Tracking data usage in wireless networks

US9674374B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. · US

Inventors

• Jeremy P. Bolton · Madison, US
• Luke D. VonFeldt · Killingworth, US
• Christopher M. Perry · Folsom, US
• Mamadou Mamoune Niang · Keller, US
• Barry F. Hoffner · Bound Brook Junction, US
• Mark William Andrews · Grosse Pointe Park, US
• Scott A. Townley · Gilbert, US
• Lixia Yan · Jalan Pedongkelan, US
• Marc Chiaverini · Youngstown, US
• Javier A. Ferro · Somerville, US
• Hiywote Demisse · Bound Brook, US
• Ratul K. Guha · Kendall Park, US
• Jolly Lal · Montgomery, US
• Romeo R. Tan · East Brunswick Township, US
• Uma Venkata Raman · Somerville, US
• Bhaskar Srinivasiah · Atlanta, US
• Jonathan B. Ofri · Bound Brook, US
• Alexis Polanco, Jr. · Woodbridge, US
• Mark Gilbert · Redmond, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 24, 2016
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2017
• Expiry date: Aug 24, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W4/24
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method may include determining a number of user devices that can access data services in a wireless network and storing information identifying the determined number of user devices for each of a number of sectors for each of a number of periods of time. The method may also include receiving a request from a first user device associated with a first user for access to data services during a first period of time, accessing the stored information to determine whether to grant the request and providing access to data services via the wireless network to the first user device. The method may further include excluding data usage by the first user device during the first period of time from being applied against a data limit associated with the user's data plan.