Data Consumption Iconic Representation and Real-Time Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
As software applications on mobile devices increasingly consume data, managing data consumption becomes crucial due to restrictions imposed by data plans, promotional launches, and coupons, necessitating effective monitoring to avoid financial penalties.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that provide an iconic representation of data consumption on user terminals, updating in real-time and comparing it with a data consumption allowance parameter, allowing for notifications and session termination when limits are reached, with network verification and authentication of user and application identities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data consumption is monitored and restricted to avoid financial penalties, then data usage is controlled within limits, but user convenience and application functionality are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by notifying users before data consumption limits are reached. The notification mechanism alerts users in advance, allowing them to take corrective actions (such as stopping data-intensive activities or upgrading plans) before penalties occur, thus maintaining reliability while preserving user convenience through proactive rather than reactive control.
2Measurement precision
If real-time data consumption monitoring is implemented, then data usage is accurately tracked, but system complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network element as an intermediary that performs the complex task of real-time data consumption monitoring and calculation. This intermediary receives data usage information from user equipment, tracks consumption against plan limits, and sends notifications back to users. By offloading the monitoring complexity to a dedicated network component, the system achieves precise measurement without significantly increasing the complexity of user equipment.
3Reliability
If data consumption limits are enforced through session termination, then data usage is strictly controlled, but service continuity and user experience are disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by notifying users before data consumption limits are reached, rather than immediately terminating sessions when limits are exceeded. This advance notification allows users to voluntarily stop data-intensive activities or make plan modifications, thereby enforcing data limits while avoiding abrupt service interruptions and maintaining user experience.
4Measurement precision
If authentication-based data access control is implemented, then data consumption is accurately attributed to users, but network overhead and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication mechanism leverages self-service principles by utilizing existing user credentials and device identifiers that are already present in the network infrastructure. The network element automatically performs authentication and data attribution using these pre-existing identifiers without requiring additional user interaction or complex verification processes, thereby achieving accurate data attribution with minimal time overhead.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for providing an indication of data consumption by an application said application being executable on an electronic device (100) and operable to consume data, via a network (200), from at least one remote content provider server (300), the method comprising: providing, on the electronic device (100), an iconic representation for the application, the iconic representation comprising an indication of previous data consumption by the application from said at least one remote content provider server (300) during previous execution of the said application; executing the application in response to selection of the iconic representation; receiving, from the network (200), data representative of new data consumption with the at least one remote content provider server (300) during the execution of the application; and providing an updated iconic representation for the application wherein the updated iconic representation includes an indication of updated data consumption based on the received data representative of the new data consumption and the previous data consumption.