Accounting in peer-to-peer data communication networks
First Claim
1. A method for charging in a data communications network, the network comprising a User, a Service Provider that provides at least one service, and an Accounting Manager, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending by the Accounting Manager a service credential to the User;
sending by the Accounting Manager a user credential to the Service Provider;
requesting by the User a service from the Service Provider, using information from the service credential;
validating by the Service Provider the request for a service, using information from the user credential;
initiating the service; and
sending by the Service Provider an accounting message relating to the service to the Accounting Manager.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is a method, a system, and network nodes for charging for services in a data communications network having a User, a Service Provider, an Accounting Manager and an Accounting Storage. When a user wants to access a service, it sends a request to the Accounting Manager that validates the request in order to send a service credential to the User and a user credential to the Service Provider. The User then sends a service request to the Service Provider and the requested service is initiated. When the service is terminated, the Service Provider sends an accounting message to the Accounting Manager that sends the accounting data to the Accounting Storage that stores the data, and, upon reception of an acknowledgement, deletes the data it sent to the Accounting Storage. Also described are the system and the network nodes for carrying out the invention.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method for charging in a data communications network, the network comprising a User, a Service Provider that provides at least one service, and an Accounting Manager, the method comprising the steps of:
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sending by the Accounting Manager a service credential to the User;
sending by the Accounting Manager a user credential to the Service Provider;
requesting by the User a service from the Service Provider, using information from the service credential;
validating by the Service Provider the request for a service, using information from the user credential;
initiating the service; and
sending by the Service Provider an accounting message relating to the service to the Accounting Manager. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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15. A system for charging in a data communications network, the system comprising:
an Accounting Manager that;
sends a service credential to the User; and
sends a user credential to the Service Provider;
a User that requests a service from the Service Provider, using information from the service credential; and
a Service Provider that provides at least one service and that;
validates the service request, using information from the user credential; and
sends an accounting message relating to the service to the Accounting Manager.
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30. A User node in a data communications network that further comprises a Service Provider and an Accounting Manager, the User node comprising:
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a communication unit that;
receives a service credential from the Accounting Manager; and
requests a service from the Service Provider, using information from the service credential. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. An Accounting Manager in a data communications network that further comprises a User and a Service Provider, the Accounting Manager comprising:
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a communication unit that;
sends a service credential to the User;
sends a user credential to the Service Provider; and
receives an accounting message from the Service Provider. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41)
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38. A Service Provider providing at least one service in a data communications network that further comprises a User and an Accounting Manager, wherein the Service Provider:
comprises a communication unit that;
receives a user credential from the Accounting Manager;
receives a request for a service from the User; and
sends an accounting message relating to the service to the Accounting Manager.
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42. A system for charging in a data communications network further comprising a User, the system comprising:
an Accounting Manager that;
sends a service credential to the User;
sends a user credential to the Service Provider; and
receives a request for a service from the User; and
a Service Provider that provides at least one service and that;
validates the service request, using information from the user credential; and
sends an accounting message relating to the service to the Accounting Manager. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
Specification