On-Device Client for Providing Restricted, Always-Hot Access to Mobile Broadband Service

Abstract

A mobile communications device having a client installed thereon which establishes and maintains a connection between the mobile communications device and a network via a platform, wherein the connection utilizes a message protocol in which all messages between the device and the network are packetized, and wherein, while a first connection between the mobile communications device and the platform is available and a second connection between the platform and the network is available, the client establishes the connection when the mobile communications device is powered up and subsequently maintains the connection.

1 . A data-only device with an always-on connection to a network. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the connection utilizes a message protocol in which all messages between the device and the network are packetized. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the connection utilizes a communications protocol in which all communications between the device and the network are transmitted via frames. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said frames are fixed-length data blocks. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the connection utilizes a message protocol in which all messages between the device and the network are divided into packets before they are transmitted over the connection. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said data only device is a mobile communications device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device maintains a connection to the network whenever the device is on and the network is available. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the connection is provided via a platform, and wherein the device is configured to maintain the connection whenever (a) the device is on, (b) a first connection between the device and the platform is available, and (c) a second connection between the platform and the network is available. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said platform is associated with an MVNO or MNO. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device has a client installed thereon which automatically opens a connection to the network when the device is powered up, and which maintains the connection as long as the network is available until the device is powered down. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said client maintains the connection to the network via a platform associated with an MVNO or MNO. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the platform associated with the MVNO maintains a connection to the Internet. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein said platform has a plurality of tenants associated therewith, and wherein said connection is limited to a set of websites associated with the tenants. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the network is the Internet. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the always-on connection allows a user to open a browser and get a redirect to a landing page. 
     
     
         16 . A mobile communications device having a client installed thereon which establishes and maintains a connection between the mobile communications device and a network via a platform, wherein the connection utilizes a message protocol in which all messages between the device and the network are packetized, and wherein, while a first connection between the mobile communications device and the platform is available and a second connection between the platform and the network is available, the client establishes the connection when the mobile communications device is powered up and subsequently maintains the connection. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile communications device of  claim 16 , wherein the platform is associated with an MVNO. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile communications device of  claim 16 , wherein the platform is associated with an MNO. 
     
     
         19 . The mobile communications device of  claim 16 , wherein the mobile communications device contains a non-transient, computer readable medium, and wherein the client contains suitable programming instructions which are recorded in said medium and which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the client to perform the steps of establishing and maintaining the connection between the mobile communications device and the network via the platform. 
     
     
         20 . The mobile communications device of  claim 19 , wherein the client contains suitable programming instructions which are recorded in said medium and which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the client to further perform the step of establishing the connection when the mobile communications device is powered up. 
     
     
         21 . The mobile communications device of  claim 19 , wherein the client contains suitable programming instructions which are recorded in said medium and which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the client to further perform the step of maintaining the connection so long as (a) a first connection between the mobile communications device and the platform is available, and (b) a second connection between the platform and the network is available. 
     
     
         22 . The mobile communications device of  claim 16 , wherein the connection between the mobile communications device and the network allows a user to open a browser and get a redirect to a landing page. 
     
     
         23 . A mobile communications device equipped with a non-transient, computer readable medium containing suitable programming instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the mobile communications device to perform the steps of:
 establishing and maintaining a connection between the mobile communications device and a network via a platform;   
       wherein the connection utilizes a message protocol in which all messages between the device and the network are packetized, wherein the connection is established when the mobile communications device is powered up, and wherein the connection is maintained so long as (a) a first connection between the mobile communications device and the platform is available, and (b) a second connection between the platform and the network is available. 
     
     
         24 . The mobile communications device of  claim 23 , wherein said platform is associated with an MNO or MVNO. 
     
     
         25 . The mobile communications device of  claim 23 , wherein the connection between the mobile communications device and the network allows a user to open a browser and get a redirect to a landing page.