Wireless end-user device with power-control-state-based wireless network access policy for background applications
View Patent ↗A wireless end-user device has a wireless wide-area network (WWAN) modem. One or more processors classify whether an application associated with an Internet access request is interacting with a user. In at least one power control state, the Internet access request is disallowed because the application is classified as not interacting with a user. In at least one other power control state, a similar Internet access request is allowed.
1. A wireless end-user device, comprising:
a wireless wide area network (WWAN) modem to communicate data for Internet service activities between the device and at least one WWAN, when configured for and connected to the at least one WWAN; and
one or more processors configured to, for a time when data communication for Internet service activities is provided by the WWAN modem and the at least one WWAN,
classify whether a first end-user application associated with an Internet access request, and capable of both
interacting with a user in a user interface foreground of the device, and
at least some Internet service activities when not interacting with a user in the device user interface foreground,
is interacting with the user in the device user interface foreground, and
allow or disallow the Internet access request based on the classification as to whether the first end-user application is interacting with the user and based on a power control state, such that
when the power control state is a first power control state and the first end-user application is classified as not interacting with the user, the Internet access request is disallowed, and
when the power control state is at least one other power control state, the Internet access request is allowed.
2. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to classify that the first end-user application is interacting with the user in the device user interface foreground when the user of the device is directly interacting with that application or perceiving any benefit from that application.
3. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to classify that the first end-user application is interacting with the user in the device user interface foreground based on a state of user interface priority for the application.
4. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to classify that the first end-user application is not interacting with the user in the device user interface foreground when the application is providing or utilizing a background data service.
5. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , further comprising, when the Internet access request is disallowed, queuing the Internet access request until a power control state change occurs.
6. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, for at least a second application or service, allow Internet access requests in the first power control state without regard to whether the second application or service is classified as interacting with the user.
7. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to allow the Internet access request when the power control state is the first power control state and the first end-user application is classified as interacting with the user.
8. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface is to inform the user of the device when there are options to set, control, override, or modify service usage controls that affect the processor configuration that determines whether to allow or disallow Internet access requests in the first power control state.
9. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , further comprising
a wireless local area network (WLAN) modem to communicate data for Internet service activities between the device and at least one WLAN, when configured for and connected to the at least one WLAN,
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to allow the Internet access request when the WLAN modem provides data communication for the Internet access request and the power control state is the first power control state.
10. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the power control state is a power state of the device.
11. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the first power control state is a power save state of the device.
12. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the power control state is a power state of the WWAN modem.
13. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, based on a device usage state, dynamically change a determination of whether to allow or disallow the Internet access request in the first power control state when the first end-user application is classified as not interacting with the user.
14. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, based on power control state changes for the WWAN modem, dynamically change a determination of whether to allow or disallow the Internet access request in the first power control state when the first end-user application is classified as not interacting with the user.
15. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein, when the Internet access request is disallowed, the one or more processors are configured to prevent the Internet access request from causing a change to a power state of the modem.
16. The wireless end-user device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to, when the Internet access request is disallowed, instruct the first end-user application to transition to a different state.