Device assisted service profile management with user preference, adaptive policy, network neutrality, and user privacy

1 . A system, comprising:

a processor of a communications device configured to:

implement a first service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of a first service on a first network, wherein the first service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings;

monitor use of the first service based on the first service profile; and

modify a first service policy setting to achieve a first service usage goal; and

a memory of the communications device coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the implementation of the first service policy is verified.

3 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications device is a mobile communications device, and the first service includes one or more Internet based services.

4 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications device is a mobile communications device, and the first service includes one or more Internet based services, and wherein the mobile communications device includes one or more of the following: a mobile phone, a PDA, an eBook reader, a music device, an entertainment/gaming device, a computer, laptop, a netbook, and a home networking system.

5 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications device includes a modem, and the processor is located in the modem.

6 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first service profile provides for assisting control of the use of the first service by the communications device on the first network based on a service plan associated with the first service profile, and the first service usage goal provides for maintaining one or more parameters of the use of the first service within compliance of the service plan.

7 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the first service usage goal is based on one or more of the following: a user preference, a user privacy setting, the first network, a service provider for the first service on the first network, and a service plan, wherein the service plan is associated with the first service profile.

8 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of service policy settings include one or more of the following: access control settings, traffic control settings, billing system settings, user notification with acknowledgement settings, user notification with synchronized service usage information, user privacy settings, user preference settings, authentication settings, admission control settings, application access settings, content access settings, transaction settings, and network or device management communication settings.

9 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

compare the monitored use of the first service to network based service usage information to assist the monitoring of the use of the first service based on the first service profile.

10 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

receive network based service usage information to assist the monitoring of the use of the first service based on the first service profile, wherein the network based service usage information for the communications device is based on one or more CDRs, and wherein the network based service usage information is received from one or more of the following: a billing system; a AAA system; a gateway; a router; a switch; a network server; a device that generates, aggregates, manages or stores CDRs; a base station controller; and a base station.

11 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

request a user acknowledgement, wherein the user acknowledgement authorizes the modifying of the first service policy setting to achieve the first service usage goal.

12 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

modify a second service policy setting to achieve a first service usage goal.

13 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

modify a second service policy setting to achieve a second service usage goal.

14 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

implement a user preference for automated management and adaptation of the first service profile.

15 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

detect when the communications device is connected to a second network, wherein a second service profile is associated with the use of the first service on the second network;

implement the second service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of the first service on the second network, wherein the second service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings;

monitor use of the first service by the communications device based on the second service profile; and

modify a second service policy setting to achieve a second service usage goal.

16 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

detect a plurality of available networks;

select an available network based on a user preferences hierarchy for networks, wherein the hierarchy for networks is selected by one or more of the following: a service provider, a virtual service provider, a device manufacturer, and a user of the communications device; and

implement a second service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of the first service on the selected available network, wherein the second service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings.

17 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

detect a plurality of available networks;

select an available network based on a user preferences hierarchy for service providers; and

implement a second service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of the first service on the selected available network, wherein the second service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings.

18 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

detect a plurality of available networks;

select an available network-based on a user preferences hierarchy for types of networks; and

implement a second service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of the first service on the selected available network, wherein the second service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings.

19 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is is further configured to:

determine a service profile adaptation to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the service profile adaptation includes modifying one or more of the service policy settings, and wherein the use of the first service is managed in a network neutral manner base.

20 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

determine a service profile adaptation to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the service profile adaptation includes modifying one or more of the service policy settings, and wherein the use of the first service is managed to be network address neutral, application neutral, or content type neutral.

21 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

determine a service profile adaptation to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the service profile adaptation includes modifying one or more of the service policy settings, and wherein the use of the first service is managed in compliance with one or more user privacy settings.

22 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

analyze a service usage history for the communications device; and

determine a service profile adaptation to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the s service profile adaptation includes modifying one or more of the service policy settings.

23 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

determine a service usage ranking based on a service usage history; and

determine a service profile adaptation based on the service usage ranking to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the service profile adaptation includes modifying one or more of the service policy settings.

24 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

determine a forward projection for the use of the first service; and

determine a service profile adaptation to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the service profile adaptation includes modifying one or more of the service policy settings.

25 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

determine a cost projection for the use of the first service; and

determine a service profile adaptation to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the service profile adaptation includes modifying one or more of the service policy settings.

26 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

provide a report including a service usage ranking by category, wherein the category is based on one or more of the following: network address identifier, application identifier, application type, service type, content type, and time of day; and

present one or more options for modifying one or more of the service policy settings to achieve the first service usage goal, wherein the one or more options includes traffic shaping based on the service usage ranking by category.

27 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

perform traffic shaping to satisfy the first service usage goal.

28 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

perform application layer traffic shaping to satisfy the first service usage goal.

29 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

perform traffic shaping based on user input to satisfy the first service usage goal.

30 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

perform application layer traffic shaping based on user input to satisfy the first service usage goal.

31 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

perform application layer traffic shaping based on a user selected application to satisfy the first service usage goal.

32 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

perform traffic shaping based on one or more user privacy settings to satisfy the first service usage goal.

33 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

perform application layer traffic shaping based on one or more user privacy settings to satisfy the first service usage goal.

34 . A system, comprising:

a processor of a communications device configured to:

implement a first service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of a first service on a first network, wherein the first service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings; and

monitor use of the first service based on the first service profile; and

a memory of the communications device coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions,

wherein the implementation of the first service profile is verified.

35 . The system recited in claim 34 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

modify a first service policy setting to achieve a first service usage goal.

36 . A system, comprising:

a processor of a communications device configured to:

implement a first service profile for assisting control of the communications device use of a first service on a first network, wherein the first service profile includes a predetermined set of service policy settings associated with a first service plan, and wherein the first service plan is associated with the communications device;

monitor use of the first service by the communications device based on the first service profile; and

a memory of the communications device coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

37 . The system recited in claim 36 , wherein the processor of the communications device is further configured to:

modify a first service policy setting to achieve a first service usage goal.

38 . The system recited in claim 36 , wherein the first service profile provides for assisting control of the use of the first service by the communications device on the first network based on the first service plan, and the first service usage goal provides for maintaining one or more parameters of the use of the first service within compliance of the service plan.

39 . A system, comprising:

a processor of a communications device configured to:

implement a first service policy for assisting control of the communications device use of a first service on a first network;

monitor use of the first service based on the first service profile, wherein control assistance for the first service is provided in a network neutral; and

a memory of the communications device coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

40 . A system, comprising:

a processor of a communications device configured to:

implement a first service policy for assisting control of the communications device use of a first service on a first network;

monitor use of the first service based on the first service profile, wherein control assistance for the first service is provided based on one or more user privacy preferences; and

a memory of the communications device coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

41 . A method, comprising:

implementing a first service profile for assisting control of a communications device use of a first service on a first network, wherein the first service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings;

monitoring use of the first service based on the first service profile using a processor of the communications device; and

modifying a first service policy setting to achieve a first service usage goal.

42 . A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

implementing a first service profile for assisting control of a communications device use of a first service on a first network, wherein the first service profile includes a plurality of service policy settings;

monitoring use of the first service based on the first service profile; and

modifying a first service policy setting to achieve a first service usage goal.