Methods, devices and computer program products for tracking usage of a network by a plurality of users of a mobile phone
AssigneeSony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
InventorJohan Karlberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods for tracking usage of a network by a plurality of users of a mobile phone include associating a plurality of user accounts with the mobile phone, where ones of the plurality of user accounts correspond to ones of the plurality of users of the mobile phone. Usage of the network by the mobile phone is automatically attributed to one of the plurality of user accounts responsive to receiving identifying information for a corresponding one of the plurality of users of the mobile phone. Charges for the one of the plurality of user accounts are calculated based on the usage attributed to the one of the plurality of user accounts. Related devices and computer program products are also discussed.
Claims38
A method for tracking usage of a network by a plurality of users of a mobile phone, the method comprising:
- associating a plurality of user accounts with the mobile phone, wherein ones of the plurality of user accounts correspond to ones of the plurality of users of the mobile phone;
- automatically attributing usage of the network by the mobile phone to one of the plurality of user accounts responsive to receiving identifying information for a corresponding one of the plurality of users of the mobile phone;
- and
- automatically calculating charges for the one of the plurality of user accounts based on the usage attributed to the one of the plurality of user accounts.
A method of operating a mobile phone configured to be shared by a plurality of users, the method comprising:
- associating ones of a plurality of broadcast identifiers with respective ones of the plurality of users of the mobile phone;
- receiving identifying information for one of the plurality of users of the mobile phone via a user interface;
- and
- activating a corresponding one of the plurality of broadcast identifiers responsive to receiving the identifying information for the one of the plurality of users of the mobile phone.
A mobile phone, comprising:
- a transceiver configured to establish a wireless wide-area network communication connection;
- and
- a controller configured to associate a plurality of user accounts with the mobile phone, automatically attribute usage of a network by the mobile phone to one of the plurality of user accounts responsive to receiving identifying information for a corresponding one of a plurality of users of the mobile phone, and automatically calculate charges for the one of the plurality of user accounts based on the usage attributed to the one of the plurality of user accounts.
A mobile phone, comprising:
- a user interface configured to receive identifying information for one of a plurality of users of the mobile phone;
- and
- a controller configured to associate ones of a plurality of broadcast identifiers with respective ones of the plurality of users of the mobile phone and activate a corresponding one of the plurality of broadcast identifiers based on receipt of the identifying information for the one of the plurality of users of the mobile phone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.