IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,419,621

Granted Patent B2

US 10,419,621 · App. 14/942,121 · Granted Sep 17, 2019

Methods, systems and applications for managing wireless services on a wireless device

Inventor: Frederick J. Pollak (Miami, FL)

Assignee: TracFone Wireless, Inc.

H04M15/852 H04M15/28 H04M15/83 H04M15/84 H04M15/85 H04M15/853 H04M15/854 H04M15/88 H04M15/888 H04W4/24

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,419,621
App. No.: 14/942,121
Granted: Sep 17, 2019
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

The application is directed to a method and system for tracking and managing data usage on a wireless device. A graphical user interface is displayed on a wireless device for tracking and managing data usage over predetermined time. A request is received via the graphical user interface to set an alert. The alert indicates when the data usage exceeds a predefined value. A determination is made whether the data usage exceeds the predefined value. Further, an alert is transmitted to the wireless device.

Claims (160)

1. A method for managing wireless service usage on a wireless device comprising:

tracking wireless service usage with an application executed by a processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage to determine an available wireless service amount;

setting an alert to indicate when the wireless service usage exceeds a predefined value during a predetermined period by receiving the predefined value by input to a graphical user interface generated by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

determining whether the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value during the predetermined period by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

transmitting the alert by the processor of the wireless device when the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value to at least one of the wireless device and a wireless carrier;

determining an amount of wireless service remaining for the wireless device for the predetermined period of time with the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

determining a rate of wireless service usage per day by the wireless device based on past usage of the wireless data with the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

forecasting how many days until the wireless service usage will be depleted based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device with the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

displaying on the display of the wireless device how many days until the wireless service usage will be depleted by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage based on a forecast determined by the forecasting;

determining when there is no more available wireless service amount remaining for the wireless device for the predetermined period of time with the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

blocking a request to utilize wireless service for the wireless device when there is no more available wireless service amount with the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

generating a graphical user interface by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device allowing the user to purchase additional wireless service;

receiving a request via the graphical user interface to purchase additional wireless service;

implementing the purchase of additional wireless service through the graphical user interface generated by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device;

updating the wireless device by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device and the wireless carrier with information regarding the purchase of additional wireless service to update the available wireless service amount;

transmitting periodically a message to a wireless carrier to indicate that the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage is being implemented by the wireless device and suspending wireless service by the wireless carrier when the message is not periodically received by the wireless carrier;

displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

receiving an input into the graphical user interface from the user of a threshold amount of wireless data subject to a data request suspension; and

blocking a request to utilize wireless data for the wireless device when the wireless usage exceeds the threshold amount of wireless data subject to the data request suspension,

wherein the wireless service comprises at least one of wireless data service, wireless voice service, and wireless text message service.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

receiving a request via the graphical user interface to set the alert when the wireless service usage is forecasted to exceed the predefined value during the predetermined period of time;

forecasting whether the wireless data usage will exceed the predefined value during the predetermined period of time based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device; and

generating the alert when a forecasted wireless data usage will exceed the predefined value during the predetermined period of time based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

receiving an input into the graphical user interface from the user of a threshold amount of wireless data subject to a data request suspension; and

sending a query to the wireless device whether to allow a data request when a data request exceeds the threshold amount of wireless data subject to the data request suspension.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an input to the graphical user interface setting an alert for a predefined number of days until wireless data service is depleted; and

displaying on the wireless device the alert when a remaining number of days before all data is forecasted to be depleted based on an average of data usage per day.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage; and

receiving a request via a graphical user interface to set a second alert with a second predefined value greater than the predefined value.

6. The method according to claim 1

wherein the graphical user interface displays airtime usage management controls; and

wherein the graphical user interface displays a percentage of number of days remaining in the predetermined period and a percentage of data remaining in the predetermined period.

7. A method for managing wireless service usage on a wireless device comprising:

tracking wireless service usage with an application executed by a processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage to determine an available wireless service amount;

transmitting the alert by the processor of the wireless device when the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value to at least one of the wireless device and a wireless carrier;

generating a graphical user interface by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device allowing the user to purchase additional wireless service;

receiving a request via the graphical user interface to purchase additional wireless service;

implementing the purchase of additional wireless service through the graphical user interface generated by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device;

transmitting a message to a wireless carrier to indicate that the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage has been deleted in the wireless device and suspending wireless service by the wireless carrier when the message is received by the wireless carrier,

wherein the wireless service usage is measured over the predetermined time selected from service days and days in a month as provided by the wireless carrier; and

wherein the wireless service comprises at least one of wireless data service, wireless voice service, and wireless text message service.

8. A wireless device configured to manage wireless service usage comprising:

a wireless device processor configured to implement an application for managing wireless service usage to track wireless service usage to determine an available wireless service amount and to manage wireless service usage;

the wireless device processor further configured to set an alert to indicate when the wireless service usage exceeds a predefined value during a predetermined period by receiving the predefined value by input to a graphical user interface generated by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

the wireless device processor further configured to determine whether the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value during the predetermined period;

the wireless device processor further configured to transmit the alert when the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value to at least one of the wireless device and a wireless carrier;

the wireless device processor further configured to determine an amount of wireless service remaining for the wireless device for the predetermined period of time with the application for managing wireless service usage;

the wireless device processor further configured to determine a rate of wireless service usage per day by the wireless device based on past usage of the wireless data with the application for managing wireless service usage;

the wireless device processor further configured to forecast how many days until the wireless service usage will be depleted based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device with the application for managing wireless service usage;

the wireless device processor further configured to display on a wireless device display how many days until the wireless data usage will be depleted based on the forecast by the wireless device processor;

the wireless device processor further configured to determine when there is no more available wireless service amount remaining for the wireless device for the predetermined period of time with the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

the wireless device processor further configured to block a request to utilize wireless service for the wireless device when there is no more available wireless service amount;

the wireless device processor is further configured to generate a graphical user interface on the wireless device with the application for managing wireless service usage allowing the user to purchase additional wireless service;

the wireless device processor is further configured to receive a request via the graphical user interface with the application for managing wireless service usage to purchase the additional wireless service;

the wireless device processor is further configured to implement the purchase of additional wireless service with the application for managing wireless service usage through the graphical user interface generated by the wireless device processor in the wireless device; and

wherein the wireless service comprises at least one of wireless data service, wireless voice service, and wireless text message service;

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to transmit periodically via a transceiver a message to a wireless carrier to indicate that the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage is being implemented by the wireless device and suspending wireless service by the wireless carrier when the message is not periodically received by the wireless carrier;

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to generate a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to receive an input into the graphical user interface from the user of a threshold amount of wireless data subject to a data request suspension; and

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to block a request for wireless usage when the wireless usage exceeds the threshold amount of wireless data subject to the data request suspension.

9. The wireless device according to claim 8 , wherein

the wireless device processor is further configured to display a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

the wireless device processor is further configured to receive a request via the graphical user interface to set the alert when the wireless service usage is forecasted to exceed the predefined value during a predetermined period of time;

the wireless device processor is further configured to forecast whether the wireless data usage will exceed the predefined value during the predetermined period of time based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device; and

the wireless device processor is further configured to generate the alert when a forecasted wireless data usage will exceed the predefined value during the predetermined period of time based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device.

10. The wireless device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to generate a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to send a query to the wireless device whether to allow a data request when the data request exceeds a predetermined amount.

11. The wireless device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the wireless device processor is configured to receive an input to the graphical user interface setting an alert for a predefined number of days until wireless data service is depleted; and

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to control a display on the wireless device to display a forecasted remaining number of days before all data is depleted based on an average of data usage per day.

12. The wireless device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to generate a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage; and

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to receive a request via a graphical user interface to set a second alert with a second predefined value greater than the predefined value.

13. A wireless device configured to manage wireless service usage comprising:

the wireless device processor further configured to determine whether the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value during the predetermined period;

the wireless device processor further configured to transmit the alert when the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value to at least one of the wireless device and a wireless carrier;

the wireless device processor further configured to block a request to utilize wireless service for the wireless device when there is no more available wireless service amount;

the wireless device processor is further configured to update the wireless device and the wireless carrier with information regarding the purchase of additional wireless service to update the available wireless service amount, wherein the wireless service comprises at least one of wireless data service, wireless voice service, and wireless text message service;

wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit a message to a wireless carrier to indicate that the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage has been deleted in the wireless device and suspending wireless service by the wireless carrier when the message is received by the wireless carrier; and

wherein the wireless device processor is further configured to measure the wireless service usage over the predetermined time period selected from service days and days in a month as provided by the wireless carrier.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions executed on a processor of a wireless device for a software application for managing data service on the wireless device comprising:

instructions for tracking wireless service usage with an application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage to determine an available wireless service amount;

instructions for setting an alert to indicate when the wireless service usage exceeds a predefined value during a predetermined period by receiving the predefined value by input to a graphical user interface generated by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

instructions for determining whether the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value during the predetermined period;

instructions for transmitting the alert by the processor of the wireless device when the wireless service usage exceeds the predefined value to at least one of the wireless device and a wireless carrier;

instructions for determining an amount of wireless service remaining for the wireless device for the predetermined period of time;

instructions for determining a rate of wireless service usage per day by the wireless device based on past usage of the wireless data;

instructions for forecasting how many days until the wireless service usage will be depleted based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device;

instructions for displaying on the display of the wireless device how many days until the wireless service usage will be depleted based on a forecast determined by the instructions for forecasting;

instructions for determining when there is no more available wireless service amount remaining for the wireless device for the predetermined period of time;

instructions for blocking a request to utilize wireless service for the wireless device when there is no more available wireless service amount;

instructions for generating a graphical user interface by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device allowing the user to purchase additional wireless service;

instructions for receiving a request via a graphical user interface to purchase additional wireless service;

instructions for implementing the purchase of additional wireless service through the graphical user interface generated by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device;

instructions for updating by the application executed by the processor in the wireless device the wireless device and the wireless carrier with information regarding the purchase of additional wireless service to update available wireless service amounts;

instructions for transmitting periodically a message to a wireless carrier to indicate that the application executed by the processor in the wireless device for managing wireless service usage is being implemented by the wireless device and suspending wireless service by the wireless carrier when the message is not periodically received by the wireless carrier;

instructions for displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

instructions for receiving an input into the graphical user interface from the user of a threshold amount of wireless data subject to a data request suspension; and

instructions for blocking a request to utilize wireless data for the wireless device when the wireless usage exceeds the threshold amount of wireless data subject to the data request suspension,

wherein the wireless service comprises at least one of wireless data service, wireless voice service, and wireless text message service.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14 , further comprising:

instructions for displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

instructions for receiving a request via the graphical user interface to set the alert when the wireless service usage is forecasted to exceed the predefined value during a predetermined period of time;

instructions for forecasting whether the wireless data usage will exceed the predefined value during the predetermined period of time based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device; and

instructions for generating the alert when a forecasted wireless data usage will exceed the predefined value during the predetermined period of time based on the remaining amount of wireless data and the rate of wireless data usage per day by the wireless device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14 , further comprising:

instructions for displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage;

instructions for receiving an input into the graphical user interface from the user of a threshold amount of wireless data subject to a data request suspension; and

instructions for sending a query to the wireless device whether to allow a data request when the data request exceeds the threshold amount of wireless data subject to the data request suspension.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14 , further comprising:

instructions for receiving an input to the graphical user interface setting an alert for a predefined number of days until wireless data service is depleted; and

instructions for displaying on the wireless device the alert when a remaining number of days before all data is forecasted to be depleted based on an average of data usage per day.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 14 , further comprising:

instructions for displaying a graphical user interface on the wireless device for managing wireless service usage; and

instructions for receiving a request via a graphical user interface to set a second alert with a second predefined value greater than the predefined value.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions executed on a processor of a wireless device for a software application for managing data service on the wireless device comprising: