Mobile end-user device with agent limiting wireless data communication for specified background applications based on a stored policy

What is this patent about?

’462 is related to the field of mobile network management and device-assisted service policies. It specifically addresses the technical challenge of controlling how individual applications consume data resources on a mobile device, particularly when those applications are not actively being used by the user but are still operating in the background.

The underlying idea behind ’462 is to shift the enforcement of network access rules from the core network directly onto the mobile end-user device. By utilizing local agents that can distinguish between foreground and background application states, the invention allows for granular, application-specific control over data transmissions across both cellular and local area wireless modems.

The claims of ’462 focus on a mobile device equipped with multiple data modems and a stored access network policy that classifies specific applications based on their permission to initiate communication while in a background state. The device includes at least one agent designed to monitor the execution state of these applications and enforce the policy by allowing or blocking network activity accordingly.

In practice, the invention works by determining if a running application is currently the primary focus of the user or if it is hidden from view. If an application is identified as a background application, the device agent consults the pre-defined policy to decide if that specific app is permitted to wake up the modem and send or receive data, thereby preventing unauthorized data usage and preserving battery life.

This approach differs from prior solutions that typically managed data at a bulk device level or relied on expensive and complex Deep Packet Inspection within the carrier's core network. By managing these permissions locally on the device, the system provides a more scalable and privacy-friendly way to protect network capacity and manage service costs without requiring constant coordination with the network infrastructure.