IP Library Granted Patent US 8,396,991
Granted Patent B2
US 8,396,991 · App. 12/819,343 · Granted Mar 12, 2013

Validating user experience type settings

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,396,991
App. No.
12/819,343
Granted
Mar 12, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A home gateway accesses a host system that differentially routes messages over a communication network to a destination system. The selection of a communication pathway from multiple possible communication pathways through a communication network is based on a user experience type (e.g., gaming user experience, streaming user experience, or browsing user experience) that generally reflects network resource consumption preferences of the user of the access account for the home gateway. Examples of user experience types include a gaming user experience, a streaming user experience and a browsing user experience. The user experience type generally reflects the online experience desired by the user.

Claims (49)

1. A method comprising:

determining a user experience type for a network connection between a home-networking device connected to a home network and a destination system, the user experience type being determined from multiple possible experience types;

associating the determined user experience type with the home network; and

enabling a selection of a particular communication pathway through a communication network between the home network and the destination system from multiple possible communication pathways between the home network and the destination system based on the determined user experience type.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the destination system comprises a network access provider system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling the selection of the particular communication pathway comprises enabling the selection of at least a network access system that is located between the home-networking device and the destination system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling the selection of the particular communication pathway is performed by a network device located between the home network and the destination system, the method further comprising:

using the home-networking device to determine the user experience type that is applicable for communications using the particular communication pathway; and

transmitting the determined user experience type for the communications to the network device located between the home network and the destination system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein transmitting the user experience type comprises adding the user experience type to communications transmitted from the home network and the network device.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising enabling specification, by a user, of the user experience type.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple possible experience types comprise a gaming user experience, a streaming user experience and as browsing user experience.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving, from the user, the specification of the user experience type.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising enabling detection of communications characteristics indicative of the user experience type.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

associating an account with the user experience type; and

enabling a generation of billing information for the account based upon the user experience type associated with the account.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring network resources used by the home-networking device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising enabling a notification of network access provider system of network resources used by the home-networking device.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

comparing a use of network resources by the home-networking device with a predetermined threshold of network resource use associated with the user experience type; and

notifying a user account when the use of network resources exceeds the predetermined threshold of network use,

wherein the predetermined threshold of network use is less than a maximum value of network resources use that is associated with the user account.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising one or more code segments, that when executed by one or more processors, are configured to cause the one or more processors to:

determine a user experience type for a network connection between a home-networking device connected to a home network and a destination system, the user experience type being determined from multiple possible experience types;

associate the determined user experience type with the home network; and

enable a selection of a particular communication pathway through a communication network between the home network and the destination system from multiple possible communication pathways between the home network and the destination system based on the determined user experience type.

15. The medium of claim 4 wherein the destination system comprises a network access provider system.

16. The medium of claim 14 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to cause the one or more processors to enable a selection of at least one network access system that is located between the home-networking device and the destination system.

17. The medium of claim 14 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

use the home-networking device to determine the user experience type that is applicable for communications using, the particular communication pathway; and

transmit the determined user experience type for the communications to the network device located between the home network and the destination system.

18. The medium of claim 17 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to cause the one or more processors to add the user experience type to communications transmitted from the home network and the network device.

19. The medium of claim 14 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

associate an account with the user experience type; and

enable the generation of billing information for the account based on the user experience type associated with the account.

20. A system comprising at least one processor configured to:

determine a use experience type for a network connection between a home-networking device connected to a home network and a destination system, the user experience type being determined from multiple possible experience types;

associate the determined user experience type with the home network; and

enable a selection of a particular communication pathway through a communication network between the home network and the destination system from multiple possible communication pathways between the home network and the destination system based on the determined user experience type.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the destination system comprises network access provider system.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to enable the selection of at least one network access system that is located between the home-networking device and the destination system.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the selection of the particular communication pathway is performed by a network device located between the home network and the destination system and the at least one processor is further configured to:

use the home-networking device to determine the user experience type that is applicable for communications using the particular communication pathway; and

transmit the determined user experience type for the communications to the network device located between the home network and the destination system.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to add the user experience type to communications transmitted from the home network and the network device.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

associate an account with the user experience type; and

enable a generation of billing information for the account based upon the user experience type associated with the account.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058961/0436 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2012
From: AOL INC.
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 028463/0125 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2010
From: PFEFFER, HOWARD L.
To: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 024623/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2010
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 024623/0196 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2010
From: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
To: AOL LLC
Reel/Frame 024623/0303 →