Platform for enabling sponsors to sponsor functions of a computing device
AssigneeKajeet, Inc.
InventorDaniel John Neal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are described for sponsoring functions of computing devices associated with users. A sponsor may define a sponsorship that includes rules for sponsoring certain functions available to a user via a computing device. The execution of the functions may be facilitated, in some instances, by a service provider that may also specify rules and policies that control the functions. As such, when the user executes one or more of the sponsored functions by way of the computing device, instead of charging the associated cost to the user, the service provider may charge the cost to the sponsor based on the associated rules and policies.
Claims26
A method executable on a first computing device associated with a sponsor for sponsoring a second computing device associated with a subscriber to a service of a service provider, the service supporting a use of the second computing device over a network of the service provider, the method comprising:
- signing up for an account associated with the sponsor and managed by the service provider, the account comprising an identifier of the sponsor;
- defining first information indicative of a sponsorship, the first information associating the sponsorship with the account and comprising a rule for applying the sponsorship to the second computing device;
- and
- receiving second information indicative of an application of the sponsorship to the second computing device based at least in part on the rule.
A system configured to define information about a sponsorship that sponsors a computing device, the system comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to at least:
- provide an interface to a first user, the interface allowing the first user to define the information about the sponsorship, the information comprising a type of the sponsorship and a rule for applying the sponsorship;
- and
- send the information to a second system configured to support a use of the computing device, the computing device being associated with a second user, the second system being associated with a network of a service provider, the second system being configured to support the use of the computing device based at least in part on a subscription of the second user to a service of the service provider, the send the information causing the second system to apply, based at least in part on the rule, the sponsorship to the use of the computing device.
A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, upon execution on a first system configured to allow a user to generate a sponsorship associated a computing device, cause the first system to perform operations comprising:
- associating one or more rules with the sponsorship, the one or more rules specifying an application of the sponsorship, the sponsorship covering a cost associated with a use of the computing device based at least in part on the application;
- providing information indicative of the one or more rules to a second system configured to at least facilitate the use of the computing device;
- and
- receiving from the second system an indication of the use of the computing device, the indication comprising charging the cost associated with the use of the computing device to an account of the user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.