Granted Patent B1

US 7,899,019 · App. 12/817,965 · Granted Mar 1, 2011

Abstract

Claims (50)

1. A method for controlling bandwidth usage, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, zone data that identifies a zone within a cell coverage area;

receiving, by the mobile device, bandwidth data associated with the zone that identifies a first controlled maximum bandwidth rate;

receiving time slot data associated with the zone that identifies a timeframe during which the bandwidth usage is to be controlled;

determining that the mobile device is in the zone;

determining at a first point in time that the first point in time is within the timeframe;

controlling the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate at the first point in time;

determining at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time that the mobile device is in the zone and that the second point in time is outside of the timeframe; and

in response, no longer controlling the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device operates at an effective maximum bandwidth rate while in the cell coverage area outside of the zone, and wherein the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate is a lower rate than the effective maximum bandwidth rate.

3. A method for controlling bandwidth usage, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile device, zone data that identifies a zone within a cell coverage area;

receiving, by the mobile device, bandwidth data associated with the zone that identifies a first controlled maximum bandwidth rate;

determining that the mobile device is in the zone;

receiving an alternate bandwidth rate reference identifying an alternate maximum bandwidth provider location from which an alternate bandwidth rate other than the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate can be obtained;

sending a message to the alternate maximum bandwidth provider location to obtain a second controlled maximum bandwidth rate;

receiving authorization to control bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate; and

controlling the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving instructions that identify an SMS text message that may be sent to the alternate maximum bandwidth provider location to obtain the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate, and wherein sending the message to the alternate maximum bandwidth provider location comprises sending the SMS text message to the alternate maximum bandwidth provider location.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving by the mobile device payment data from a user;

providing the payment data to the alternate maximum bandwidth provider location; and

based on providing the payment data, receiving the authorization to control the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the mobile device operates at an effective maximum bandwidth rate while in the cell coverage area outside of the zone, and wherein the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate is less than the effective maximum bandwidth rate and the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate is greater than the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate and less than the effective maximum bandwidth rate.

7. A mobile device, comprising:

a communications interface adapted to communicate with a network; and

a control system coupled to the communications interface, the control system comprising a processor and adapted to:

receive zone data that identifies a zone within a cell coverage area;

receive bandwidth data associated with the zone that identifies a first controlled maximum bandwidth rate;

receive time slot data associated with the zone that identifies a timeframe during which the bandwidth usage is to be controlled;

determine that the mobile device is in the zone;

determine at a first point in time that the first point in time is within the timeframe;

control the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate at the first point in time;

determine at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time that the mobile device is in the zone and that the second point in time is outside of the timeframe; and

in response, no longer control the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate.

8. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate comprises a first maximum upstream peak bandwidth rate and a first maximum downstream peak bandwidth rate, and to control the bandwidth usage the control system is further adapted to:

transmit data at or below the first maximum upstream peak bandwidth rate; and

control data received by the mobile device at or below the first maximum downstream bandwidth rate.

9. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the mobile device operates at an effective maximum bandwidth rate while in the cell coverage area outside of the zone, and wherein the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate is less than the effective maximum bandwidth rate.

10. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the control system is further adapted to receive an alternate bandwidth rate reference identifying an alternate maximum bandwidth provider location from which an alternate bandwidth rate other than the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate can be obtained.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:

send a message to the alternate maximum bandwidth provider location to obtain a second controlled maximum bandwidth rate;

receive authorization to control the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate; and

control the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the control system is further adapted to:

receive by the mobile device payment data from a user;

provide the payment data to the alternate maximum bandwidth provider location; and

based on providing the payment data, receive the authorization to control the bandwidth usage by the mobile device based on the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate.

13. The mobile device of claim 12 , wherein the mobile device operates at an effective maximum bandwidth rate while in the cell coverage area outside of the zone, and wherein the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate is less than the effective maximum bandwidth rate and the second controlled maximum bandwidth rate is greater than the first controlled maximum bandwidth rate and less than the effective maximum bandwidth rate.

14. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the zone data is received via an IPv6 multicast.

Assignments (8)