Controlling roaming behaviors of mobile applications
AssigneeT-Mobile USA, Inc.
InventorVinod Ravichandran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are described herein for controlling the roaming behaviors of mobile applications, such as applications provided by mobile devices. In some embodiments, the systems and methods may determine that a mobile device is connected to a roaming network, and prompt or otherwise cause a user to authorize a mobile application to use the roaming network for sending and receiving data. Other details are provided herein.
Claims20
A method performed by a mobile application of a mobile device to facilitate selection of one or more operation modes of the mobile application, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication that the mobile device containing the mobile application is at a geographical location outside of a home telecommunications network,
- wherein the home telecommunications network includes a user associated with the mobile device as a subscriber of a carrier providing the home telecommunications network;
- determining that a visitor telecommunications network, available to the mobile device at the geographical location, is a roaming network and is capable of providing data or voice communication services to the mobile device;
- causing the mobile device to present multiple user-selectable options associated with an operation mode of the mobile application based on the determination that the visitor telecommunications network is a roaming network,
- wherein the multiple user-selectable options include:
- a first option that, when selected, causes the mobile application to remain online and perform communication operations over the visitor telecommunications network;
- and
- a second option that, when selected, causes the mobile application to move offline with respect to the visitor telecommunications network and without causing other mobile applications of the mobile device to move offline with respect to the visitor telecommunications network;
- and
- adjusting the operation mode of the mobile application based on input received from the user of a selection of one of the multiple user-selectable options.
A system associated with a mobile application contained by a mobile device and that facilitates selection of one or more operation modes of the mobile application, the system comprising:
- at least one hardware component, wherein the component is configured to execute software modules, including:
- a location module that receives an indication that the mobile device containing the mobile application is at a geographical location outside of a home telecommunications network that includes a user associated with the mobile device as a subscriber of a carrier providing the home telecommunications network;
- a network module that determines a visitor telecommunications network available to the mobile device at the geographical location is a roaming network with respect to the visitor telecommunications network providing data or voice communication services to the mobile device;
- an operation module that:
- causes the mobile device to present multiple user-selectable options associated with an operation mode of the mobile application,
- wherein the multiple user-selectable options include:
- a first option that, when selected, causes the mobile application to remain online and perform communication operations over the visitor telecommunications network;
- and
- a second option that, when selected, causes the mobile application to move offline with respect to the visitor telecommunications network by preventing the mobile application from performing syncing operations over the visitor telecommunications network or performing timing operations over the visitor telecommunications network;
- and
- adjusts the operation mode of the mobile application based on input received from the user of a selection of one of the multiple user-selectable options.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents, when executed by a mobile application of a mobile device, cause the mobile application to perform a method, the method comprising:
- determining that the mobile device is connected to a roaming network;
- and
- preventing the mobile application from performing syncing operations over the roaming network or performing timing operations over the roaming network until input is received from a user associated with the mobile device that authorizes use of the roaming network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.