Method and apparatus providing access network aware presence to applications
View Patent ↗A method and system for detecting and communicating access network capability information to an application server such that the application server may adapt its service offerings in response to changes in the access network associated with one or more user terminals. The service adaptations may comprise increases or decreases in service level, depending upon whether the access network capability has increased or decreased.
1. A method for controlling application services provided to a user equipment (UE), comprising:
detecting, at the UE, a change of at least one of a type or a capability of an access network supporting delivery of application services to the UE;
communicating a first indication of the change from the UE toward a first application server via a server, the first application server hosting a first application delivering first application services to a first application client of the UE, the first indication adapted for use by the first application server or the first application to responsively modify the first delivered application services of the first application hosted on the first application server; and
communicating a second indication of the change from the UE toward a second application server via an Application Programming Interface (API) of the UE that is independent of the server, the second application server hosting a second application delivering second application services to a second application client of the UE, the second indication adapted for use by the second application server or the second application to responsively modify the second delivered application services of the second application hosted on the second application server.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change comprises at least one of:
selection of a different wireless access network for the UE; or
one or more of a new quality of service (QoS) allocation, a new bandwidth allocation, a new priority level, or a new channel allocation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server is an access network server.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server is an intermediary server.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the server is a network server.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting the change at an access network server.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access network comprises at least one of a WiFi based access network, a GPRS based access network, a UMTS based access network, a WiMax based access network, an EV-DO based access network, or a LTE based access network.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adapting a service offering of the first application server in response to the first indication of change or a service offering of the second application server in response to the second indication of the change, wherein said adapting comprises increasing a service level in response to an increase of access network capability or decreasing a service level in response to a decrease of access network capability.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
terminating the first application or the second application in response to network capability below a threshold level.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change is detected by an access network control function client of the UE and the first indication of the change is communicated from the access network control function client of the UE toward an access network control function agent of the first application server.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change is detected by an access network control function client of the UE and the second indication of the change is communicated from the access network control function client of the UE toward an access network control function agent of the second application server.
12. An apparatus for controlling application services provided to a user equipment (UE), comprising:
a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor configured to:
detect, at the UE, a change of at least one of a type or a capability of an access network supporting delivery of application services to the UE;
communicate a first indication of the change from the UE toward a first application server via a server, the first application server hosting a first application delivering first application services to a first application client of the UE, the first indication adapted for use by the first application server or the first application to responsively modify the first delivered application services of the first application hosted on the first application server; and
communicate a second indication of the change from the UE toward a second application server via an Application Programming Interface (API) of the UE that is independent of the server, the second application server hosting a second application delivering second application services to a second application client of the UE, the second indication adapted for use by the second application server or the second application to responsively modify the second delivered application services of the second application hosted on the second application server.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the change is detected by an access network control function client of the UE and the first indication of the change is communicated from the access network control function client of the UE toward an access network control function agent of the first application server.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the change is detected by an access network control function client of the UE and the second indication of the change is communicated from the access network control function client of the UE toward an access network control function agent of the second application server.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the server is an access network server.
16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the Server is an intermediary server.
17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the server is a network server.
18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the change in capability comprises at least one of:
selection of a different wireless access network; or
one or more of a new quality of service (QoS) allocation, a new bandwidth allocation, a new priority level, or a new channel allocation.
19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the access network comprises at least one of a WiFi based access network, a GPRS based access network, a UMTS based access network, a WiMax based access network, an EV-DO based access network, or a LTE based access network.
20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for controlling application services provided to a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
detecting, at the UE, a change of at least one of a type or a capability of an access network supporting delivery of application services to the UE;
communicating a first indication of the change from the UE toward a first application server via a server, the first application server hosting a first application delivering first application services to a first application client of the UE, the first indication adapted for use by the first application server or the first application to responsively modify the first delivered application services of the first application hosted on the first application server; and
communicating a second indication of the change from the UE toward a second application server via an Application Programming Interface (API) of the UE that is independent of the server, the second application server hosting a second application delivering second application services to a second application client of the UE, the second indication adapted for use by the second application server or the second application to responsively modify the second delivered application services of the second application hosted on the second application server.