Method and system for sponsoring location based mobile data services

Abstract

A method includes determining that a mobile computing device is within an enterprise geographic location. The method further includes, when the mobile computing device is within the enterprise geographic location, determining that a user of the mobile computing device is eligible for an enterprise sponsored mobile data service. The method further includes, when the user of the mobile computing device is eligible, determining use parameters for the enterprise sponsored mobile data service. The method further includes registering the mobile computing device for the enterprise sponsored mobile data service with an enterprise server and/or a mobile data service provider. The method further includes the mobile computing device receiving the enterprise sponsored mobile data services in accordance with the use parameters. The method further includes adjusting, by the mobile data service provider, billing rate of the mobile computing device while receiving the enterprise sponsored mobile data service.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing brokered mobile data services by an enterprise, comprising:
 storing, in one or more servers of the enterprise, a database of users, wherein each user is a client of a mobile data service provider;   establishing one or more geographic boundaries for the enterprise;   establishing communication between the enterprise and a mobile data service provider for a user from the database of users;   negotiating, by the enterprise, an adjusted billing rate for the user for one or more mobile data services with the mobile data service provider;   determining whether the user is within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries for the enterprise;   when the user is determined to be within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries for the enterprise, notifying the mobile data service provider; and   receiving, from the mobile data service provider, an acknowledgement of the notifying.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining whether the user is within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries for the enterprise comprises:
 determining a geographic location of the user based one or more of global positioning satellite information, Bluetooth beacon reception, registration with a wireless local area network of the enterprise, location data entry into the mobile computing device, and data entry into an enterprise local computer;   obtaining boundary information of the geographic boundaries for the enterprise;   comparing the geographic location of the user with the boundary information; and   when the comparison is favorable, indicating that the user is within the geographic boundaries for the enterprise.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each user from the database of users is associated with a user profile, and wherein the user profile comprises user parameters for mobile data services. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the user parameters include one or more of: user profile data, type of sponsorship, type of sponsored mobile data service, and mobile computing device data subscription. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each user from the database of users is associated with one or more permissions for mobile data services. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the permissions is associated with entry to a time limited event at one or more geographic boundaries for the enterprise. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusted billing rate is limited based on one or more of data consumption below a threshold, a specified time duration, and a user profile. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each user from the database of users has been authorized by a mobile data service provider for one or more permissions, and further wherein the permissions include an adjustable billing rate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusted billing rate comprises one of:
 reducing the billing rate to zero; and   reducing the billing rate by a percentage of a non-sponsored billing rate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprises:
 when the user is determined to no longer be within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries for the enterprise, notifying the mobile data service provider; and 
 receiving, from the mobile data service provider, an acknowledgement of the notifying. 
 
     
     
         11 . A brokered mobile data communication system comprises:
 a first module that, when operable within a first computing device, causes the first computing device to:
 store, in one or more servers, a database of users, wherein each user is a client of a mobile data service provider; 
   a second module that, when operable within at least one of the first computing device and a second computing device, causes the at least one of the first and second computing devices to:
 establish one or more geographic boundaries; 
   a third module that, when operable within the mobile computing device, causes the mobile computing device to:
 establish communication between the brokered mobile data communication system and a mobile data service provider for a user from the database of users; and 
 negotiate, an adjusted billing rate for the user for one or more mobile data services with the mobile data service provider; 
   a fourth module that, when operable within the at least one of the first and second computing devices, causes the at least one of the first and second computing devices to:
 determine whether the user is within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries; and 
 when the user is determined to be within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries, notify the mobile data service provider; and 
   a fifth module that, when operable within the at least one of the first and second computing devices, causes the at least one of the first and second computing devices to:
 receive from the mobile data service provider, an acknowledgement of the notifying. 
   
     
     
         12 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 11 , wherein the second module that, when operable within at least one of the first computing device and a second computing device, causes the at least one of the first and second computing devices to:
 determine a geographic location of the user based one or more of global positioning satellite information, Bluetooth beacon reception, registration with a wireless local area network of the brokered mobile data communication system, location data entry into the mobile computing device, and data entry into a brokered mobile data communication system local computer;   obtain boundary information of the geographic boundaries for the brokered mobile data communication system;   compare the geographic location of the user with the boundary information; and   when the comparison is favorable, indicate that the user is within the geographic boundaries for the brokered mobile data communication system.   
     
     
         13 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 11 , wherein each user from the database of users is associated with a user profile, and wherein the user profile comprises user parameters for mobile data services. 
     
     
         14 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 13 , wherein the user parameters include one or more of: user profile data, type of sponsorship, type of sponsored mobile data service, and mobile computing device data subscription. 
     
     
         15 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 11 , wherein each user from the database of users is associated with one or more permissions for mobile data services. 
     
     
         16 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the permissions is associated with entry to a time limited event at one or more geographic boundaries for the brokered mobile data communication system. 
     
     
         17 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 11 , wherein the adjusted billing rate is limited based on one or more of data consumption below a threshold, a specified time duration, and a user profile. 
     
     
         18 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 11 , wherein each user from the database of users has been authorized by a mobile data service provider for one or more permissions, and further wherein the permissions include an adjustable billing rate. 
     
     
         19 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 11 , wherein the adjusted billing rate comprises one of:
 reducing the billing rate to zero; and   reducing the billing rate by a percentage of a non-sponsored billing rate.   
     
     
         20 . The brokered mobile data communication system of  claim 11 , wherein the second module, when operable within at least one of the first computing device and a second computing device, further causes the at least one of the first and second computing devices to:
 determine whether the user is still within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries for the brokered mobile data communication system, and when the user is not still within at least one of the one or more geographic boundaries for the brokered mobile data communication system, notify the mobile data service provider; and further wherein the fifth module causes the at least one of the first and second computing devices to:
 receive from the mobile data service provider, an acknowledgement of the notifying.