System and method for collecting individualized network usage data in a personal hotspot wireless network

摘要

A method for collecting individualized network usage data includes routing Internet communications between a plurality of local clients and a plurality of remote servers over a common data link between a router device and the Internet. For each of the plurality of clients, characteristics of that client's communications routed over the data link are monitored at the router device. A collection of statistics reflecting the monitored characteristics are maintained. From the router device, the collection of statistics are periodically communicated over the data link to an interested server.

主权项

1. A method for collecting individualized network usage data, comprising:
routing Internet communications between a plurality of local clients and a plurality of remote servers over a common data link between a router device and the Internet, wherein the router device is a personal hotspot that connects the plurality of local clients to the internet via a cellular data connection; for each of the plurality of clients, monitoring, at the router device, characteristics of that client's communications, the characteristics including timing data for each of the plurality of clients, where the timing data includes either a communication start time and a duration time, or a communication start time and an end time, for each monitored client communication routed over the data link; maintaining a collection of statistics reflecting the monitored characteristics for each of the plurality of clients; from the router device, periodically communicating the collection of statistics over the data link to an interested server, wherein periodically communicating comprises periodically communicating to the interested server according to an algorithm defining a schedule; and receiving a communication from the interested server that alters the algorithm defining a schedule.