United States Cellular Corporation

Mankesh S Ahluwalia

Narothum Saxena

Michael Shannon Irizarry

Sumeet Singh Bhatia

Jaideep Abichandani

George Pitsoulakis

Managing data resource utilization in a wireless network environment comprising a first data network and a second data network is described herein. The described management infrastructure and method incorporates monitoring data usage of a wireless network subscriber over the first data network, determining that the data usage over the first data network meets a specified threshold, and, in response to the determination that usage has reached the specified threshold, administratively disconnecting the wireless network subscriber from the first data network so as to cause a data session of the wireless network subscriber to be reassigned to the second data network.

System and method for data network reassignment

A way for managing use of a mobile wireless device in a tethering configuration is described. The disclosed mobile wireless system is configured to receive a message packet issued from a device tethered to the mobile wireless device. The system determines whether the mobile wireless device is permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices by referencing a profile with which the mobile device is associated. The mobile wireless system discards the received message packet in response to determining from the profile that the mobile wireless device is not permitted to pass messages on behalf of tethered devices. Moreover, a number of ways for monetizing the supported tethering mode are described such that a service provider is adequately compensated for the increased demand on the mobile wireless network resources arising from support for the tethering mode of operation for a mobile wireless device.

System and method for network assisted control and monetization of tethering to mobile wireless devices

Embodiments of the invention are used to provide a system and method for tearing down and reclaiming an IP address from a multi-IP stack device based on configurable timer parameters that provide a network operator with independent control over each protocol-specific IP network layer session. Dedicated idle and session timers for each IP network layer session are implemented at the network layer of various network nodes in order to independently tear down IPv4 and IPv6 network sessions while maintaining the underlying link layer connection. In embodiments, the IP protocol-specific idle and session timers are processed by the Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) or the Home Agent (HA). To achieve user session level control of IP protocol-specific network layer sessions, embodiments of the invention provide for storing the network layer idle and session timer attributes at the Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server prior to passing such attributes to the PDSN or the HA for processing during the dual-stack communication session.

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Schaumburg, IL, United States of America

Mankesh S Ahluwalia