Patent Publication Number: US-9843454-B2

Title: Techniques for contextual mobile data access

Description:
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/574,524, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,667,808, titled “TECHNIQUES FOR CONTEXTUAL MOBILE DATA ACCESS,”, filed Dec. 18, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Users may perform network data access using mobile devices connected to cellular data networks. The cellular data networks may use metered data. The amount of data transferred across a cellular data network may be monitored and debited against a user allocation of data. Similarly, the amount of data transferred across a cellular data network may be monitored and the user billed a fee based on the amount. However, some cellular data access may be performed against zero-rated servers, wherein the cellular system does not meter access to the zero-rated servers: the user allocation is not debited and no amount-based fee is generated for the traffic exchanged with the zero-rated servers. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some novel embodiments described herein. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
     Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for contextual mobile data access. Some embodiments are particularly directed to techniques to application-specific and resource-specific data plans for contextual mobile data access. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a mobile device with a local gateway utility. The local gateway utility may be operative to receive a network request on a device, determine that the network request corresponds to a context-specific data plan for the device, the context-specific data plan authorizing performance of the network request through a zero-rated proxy server, and perform the network request for the application using the zero-rated proxy server as an intermediary. Other embodiments are described and claimed. 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be practiced and all aspects and equivalents thereof are intended to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a selective zero-rating system. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a mobile device for use with the selective zero-rating system. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of a zero-rated proxy server and a non-zero-rated proxy server. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the mobile device interacting with a commerce server. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a first logic flow for the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment of a second logic flow for the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of a centralized system for the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment of a distributed system for the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of a computing architecture. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an embodiment of a communications architecture. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an embodiment of a radio device architecture. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments are directed to techniques to offer and implement context-specific data plans for mobile devices on cellular networks. Mobile devices may execute a wide array of mobile applications. Many of these mobile applications may make use of network data in their performance of their operations. Unfortunately, unlike the assigned number of minutes a user may have on a cellular voice plan, users may not have significant awareness of or control over the data access performed by mobile applications. For example, a user may find that a free or low-cost video streaming application is expensive to use due to significant data access, either absorbing much or all of a user&#39;s cellular data allocation or alternatively or additionally generating data usage fees. Where a user purchases blocks of cellular data (e.g., purchases a 50 megabyte of cellular data allocation), the user may find themselves frequently purchasing additional blocks in order to allow for a data-intensive application to work. Further, where a data-intensive application has used up a user&#39;s allocation, other applications with more modest data usage may be prevented from operating until the user purchases an additional data allocation. 
     As such, a user may be benefited by being empowered to purchase application-specific or resource-specific data plans that provide unlimited data access for a set period of time. For instance, a user might purchase a data plan that provides unlimited cellular data access to a multiplayer gaming application for thirty days. A user might purchase a data plan that provides unlimited streaming of video for a soccer tournament for the duration of the tournament. A user might purchase a data plan that provides a trial thirty minute unlimited data plan for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application during an introductory period with the VoIP application. These plans may work in combination with a conventional data allocation, such that cellular data usage that doesn&#39;t correspond to an application or resource with a specific data plan is debited against the data allocation, while cellular data usage that corresponds to an application or resource with a specific data plan is not debited against the data allocation and may proceed even where a data allocation for a mobile device has been expended. It will be appreciated that a plan promoted as unlimited may have a set limit, the limit set above any normal usage under the plan. For example, a video streaming data plan may provide for significant video streaming, but not accommodate 24/7 video streaming. 
     These data plans may be priced according to a predicted amount of cellular data that will be used if users are allowed unlimited cellular data usage in the context to which the data plans are specific. For example, a data plan for a video streaming application may be priced higher than a data plan for a text-based messaging application for the same length of time due to the greater amount of network traffic expected to be produced by the video streaming application. This may serve to ensure that cellular providers are appropriately compensated for the use of their network while providing transparency and advance notification to users of the cost of using various applications and accessing various resources using a cellular network. Cellular providers may further benefit from increased use of their cellular network, with associated increased revenue, due to increased confidence in their customers in using their network due to the greater knowledge and control the customers have over their data usage. 
     Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the novel embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. The intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives consistent with the claimed subject matter. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a block diagram for a selective zero-rating system  100 . In one embodiment, the selective zero-rating system  100  may comprise a computer-implemented system having software applications comprising one or more components. Although the selective zero-rating system  100  shown in  FIG. 1  has a limited number of elements in a certain topology, it may be appreciated that the selective zero-rating system  100  may include more or less elements in alternate topologies as desired for a given implementation. 
     It is worthy to note that “a” and “b” and “c” and similar designators as used herein are intended to be variables representing any positive integer. Thus, for example, if an implementation sets a value for a=5, then a complete set of components  122  illustrated as components  122 - 1  through  122 - a  may include components  122 - 1 ,  122 - 2 ,  122 - 3 ,  122 - 4  and  122 - 5 . The embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     A mobile device  120  may perform various operation using network data accessed over a network. The mobile device  120  may access a cellular system  130  using cellular signals  135 . The cellular system  130  may be a cellular network including data access, the cellular system  130  provided by a cellular provider with which the user of the mobile device  120  has a service contract, the service contract for cellular data server to the mobile device  120 . The cellular system  130  may be a metered network, in which data access is priced, at least in part, according to an amount of data transferred over the network. The cellular data service contract may be a pre-paid contract in that a cellular data allocation is purchased prior to use providing a specific allocation, with general cellular data access (e.g., cellular data access to a non-zero-rated address) cut off once the cellular data allocation is exhausted. The cellular data service contract may be a subscription contract providing longer-term cellular data access. A subscription contract may include a cellular data allocation, but may also allow for cellular data use beyond the exhaustion of the cellular data allocation, with any further use generating additional fees. For example, a cellular data subscription may include 1 GB of cellular data per month, with access to zero-rated resources not debited against the allocation, with an additional charge for each full or partial additional gigabyte of cellular data used each month. 
     The mobile device  120  may access one or more Wi-Fi access points  140  using Wi-Fi signals  145 . Wi-Fi access points  140  may be provided by a plurality of different operators. Some of the Wi-Fi access points  140  may be personal in nature, such as a home Wi-Fi network operated by the user of mobile device  120  based on a domestic Internet connection. Some of the Wi-Fi access points  140  may be free of charge or provided as a complimentary portion of a service, such as free Wi-Fi service in coffee shops, hotels, and other public accommodations. Some of the Wi-Fi access points  140  may require payment for use. However, the Wi-Fi access points  140  may be generally non-metered networks, in which, whether or not access is free or paid, there are no fees for use of the Wi-Fi access points  140  generated based on an amount of data transferred over the networks. 
     The mobile device  120  may access a network resource  180  hosted on a network server  170 . The network resource  180  may comprise any network-accessible resource. The network resource  180  may be retrieved by the mobile device  120 , such as in the reception of a video download, video stream, music download, web page view, or any other reception of data across a network. The network resource  180  may be stored on the network server  170 , such as the uploading of an image, video, audio file, text message, or any other transmission of data across a network. Accessing the network resource  180  may include both transmitting and receiving data, such as the transmission of a request and the reception of a response, the submission of data and the reception of responding data, or any other two-way exchange of data across a network. The mobile device  120  may, in various circumstances, use either of a cellular system  130  or Wi-Fi access points  140  to access the network resource  180  on the network server  170 . 
     The mobile device  120  may communicate with network server  170  without the use of any intermediary proxy server. The mobile device  120  may use either of cellular system  130  or Wi-Fi access points  140  to access the network server  170  without the network transaction being passed through a proxy server. In some embodiments, one or both of the cellular system  130  and Wi-Fi access points may use a proxy server internal to their operations, in which case direct access to the network server  170  may be interpreted as access without the use of third-party proxy servers external to the Wi-Fi access points  140  or cellular system  130 . 
     Some cellular access may be “zero rated.” Zero-rated cellular access may not contribute to capped free cellular data communication that may be included in a cellular customer&#39;s plan or pre-paid purchase. Zero-rated cellular access may not generate a fee to the cellular customer, even if that customer is over a limited quantity of allocated or pre-paid cellular data access, or where such an allocated or pre-paid cellular data access does not exist. Zero-rated cellular access may be dependent on the specific network accessed, with the cellular carrier having a list of one or more network addresses—such as internet protocol (IP) addresses—to which cellular customers have zero-rated access. This list may vary between cellular carriers. 
     The network server  170  may not be zero-rated with the cellular system  130 . As such, any direct access to the network server  170 , including network resource  180 , that uses cellular system  130  may result in data allocation usage. The mobile device  120  may therefore be benefited by, where possible, using a zero-rated proxy server  150  to access the network server  170  and other non-zero-rated devices. Data access by the mobile device  120  through the cellular system  130  to the zero-rated proxy server  150  will not result in data allocation usage due to the zero-rated proxy server  150 . The zero-rated proxy server  150  may be operative to access the network server  170  and thereby network resource  180  on behalf of the mobile device  120 . As the zero-rated proxy server  150  is outside of the cellular system  130 , the cellular provider does not bill or debit the operator of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for the data exchange with the network server  170 . Because the zero-rated proxy server  150  is zero-rated with the cellular system  130 , the cellular provider does not bill or debit the user of mobile device  120  for the data exchange with the zero-rated proxy server  150 . If the network exchange with the zero-rated proxy server  150  allows proxy access to the network server  170 , then the use of the zero-rated proxy server  150  may allow for zero-rated access to the network server  170 —and thereby to the network resource  180 —by the mobile device  120  even without the network server  170  being zero-rated by the cellular system  130 . 
     However, the cellular system  130  may only zero-rate the zero-rated proxy server  150  if the zero-rated proxy server  150  agrees to only act as a proxy for network transactions for which the mobile device  120  has one or more context-specific data plans relevant to the context of the network transactions. The zero-rated proxy server  150  may therefore serve as the mechanism for implementing context-specific data plans: cellular data traffic provided for under one or more context-specific data plans for the mobile device  120  may be tunneled through the zero-rated proxy server  150  to avoid data fees or data allocation debiting while cellular data traffic not provided for under any context-specific data plan for the mobile device  120  is excluded from using the zero-rated proxy server  150 . 
     In some embodiments, the mobile device  120  may be used with a proxy server whether or not it is on a metered network. A proxy server may provide utility to the mobile device  120  beyond the benefit of avoiding data fees and data allocation debiting. For example, a proxy server may transcode media to reduce bandwidth, perform caching to increase performance, and provide other benefits. As such, the mobile device  120  may use a non-zero-rated proxy server  160  when using a non-metered network such as the networks provided by Wi-Fi access points  140 . Similarly, the non-zero-rated proxy server  160  may be used when using a metered network such as the cellular system  130  for network transactions for which the mobile device  120  is not authorized to receive the benefit of zero rating (i.e., where no context-specific data plan is relevant to the transaction). These same benefits beyond zero-rating may also be provided by the zero-rated proxy server  150  when in use for a transaction. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a mobile device  120  for use with the selective zero-rating system. The mobile device  120  may be operative to execute a plurality of applications  260 , a service management application  250 , and a local gateway utility  210 . 
     Exchanging network traffic, such as performing zero-rated network request  165 , may comprise transmitting and receiving network traffic via a network interface controller (NIC). A NIC comprises a hardware component connecting a computer device, such as mobile device  120 , to a computer network. The NIC may be associated with a software network interface empowering software applications to access and use the NIC. Network traffic may be received over the computer network as signals transmitted over data links. The network traffic may be received by capturing these signals and interpreting them. The NIC may receive network traffic over the computer network and transfer the network traffic to memory storage accessible to software applications using a network interface application programming interface (API). The mobile device  120  may comprise a cellular interface  230  for access to the cellular system  130  and a Wi-Fi interface  240  for access to Wi-Fi access points  140 . 
     A local gateway utility  210  may be present on a mobile device  120  to empower the mobile device  120  to make use of the proxy servers and manage the operation of the mobile device  120  and its applications  260  with the proxy servers. Network traffic of the mobile device  120  that is exchanged via the proxy servers may be transmitted through the local gateway utility  210 . Exchanging network traffic via the local gateway utility  210  may comprise using a network interface application programming interface (API) generally providing access to networks accessible to the mobile device  120 . For instance, the client operating system (OS) of the mobile device  120  may automatically select a network interface from a plurality of network interfaces according to a priority of the network interfaces. 
     The local gateway utility  210  may be the highest-priority network interface of the plurality of network interfaces. The local gateway utility  210  may be of a higher priority than a cellular interface  230 , but be of lower priority other network interfaces (e.g., a Wi-Fi interface  240 ) access to which is not managed by the local gateway utility  210 . Alternatively, the local gateway utility  210  may also be of a higher priority than the Wi-Fi interface  240  as well, such that all network traffic is channeled through the local gateway utility  210 . The local gateway utility  210  may be operative to manage access to selective zero-rating and to ensure that zero-rating via tunneling to non-zero-rated servers through a zero-rated proxy server  170  is only performed where provided for by a context-specific data plan active for the mobile device  120   
     In some embodiments, applications  260  using local gateway utility  210  may first be registered with the client OS or local gateway utility  210  before the local gateway utility  210  is a prioritized network interface for the applications  260 . A user of mobile device  120  may have to opt-in to a privacy policy associated with local gateway utility  210  prior to local gateway utility  210  being used as a network interface for applications  260 . 
     Selective zero-rating system  100  may include an authorization server (or other suitable component(s)) that allows users to opt in to or opt out of having their actions logged by selective zero-rating system  100  or shared with other systems (e.g., third-party systems), for example, by setting appropriate privacy settings. A privacy setting of a user may determine what information associated with the user may be logged, how information associated with the user may be logged, when information associated with the user may be logged, who may log information associated with the user, whom information associated with the user may be shared with, and for what purposes information associated with the user may be logged or shared. Authorization servers or other authorization components may be used to enforce one or more privacy settings of the users of proxy servers  150 ,  160  through blocking, data hashing, anonymization, or other suitable techniques as appropriate. 
     The local gateway utility  210  may be operative to receive a network request from an application of a plurality of application  260  on a mobile device  120 , determine that the network request corresponds to a context-specific data plan for the mobile device  120 , the context-specific data plan authorizing performance of the network request through a zero-rated proxy server  150 , and perform the network request for the application using the zero-rated proxy server  150  as an intermediary. The local gateway utility  210  and the application may both be locally executed on the mobile device  120 . 
     The local gateway utility  210  may retrieve a plurality of cached context-specific data plans from a data plan cache  220  on the mobile device  120 . The data plan cache  220  may store active context-specific data plans for the mobile device  120  locally to the mobile device  120  for fast access without the use of network resources. In some embodiments, the data plan cache  220  may also comprise inactive context-specific data plans, the inactive context-specific data plans cached on the device in anticipation of potentially offering the inactive context-specific data plans to the user of the mobile device  120 . The local gateway utility  210  may match the application against the plurality of cached context-specific data plans to determine the context-specific data plan authorizing performance of the network request through the zero-rated proxy server  150 . This identified context-specific data plan may comprise an application-specific data plan authorizing zero-rating of the network request through of use of the zero-rated proxy server  150 , this authorization associated with a specific period of time. The local gateway utility  210  may be operative to determine that the identified context-specific data plan is active based on a comparison between the active time period for the context-specific data plan and the current date and time as known to the mobile device  120 . The application performing the request may be identified by, for example, referencing a socket number for the incoming network request against an OS socket table listing the applications responsible for each socket. The network request may be received from the application on the mobile device  120 , with the context-specific data plan defining a period of time for which the mobile device  120  is authorized to perform network requests for the application through the zero-rated proxy server  150 . 
     The local gateway utility  210  may retrieve a plurality of cached context-specific data plans from a data plan cache  220  on the mobile device  120 , determine a network address associated with the network request, and match the network address against the plurality of cached context-specific data plans to determine the context-specific data plan authorizing performance of the network request through the zero-rated proxy server  150 . This identified context-specific data plan may comprise a network-address-specific data plan. This may be used where access to a particular type of network resource  180 , for example streaming video via a particular video streaming service, is authorized independent of the application originating the request. The network request may be addressed to the network address, with the context-specific data plan defining a period of time for which the mobile device  120  is authorized to perform network requests addressed to the network address through the zero-rated proxy server  150 . 
     In some cases, a context-specific data plan may be specific to a particular network resource  180 , such as a specific video stream or audio stream. For example, a context-specific data plan may be purchased allowing access to a video stream of a concert event. The network request may therefore correspond to the network resource  180 , with the context-specific data plan defining a period of time for which the mobile device  120  is authorized to access the network resource  180  through the zero-rated proxy server  150 . 
     In some embodiments, authorization to use the zero-rated proxy server  150  may be handled remotely. For example, rather than retrieving the context-specific data plan from the data plan cache  220 , a check may be made against an authorization server. The authorization server may be a same device as the zero-rated proxy server  150  or may use a distinct device. The authorization server may be zero-rated to avoid data charges or data usage debiting for determining whether access to the zero-rated proxy server  150  is authorized. The local gateway utility  220  may determine an application identifier identifying an application associated with the network request and transmit the application identifier to an authorization server, the authorization server operative to determine that the network request corresponds to the context-specific data plan for the mobile device  120 , the context-specific data plan authorizing access to the network resource through the zero-rated proxy  150 . The local gateway utility  220  may determine a network address associated with the network request and transmit the network address to an authorization server, the authorization server operative to determine that the network request corresponds to the context-specific data plan for the mobile device  120 , the context-specific data plan authorizing access to the network resource through the zero-rated proxy  150 . 
     A service management application  250  on the mobile device  120  may be operative to manage the active context-specific data plans for the mobile device  120 . The service management application  250  may be operative to allow a user to view their currently-active context-specific data plans, select additional currently-active context-specific data plans, and otherwise perform activities related to context-specific data plans. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of a zero-rated proxy server  150  and a non-zero-rated proxy server  160 . 
     The zero-rated proxy server  150  may have access to a data plan store  320 . The data plan store  320  may store context-specific data plans for the mobile device  120  and other mobile devices served by the zero-rated proxy server  150 . The data plan store  320  may store associations between mobile devices and those context-specific data plans which those mobile devices have active. The data plan store  320  may store a record for each mobile device  120  served by the zero-rated proxy server  150  indicating what context-specific data plans are active and authorizing the mobile device  120  to use the zero-rated proxy server  150 . The data plan store  320  may be stored locally to the zero-rated proxy server  150  or on a separate device, such as on network-accessible storage. For instance, multiple zero-rated proxy servers may be in operation with all of the zero-rated proxy servers operative to access data plan associations for mobile devices form the data plan store  320 . The zero-rated proxy server  150  may comprise a data plan cache for mobile devices currently accessing the zero-rated proxy server  150 , that frequently use the zero-rated proxy server  150 , that have recently used the zero-rated proxy server  150 , or that are assigned to the zero-rated proxy server  150 . 
     The zero-rated proxy server  150  and the non-zero-rated proxy server  160  may each have access to a user data store  330 . The user data store  330  may store data related to the users of mobile devices and to the network activities of mobile devices. For example, the user data store  330  may store information logged by the proxy servers  150 ,  160  as to what applications are used by mobile devices and what network resources are accessed by mobile devices. A client analysis component  360  on each of the proxy servers  150 ,  160  may be operative to monitor network activity by mobile devices being served by the proxy servers  150 ,  160  and log information related to those network activities in the user data store  330 . 
     The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the zero-rated proxy server  150  when on a metered network and using an application for which the mobile device  120  has an active context-specific data plan authorizing use of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for the activities of that application. The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the zero-rated proxy server  150  when on a metered network and accessing a network server  170  for which the mobile device  120  has an active context-specific data plan authorizing use of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for access to that network server  170 . The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the zero-rated proxy server  150  when on a metered network and accessing a network resource  180  for which the mobile device  120  has an active context-specific data plan authorizing use of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for access to that network resource  180 . The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the non-zero-rated proxy server  160  otherwise. 
     The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the non-zero-rated proxy server  160  when not on a metered network, whether or not an active context-specific data plan would authorize use of the zero-rated proxy server  150 . Alternatively, the zero-rated proxy server  150  may be used even when on a non-metered network. 
     The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the non-zero-rated proxy server when on either a metered network or non-metered network and using an application for which the mobile device  120  does not have any active context-specific data plan authorizing use of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for the activities of that application. The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the non-zero-rated proxy server when on either a metered network or non-metered network and accessing a network server  170  for which the mobile device  120  does not have any active context-specific data plan authorizing use of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for access to the network server  170 . The mobile device  120  may be operative to use the non-zero-rated proxy server when on either a metered network or non-metered network and accessing a network resource  180  for which the mobile device  120  does not have any active context-specific data plan authorizing use of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for access to the network resource  180 . 
     The proxy servers  150 ,  160  may comprise a client proxy component  350  for the performance of proxy services. The proxy servers  150 ,  160  may be operative to limit access to proxy services through the use of authentication procedures. A mobile device  120  may authenticate to the client proxy component  350  to verify its identity and authorization to use the client proxy component  350  for the tunneling of network activity. In some embodiments, the Socket Secure (SOCKS) protocol may be used to authenticate mobile devices and perform network communication for proxy services. 
     The client proxy component  350  for the zero-rated proxy server  150  may be further operative to only provide proxy tunneling for network traffic with an associated context-specific data plan active on the mobile device  120  producing the network traffic. The client proxy component  350  may be operative to identify a network server  170  or network resource  180  as the destination of the network traffic and determine that the data plan store  320  indicates that a context-specific data plan allowing unmetered access to that network server  170  or network resource  180  is active for the mobile device  120  and to forward the network traffic, and any responses to the network traffic, in response to the determination that the data plan store  320  indicates that the context-specific data plan is active for the mobile device  120 . Similarly, the client proxy component  350  may be operative to identify an application responsible for the network traffic and determine that the data plan store  320  indicates that a context-specific data plan allowing unmetered use of the application is active for the mobile device  120  and to forward the network traffic, and any responses to the network traffic, in response to the determination that the data plan store  320  indicates that the context-specific data plan is active for the mobile device  120 . 
     In some cases, live determination of the application responsible for network traffic may be impractical. In these cases, the client analysis component  360  may be operative to retrospectively determine the responsible application after the network activity of the application is completed. While in some cases the responsible application may be clear from the destination of network activity (e.g., to a network server specific to an application), in other cases the application may only be identified based on patterns within the network activity. If the local gateway utility  210  of a mobile device  120  attempts to perform network activity via the zero-rated proxy server  150  that should not have been allowed, this may be interpreted as indicating inappropriate activity on behalf of the user or a developed of an application for the mobile device  120  and cause an alert to be sent to an administrator of the zero-rated proxy server  150  for further investigation. 
     In some embodiments, the local gateway utility  210  may be provided with a security token for use in accessing the proxy servers  150 ,  160 . In some embodiments, each purchased context-specific data plan may result in a security token being stored on the mobile device  120 , with the security token identifying the context-specific data plan with which it associated. In these embodiments, the client proxy component  350  may require a context-specific security token for access in order to determine what network activity should be allowed. The local gateway utility  210  may, in response to determining that a cached context-specific data plan is appropriate for a network request, retrieve the context-specific security token and include it with the performance of the network request via the client proxy component  350  of the zero-rated proxy server  150 . Where an application is identified by the context-specific security token, the client analysis component  360  may be operative to compare network activity to known traffic patterns for the application to determine whether the actual application is being used. Where the comparison indicates that a different application is actually being used, this may be indicated in an alert sent to an administrator of the zero-rated proxy server  150  to identify which application is being spoofed by another application. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of the mobile device  120  interacting with a commerce server  450 . The commerce server  450  may be used by the mobile device  120  to purchase additional context-specific data plans and activate those context-specific data plans for the mobile device  120 . 
     Context-specific data plans may be promoted to the user of the mobile device  120  through a plurality of channels. In one case, the user of mobile device  120  may access a service management application  250 . The service management application  250  may present the user with a plurality of context-specific data plans available for purchase. The service management application  250  may receive a user selection of one or more context-specific data plans and carry out the purchase of the selected context-specific data plans on behalf of the user. The service management application  250  may be specific to the purchasing of data plans, specific to the purchasing of context-specific data plans, or may empower the purchasing of additional goods and services such as applications and devices. Plans may additionally be communicated via interstitial advertisements, banner advertisements, embedded advertisements, SMS message, voice message, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), or any other mechanism for communicating promotions 
     Purchasing context-specific data plans may be performed via interaction with a commerce server  450 . In some embodiments, the commerce server  450  may be operated by the operator of the zero-rated proxy server  150 . In other embodiments, the commerce server  450  may be operated by the provider of the cellular system  130 . In either embodiment, the purchasing of context-specific data plans may be performed via joint interaction with the operator of the zero-rated proxy server  150  and the operator of the cellular system  130 . A purchased context-specific data plan may be stored in the data plan store  320 , with the data plan store  320  serving as the or one of the canonical, trusted stores for context-specific data plans. The purchased context-specific data plan may also be stored in the data plan cache  220  for local access to the active context-specific data plans of the mobile device  120 . Purchasing may be performed via credit transactions, debit transactions against a bank account, debit transactions against a user account with the cellular provider, or according to any other technique for purchasing. In some cases, a user may be offered a promotion loan to purchase a context-specific data plan. 
     In some cases, the service management application  250  may promote context-specific data plans to the user of mobile device  120  in response to predicted interest on the part of the user. A proxy server, such as zero-rated proxy server  150  or non-zero-rated proxy server  160 , may monitor network traffic for the mobile device  120  to generate a network usage history for the mobile device  120 . The proxy server may predict user interest in the context-specific data plan based on the network usage history. The proxy server may offer, such as via the service management application  250 , the context-specific data plan for the mobile device  120  based on the predicted user interest. 
     Context-specific data plans are associated with a price for a given period of time. Network monitoring by proxy servers may also be used to set the pricing for context-specific data plans. This may be used to set a general price for a context-specific data plan or, alternatively or additionally, to set user-specific prices for context-specific data plans. Previous or existing users of an application may provide an example as to the expected network usage for an application. As such, a price for the context-specific data plan may be determined according to a network usage history of a plurality of installations of the application on a plurality of devices, the network usage history generated at one or more proxy servers used by the plurality of devices. Some users, however, may user greater or lesser amounts of data than the average, which may be determined by monitoring their network activity and comparing it to the general population. As such, a price for the context-specific data plan may be determined according to a predicted network usage of the application on the mobile device  120 , the predicted network usage generated according to a network usage history of the mobile device  120 , the network usage history generated at one or more proxy servers used by the mobile device  120 . In some embodiments, monitoring of a user&#39;s or users&#39; network activity may be performed by the local gateway utility  210  on the mobile device  120  or mobile devices. 
     In some cases, context-specific data plans may be promoted when launching an application of the plurality of applications  260  where the launched application does not have an active context-specific data plan. The local gateway utility  210  may be operative to determine that an application producing a network request has launched on the mobile device  120 , determine that the mobile device  120  does not have any active context-specific data plan authorizing the mobile device  120  to perform network requests for the application through the zero-rated proxy server  150 , offer a purchase of the context-specific data plan in response to the determination that the mobile device  120  does not have any active context-specific data plan authorizing the mobile device  120  to perform network requests for the application through the zero-rated proxy server  150 . The offer may be presented according to an interstitial displayed prior to the content of the launched application, as a banner ad at the top of a screen of the mobile device  120 , or through any other form of presentation. The local gateway utility  210  may receive an acceptance of the purchase of the context-specific data plan, perform the purchase of the context-specific data plan with the commerce server  450 , and associate the context-specific data plan with the mobile device  120  based on the purchase of the context-specific data plan. The association of the context-specific data plan with the mobile device  120  may include the storage of the association in the data plan store  320 , in the data plan cache  220 , and with a provider for the cellular system  130 . Some of the association may be performed on behalf of the mobile device  120  by the commerce server  450 . 
     Introductory context-specific data plans may be offered for new applications. An introductory context-specific data plan may be distinguished through an atypically short period of time and a requirement that the application be new to the user or to the mobile device  120 . Introductory context-specific data plans may be limited to new users of an application in order to allow a very low rate for the introductory context-specific data plan while avoiding longtime users of the application from merely repeatedly purchasing the introductory context-specific data plan when they use the application. A user that regularly uses a video streaming service may be expected to purchase a long-term plan for use of the service rather than repeatedly purchasing a very-short-term plan immediately prior to streaming video. A very short term plan may be associated with, for example, an introductory period of time comprising at most thirty minutes. As such, the local gateway utility  210  may determine that the application has launched for a first time on the mobile device  120  and offer a context-specific data plan with an introductory period in response to the determination that the application launched for the first time. 
     Context-specific data plans may be offered when the mobile device  120  transitions from a non-metered network, such as provided by the Wi-Fi access points  140 , to a metered network, such as the cellular system  130 . For example, a user may watch a soccer match on their mobile device  120  while at a café using a Wi-Fi access point provided by the café. The user may wish to then leave the café and take a bus to their place of employment, their home, their school, etc. However, Wi-Fi may not be available while on the bus. If the user does not already have an active context-specific data plan for the network activity they were performing, they may be benefited by being offered an appropriate context-specific data plan to allow them to continue performing the network activity on the metered cellular network without incurring data charges or data allocation debiting. For example, the user watching the soccer match may be offered one or more of a video streaming data plan, a data plan specific to the soccer match they were watching, or a data plan for the application they were using to watch the soccer match. 
     As such, where the network request is associated with a network resource  180 , the local gateway utility  210  may determine that the mobile device  120  was previously accessing the network resource  180  on a non-metered network, determine that continued access to the network resource  180  would use a metered network, determine that the mobile device  120  does not have any active context-specific data plan authorizing the mobile device  120  to access the network resource through the zero-rated proxy server  150 , and offer a purchase of the context-specific data plan in response to the determination that the mobile device  120  does not have any active context-specific data plan authorizing the mobile device  120  to access the network resource through the zero-rated proxy server  150 . The local gateway utility  210  may receive an acceptance of the purchase of the context-specific data plan, perform the purchase of the context-specific data plan, and associate the context-specific data plan with the mobile device  120  based on the purchase of the context-specific data plan. The local gateway utility  210  may thereafter perform the network request on the metered network via the zero-rated proxy server  150 , thereby avoiding the metering of the metered network. In some embodiments, the network resource may be identified by a network address, such that the purchased context-specific data plan is specific to that network address. It will be appreciated that a network address may correspond to, for example, a plurality of IP addresses to allow the use of multiple IP addresses that a network service may use. Further, the context-specific data plan may be purchased to further the access of a particular network resource  180 , but be general to an application being used to access to the network resource  180  and empowering the user to use the application to access other resources without incurring data fees or data allocation debiting. 
     In general, monitoring a user&#39;s network activity on a non-metered network may suggest context-specific data plans appropriate to the user. For example, the local gateway utility  210  or non-zero-rated proxy server  160  may determine one or more context-specific data plans that would authorize the mobile device  120  to use the zero-rated proxy server  150  to perform network activities on the metered network that they have already performed on a non-metered network. For example, one or more applications may be identified as producing network traffic on a non-metered network, with the mobile device  120  promoting one or more context-specific data plans to use the one or more applications via the zero-rated proxy server  150  when on a metered network. One or more network resources may be identified as producing network traffic when accessed on a non-metered network, with the mobile device  120  promoting one or more context-specific data plans to access the one or more network resources via the zero-rated proxy server  150  when on a metered network. 
     Context-specific data plans may also be promoted based on associated activity, wherein interest in one service corresponds to a potential interest in another service. For example, a user of the mobile device  120  accessing a score for a soccer match may be taken as an opportunity to promote a data plan allowing access to video stream for that soccer match. Similarly, a user&#39;s interest in soccer matches (e.g., checking scores, liking on a social network, discussing via messaging) may be used as an opportunity to offer streaming data plans for upcoming matches. In general, any aspect of a user&#39;s behavior may be monitored, used to determine a potential interest in a network resource  180 , and therefore used to generate a promotion for a context-specific data plan allowing access to the network resource  180 . 
     A context-specific data plan may be offered for a bundle of applications. For example, a particular corporation may produce a plurality of applications, all of the applications for integration with their services (e.g., a suite of applications for use with a particular social networking service). A common application-bundle-specific data plan may be offered for the plurality of applications. In general, the operator of the zero-rated proxy server  150  or cellular system  130  may determine application bundles and offer application-bundle-specific data plans to users. 
     In some embodiments, the user history for a user of the mobile device  120  may be used to suggest additional purchases. For example, a user with a history of calling a certain region or country may be promoted a voice plan for that country or region. Alternatively or additionally, the user may be promoted a data-based VoIP application with an associated application-specific data plan that would provide voice service at a lower cost than a voice plan. Similarly, a user with a history of sending short message service (SMS) messages to a certain region or country may be promoted an SMS plan for that country or region. Alternatively or additionally, the user may be promoted a data-based messaging application with an associated application-specific data plan that would provide messaging service at a lower cost than an SMS plan. Further, voice plans, SMS plans, data-based voice alternatives, and data-based messaging alternatives may be promoted prospectively based on the contacts for a user, such as may be stored on a mobile device  120 . 
     Similarly, contacts or other user associations of the user may be used to select context-specific data plans for promotion. A user may have a set of user associations defining other users with which they are associated. This may be determined according to user contacts, user chat history, user call history, user messaging history, explicit associations on a social network, or according to any other technique for associating an individual with other individuals. Users may be promoted context-specific data plans for applications and network resources used by other associated users. Users may be promoted context-specific data plans for applications and network resources that may be used for interacting with other associated users. For example, a user may be promoted a multiplayer game and an application-specific data plan for that multiplayer game in response to a determination that the user&#39;s friends play the game, with the game and plan promoted as being derived from the user&#39;s friends&#39; activity. A user may be promoted a video streaming package for an event that their friends have already purchased a video streaming package for. In general, any purchasing or network activity by a user&#39;s associates may be used to generate context-specific data plan promotions for a user. 
     Included herein is a set of flow charts representative of exemplary methodologies for performing novel aspects of the disclosed architecture. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the one or more methodologies shown herein, for example, in the form of a flow chart or flow diagram, are shown and described as a series of acts, it is to be understood and appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may, in accordance therewith, occur in a different order and/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a methodology could alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, not all acts illustrated in a methodology may be required for a novel implementation. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates one embodiment of a first logic flow  500 . The logic flow  500  may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein. 
     In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the logic flow  500  may receive a network request at a local gateway utility  210  on a mobile device  120  at block  502 . 
     The logic flow  500  may determine that the network request corresponds to a context-specific data plan for the mobile device  120 , the context-specific data plan authorizing performance of the network request through a zero-rated proxy server  150  at block  504 . 
     The logic flow  500  may perform the network request using the zero-rated proxy server  150  at block  506 . 
     The embodiments are not limited to this example. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates one embodiment of a second logic flow  600 . The logic flow  600  may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by one or more embodiments described herein. 
     In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the logic flow  600  may receive a network request at a zero-rated proxy server  150  from a mobile device  120  at block  602 . 
     The logic flow  600  may determine that the network request corresponds to a context-specific data plan for the mobile device  120 , the context-specific data plan authorizing performance of the network request through the zero-rated proxy server  150  at block  604 . 
     The logic flow  600  may perform the network request using the zero-rated proxy server  150  as an intermediary at block  606 . 
     The embodiments are not limited to this example. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a block diagram of a centralized system  700 . The centralized system  700  may implement some or all of the structure and/or operations for the selective zero-rating system  100  in a single computing entity, such as entirely within a single device  720 . 
     The device  720  may comprise any electronic device capable of receiving, processing, and sending information for the selective zero-rating system  100 . Examples of an electronic device may include without limitation an ultra-mobile device, a mobile device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile computing device, a smart phone, a telephone, a digital telephone, a cellular telephone, ebook readers, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messaging device, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, a web server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, a mini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a network appliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system, multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics, programmable consumer electronics, game devices, television, digital television, set top box, wireless access point, base station, subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio network controller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, or combination thereof. The embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     The device  720  may execute processing operations or logic for the selective zero-rating system  100  using a processing component  730 . The processing component  730  may comprise various hardware elements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components, processors, microprocessors, circuits, processor circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), memory units, logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software elements may include software components, programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system programs, software development programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces, application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code, computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodiment is implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may vary in accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computational rate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input data rates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and other design or performance constraints, as desired for a given implementation. 
     The device  720  may execute communications operations or logic for the selective zero-rating system  100  using communications component  740 . The communications component  740  may implement any well-known communications techniques and protocols, such as techniques suitable for use with packet-switched networks (e.g., public networks such as the Internet, private networks such as an enterprise intranet, and so forth), circuit-switched networks (e.g., the public switched telephone network), or a combination of packet-switched networks and circuit-switched networks (with suitable gateways and translators). The communications component  740  may include various types of standard communication elements, such as one or more communications interfaces, network interfaces, network interface cards (NIC), radios, wireless transmitters/receivers (transceivers), wired and/or wireless communication media, physical connectors, and so forth. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media  712 ,  742  include wired communications media and wireless communications media. Examples of wired communications media may include a wire, cable, metal leads, printed circuit boards (PCB), backplanes, switch fabrics, semiconductor material, twisted-pair wire, co-axial cable, fiber optics, a propagated signal, and so forth. Examples of wireless communications media may include acoustic, radio-frequency (RF) spectrum, infrared and other wireless media. 
     The device  720  may communicate with other devices over a communications media  712  using communications signals  714  via the communications component  740 . The devices may be internal or external to the device  720  as desired for a given implementation. For example, the device  720  may communicate with the zero-rated proxy server  150  and the non-zero-rated proxy server  160 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a block diagram of a distributed system  800 . The distributed system  800  may distribute portions of the structure and/or operations for the selective zero-rating system  100  across multiple computing entities. Examples of distributed system  800  may include without limitation a client-server architecture, a 3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled or clustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slave architecture, a shared database architecture, and other types of distributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     The distributed system  800  may comprise server devices  810 ,  850 . In general, the server devices  810 ,  850  may be the same or similar to the client device  720  as described with reference to  FIG. 7 . For instance, the server devices  810 ,  850  may each comprise a processing component  830  and a communications component  840  which are the same or similar to the processing component  730  and the communications component  740 , respectively, as described with reference to  FIG. 7 . In another example, the server devices  810 ,  850  may communicate over a communications media  812  using communications signals  814  via the communications components  840 . 
     The server devices  810 ,  850  may comprise or employ one or more server programs that operate to perform various methodologies in accordance with the described embodiments. In one embodiment, for example, a plurality of zero-rated server devices  810  may implement a plurality of zero-rated proxy servers  150 . The plurality of non-zero-rated server devices  850  may implement a plurality of non-zero-rated proxy servers  160 . The server devices  810 ,  850  may exchange signals  814  over media  812  to coordinate the providing of proxy services to mobile devices. The server devices  810 ,  850  may exchange signals  814  over media  812  with the user data store  330  and data plan store  320  for the storage, analysis, and retrieval of user data and data plans. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment of an exemplary computing architecture  900  suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. In one embodiment, the computing architecture  900  may comprise or be implemented as part of an electronic device. Examples of an electronic device may include those described with reference to  FIG. 8 , among others. The embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     As used in this application, the terms “system” and “component” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution, examples of which are provided by the exemplary computing architecture  900 . For example, a component can be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive, multiple storage drives (of optical and/or magnetic storage medium), an object, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By way of illustration, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. One or more components can reside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. Further, components may be communicatively coupled to each other by various types of communications media to coordinate operations. The coordination may involve the uni-directional or bi-directional exchange of information. For instance, the components may communicate information in the form of signals communicated over the communications media. The information can be implemented as signals allocated to various signal lines. In such allocations, each message is a signal. Further embodiments, however, may alternatively employ data messages. Such data messages may be sent across various connections. Exemplary connections include parallel interfaces, serial interfaces, and bus interfaces. 
     The computing architecture  900  includes various common computing elements, such as one or more processors, multi-core processors, co-processors, memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals, interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards, multimedia input/output (I/O) components, power supplies, and so forth. The embodiments, however, are not limited to implementation by the computing architecture  900 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the computing architecture  900  comprises a processing unit  904 , a system memory  906  and a system bus  908 . The processing unit  904  can be any of various commercially available processors, including without limitation an AMD® Athlon®, Duron® and Opteron® processors; ARM® application, embedded and secure processors; IBM® and Motorola® DragonBall® and PowerPC® processors; IBM and Sony® Cell processors; Intel® Celeron®, Core (2) Duo®, Itanium®, Pentium®, Xeon®, and XScale® processors; and similar processors. Dual microprocessors, multi-core processors, and other multi-processor architectures may also be employed as the processing unit  904 . 
     The system bus  908  provides an interface for system components including, but not limited to, the system memory  906  to the processing unit  904 . The system bus  908  can be any of several types of bus structure that may further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. Interface adapters may connect to the system bus  908  via a slot architecture. Example slot architectures may include without limitation Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), Card Bus, (Extended) Industry Standard Architecture ((E)ISA), Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), NuBus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (Extended) (PCI(X)), PCI Express, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), and the like. 
     The computing architecture  900  may comprise or implement various articles of manufacture. An article of manufacture may comprise a computer-readable storage medium to store logic. Examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible media capable of storing electronic data, including volatile memory or non-volatile memory, removable or non-removable memory, erasable or non-erasable memory, writeable or re-writeable memory, and so forth. Examples of logic may include executable computer program instructions implemented using any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code, object-oriented code, visual code, and the like. Embodiments may also be at least partly implemented as instructions contained in or on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which may be read and executed by one or more processors to enable performance of the operations described herein. 
     The system memory  906  may include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more higher speed memory units, such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, magnetic or optical cards, an array of devices such as Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) drives, solid state memory devices (e.g., USB memory, solid state drives (SSD) and any other type of storage media suitable for storing information. In the illustrated embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , the system memory  906  can include non-volatile memory  910  and/or volatile memory  912 . A basic input/output system (BIOS) can be stored in the non-volatile memory  910 . 
     The computer  902  may include various types of computer-readable storage media in the form of one or more lower speed memory units, including an internal (or external) hard disk drive (HDD)  914 , a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD)  916  to read from or write to a removable magnetic disk  918 , and an optical disk drive  920  to read from or write to a removable optical disk  922  (e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD). The HDD  914 , FDD  916  and optical disk drive  920  can be connected to the system bus  908  by a HDD interface  924 , an FDD interface  926  and an optical drive interface  928 , respectively. The HDD interface  924  for external drive implementations can include at least one or both of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 interface technologies. 
     The drives and associated computer-readable media provide volatile and/or nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so forth. For example, a number of program modules can be stored in the drives and memory units  910 ,  912 , including an operating system  930 , one or more application programs  932 , other program modules  934 , and program data  936 . In one embodiment, the one or more application programs  932 , other program modules  934 , and program data  936  can include, for example, the various applications and/or components of the selective zero-rating system  100 . 
     A user can enter commands and information into the computer  902  through one or more wire/wireless input devices, for example, a keyboard  938  and a pointing device, such as a mouse  940 . Other input devices may include microphones, infra-red (IR) remote controls, radio-frequency (RF) remote controls, game pads, stylus pens, card readers, dongles, finger print readers, gloves, graphics tablets, joysticks, keyboards, retina readers, touch screens (e.g., capacitive, resistive, etc.), trackballs, trackpads, sensors, styluses, and the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit  904  through an input device interface  942  that is coupled to the system bus  908 , but can be connected by other interfaces such as a parallel port, IEEE 1394 serial port, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, and so forth. 
     A monitor  944  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  908  via an interface, such as a video adaptor  946 . The monitor  944  may be internal or external to the computer  902 . In addition to the monitor  944 , a computer typically includes other peripheral output devices, such as speakers, printers, and so forth. 
     The computer  902  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wire and/or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  948 . The remote computer  948  can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, a personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment appliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described relative to the computer  902 , although, for purposes of brevity, only a memory/storage device  950  is illustrated. The logical connections depicted include wire/wireless connectivity to a local area network (LAN)  952  and/or larger networks, for example, a wide area network (WAN)  954 . Such LAN and WAN networking environments are commonplace in offices and companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which may connect to a global communications network, for example, the Internet. 
     When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer  902  is connected to the LAN  952  through a wire and/or wireless communication network interface or adaptor  956 . The adaptor  956  can facilitate wire and/or wireless communications to the LAN  952 , which may also include a wireless access point disposed thereon for communicating with the wireless functionality of the adaptor  956 . 
     When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer  902  can include a modem  958 , or is connected to a communications server on the WAN  954 , or has other means for establishing communications over the WAN  954 , such as by way of the Internet. The modem  958 , which can be internal or external and a wire and/or wireless device, connects to the system bus  908  via the input device interface  942 . In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer  902 , or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storage device  950 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used. 
     The computer  902  is operable to communicate with wire and wireless devices or entities using the IEEE 802 family of standards, such as wireless devices operatively disposed in wireless communication (e.g., IEEE 802.9 over-the-air modulation techniques). This includes at least Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity), WiMax, and Bluetooth™ wireless technologies, among others. Thus, the communication can be a predefined structure as with a conventional network or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices. Wi-Fi networks use radio technologies called IEEE 802.9x (a, b, g, n, etc.) to provide secure, reliable, fast wireless connectivity. A Wi-Fi network can be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wire networks (which use IEEE 802.3-related media and functions). 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary communications architecture  1000  suitable for implementing various embodiments as previously described. The communications architecture  1000  includes various common communications elements, such as a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, radio, network interface, baseband processor, antenna, amplifiers, filters, power supplies, and so forth. The embodiments, however, are not limited to implementation by the communications architecture  1000 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the communications architecture  1000  comprises includes one or more clients  1002  and servers  1004 . The clients  1002  may implement the device  720 . The servers  1004  may implement the server devices  810 ,  850 . The clients  1002  and the servers  1004  are operatively connected to one or more respective client data stores  1008  and server data stores  1010  that can be employed to store information local to the respective clients  1002  and servers  1004 , such as cookies and/or associated contextual information. 
     The clients  1002  and the servers  1004  may communicate information between each other using a communication framework  1006 . The communications framework  1006  may implement any well-known communications techniques and protocols. The communications framework  1006  may be implemented as a packet-switched network (e.g., public networks such as the Internet, private networks such as an enterprise intranet, and so forth), a circuit-switched network (e.g., the public switched telephone network), or a combination of a packet-switched network and a circuit-switched network (with suitable gateways and translators). 
     The communications framework  1006  may implement various network interfaces arranged to accept, communicate, and connect to a communications network. A network interface may be regarded as a specialized form of an input output interface. Network interfaces may employ connection protocols including without limitation direct connect, Ethernet (e.g., thick, thin, twisted pair 10/100/1000 Base T, and the like), token ring, wireless network interfaces, cellular network interfaces, IEEE 802.11a-x network interfaces, IEEE 802.16 network interfaces, IEEE 802.20 network interfaces, and the like. Further, multiple network interfaces may be used to engage with various communications network types. For example, multiple network interfaces may be employed to allow for the communication over broadcast, multicast, and unicast networks. Should processing requirements dictate a greater amount speed and capacity, distributed network controller architectures may similarly be employed to pool, load balance, and otherwise increase the communicative bandwidth required by clients  1002  and the servers  1004 . A communications network may be any one and the combination of wired and/or wireless networks including without limitation a direct interconnection, a secured custom connection, a private network (e.g., an enterprise intranet), a public network (e.g., the Internet), a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), an Operating Missions as Nodes on the Internet (OMNI), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a wireless network, a cellular network, and other communications networks. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an embodiment of a device  1100  for use in a multicarrier OFDM system, such as the selective zero-rating system  100 . Device  1100  may implement, for example, software components  1160  as described with reference to selective zero-rating system  100  and/or a logic circuit  1130 . The logic circuit  1130  may include physical circuits to perform operations described for the selective zero-rating system  100 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , device  1100  may include a radio interface  1110 , baseband circuitry  1120 , and computing platform  1130 , although embodiments are not limited to this configuration. The device  1100  may correspond to the mobile device  120 . 
     The device  1100  may implement some or all of the structure and/or operations for the selective zero-rating system  100  and/or logic circuit  1130  in a single computing entity, such as entirely within a single device. Alternatively, the device  1100  may distribute portions of the structure and/or operations for the selective zero-rating system  100  and/or logic circuit  1130  across multiple computing entities using a distributed system architecture, such as a client-server architecture, a 3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled or clustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slave architecture, a shared database architecture, and other types of distributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context. 
     In one embodiment, radio interface  1110  may include a component or combination of components adapted for transmitting and/or receiving single carrier or multi-carrier modulated signals (e.g., including complementary code keying (CCK) and/or orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols) although the embodiments are not limited to any specific over-the-air interface or modulation scheme. Radio interface  1110  may include, for example, a receiver  1112 , a transmitter  1116  and/or a frequency synthesizer  1114 . Radio interface  1110  may include bias controls, a crystal oscillator and/or one or more antennas  1118 . In another embodiment, radio interface  1110  may use external voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), surface acoustic wave filters, intermediate frequency (IF) filters and/or RF filters, as desired. Due to the variety of potential RF interface designs an expansive description thereof is omitted. 
     Baseband circuitry  1120  may communicate with radio interface  1110  to process receive and/or transmit signals and may include, for example, an analog-to-digital converter  1122  for down converting received signals, a digital-to-analog converter  1124  for up converting signals for transmission. Further, baseband circuitry  1120  may include a baseband or physical layer (PHY) processing circuit  1156  for PHY link layer processing of respective receive/transmit signals. Baseband circuitry  1120  may include, for example, a processing circuit  1128  for medium access control (MAC)/data link layer processing. Baseband circuitry  1120  may include a memory controller  1132  for communicating with processing circuit  1128  and/or a computing platform  1130 , for example, via one or more interfaces  1134 . 
     In some embodiments, PHY processing circuit  1126  may include a frame construction and/or detection module, in combination with additional circuitry such as a buffer memory, to construct and/or deconstruct communication frames, such as radio frames. Alternatively or in addition, MAC processing circuit  1128  may share processing for certain of these functions or perform these processes independent of PHY processing circuit  1126 . In some embodiments, MAC and PHY processing may be integrated into a single circuit. 
     The computing platform  1130  may provide computing functionality for the device  1100 . As shown, the computing platform  1130  may include a processing component  1140 . In addition to, or alternatively of, the baseband circuitry  1120 , the device  1100  may execute processing operations or logic for the selective zero-rating system  100  and logic circuit  1130  using the processing component  1140 . The processing component  1140  (and/or PHY  1126  and/or MAC  1128 ) may comprise various hardware elements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components, processors, microprocessors, circuits, processor circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), memory units, logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software elements may include software components, programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, system programs, software development programs, machine programs, operating system software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines, subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces, application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code, computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values, symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodiment is implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may vary in accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computational rate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input data rates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and other design or performance constraints, as desired for a given implementation. 
     The computing platform  1130  may further include other platform components  1150 . Other platform components  1150  include common computing elements, such as one or more processors, multi-core processors, co-processors, memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals, interfaces, oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards, multimedia input/output (I/O) components (e.g., digital displays), power supplies, and so forth. Examples of memory units may include without limitation various types of computer readable and machine readable storage media in the form of one or more higher speed memory units, such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, magnetic or optical cards, an array of devices such as Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) drives, solid state memory devices (e.g., USB memory, solid state drives (SSD) and any other type of storage media suitable for storing information. 
     Device  1100  may be, for example, an ultra-mobile device, a mobile device, a fixed device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile computing device, a smart phone, a telephone, a digital telephone, a cellular telephone, user equipment, eBook readers, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messaging device, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, a web server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, a mini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a network appliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system, multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics, programmable consumer electronics, game devices, television, digital television, set top box, wireless access point, base station, node B, evolved node B (eNB), subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio network controller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, or combination thereof. Accordingly, functions and/or specific configurations of device  1100  described herein, may be included or omitted in various embodiments of device  1100 , as suitably desired. In some embodiments, device  1100  may be configured to be compatible with protocols and frequencies associated one or more of the 3GPP LTE Specifications and/or IEEE 1102.16 Standards for WMANs, and/or other broadband wireless networks, cited herein, although the embodiments are not limited in this respect. 
     Embodiments of device  1100  may be implemented using single input single output (SISO) architectures. However, certain implementations may include multiple antennas (e.g., antennas  1118 ) for transmission and/or reception using adaptive antenna techniques for beamforming or spatial division multiple access (SDMA) and/or using MIMO communication techniques. 
     The components and features of device  1100  may be implemented using any combination of discrete circuitry, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), logic gates and/or single chip architectures. Further, the features of device  1100  may be implemented using microcontrollers, programmable logic arrays and/or microprocessors or any combination of the foregoing where suitably appropriate. It is noted that hardware, firmware and/or software elements may be collectively or individually referred to herein as “logic” or “circuit.” 
     It should be appreciated that the exemplary device  1100  shown in the block diagram of  FIG. 11  may represent one functionally descriptive example of many potential implementations. Accordingly, division, omission or inclusion of block functions depicted in the accompanying figures does not infer that the hardware components, circuits, software and/or elements for implementing these functions would be necessarily be divided, omitted, or included in embodiments. 
     Some embodiments may be described using the expression “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” along with their derivatives. These terms mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, some embodiments may be described using the expression “coupled” and “connected” along with their derivatives. These terms are not necessarily intended as synonyms for each other. For example, some embodiments may be described using the terms “connected” and/or “coupled” to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. The term “coupled,” however, may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other. 
     With general reference to notations and nomenclature used herein, the detailed descriptions herein may be presented in terms of program procedures executed on a computer or network of computers. These procedural descriptions and representations are used by those skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. 
     A procedure is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of operations leading to a desired result. These operations are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical, magnetic or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It proves convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. It should be noted, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to those quantities. 
     Further, the manipulations performed are often referred to in terms, such as adding or comparing, which are commonly associated with mental operations performed by a human operator. No such capability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in most cases, in any of the operations described herein which form part of one or more embodiments. Rather, the operations are machine operations. Useful machines for performing operations of various embodiments include general purpose digital computers or similar devices. 
     Various embodiments also relate to apparatus or systems for performing these operations. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purpose or it may comprise a general purpose computer as selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The procedures presented herein are not inherently related to a particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purpose machines may be used with programs written in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these machines will appear from the description given. 
     It is emphasized that the Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow a reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein,” respectively. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and so forth, are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. 
     What has been described above includes examples of the disclosed architecture. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components and/or methodologies, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, the novel architecture is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.