Method and apparatus for providing deferable data services in a cellular communication system
View Patent ↗A communication system, upon receiving an instruction to transfer deferrable data, determines whether an air interface is congested and, when the air interface is congested, defers a transfer of the deferrable data or transfers the deferrable, lower priority data as higher priority data. When, during a transfer of deferrable data, the system determines that the air interface is congested, the system may terminate the call and save a state of a partially completed deferred data transfer. Subsequent to the termination of the call, the system establishes another data connection over the air interface and transfers any remaining, not yet transferred deferrable data. In order to discourage subscribers from transferring higher priority data as lower priority data, the system may further restrict a transfer of lower priority data to designated time periods while allowing a transfer of higher priority data during the designated time periods and other time periods.
1. A method for transferring deferrable data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving an instruction to transfer deferrable data, wherein the deferrable data is data of a first priority;
determining that an air interface is congested; and
in response to determining that the air interface is congested, transferring the deferrable data as data of a second priority, wherein the second priority is a higher priority than the first priority, wherein the deferrable data is associated with a first Service Option value, and wherein transferring comprises setting up a call for a transfer of the deferrable data based on a second Service Option value that is associated with data of the second priority.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein data of the first priority is associated with a first at least one Quality of Service (QoS) parameter, wherein data of the second priority is associated with a second at least one QoS parameter, and wherein transferring the deferrable data comprises transferring the deferrable data in association with the second at least one QoS parameter.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first at least one QoS parameter is associated with a first billing rate and the second at least one QoS parameter is associated with a second billing rate, wherein the second billing rate is higher than the first billing rate, and wherein the method further comprises, when the deferrable data is transferred in association with the second at least one QoS parameter, charging a customer associated with the deferrable data based on the second billing rate.
4. A method for transferring deferrable data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving an instruction to transfer deferrable data, wherein the deferrable data is data of a first priority;
determining that an air interface is congested;
in response to determining that the air interface is congested, transferring the deferrable data as data of a second priority, wherein the second priority is a higher priority than the first priority; and
charging a customer associated with the deferrable data at a billing rate associated with data of the second priority, wherein the billing rate associated with data of the second priority is higher than the billing rate associated with data of the first priority.
5. A method for transferring deferrable data in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving an instruction to transfer deferrable data, wherein the deferrable data is data of a first priority;
determining that an air interface is congested;
setting up a call for a transfer of the deferrable data, wherein the call is associated with data of the second priority, wherein the second priority is a higher priority than the first priority, and wherein setting up a call comprises establishing a data connection;
upon completion of the transfer of the deferrable data, starting an inactivity timer; and
upon expiration of an inactivity time period, terminating the data connection.
6. A mobile station capable of transferring deferrable data in a wireless communication system comprising:
at least one memory device that stores deferrable data;
a processor associated with the at least one memory device that receives an instruction to transfer deferrable data, wherein the deferrable data is data of a first priority, determines that an air interface is congested, and, in response to determining that the air interface is congested, transfers the deferrable data as data of a second priority, wherein the second priority is a higher priority than the first priority, wherein the deferrable data is associated with a first Service Option value, and wherein the processor transfers the deferrable data by setting up a call for a transfer of the deferrable data based on a second Service Option value that is associated with data of the second priority.
7. The mobile station of claim 6 , wherein the processor further establishes a data connection associated with data of the second priority, transfers the deferrable data over the data connection, upon completion of the transfer of the deferrable data, starts an inactivity timer, and, upon expiration of an inactivity time period, terminates the data connection.
8. The mobile station of claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory device stores a plurality of Quality of Service (QoS) parameters, wherein data of the first priority is associated with a first of at least one QoS parameter of the plurality of QoS parameters, wherein data of the second priority is associated with a second of at least one QoS parameter of the plurality of QoS parameters, and wherein the processor transfers the deferrable data in association with the second at least one QoS parameter.
9. The mobile station of claim 8 , wherein the first at least one QoS parameter is associated with a first billing rate and the second at least one QoS parameter is associated with a second billing rate, wherein the second billing rate is higher than the first billing rate, and wherein the processor, when the deferrable data is transferred in association with the second at least one QoS parameter, sets up a call for a transfer of the deferrable data based on the second billing rate.