Patent ID: 7272403

Claim:
A method of controlling the functionality of a mobile communications device based upon geographic location, the method comprising: identifying a geographic location of the mobile communications device; based on the geographic location, determining whether the mobile communications device is prohibited from performing at least one predetermined communications function by querying a location database containing data elements designating at least one geographic area as a communications-controlled zone within which the mobile communications device is prohibited from performing the at least one predetermined communications function during a predetermined time period; receiving from at least one content provider at least one geographic area to designate as a communications-controlled zone during a predetermined time period and adding to the location database a data element corresponding to the at least one geographic area and predetermined time; determining whether the at least one content provider has consented to a for-fee performance of the predetermined communications function within the designated communications-controlled zone; and, computing a fee for the performance of the predetermined communications function, wherein the fee is based upon at least one of a number of streams of data conveyed by the mobile communications device, a quality of data conveyed by the mobile communications device, and a number of connections established by the mobile communications device with one or more additional communications devices if a user of the mobile communications device elects to convey for-fee data content to one or more other communications devices.