Wireless end-user device with differential traffic control policy list and applying foreground classification to wireless data service
Patent No. US9277445 (titled "Wireless end-user device with differential traffic control policy list and applying foreground classification to wireless data service") on Apr 10, 2015. The application was issued on Mar 1, 2016.
What is this patent about?
’445 is related to the field of wireless network resource management and traffic control. Specifically, it addresses the technical challenge of preserving capacity on wireless wide-area networks (WWAN) by managing how individual applications consume data based on their visibility to the user and the type of network connection available.
The underlying idea behind ’445 is that not all data traffic is of equal importance to the user, particularly when a device is connected to a capacity-constrained cellular network. The invention identifies that applications often perform background tasks that the user is unaware of; by detecting whether an application is currently in the user interface foreground, the device can intelligently decide to block non-essential background requests to save network resources.
The claims of ’445 focus on a dual-classification system implemented on a device equipped with both WWAN and WLAN modems. The system first determines which modem is active and then classifies whether a specific application is actively interacting with the user in the foreground. Based on a stored differential traffic control policy list, the device is configured to block Internet access requests from specific applications if they are running in the background while the device is using the WWAN.
In practice, the invention functions as an intelligent gatekeeper that distinguishes between foreground and background states to enforce differential traffic control. When the device is on a cellular link, the processor checks the policy list to see if the requesting application is restricted. If the application is not currently visible to the user, the system prevents the modem from transmitting the data, thereby reducing unnecessary signaling and bandwidth consumption that typically occurs without the user's knowledge.
This approach differs from prior solutions by moving the intelligence from the core network to the end-user device. Traditional methods rely on deep packet inspection at a gateway, which still allows data to consume expensive over-the-air spectrum before being blocked. By using a device-side policy that understands the application state, the invention preserves capacity at the source and provides a more surgical way to manage congestion without degrading the active user experience.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical Landscape
In the mid-2010s when ’445 was filed, wireless access networks were increasingly strained by a transition from specialized mobile protocols to general-purpose Internet traffic. At a time when network capacity was typically managed through centralized core-network equipment, systems commonly relied on uniform traffic handling rather than device-level awareness of network congestion. Hardware and software constraints made it non-trivial to differentiate between foreground user-initiated tasks and background automated signaling, often resulting in excessive radio access bearer requests and signaling overhead that could overwhelm base station resources even when aggregate data throughput remained low.
Prosecution Position
The disclosed invention represents a technical advancement by shifting network resource management from a purely centralized architecture to a device-assisted framework that intelligently preserves capacity at the source of demand. By implementing a service processor on the end-user device that classifies network service usage activities—such as background synchronization, software updates, and persistent signaling—the system enables differential control based on the real-time busy state of the network edge. This architectural shift allows the device to proactively defer, throttle, or aggregate low-priority traffic before it consumes over-the-air spectrum or signaling channel resources. The technical effect achieved is a reduction in signaling flooding and improved network availability, overcoming the constraint where background application behavior could degrade the quality of service for critical real-time communications.
Claims
The patent contains a total of 26 claims, with claim 1 being the sole independent claim. This independent claim focuses on a wireless end-user device equipped with both wide area and local area network modems and a processor configured to manage data traffic by classifying network types and determining whether an application is actively interacting with a user in the foreground. Based on these classifications and a specific policy list, the device applies differential traffic control to allow or block internet access requests, specifically targeting the restriction of background data over wide area networks for certain applications. The 25 dependent claims serve to further define the system by specifying criteria for foreground interaction, detailing user interface notifications, describing multimode policy profiles, outlining power state considerations, and establishing methods for intercepting or emulating network requests to enforce traffic blocking.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Litigation Cases New
US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.
Patent Family
File Wrapper
The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.
Get instant alerts for new documents
US9277445
- Application Number
- US14684033A
- Filing Date
- Apr 10, 2015
- Publication Date
- Mar 1, 2016
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO , Google Patents