Methods and apparatus for providing or receiving data connectivity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9288230-B2
Application number	US-201113316539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2011
Priority date	Dec 20, 2010
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing or receiving data connectivity with an access network may include receiving or transmitting a request from a wireless device for data connectivity to a destination. The destination may be associated with use of an application. The methods and apparatus may further include determining whether the destination is a sponsored destination. The methods and apparatus may further include providing or receiving sponsored data connectivity via the access network from the wireless device to the sponsored destination for use of the application on the wireless device if the destination is a sponsored destination.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing data connectivity with an access network, the method comprising:
receiving a request from a wireless device for data connectivity to a destination, wherein the destination is associated with use of a sponsored application on the wireless device, the sponsored application is associated with an identifier, and the request comprises a first identifier of the destination and a second identifier of the wireless device;
determining whether the destination is a sponsored destination for providing a sponsored data connectivity to the sponsored application, comprising forwarding the request to a network entity that is associated with the identifier of the sponsored application, and receiving a response from the network entity for indicating, based on the first identifier, whether the destination is the sponsored destination;
determining, based on the second identifier, whether the wireless device is allowed to receive the sponsored data connectivity; and
enabling the sponsored data connectivity via the access network from the wireless device to the sponsored destination for use of the sponsored application on the wireless device upon detecting that the destination is the sponsored destination and the wireless device is allowed to receive the sponsored data connectivity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sponsored data connectivity is at least partially paid for by a data connectivity sponsor.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the data connectivity sponsor is one of an application provider or a third party entity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sponsored data connectivity comprises one of free data connection or a reduced data connection charge.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising limiting the sponsored data connectivity according to a sponsored data connectivity threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the destination is a sponsored destination is further determined by at least one of a data connectivity sponsor and the access network prior to the request for data connectivity by the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the destination is a sponsored destination is negotiated between at least one of a data connectivity sponsor and the access network in response to the request for data.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sponsored data connectivity threshold comprises one of an amount of data exchanged, a number of users capable of using the sponsored data connectivity, a number of times of using the sponsored data connectivity, a time period, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sponsored data connectivity threshold is determined by at least one of an application provider and the access network prior to the request for data connectivity by the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the sponsored data connectivity threshold is negotiated in response to the request for data connectivity.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving of the request and the determining are performed by an intermediary component.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the intermediary component comprises one of an application intermediary component, an access network intermediary component, an application provider intermediary component, a data connectivity sponsor component or a wireless device intermediary component.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving, at the intermediary component, the request for the data connectivity to the sponsored destination associated with the sponsored application on the wireless device;
determining, via the intermediary component, whether the first and second identifiers correspond to the sponsored application; and
providing the sponsored data connectivity when the first and second identifiers correspond to the sponsored application.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
monitoring, via the intermediary component, the sponsored data connectivity to ensure the sponsored data connectivity is within a sponsored data connectivity threshold; and
limiting the sponsored data connectivity if the sponsored data connectivity exceeds the sponsored data connectivity threshold.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sponsored data connectivity threshold comprises one of an amount of data exchanged, a number of users capable of using the sponsored data connectivity, a number of times of using the sponsored data connectivity, a time period, or any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving payment from the data connectivity sponsor for the sponsored data connectivity.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless device does not have a data connectivity plan with the access network and uses the sponsored data connectivity for accessing the access network.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a prompt for presentation to a user to purchase a data plan for connectivity to the access network when the destination is not the sponsored destination.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access network provides the sponsored data connectivity.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein a separate entity in communication with the access network provides the sponsored data connectivity.

21. An apparatus to provide data connectivity with an access network, comprising at least one processor configured to:
receive a request from a wireless device for data connectivity to a destination, wherein the destination is associated with use of a sponsored application on the wireless device, the sponsored application is associated with an identifier, and the request comprises a first identifier of the destination and a second identifier of the wireless device;
determine whether the destination is a sponsored destination for providing a sponsored data connectivity to the sponsored application, comprising forwarding the request to a network entity that is associated with the identifier of the sponsored application, and receiving a response from the network entity for indicating, based on the first identifier, whether the destination is the sponsored destination;
determine, based on the second identifier, whether the wireless device is allowed to receive the sponsored data connectivity; and
enable the sponsored data connectivity via the access network from the wireless device to the sponsored destination for use of the application on the wireless device upon detecting that the destination is the sponsored destination and the wireless device is allowed to receive the sponsored data connectivity.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:
at least one instruction for causing a computer to receive a request from a wireless device for data connectivity to a destination, wherein the destination is associated with use of a sponsored application on the wireless device, the sponsored application is associated with an identifier, and the request comprises a first identifier of the destination and a second identifier of the wireless device;
at least one instruction for causing the computer to determine whether the destination is a sponsored destination for providing a sponsored data connectivity to the sponsored application, comprising forwarding the request to a network entity that is associated with the identifier of the sponsored application, and receiving a response from the network entity for indicating, based on the firs

Assignees

• Ahmavaara Kalle
• Kadakia Jatinkumar Chandrakant
• Warlick Michael Vernon
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Ahmavaara Kalle
• Kadakia Jatinkumar Chandrakant
• Warlick Michael Vernon

Classifications

• H04W88/16

  Gateway arrangements · CPC title

• H04M2215/0192

  Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods · CPC title

• H04L63/101

  Access control lists [ACL] · CPC title

• H04L63/20 Primary

  for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227) · CPC title

• H04L63/102

  Entity profiles · CPC title