Devices, Systems, and Methods for Sponsored Tethered Connectivity
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorNemmara K. Shankaranarayanan
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Abstract
Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed which relate to establishing a sponsored tethered connectivity (STC) connection by tethering a special purpose connected device (SPCD) through a tethering mobile device having network access. The SPCD accesses an application server on the network and is authenticated before service to the SPCD begins. Once authenticated, the service provider is billed for the STC connection instead of a user of the tethering mobile device.
Claims20
A tethering mobile device comprising:
- a short-range wireless communication transceiver;
- a long-range wireless communication transceiver;
- a processor;
- and
- a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
- receiving, via the short-range wireless communication transceiver, a sponsored tethered connectivity request from a special purpose connectivity device, the sponsored tethered connectivity request comprising account information identifying an account belonging to a service provider,
- in response to the sponsored tethered connectivity request, establishing, via the long-range wireless communication transceiver, a sponsored tethered connectivity connection between the special purpose connectivity device and an application server associated with the service provider, and
- forwarding, via the sponsored tethered connectivity connection, data between the special purpose connectivity device and the application server associated with the service provider, wherein a cost of usage of the sponsored tethered connectivity connection is billed to the account belonging to the service provider instead of an account associated with the tethering mobile device and instead of an account associated with the special purpose connectivity device.
A memory device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a tethering mobile device comprising a short-range wireless communication transceiver and a long-range wireless communication transceiver, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
- receiving, via the short-range wireless communication transceiver, a sponsored tethered connectivity request from a special purpose connectivity device, the sponsored tethered connectivity request comprising account information identifying an account belonging to a service provider;
- in response to the sponsored tethered connectivity request, establishing, via the long-range wireless communication transceiver, a sponsored tethered connectivity connection between the special purpose connectivity device and an application server associated with the service provider;
- and
- forwarding, via the sponsored tethered connectivity connection, data between the special purpose connectivity device and the application server associated with the service provider, wherein a cost of usage of the sponsored tethered connectivity connection is billed to the account belonging to the service provider instead of an account associated with the tethering mobile device and instead of an account associated with the special purpose connectivity device.
A server for establishing a sponsored tethered connectivity, the server comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
- receiving, via a tethering mobile device, a sponsored tethered connectivity request from a special purpose connectivity device, the sponsored tethered connectivity request comprising account information identifying an account belonging to a service provider, and
- establishing, through the tethering mobile device, a sponsored tethered connectivity connection between the special purpose connectivity device and an application server associated with the service provider, wherein a cost of usage of the sponsored tethered connectivity connection is billed to the account belonging to the service provider instead of an account associated with the tethering mobile device and instead of an account associated with the special purpose connectivity device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.