The disclosure relates to the field of making online payments by integrating social networks and payment networks to a seamless network. In particular, some embodiments of the invention leverage the information in the social network to conduct financial transactions. A social payment network app can incorporate all or most of the functions of credit cards, internet banking and money order companies by using the data and functions already available in the social network. Some embodiments of the invention provide better counterparty recognition, reduce the chance of fraud, or fraud, and provide a cheaper payment platform to consumers or small businesses while also reducing the administrative burden in making and paying purchases or reporting payments and/or expenses to third parties, such as the employer or tax administration.

Method and apparatus for identifying a dual-mode wireless device, IOS device, and medium. The method includes: receiving a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertising packet from a slave device; extracting a Media Access Control (MAC) address carried in the BLE advertising packet from the slave device and that is of a master device that has established a classic Bluetooth connection with the slave device; and if the MAC address is a MAC address of a current master device, establishing a BLE connection with the slave device; or if the MAC address is not a MAC address of a current master device, ignoring the BLE advertising packet from the slave device. The method has advantages of a high identification speed and high identification accuracy. The method does not require an additional application for Apple's MFi certification, which saves certification costs, shortens the time on product development, and simplifies the production process.

Embodiments herein may include systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer-readable media, for a multi-access edge computing (MEC) system. An apparatus for MEC may include a communication interface, a local cost measurements module, and a service allocation module. The communication interface may receive, from a UE, a request for a service to be provided to the UE. The local cost measurements module may collect a set of local cost measurements for the service. The service allocation module may determine to allocate the service to a MEC host based on an allocation policy related to a cost for the MEC host to provide the service or a cost for a service provider to provide the service in view of the one or more local cost measurements. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of establishing an Internet connection. For example, a server may perform operations including storing relay account information corresponding to at least one relay station to provide Internet access, and client account information of at least one client, the client account information comprising credit information indicating a credit balance of the client; processing a connection request received from a wireless station via the relay station, the connection request to request an Internet connection via the relay station, the connection request comprising a client identifier of the client; sending to the wireless station via the relay station connection establishment information to establish the Internet connection via the relay station; and updating the credit balance based on usage information from the relay station, the usage information indicating a usage of the Internet connection by the wireless station.

Disclosed is a method of controlling access to mobile radio connection(s) in a vehicle, having a policy and charging enforcement function with deep packet inspection capabilities “vePCEF” and optionally a policy and control rules function “vePCRF” in the vehicle. Furthermore, a Man In The Middle (MITM) methodology can be employed within the vehicle PCC architecture to enhance the enforcement of the PCRF/vePCRF policies. Also disclosed is a vehicle containing a PCC architecture having a MITM functionality. Also disclosed is a method of controlling access to mobile radio connection(s) in a vehicle, having a policy and charging enforcement function with deep packet inspection capabilities “vePCEF” which interfaces to a mobile core network PCRF or a cloud based PCRF.

A personal communication device for processing financial information via a payment terminal, the payment terminal being configured to output a wireless signal is configured to receive the wireless signal of a payment terminal; determine whether the received wireless signal has a strength above a first signal threshold. If the received signal strength is above the first signal strength threshold, it emits a wireless request signal to cause the payment terminal to establish a communication channel with the personal communication device, wherein the request signal causes the payment terminal to establish only one communication channel, wherein the communication channel is only between the said personal communication device and the payment terminal. When a financial transaction at said personal communication device is concluded, it emits a wireless release signal to close down the communication channel so that the payment terminal can establish another communication channel with another personal communication device.

A device, system, and method are provided for controlling a fixture, such as a lighting fixture. The device includes a fixture communication interface for transmitting data to a fixture using a first communication protocol, such as DMX, and an application communication interface for wirelessly receiving information using a second communication protocol, such as Bluetooth. The device further comprises a processor for converting the information received at the application communication interface from the second communication protocol to the first communication protocol. The first communication protocol requires more data than can be transmitted using the Bluetooth protocol, and converting the information may include adding default data or restored data to data being transmitted to the fixture.

A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a user device from an access device, an available applications request message. The available applications request message includes an access device type identifier. The method also includes determining whether an association exists between the access device type identifier and one or more application identifiers of a plurality of application identifiers stored on the user device. The plurality of application identifiers respectively correspond to different applications on the user device. The method also includes transmitting, by the user device, to the access device, based in part on whether the association exists, an available applications response. The available applications response includes the one or more application identifiers of the plurality of application identifiers associated with the access device type identifier.

Disclosed is a method for receiving streaming service data in a mobile communication system supporting a plurality of radio access interfaces, comprising the steps of: operating in a first mode for receiving, from a server, streaming service data through a first interface among the plurality of radio access interfaces; and determining a transition to a second mode for receiving the streaming service data by using at least two radio access interfaces according to a radio network currently being used in the first mode.

A method and system for the purchase and activation of services on a wireless device are provided. The method and system include the use of an airtime card with a near field communication tag with a unique identifier code used to improve a user's experience and ease of activation/provisioning of services for the wireless device. In some aspects, the unique identifier may be generated during the activation and purchase of the wireless service and it is not required that the unique identifier code be recorded in a backend system of the wireless provider prior to activation. The services to be purchased and activated may include at least one of the following: out of the box activation, device upgrades, device reactivations, wireless number changes, wireless number porting, and the addition or purchasing of services including airtime, data, and/or SMS enrollments or data content.