(12) United States Patent
`US 7,505,755 B2
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Diar.17,2009
`Taniguchi et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`
`US007505755B2
`
`(54)
`
`DATA COMMUNICATION RESTRICTION
`METHOD, DATA COMMUNICATION
`RESTRICTION SYSTEM AND MOBILE
`TERMINAL
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Hirohito Taniguchi, Settsu (JP);
`Yoshitoki Asano, Tokyo (JP)
`
`(73)
`
`Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc., Tokyo (JP)
`
`(*)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 417 days.
`
`(21)
`
`Appl. No.: 11/329,035
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jan. 11, 2006
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`2003/0084184 A1
`2004/0148273 A1 *
`2005/0020290 A1*
`2007/0037600 A1*
`
`5/2003 Eggleston et al.
`7/2004 Allen et al.
`.................... 707/2
`1/2005 Arata et al.
`455/500
`
`2/2007 Fukuda ....................... 455/522
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`CH
`EP
`JP
`JP
`JP
`JP
`W0
`
`1179220 A
`1 032 236 A1
`2001-78260
`2001-224073
`2004-23648
`02004297247
`WO 97/22936
`
`4/1998
`8/2000
`3/2001
`8/2001
`1/2004
`* 10/2004
`6/1997
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary ExamineriDanh C Le
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or FirmgOblon, Spivak, McClelland,
`Maier & Neustadt, PC.
`
`(65)
`
`(30)
`Jan.
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`US 2006/0171350 A1
`
`Aug. 3, 2006
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`12, 2005
`
`(JP)
`
`............................. 2005-005684
`
`Int. Cl.
`
`(2006.01)
`H04M 11/00
`US. Cl.
`....................... 455/405; 455/407; 455/418;
`379/121.02; 370/328
`Field of Classification Search ................. 455/405,
`455/407, 418; 370/328; 379/121.02
`See application file for complete search history.
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`A data communication restriction method for flat rate users is
`disclosed. The data communication restriction method com-
`
`prises the steps of: monitoring data communication status of
`a flat rate user, and determining whether the number of
`request or communication quantity during a predetermined
`period exceeded a predetermined threshold (S9); setting the
`flat rate user as a communication restricted object when it is
`determined that the threshold was exceeded (810); and trans-
`mitting a communication restriction signal including com-
`munication restriction period information to a mobile termi-
`nal of the restricted flat rate user, when the restricted flat user
`requested access again (Sll); whereby data communication
`of the mobile terminal of the restricted flat rate user is
`
`restricted during the communication restriction period.
`
`6,188,883 B1*
`2001/0023181 A1
`
`2/2001 Takemura ................... 455/411
`9/2001 Savolainen
`
`6 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`MANAGING SERVER
`
`(IP-SCP)
`COMMUNICATION
`CUSTOMER INFORMATION
`RESTRICTION TIME
`MANAGING SYSTEM
`
`MANAGER
`
`(ALADIN)
`
`COMMUNICATION
`52
`RESTRICTION
`THRESHOLD MANAGER
`COMMUNICATION
`RESTRICTION USER
`MANAGER
`COMMUNICATION
`RESTRICTION SIGNAL
`MANAGER
`GENERAL
`DE-RESTRICTION
`MANAGER
`
`
`
`RELAY BASE STATION
`(W/XPCG)
`
`
`EXTERNAL
`REQUEST/
`EXCHANGE
`
`COMMUNICATION
`NETWORK
`
`(RNC.XGSN)
`QUANTITY MONITOR
`
`
`
`°%“6”IET%B‘E”
`EXTERNAL
`DETECTOR FOR
`SYSTEM (CIRCUS)
`NETWORK
`DETECTING
`(INTERNET)
`RE-ACCESS DURING
`COMMUNICATION
`RESTRICTION
`
`
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`COMMUNICATION
`RESTRICTION
`
`Page 1 of 8
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`HTC EXHIBIT 1008
`
`1
`
`HTC EXHIBIT 1008
`
`Page 1 of 8
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 17, 2009
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
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`US 7,505,755 B2
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 17, 2009
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
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`US 7,505,755 B2
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Mar. 17, 2009
`
`Sheet 3 of 4
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`US 7,505,755 B2
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`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 17, 2009
`
`Sheet 4 0f4
`
`US 7,505,755 B2
`
`FIG.5
`
`YOUR ACCESS [S
`
`ACCESS LATER.
`
`RESTRICTED NOW.
`
`PLEASE REQUEST
`
`Page 5 of 8
`
`5
`
`Page 5 of 8
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`

`

`US 7,505,755 B2
`
`1
`DATA COMMUNICATION RESTRICTION
`
`METHOD, DATA COMMUNICATION
`RESTRICTION SYSTEM AND MOBILE
`TERMINAL
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention generally relates to a data commu-
`nication restriction method, data communication restriction
`system and mobile terminal.
`Recently, the access to the Internet from mobile terminals
`such as mobile phones is drastically increasing. In order to
`reduce charges to users for data packet communication, a flat
`rate service was introduced, in which communication charges
`are kept constant irrespective of communication quantity.
`However, users utilizing this service tend to excessively con-
`sume a lot of data communication resource, which is a prob-
`lem.
`
`The flat rate service contracts between users and providers
`allows the providers to limit or restrict data communication of
`excessively using flat rate users in order to prevent them from
`exclusively using of data communication resource. On the
`other hand, providers are obliged to guarantee communica-
`tion quality to usage based rate users. Therefore, it is needed
`to introduce communication restriction systems for guaran-
`teeing communication quality to usage based rate users even
`at the sacrifice of flat rate users’ communication.
`
`This communication restriction should be placed on data
`communication only but not on voice communication.
`Accordingly, communication restricted users can utilize
`voice communication as usual.
`
`FIG. 1 is a conception view for illustrating conventional
`communication restriction system. In normal operation, a
`mobile terminal 101 gets access to an external network like
`the Internet, via an exchange 102 and a relay base station 103.
`When the relay base station 103 detected excessive accesses
`from the mobile terminal 101, the relay base station 103 does
`not relay further access request from the mobile terminal 101
`via the exchange 102 to the relay base station 103 any longer.
`Many kinds of communication restriction methods for
`dealing with communication congestion are known. One of
`them is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-
`78260. In the communication restriction system disclosed in
`this document, a base station always monitors communica-
`tion congestion condition in its radio area, and calculates a
`congestion level and notifies mobile terminals of the conges-
`tion level information. The mobile terminals control their
`
`access requests in accordance with the informed congestion
`level information.
`
`In the communication restriction system shown in FIG. 1,
`it is possible to prevent from exclusively using communica-
`tion resource after the relay base station 103. However, since
`all access requests (re-try requests due to access restriction)
`repeatedly generated by the mobile terminal 1 pass through
`the exchange 102, the load of the exchange 102 cannot be
`reduced.
`
`On the other hand, in the communication restriction system
`disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001 -78260,
`communication restriction is placed on many users in accor-
`dance with congestion condition in their radio area. It is
`impossible to restrict only excessively using users among flat
`
`2
`
`rate users. Further, this communication restriction is not only
`applied to data packet communication but also applied to all
`communications.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`An object of the present invention is to provide a data
`communication restriction system and method in which com-
`munication restriction is applied only to data communication
`such as packet communication of specific users and the com-
`munication restriction cannot be released by mobile termi-
`nals.
`
`The above object of the present invention is achieved by a
`data communication restriction method for flat rate users,
`comprising the steps of: monitoring data communication sta-
`tus of a flat rate user, and determining whether the number of
`request or communication quantity during a predetermined
`period exceeded a predetermined threshold; setting the flat
`rate user as a communication restricted object when it is
`determined that the threshold was exceeded; and transmitting
`a communication restriction signal including communication
`restriction period information to a mobile terminal of the
`restricted flat rate user, when the restricted flat user requested
`access again; whereby data communication of the mobile
`terminal of the restricted flat rate user is restricted during the
`communication restriction period.
`In the data communication restriction method for flat rate
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`users, the threshold and the communication restriction period
`may be determined for each base station.
`In the data communication restriction method for flat rate
`
`30
`
`users, the communication restriction signal may be transmit-
`ted by a short message service.
`The data communication restriction method for flat rate
`
`users, may further comprise the step of: transmitting a de-
`restriction signal to the mobile terminal of the restricted flat
`rate user when a general de-restriction is desired, whereby
`data communication of the mobile terminal of the restricted
`
`flat rate user can be normally operated.
`In the data communication restriction method for flat rate
`
`users, the communication de-restriction signal may be trans-
`mitted by a short message service.
`The object of the present invention is achieved by a data
`communication restriction system, comprising: means for
`monitoring data communication status of a flat rate user, and
`determining whether the number of request or communica-
`tion quantity during a predetermined period exceeded a pre-
`determined threshold; means for setting the flat rate user as a
`communication restricted object when it is determined that
`the threshold was exceeded; and means for transmitting a
`communication restriction signal including communication
`restriction period information to a mobile terminal of the
`restricted flat rate user, when the restricted flat user requested
`access again; whereby data communication of the mobile
`terminal of the restricted flat rate user is restricted during the
`communication restriction period.
`The object of the present invention is achieved by a mobile
`terminal comprising: means for receiving a communication
`restriction signal including communication restriction period
`information from a base station; and means for inhibiting data
`communication during the communication restriction period
`when having received the communication restriction signal.
`The mobile terminal may further comprise: means for
`showing on a screen that data communication is restricted,
`when having received the communication restriction signal.
`The mobile terminal may further comprise: means for
`restoring the data communication to normal operation status,
`when having received a communication de-restriction signal.
`
`35
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`
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`60
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`65
`
`Page 6 of 8
`
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`

`

`US 7,505,755 B2
`
`3
`According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is
`possible to realize a data communication restriction system
`and method in which communication restriction is applied
`only to data communication such as packet communication of
`specific users and the communication restriction cannot be
`released by mobile terminals.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a conception view of a conventional communica-
`tion restriction;
`FIG. 2 is a conception view of a communication restriction
`according to an embodiment of the present invention;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a communication restriction
`system according to the embodiment ofthe present invention;
`FIG. 4 is a sequence chart illustrating operation of the
`communication restriction system shown in FIG. 3; and
`FIG. 5 shows a screen ofa mobile terminal according to the
`embodiment of the present invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`The following is a description of embodiments of the
`present invention, with reference to the accompanying draw-
`ings.
`Throughout all the figures, members and parts having the
`same or similar functions are assigned the same or similar
`reference numerals or symbols, and redundant explanations
`are omitted.
`
`FIG. 2 is a conception view for illustrating communication
`restriction scheme according to an embodiment ofthe present
`invention. In FIG. 2, a mobile terminal 1 such as a mobile
`phone owned by a flat rate user can normally request access to
`an external network like the Internet via an exchange 2 and a
`relay base station 3. When the relay base station 3 detects
`excessive access from the flat rate user mobile terminal 1, the
`relay base station 3 sets the flat rate user as a communication
`restricted object. If the flat rate user requests access to the
`external network again, the relay base station responds to the
`re-access and transmits a communication restriction signal
`including communication restriction period information to
`the flat rate user mobile terminal 1 via the exchange 2. There-
`fore, the mobile terminal is restricted or inhibited from get-
`ting access to the external network during the designated
`communication restriction period. As a result, no access
`request is generated from the flat rate user mobile terminal 1
`to the exchange 2 during the designated communication
`restriction period, and therefore the load of the exchange 2
`can be effectively reduced.
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a communication restriction
`system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
`The communication restriction system comprises a mobile
`terminal 1, an exchange 2, a relay base station 3, an external
`network connection control system 4, a managing server 5
`and a customer information managing system 6.
`The mobile terminal 1 has a communicating function of
`performing normal voice communication and data commu-
`nication, and a communication restriction controller 11.
`When it receives a communication restriction signal includ-
`ing communication restriction period information from the
`relay base station 3 via the exchange 2, the communication
`restriction controller 11 restricts or inhibits the mobile termi-
`
`nal 1 from performing data communication during a desig-
`nated communication restriction period, and displays notice
`that data communication is under restriction on a screen. The
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4
`function of the communication restriction controller 11 can
`
`be realized by software (computer program).
`The exchange 2 may be an RNC (Radio Network Control-
`ler), xGSN (GPRS Support Node, GPRS: General Packet
`Radio Service), or the like. The relay base station 3 may be
`W/XPCG (Wireless/eXtended wireless Protocol Conversion
`Gateway), or the like. The external network connection con-
`trol system 4 may be CiRCUS (treasure Casket of i-mode®
`service, high Reliability platform for CUStomer) commonly
`known as the i-mode center, or the like. The managing server
`5 may be IP-SCP (IP-based Service Control Point), or the
`like. The customer information managing system 6 may be
`ALADIN (ALl Around DoCoMo INformation system), or
`the like.
`
`The relay base station 3 has a normal relaying function and
`further has a request/communication quantity monitor 3 1 and
`a detector for detecting re-access during communication
`restriction. The request/communication quantity monitor 31
`monitors data communication status of a flat rate user and
`determines whether the number ofaccess request or the quan-
`tity of data communication during a predetermined period
`exceeds a predetermined threshold. When it exceeds the
`threshold, the request/communication quantity monitor 31
`transmits a notice to the managing server 5. The detector for
`detecting re-access during communication restriction 32
`detects that re-access was requested by the flat user that has
`been set as a communication restricted object and transmits a
`notice to the managing server 5.
`The managing server 5 comprises a communication
`restriction time manager 51, a communication restriction
`threshold manager 52, a communication restriction user man-
`ager 53, a communication restriction signal manager 54, and
`a general de-restriction manager 55. The communication
`restriction time manager 51 individually manages and deter-
`mines a communication restriction period for an area where
`the relay base station 3 exists, in accordance with congestion
`condition of data communication in the area. The communi-
`cation restriction threshold manager 52 individually manages
`and determines a threshold which is used for determining
`whether the number ofrequest or the communication quantity
`of the restricted flat rate user exceeds, in accordance with
`congestion condition of data communication in the area
`where the relay base station 3 exists. The communication
`restriction user manager 53 sets the flat rate user as a com-
`munication restricted object when it is determined that its
`number of request or communication quantity exceeds the
`predetermined threshold, and restricts the data communica-
`tion of the flat rate user through the relay base station 3. The
`communication restriction signal manager 54 transmits a
`communication restriction signal including communication
`restriction period information to the mobile terminal 1 of the
`flat rate user, when the flat rate user set as a communication
`restricted object requests access again. The general de-re-
`striction manager 55 generally releases the restriction or de-
`restricts for all mobile terminals and transmits a communica-
`tion de-restriction signal to the mobile terminal 1 of the
`restricted flat rate user, for example when a disaster occurred.
`FIG. 4 is a sequence chart illustrating operation of the
`above-explained embodiment of the present invention.
`First, in normal operation, the mobile terminal 1 held by the
`flat rate user sends a request (steps Sl~SS) to an external
`network such as the Internet via the exchange 2, the relay base
`station 3 and the external network connection control 4.
`
`The request/communication quantity monitor 31 of the
`relay base station 3 monitors communication status of the
`mobile terminal 1 of the flat rate user. It is possible to know
`whether the user ofthe mobile terminal 1 is a flat rate user, by
`acquiring contract information indirectly from the customer
`information managing system 6 via the managing server 5 or
`directly from the customer information managing system 6.
`
`Page 7 of 8
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`7
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`Page 7 of 8
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`

`

`US 7,505,755 B2
`
`5
`The threshold for determining the excess of the number of
`request or the communication quantity is previously notified
`by the managing server 5.
`When the number of request or the communication quan-
`tity of the mobile terminal 1 of the flat rate user during the
`predetermined period exceeds the predetermined threshold,
`the request/communication quantity monitor ofthe relay base
`station 3 notifies the excess to the managing server 5 (step
`S9).
`When the managing server 5 receives the notice of the
`excess of the number of request or the communication quan-
`tity of the specific flat rate user from the relay base station 3,
`it sets the flat rate user as a communication restricted object
`(step 810), and transmits a notice to the relay base station 3
`that
`the communication of the flat rate user should be
`restricted (step 811). Then the relay base station 3 does not
`relay data communication from the mobile terminal 1 until
`the communication restriction for the flat rate user is released.
`Next, if the mobile terminal 1 of the flat rate user that is a
`communication restricted object sent a request again to the
`relay base station 3 via the exchange 2 (step $12, $13), the
`detector
`for detecting re-access during communication
`restriction 32 of the relay base station 3 detects the re-access
`and notifies the re-access to the managing server 5 (step 814).
`The managing server 5 receives the notice of the re-access,
`and the communication restriction signal manager 54 trans-
`mits a communication restriction signal to the mobile termi-
`nal 1 of the flat rate user that is a communication restriction
`object, by using the function of SMS (Short Message Service)
`for example (step SlS~Sl7). The communication restriction
`signal includes communication restriction period informa-
`tion managed by the communication restriction time manager
`51.
`The mobile terminal 1 receives the communication restric-
`tion signal, and the communication restriction controller 11
`inhibits data communication during the communication
`restriction period (step 818). The communication restriction
`controller 11 displays on a screen a message like “Your access
`is restricted now. Please request access later” as shown in
`FIG. 5. The communication restriction period is set by the
`managing server 5 in accordance with the congestion condi-
`tion of data communication in the area where the relay base
`station 3 lies. For example, the communication restriction
`period is determined to be longer in a downtown area that
`many users belong to. A threshold for determining the excess
`of the number of request and the communication quantity is
`determined to be lower in such a downtown area.
`During the communication restriction period, the mobile
`terminal 1 cannot access to the external network. Even if the
`restricted user forcibly releases the communication restric-
`tion by resetting the program, the user still cannot access to
`the network because the relay base station 3 does not relay the
`user’s request for access.
`When the communication restriction period is over or com-
`pleted, the communication restriction controller 11 of the
`mobile terminal 1 restores the data communication function
`to the normal operation state.
`On the other hand, in case where data communication
`should be generally allowed when a disaster occurred for
`example, the general de-restriction manager of the managing
`server 5 generally releases all the communication restriction
`(step 819). The managing server 5 deletes the communication
`restricted objects in the communication restriction user man-
`ager 53, and transmits a de-restriction signal (step $20~822)
`to the mobile terminal 1 of the flat rate user via the relay base
`station by the SMS function.
`The relay base station 3 receives the de-restriction signal
`and releases the communication restriction from the flat rate
`user. The mobile terminal 1 also receives the de-restriction
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`signal and the communication restriction controller 11
`restores the data communication to the normal operation (step
`823). Therefore, the mobile terminal 1 can access to the
`external network via the exchange 2, the relay base station 3
`and the external network connection control system 4.
`According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is
`possible to individually place data communication restriction
`on a flat rate user who utilized a large amount of data packet
`communication. The communication restriction can be so
`strict that the mobile terminal 1 cannot avoid. Further the
`restriction can be released if desired, when disaster occurred,
`for example.
`The present application is based on Japanese Priority
`Application No. 2005-005684 filed on Jan. 12, 2005 with the
`Japanese Patent Office,
`the entire contents of which are
`hereby incorporated by reference.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A data communication restriction method for flat rate
`users, comprising the steps of:
`monitoring data communication status of a flat rate user,
`and determining whether the number of request or com-
`munication quantity during a predetermined period
`exceeded a predetermined threshold;
`setting the flat rate user as a communication restricted
`object when it is determined that the threshold was
`exceeded; and
`transmitting a communication restriction signal including
`communication restriction period information to a
`mobile terminal of the restricted flat rate user, when the
`restricted flat user requested access again;
`whereby data communication of the mobile terminal ofthe
`restricted flat rate user is restricted during the commu-
`nication restriction period.
`2. The data communication restriction method for flat rate
`users as claimed in claim 1, wherein
`the threshold and the communication restriction period are
`determined for each base station.
`3. The data communication restriction method for flat rate
`users as claimed in claim 1, wherein
`the communication restriction signal is transmitted by a
`short message service.
`4. The data communication restriction method for flat rate
`users as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:
`transmitting a de-restriction signal to the mobile terminal
`of the restricted flat rate user
`when a general de-restriction is desired,
`whereby data communication of the mobile terminal ofthe
`restricted flat rate user can be normally operated.
`5. The data communication restriction method for flat rate
`users as claimed in claim 4, wherein
`the communication de-restriction signal is transmitted by a
`short message service.
`6. A data communication restriction system, comprising:
`means for monitoring data communication status of a flat
`rate user, and determining whether the number of
`request or communication quantity during a predeter-
`mined period exceeded a predetermined threshold;
`means for setting the flat rate user as a communication
`restricted object when it is determined that the threshold
`was exceeded; and
`means for transmitting a communication restriction signal
`including communication restriction period information
`to a mobile terminal of the restricted flat rate user, when
`the restricted flat user requested access again;
`whereby data communication of the mobile terminal ofthe
`restricted flat rate user is restricted during the commu-
`nication restriction period.
`*
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