Operating system supporting cost aware applications

摘要

A mobile computing device that supports cost-aware application components for operation over a metered network. A current basis for computing usage charges over one or more networks may be made available to the cost-aware application components through an application programming interface supported by an operating system service. That service may receive a policy for charging for data usage over a network and may also obtain information defining data usage for the mobile computing device. Based on this information, the service may determine a current basis for charging for data usage. With this information, the application component can determine a manner for executing network operations that involve data transmission over the network, such as deferring the operation or selecting an alternative network.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
for each network of at least one network, receiving information defining a policy for charging for data usage; for each network, determining data usage on the each network; determining, by a computing device for an identified network based on the policy and data usage, a current basis for usage charges on the identified network; and providing, to a user mode component executing on the computing device, current network information comprising at least the current basis for usage charges on the identified network, where the user mode component comprises a component configured for updating software, for deferring execution of a download until a free network is detected, and for indicating that usage of the identified network is over a cap for the network.