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US 9,544,195 B1Granted
Bandwidth monitoring for data plans
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorParag K. Garg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Users with limited data plans for a network connection can have usage of that network connection by various applications monitored such that the user can determine how much bandwidth each application uses based on activity of that user. Upon viewing application-specific usage information and/or determining how much each application can contribute to overage charges, the user can determine how to adjust behavior to meet personal usage targets. In at least some embodiments, a user can specify limits for specific applications, after which the traffic for that application can be blocked or at least require approval from the user. Such limits also can guarantee enough bandwidth for specific applications when the user otherwise would reach or exceed the maximum amount of bandwidth under the data plan.
Claims15
A computer-implemented method of managing data usage, comprising:
- under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,
- receiving, at a service provider from a first client device, a first user input associated with a first application executing on the first client device, the first user input specifying a first adjustment action for reducing a first amount of transmitted data;
- receiving, at the service provider from a second client device, a second user input associated with a second application executing on the second client device, the second user input specifying a second adjustment action for reducing a second amount of transmitted data;
- receiving, at the service provider from the first client device, a request associated with a first data transmission over a network connection, the network connection having a combined user data limit that applies to the first client device and the second client device, the first data transmission used by the first application;
- receiving, at the service provider from a source of the first data transmission, an estimated data transmission amount corresponding to the first data transmission;
- determining, at the service provider, a first application-specific data limit specified by a user for the first application;
- determining, at the service provider, the estimated data transmission amount exceeds at least one of the first application-specific data limit or the combined user data limit;
- identifying, at the service provider, the first adjustment action associated with the first application;
- and
- sending information from the service provider to the source of the first data transmission, the information causing a change in format of at least a portion of the first data transmission from a high-definition data format to a standard-definition data format to reduce the first amount of transmitted data below the first application-specific data limit and the combined user data limit.
7 more elements
A computing device, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:
- receive, at a service provider from a client device, a user input associated with an application executing on the client device, the user input specifying an adjustment action for reducing an amount of transmitted data;
- receive, at the service provider from the client device, a request associated with a data transmission over a network connection having a user data limit, the data transmission used by the application;
- receive, at the service provider from a source of the data transmission, an estimated data transmission amount corresponding to the data transmission;
- determine, at the service provider, the estimated data transmission amount exceeds one of an application-specific data limit associated with the application or the user data limit;
- identify, at the service provider, the adjustment action associated with the application;
- and
- send information from the service provider to the source of the data transmission, the information causing a change in format of at least a portion of the data transmission from a high-definition data format to a standard-definition data format to reduce the amount of transmitted data below the application-specific data limit and the user data limit.
7 more elements
A system for refining a search query, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
- receive, at a service provider from a client device, a user input associated with an application executing on the client device, the user input specifying an adjustment action for reducing an amount of transmitted data;
- receive, at the service provider from the client device, a request associated with a data transmission over a network connection having a user data limit, the data transmission used by the application;
- receive, at the service provider from a source of the data transmission, an estimated data transmission amount corresponding to the data transmission;
- determine, at the service provider, an application-specific data limit specified by a user for the application;
- determine, at the service provider, the estimated data transmission amount exceeds one of the application-specific data limit or the user data limit;
- identify, at the service provider, the adjustment action associated with the application;
- and
- send information from the service provider to the source of the data transmission, the information causing a change in format of at least a portion of the data transmission from a high-definition data format to a standard-definition data format to reduce the amount of transmitted data below the application-specific data limit and the user data limit.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.