Apple Patent: Multi-Carrier Smart MVNO Technology

The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has published a particularly interesting Apple patent today, this time showing that Apple has been considering creating their own Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) for the iPhone. In contrast to their locking the iPhone down to AT&T, the technology in this patent would make the iPhone more open than most devices, allowing them to switch between carriers on the fly, and even check current plan rates from the device.

Apparently Apple has been thinking about what to do when the iPhone is unlocked since before it's launch last year. Filed in October 10, 2006, t's not known if this was in the works since before the AT&T deal was struck, but it would have made an interesting alternative.

The patent, titled Dynamic Carrier Selection describes an application relating to a Mobile Virtual Network (MVNO) Server. Each iPhone would constantly be communicating with the server, giving it real time information about it's geographical location. This information would then be used to query a database to find the available networks in that region.

"Bids can be received from multiple network operators for rates at which communication services using each network operator can be obtained. Preferences among the network operators can be determined using the received bids, and the preferences are used to select the network operator," wrote Apple's iPod chief Anthony Fadell in the filing.

"Preferences may be further based on a location of the mobile device, the quality of service offered by the network operator, and/or type of communication. Bids from multiple network operators for rate information relating to rates at which communication services using each network operator can be obtained and the rate information can be sent to the mobile device for use in selecting the network operator."

The MVNO would also enable users to chose what carrier to use based on rates for that time of day or week.

FIG. 1 shown below is a block diagram of a system for providing access to cellular communications services as described in the patent:

"The network operator preference data can be updated to identify a second set of preferences among the multiple network operators, and the updated network operator preference data can be sent to the mobile device."

"In addition, updating the network operator preference data can be performed dynamically based on parameters associated with the multiple network operators. The parameters include bids relating to rates at which communication services are available from each network operator, data relating to the network operators in an area corresponding to the current location of the mobile device, and/or rate information for different communication services available from each network operator."

[via AppleInsider]