a preferred implementation, the first
network 1018 may be, for example, a private network maintained by
an MNO, and the second network 1021 may be, for example, a public
network such as the Internet. In the system 1001 depicted, a first
database 1011 is provided which maintains a fractional application
product catalog and the associated service rules. The first
database 1011 may store information such as the product ID of each
application in the product catalog and associated information such
as, for example, locational information (e.g., where the
application is available), the duration over which the user is
granted access to particular applications in the product catalog,
and the price terms governing access to these products. The
associated service rules may include such information as the
service access/denial list (which may include, for example, URLs,
IP addresses and protocols for which access to a given application
is granted or denied), settlement rules, and service
descriptions.
[0132] The first database 1011 may be modified by way of an
administrator version 1005 of the product catalog and service
rules, which is accessed by the system administrator 1003 through a
suitable user interface (UI). The UI allows the system
administrator 1003 to add new applications and service rules to the
administrator version 1005 of the product catalog and service
rules, and to delete, update or otherwise modify existing
applications or service rules. Once these changes are committed,
the first database 1011 is updated to reflect these changes.
[0133] A network appliance 1017 is provided in the first network
1018 which serves as a gateway to the second network 1021, and
hence controls access to applications on the second network 1021 by
the end users 1015 on the first network 1018. Such access is
governed by internal rules maintained in a second database 1019. As
updates are made to the first database 1011, the fractional
application service loader 1013 propagates application and service
rule information needed for access enforcement to the second
database 1019.
[0134] The system 1001 is further equipped with a service handler
1009 which handles service activation, expiration and renewals. End
users 1015 on the first network 1018 may access the service handler
1009 via a suitable UI or web interface to request activation of a
fractional application or service, or renewal of an existing
activated fractional application or service. The device 1007 used
by the end user 1015 to access the service handler 1009 may be the
same as, or different from, the device for which service activation
or renewal is being requested. Although depicted as a laptop PC,
this device 1007 may be any suitable device including, but not
limited to, tablet PCs, desktop PCs, mobile communications devices,
or mobile technology platforms.
[0135] The service handler 1009 verifies the application/service
requests and, if allowed, updates the network appliance with the
subscriber information of the requesting end user 1015 and the
application or service allowed. Requests by the end users 1015 are
either allowed or denied by the network appliance 1017, based on
the internal service rules maintained in the second database
1019.
C3. Browser-Based Redirects
[0136] In some of the systems and methodologies disclosed herein,
browser-based redirects may be utilized as part of the white label
process. Hence, on the client side, a browser attempting to access
a network may be redirected to a landing page utilizing a GSM or
CDMA network. This is analogous to the situation in which browsers
are redirected to a landing page on a Wi-Fi connection in a public
establishment such as a hotel, where the user is then required to
enter information in order to use the establishment's Wi-Fi
network. In the present case, a similar experience is delivered
over a GSM or CDMA modem instead of a Wi-Fi modem.
D1. Conclusion and Qualifiers
[0137] As used herein, the term "pipe" refers to a technique for
passing information from one program process to another. Unlike
other forms of interprocess communication (IPC), a pipe is one-way
communication only. Basically, a pipe passes a parameter such as
the output of one process to another process which accepts it as
input. The system temporarily holds the piped information until it
is read by the receiving process.
[0138] While the systems and methodologies disclosed herein have
been frequently described or exemplified with reference to mobile
communications devices in general, and mobile phones in particular,
one skilled in the art will appreciate that these systems and
methodologies are not necessarily limited to being used in
conjunction with such devices, but instead have application to, or
may be leveraged by, a wide variety of communications devices. Such
communications devices include, but are not limited to, personal
digital assistants (PDAs), mobile or cellular phones, portable
e-book readers, notebooks, netbooks, laptops, personal computers
(PCs), navigational systems, televisions, displays, and other such
devices.
[0139] One skilled in the art will further appreciate that the
systems and methodologies disclosed herein are not necessarily
limited to any particular type of network or communications means
or medium. Thus, for example, the systems and methodologies may be
implemented over the Internet, wide-area networks (WANs), local
area networks (LANs), intranets, and various combinations of the
foregoing. These networks may be radio-based, hardwired, optical,
and various combinations of the foregoing, and may operate over
various frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum.
[0140] One skilled in the art will also appreciate that the systems
and methodologies disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to
any particular type of business model, arrangement, or business.
Thus, for example, while the systems and methodologies have been
frequently described herein in reference to MNVEs, MVNOs, MNOs, and
the like due in part to the current prevalence of these models,
businesses and organizations, it will be appreciated that the
systems and methodologies described herein may have broader
applications and are not necessarily limited to these models,
businesses and organizations.
[0141] One skilled in the art will also appreciate that the systems
and methodologies disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to
any particular protocol. Thus, while reference has been made herein
to SDP, SIP, MLP and other such protocols, it will be appreciated
that such protocols are subject to change, and that the systems and
methodologies described herein may utilize or implement new or
different protocols.
[0142] The above description of the present invention is
illustrative, and is not intended to be limiting. It will thus be
appreciated that various additions, substitutions and modifications
may be made to the above described embodiments without departing
from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of
the present invention should be construed in reference to the
appended claims.
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