Data Rate Aggregation System for Mobile Network Cost Uncertainty
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users accessing the internet through metered networks face uncertainty and high costs due to unpredictable data charges, discouraging them from downloading resources, especially on mobile devices with limited data plans.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that aggregates data rates by creating a data bundle for multiple mobile devices, negotiating a fixed price with carriers, and providing users with estimated data transfer sizes and costs before downloads, allowing users to make informed decisions and debiting accounts with a group price based on negotiated rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users access Internet resources through metered networks, then they can obtain information and resources, but they face high costs and financial uncertainty due to unpredictable data charges
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by estimating data transfer sizes before downloads occur and presenting these estimates to users. This allows users to make informed decisions about upcoming costs, eliminating financial uncertainty while maintaining ease of access to internet resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring actual data transfers and comparing them against estimates. This feedback loop enables the system to refine future estimates and adjust pricing models, thereby reducing costs and improving the user experience with metered networks.
2Quantity of substance
If users download resources on mobile devices with limited data plans, then they can access needed information, but they face restricted data usage and high per-unit costs
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters by implementing dynamic pricing models that adjust costs based on various factors such as data transfer size, user history, and network conditions. This allows for more flexible and potentially lower per-unit data costs while managing limited data plan capacities effectively.
3Loss of energy
If carriers charge based on actual data usage, then they can recover network costs, but users face unpredictable charges that discourage data access
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary estimation of data transfer sizes and presents cost estimates to users before downloads occur. This preliminary action allows users to understand upcoming costs, maintaining their willingness to access resources while ensuring carriers can track and charge for actual network resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a method for aggregating data rates. The method comprises identifying plural mobile devices configured for communication with a carrier-associated network for downloading network resources, and creating a data bundle representing data download capacity to be shared among mobile devices for data downloads from the network. The method further comprises negotiating a data bundle price with the carrier, and receiving requests from mobile devices for downloading network data. The method further comprises presenting data to a mobile device user that has provided a request, including rate information for initiating a download associated with the request, the rate information based on the negotiated price irrespective of airtime or data charges for the download ordinarily charged by the carrier. The method further comprises debiting a user account using a group price based on the rate information.