Mobile App Access via Non-Mobile Data Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile applications face challenges in accessing data when mobile data connectivity is unavailable, particularly for users traveling, those with limited or no mobile data coverage, or those who have exhausted prepaid data plans, as existing solutions do not effectively utilize non-mobile data channels for continuous app functionality.
Innovation Solution
A mobile application access platform that automatically detects the unavailability of mobile data and selects suitable non-mobile data channels like USSD, SMS, Bluetooth, Voice, NFC, or camera/display for communication with application servers, enabling seamless access and pre-caching of data to maintain app functionality without mobile data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If mobile data connectivity is used for application access, then data transmission speed and bandwidth are improved, but service availability deteriorates in areas with no mobile data coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway server as an intermediary between the mobile terminal and application servers. The gateway server receives requests from the mobile terminal via non-mobile data channels (SMS, USSD, voice), translates them into standard data protocols, and forwards them to application servers. This mediator enables communication between systems that would otherwise be incompatible, resolving the contradiction by providing service availability through alternative channels while maintaining the ability to use high-speed mobile data when available.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes communication parameters by switching between different data channels based on availability. When mobile data is unavailable, the system changes from using mobile data protocols to non-mobile data protocols (SMS, USSD, voice). This parameter change allows the system to adapt to different network conditions, maintaining service availability while accepting different transmission speeds appropriate to each channel.
2Reliability
If non-mobile data channels are used for application access, then service availability is improved in areas without mobile data coverage, but data transmission speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic channel selection and protocol adaptation. The mobile terminal and gateway server dynamically adjust communication parameters based on network availability. When mobile data is available, the system uses high-speed mobile data protocols; when unavailable, it dynamically switches to slower non-mobile data channels (SMS, USSD, voice). This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by optimizing for service availability when needed while accepting speed variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the data transmission process into multiple stages and channels. Critical control messages and small data payloads are transmitted via fast mobile data when available, while non-critical or backup communications use slower non-mobile channels. The gateway server segments incoming requests and routes them through appropriate channels, allowing the system to maintain service availability through multiple parallel paths with different speed characteristics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple non-mobile data channels are supported, then adaptability is improved for different network conditions, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway server acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of multi-channel communication. Rather than requiring the mobile terminal to implement complex logic for selecting and managing multiple non-mobile data channels (SMS, USSD, voice, Bluetooth), the terminal simply communicates with the gateway server, which manages the channel selection and protocol translation. This shifts the complexity from the device to the server, resolving the contradiction by providing adaptability without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway server implements a universal interface that handles multiple non-mobile data channels through a single communication module. The server can receive requests via SMS, USSD, voice calls, or other channels and translate them into a unified protocol for communicating with application servers. This multi-functional approach allows the system to support multiple channels without requiring separate complex modules for each, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described for providing non-mobile data channel access to a mobile application on a mobile computing device. A request for data may be received, by a client component on the mobile computing device, from the mobile application. The client component may automatically detect that mobile data is unavailable, and may automatically select a non-mobile data channel for the mobile application to communicate to an application server. The automatic selecting may be based on availability of a non-mobile data channel and bandwidth of the available non-mobile data channel. The client component may translate the request for data into a format of the selected non-mobile data channel and transmit the translated request for data to a back-end server via the selected non-mobile data channel.