Patent Publication Number: US-2023138211-A1

Title: Dynamic management of telecommunication services at user equipment

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/219,903, filed on Apr. 1, 2021, entitled DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES AT USER EQUIPMENT, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Various types of networks, including wireless networks, cellular networks, and other types of telecommunications networks, provide people across the world with communication services. For example, in most locations around the world, a user of a mobile device can access a network and communicate with other users or systems, either via voice calls, text messages, or data over the Internet. These networks, and their entrenched ubiquity, have connected users to many different users as well as to vast troves of information and services. Telecommunication networks, arguably, have made the world better for people. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Detailed descriptions of implementations of the present invention will be described and explained through the use of the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram that illustrates a system that can dynamically manage states of services/features at user equipment. 
         FIG.  2    is a sequence diagram that illustrates operations performed by some implementations of the disclosed system. 
         FIG.  3    is an example user interface displayed by some implementations of the disclosed system. 
         FIGS.  4 A- 4 C  are example user interfaces displayed by some implementations of the disclosed system. 
         FIG.  5    is a block diagram that illustrates an example of a computer system in which at least some operations described herein can be implemented. 
     
    
    
     The technologies described herein will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from studying the Detailed Description in conjunction with the drawings. Embodiments or implementations describing aspects of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and the same references can indicate similar elements. While the drawings depict various implementations for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative implementations can be employed without departing from the principles of the present technologies. Accordingly, while specific implementations are shown in the drawings, the technology is amenable to various modifications. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Telecommunications service providers routinely release new services/features and/or make changes to existing services/features. When a new service/feature is rolled out to customers, some customers experience issues with their customer experience. Example services/features include, but are not limited to, voice over LTE, voice over 5G, voice over WiFi, using a radio like 5G, Bluetooth, or WiFi, using an access domain like roaming, Rich Communication Services (RCS) Messaging, and so on. For example, when a service like voice over 5G (Voice over 5G New Radio-VoNR) or voice over WiFi is rolled out to customers in a geographic area, a subset of those customers may experience deteriorated call connectivity. It is common during new feature rollouts that small, niche, corner case problems exist in early phases of technology development and while the feature may deliver benefits to the vast majority of users in an area, there can be a small number of customers experiencing unexpected degradation. In response to these issues, customers typically contact their telecommunications service provider&#39;s customer care to resolve the issue. To help resolve the issue, the customer care often asks the customer to temporarily turn off the new service/feature. By teaching the customer how to turn off a service/feature, the customer care can help frustrated customers to feel better by alleviating their current issue. But, this creates another problem: customers often forget or choose not to turn the service/feature back on. Once the new technologies are improved and matured, these corner case degradations get fixed and previously impacted customers are no longer at risk. Oftentimes, customers don&#39;t know it is time to re-enable the feature or fail to recall how to turn the feature back on, foregoing opportunities to utilize enhanced service/features offered by their telecommunications service provider. As another example, access technology, like 5G, may not enhance the voice experience in the beginning but it is important to a telecommunications service provider to migrate the users to meet long-term strategy, coverage, and capacity planning goals. It is important for the service provider to move users to use one particular voice path but the user may not be motivated to re-enable the service due to no difference experience gain to them. Furthermore, with conventional systems, when the service/feature is automatically turned back on, but the underlying issue is not yet resolved, customers are unhappy to be “returned” to the old unsatisfactory experience. For example, at the Vo5G service “Off” expiry, a customer would be surprised by the old problem or bad experience of Vo5G coming back. The customer can be frustrated and confused about this experience: upset at missing important phone calls, cannot find the settings to turn the feature back off, and so on. 
     To solve these and other problems associated with new and/or enhanced services/features rollout, systems and methods for dynamically managing the states (e.g., enabling/disabling) of telecommunication services/features are disclosed. To do so, the system associates parameters (e.g., timers) with the impacted services/features. For example, when a user experiences issues with voice calls, he/she calls the telecommunications service provider (carrier) to help resolve the issue. A customer care representative may ask the user to temporality turn off the VoNR service to help alleviate the issue. When the user turns off (or toggles off) the VoNR service on his/her mobile device, the system can start a configurable timer (parameter) for the VoNR service. In this manner, the system can replace the conventional toggle on/off feature with a time-based feature. The carrier&#39;s server can also be informed by quality teams which can continually tune the Off Timer value based on the deployment status of known fixes. The system monitors the timer&#39;s value and when the timer&#39;s value reaches a target value (e.g., 24 hours, 1 week, etc.), the system alerts the user that the VoNR service will be turned on (or toggled on). The alert can be in the form of a pop-up window that notifies the user before the timer&#39;s expiry and provides the user with an option to extend the temporary change. Alternatively, the alert can give users multiple values to choose from: e.g., 24 hours, one week, and one month. The system can use a remote management server, such as the telecom carrier&#39;s configuration server or Standard&#39;s Open Mobile Device Management framework to control the timer&#39;s target value(s). In some implementations, the system can present a final popup to allow the user to extend the change for a final time. Such an alert can be in the form of a pop-up window that has an option (e.g., button) for the user to acknowledge that the option will be removed at the timer&#39;s expiry, and instructions to contact a customer care representative with any questions. 
     The description and associated drawings are illustrative examples and are not to be construed as limiting. This disclosure provides certain details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these examples. One skilled in the relevant technology will understand, however, that the invention can be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, one skilled in the relevant technology will understand that the invention can include well-known structures or features that are not shown or described in detail, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the descriptions of examples. 
     Wireless Communications System 
       FIG.  1    is a block diagram that illustrates a system  100  that can dynamically manage states of services/features at user equipment. The system  100  includes a user equipment  102  that is communicatively coupled to one or more networks  104  via network access nodes  106 - 1  and  106 - 2  (referred to collectively as network access nodes  106 ). 
     The user equipment  102  is any type of electronic device that can communicate wirelessly with a network node and/or with another electronic device in a cellular, computer, and/or mobile communications system. Examples of the user equipment  102  includes smartphones (e.g., APPLE (PHONE, SAMSUNG GALAXY), tablet computers (e.g., APPLE IPAD, SAMSUNG NOTE, AMAZON FIRE, MICROSOFT SURFACE), wireless devices capable of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, wearable electronic devices, movable Internet of Things devices (IoT devices), and any other handheld device that is capable of accessing the network(s)  104 . Although only one user equipment  102  is illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the disclosed embodiments can include any number of user equipment. 
     The user equipment  102  can store and transmit (e.g., internally and/or with other electronic devices over a network) code (composed of software instructions) and data using machine-readable media, such as non-transitory machine-readable media (e.g., machine-readable storage media such as magnetic disks, optical disks, read-only memory (ROM), flash memory devices, and phase change memory) and transitory machine-readable transmission media (e.g., electrical, optical, acoustical) or other forms of propagated signals, such as carrier waves or infrared signals. 
     The user equipment  102  can include hardware such as one or more processors coupled to sensors and a non-transitory machine-readable media to store code and/or sensor data, user input/output (I/O) devices (e.g., a keyboard, a touchscreen, and/or a display), and network connections (e.g., an antenna) to transmit code and/or data using propagating signals. The coupling of the processor(s) and other components is typically through one or more busses and bridges (also referred to as bus controllers). Thus, a non-transitory machine-readable medium of a given user equipment typically stores instructions for execution on a processor(s) of that user equipment. One or more parts of an embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented using different combinations of software, firmware, and/or hardware. The user equipment  102  can estimate its location from global positioning system (GPS) signals received from the satellites  112 . 
     The network access nodes  106  can be any type of radio network node that can communicate with a wireless device (e.g., user equipment  102 ) and/or with another network node. The network access nodes  106  can be a network device or apparatus. Examples of network access nodes include a base station (e.g., network access node  106 - 1 ), an access point (e.g., network access node  106 - 2 ), or any other type of network node such as a network controller, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), a relay, transmission points, and the like. 
     The system  100  depicts different types of wireless access nodes  106  to illustrate that the user equipment  102  can access different types of networks through different types of network access nodes. For example, a base station (e.g., the network access node  106 - 1 ) can provide access to a cellular telecommunications system of the network(s)  104 . An access point (e.g., the network access node  106 - 2 ) is a transceiver that provides access to a computer system of the network(s)  104 . 
     The network(s)  104  can include any combination of private, public, wired, or wireless systems such as a cellular network, a computer network, the Internet, and the like. Any data communicated over the network(s)  104  can be encrypted or unencrypted at various locations or along different portions of the networks. Examples of wireless systems include Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), GSM Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) Radio Access Network (GERAN), 4G or 5G wireless wide area networks (WWAN), and other systems that can also benefit from exploiting the scope of this disclosure. 
     The system  100  includes a manager node  110  that enables dynamic management of one or more features/services associated with user equipment  102  (as discussed in detail below). 
     Dynamic Management of Services/Features 
       FIG.  2    is a sequence diagram that illustrates a set of operations  200  performed by some implementations of the disclosed system. At act  215 , user equipment  205  receives target values of one or more parameters in a set of configurable parameters. Examples of parameters include, but are not limited to, timers, counters, and so on. In some implementations, the user equipment  205  uses default parameter target values independent of a check with server  210 . For example, user equipment  205  can use a cached value and a local default value if no cached value is available. In some implementations, when user device  205  is in a roaming network, which may be at an early stage of technology (e.g., 4G) when the home network is already in a more mature stage of technology (e.g., 5G), the servers associated with the roaming and home networks can have different sets of parameter target values based on the technological stage of the respective networks. 
     Each parameter is associated with a service or feature of the user equipment and/or telecommunications service provider, and can have one or more target values, as well as a default value. For example, a time parameter associated with a VoNR service can have the following target values: 24 hours, 1 week, 1 month, and so on, with a default value of 1 week. Server  210 , which is associated with the telecommunications service provider, can send the parameter target values to user equipment  205  (periodic and/or event-based updates). For example, when a new service is rolled out to customers, server  210  can send a smaller target value for a parameter associated with the new service compared to a higher target value when the service is more mature. The telecommunications service provider can manage the transmission of the target values via Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) device management framework. Alternatively and/or additionally, user equipment  205  can request parameter target values from server  210  (periodic and/or event-based requests). For example, when user equipment  205  detects more frequent issues with a user equipment feature, user equipment  205  can request updated target values for the parameter(s) associated with the impacted feature. In addition to receiving target parameter values for existing parameters, user equipment  205  can receive from server  210 , information about new parameters (e.g., parameter name, parameter type (e.g., timer, counter, etc.), target value(s), default value, associated service/feature, expected behavior when current parameter value approaches the target value, and so on). User equipment  205  can store the received target values of the one or more parameters in a configurable connected memory. 
     At act  220 , user equipment  205  determines a state change of a service/feature. For example, the user equipment can identify that a service&#39;s state has been changed from enabled to disabled. The state change can be performed automatically (e.g., in response to a message received from a node of the telecommunications service provider, at the expiry of a time period, etc.) or manually by a user (e.g., in response to a user action, etc.). For example, a user can disable a WiFi feature to resolve connectivity issues with user equipment  205 . Or a telecommunications service provider can enable VoNR service when it rolls out 5G service in an area where user equipment  205  is currently located. Upon determining that a service/feature&#39;s state has been changed, user equipment  205  identifies one or more parameters (and their target value(s)) associated with the changed service/feature, or example, the user equipment determines that the WiFi feature is associated with a counter parameter, which tracks the number of times the WiFi feature&#39;s state has been changed in a given time period (e.g., WiFi feature has been turned on/off four times during the week). In some implementations, the user equipment modifies the user interface associated with the impacted service to display the associated parameters. For example, as shown in  FIG.  3   , an on/off toggle option  310   a  for the VoNR service is replaced by a time-based temporary suspension option  310   b.    
     At act  225 , user equipment  205  monitors the state and/or a current value of the identified parameter. For example, when the state of a VoNR service is changed (e.g., enabled→disabled), the user equipment triggers a countdown (or count-up) of an associated timer parameter, and changes its value by a minimum value (e.g., 60 seconds, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours, and so on). As another example, the state and/or current value of the identified parameter is the last countdown the user can trigger or renew. After this last countdown, the service is always on. The user equipment can monitor the current value of the associated timer parameter to determine when one or more rules for the parameter are met. For example, a parameter rule can specify that an alert is to be generated when the current parameter value is within a threshold value of the parameter&#39;s target value. The threshold value can also be received at act  215  from server  210 . As another example, a parameter rule can specify that an alert is to be generated when the current parameter value exceeds (or falls below) the parameter&#39;s target value. In some implementations, when a parameter is associated with two or more target values (e.g., snooze for 24 hours, one week, or one month), the user equipment can present the multiple target values at a user interface and receive a selection from a user of a selected target value. The selected target value is then used by the user equipment when monitoring whether the parameter rules are met. 
     When the parameter rules are met, at act  240 , user equipment  205  can take one or more action(s). Examples of action(s) include, but are not limited to, visual alert(s), audible alert(s), haptic alert(s), notification(s), message(s), call(s), and so on. For example, when the current value of the identified parameter is within a threshold value of a target value of the identified parameter, user equipment  205  presents a visual alert (e.g., pop-up) indicating that the current state of the service associated with the mobile device will be changed to another state (e.g., previous state).  FIGS.  4 A- 4 C  are example user interfaces displaying alerts by some implementations of the disclosed system. For example, as shown in  FIG.  4 A , a popup notification  400  can notify the user before a VoNR timer&#39;s expiry and provide the user with an option to extend the temporary change.  FIG.  4 B  shows an alternative approach where a popup notification  410  can allow users to select among multiple parameter value options (e.g., 24 hours, one week, and one month). In some implementations, a final popup  415 , as shown in  FIG.  4 C , enables the user to extend the change one last time. The popup  415  can have a button for the user to acknowledge that the option will be removed at the expiration of the timer. 
     User equipment  205  can transmit (act  230 ), at periodic intervals (or in an event-driven manner), a message comprising one or more of the following information to server  210  (or any other server associated with the telecommunications service provider): a current state of the service associated with the user equipment, the current value of the identified parameter, or the target value of the identified parameter. Similarly, at periodic internals (or in an event-driven manner), user equipment  205  can receive updated parameter target values from server  210  (act  235 ). For example, in response to transmitting the current configuration information, user equipment  205  receives updated parameter target values from server  210 . 
     Computer System 
       FIG.  5    is a block diagram that illustrates an example of a computer system  500  in which at least some operations described herein can be implemented. As shown, the computer system  500  can include: one or more processors  502 , main memory  506 , non-volatile memory  510 , a network interface device  512 , video display device  518 , an input/output device  520 , a control device  522  (e.g., keyboard and pointing device), a drive unit  524  that includes a storage medium  526 , and a signal generation device  530  that are communicatively connected to a bus  516 . The bus  516  represents one or more physical buses and/or point-to-point connections that are connected by appropriate bridges, adapters, or controllers. Various common components (e.g., cache memory) are omitted from  FIG.  5    for brevity. Instead, the computer system  500  is intended to illustrate a hardware device on which components illustrated or described relative to the examples of the figures and any other components described in this specification can be implemented. 
     The computer system  500  can take any suitable physical form. For example, the computing system  500  can share a similar architecture as that of a server computer, personal computer (PC), tablet computer, mobile telephone, game console, music player, wearable electronic device, network-connected (“smart”) device (e.g., a television or home assistant device), AR/VR systems (e.g., head-mounted display), or any electronic device capable of executing a set of instructions that specify action(s) to be taken by the computing system  500 . In some implementation, the computer system  500  can be an embedded computer system, a system-on-chip (SOC), a single-board computer system (SBC) or a distributed system such as a mesh of computer systems or include one or more cloud components in one or more networks. Where appropriate, one or more computer systems  500  can perform operations in real-time, near real-time, or in batch mode. 
     The network interface device  512  enables the computing system  500  to mediate data in a network  514  with an entity that is external to the computing system  500  through any communication protocol supported by the computing system  500  and the external entity. Examples of the network interface device  512  include a network adaptor card, a wireless network interface card, a router, an access point, a wireless router, a switch, a multilayer switch, a protocol converter, a gateway, a bridge, bridge router, a hub, a digital media receiver, and/or a repeater, as well as all wireless elements noted herein. 
     The memory (e.g., main memory  506 , non-volatile memory  510 , machine-readable medium  526 ) can be local, remote, or distributed. Although shown as a single medium, the machine-readable medium  526  can include multiple media (e.g., a centralized/distributed database and/or associated caches and servers) that store one or more sets of instructions  528 . The machine-readable (storage) medium  526  can include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the computing system  500 . The machine-readable medium  526  can be non-transitory or comprise a non-transitory device. In this context, a non-transitory storage medium can include a device that is tangible, meaning that the device has a concrete physical form, although the device can change its physical state. Thus, for example, non-transitory refers to a device remaining tangible despite this change in state. 
     Although implementations have been described in the context of fully functioning computing devices, the various examples are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms. Examples of machine-readable storage media, machine-readable media, or computer-readable media include recordable-type media such as volatile and non-volatile memory devices  510 , removable flash memory, hard disk drives, optical disks, and transmission-type media such as digital and analog communication links. 
     In general, the routines executed to implement examples herein can be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module, or sequence of instructions (collectively referred to as “computer programs”). The computer programs typically comprise one or more instructions (e.g., instructions  504 ,  508 ,  528 ) set at various times in various memory and storage devices in computing device(s). When read and executed by the processor  502 , the instruction(s) cause the a computing system  500  to perform operations to execute elements involving the various aspects of the disclosure. 
     Some portions of the disclosure can be presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm can refer to a sequence of operations leading to a desired result. The operations are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven 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 borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “displaying,” “generating,” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system&#39;s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. 
     In some circumstances, operation of a memory device, such as a change in state from a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa, for example, can comprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation. With particular types of memory devices, such a physical transformation can comprise a physical transformation of an article to a different state or thing. For example, but without limitation, for some types of memory devices, a change in state can involve an accumulation and storage of charge or a release of stored charge. Likewise, in other memory devices, a change of state can comprise a physical change or transformation in magnetic orientation or a physical change or transformation in molecular structure, such as from crystalline to amorphous or vice versa. The foregoing is not intended to be an exhaustive list in which a change in state for a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa in a memory device can comprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation. Rather, the foregoing is intended as illustrative examples. 
     Remarks 
     The terms “example”, “embodiment” and “implementation” are used interchangeably. For example, reference to “one example” or “an example” in the disclosure can be, but not necessarily are, references to the same implementation; and, such references mean at least one of the implementations. The appearances of the phrase “in one example” are not necessarily all referring to the same example, nor are separate or alternative examples mutually exclusive of other examples. A feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an example can be included in another example of the disclosure. Moreover, various features are described which can be exhibited by some examples and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which can be requirements for some examples but no other examples. 
     The terminology used herein should be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with certain specific examples of the invention. The terms used in the disclosure generally have their ordinary meanings in the relevant technical art, within the context of the disclosure, and in the specific context where each term is used. A recital of alternative language or synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. Special significance should not be placed upon whether or not a term is elaborated or discussed herein. The use of highlighting has no influence on the scope and meaning of a term. Further, it will be appreciated that the same thing can be said in more than one way. 
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variant thereof means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling or connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import can refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list. The term “module” refers broadly to software components, firmware components, and/or hardware components. 
     While specific examples of technology are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order, alternative implementations can perform routines having steps, or employ systems having blocks, in a different order, and some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to provide alternative or sub-combinations. Each of these processes or blocks can be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these processes or blocks can instead be performed or implemented in parallel, or can be performed at different times. Further, any specific numbers noted herein are only examples such that alternative implementations can employ differing values or ranges. 
     Details of the disclosed implementations can vary considerably in specific implementations while still being encompassed by the disclosed teachings. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed herein, unless the above Detailed Description explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under the claims. Some alternative implementations can include additional elements to those implementations described above or include fewer elements. 
     Any patents and applications and other references noted above, and any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, except for any subject matter disclaimers or disavowals, and except to the extent that the incorporated material is inconsistent with the express disclosure herein, in which case the language in this disclosure controls. Aspects of the invention can be modified to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further implementations of the invention. 
     To reduce the number of claims, certain implementations are presented below in certain claim forms, but the applicant contemplates various aspects of an invention in other forms. For example, aspects of a claim can be recited in a means-plus-function form or in other forms, such as being embodied in a computer-readable medium. A claim intended to be interpreted as a mean-plus-function claim will use the words “means for.” However, the use of the term “for” in any other context is not intended to invoke a similar interpretation. The applicant reserves the right to pursue such additional claim forms in either this application or in a continuing application.