Billing system and method for network

• US 20030088513A1
• Filed: 11/08/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Palmer, John M., Gay, Lance J., Gritzmacher, Thomas J., Yokote, Timothy A.
• Application Number:
  US10/005,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20030088513A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7813 Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data

Abstract

A method and system are provided for billing usage over a network. This may include determining when a network interface is turned on and determining when the network interface is turned off. A time-based bill may be created based on when the network interface is turned on and when the network interface is turned off.

Claims

1. A method of billing usage over a network, said method comprising:

determining when a network interface is turned on;

determining when said network interface is turned off; and

storing information relating to a time-based bill based on when the network interface is turned on and when the network interface is turned off.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining desired information across said network while said network interface is on.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein obtaining said information comprises encrypting said information, transmitting said encrypted information across said network, and decrypting said encrypted information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said information relates to a video file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising launching an application based on a menu selection.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting a connect packet from a client to a router device, said connect packet being based on said selected application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein when said network interface is on, said method further comprises allowing access to a desired content.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting a status packet from said router device to said client.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising updating a status of said router device in a state table.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a call detail record from a client to a billing module based on said information relating to said time-based bill.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said call detail record comprising information relating to at least one of a time, an Internet protocol address and a status.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a disconnect packet from a client to a router device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting a status packet from said router device to said client.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising updating a status of said router device in a state table.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying call detail record information based on information relating to said time-based bill.

16. A method comprising:

connecting a client with a content provider of a desired content;

obtaining said desired content from said content provider;

disconnecting said client from said content provider; and

determining an amount of time said client is connected to said content provider.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining said amount of time comprises:

determining when a network interface to said content provider is turned on;

determining when said network interface to said content provider is turned off; and

storing information relating to a time-based bill based on when the network interface is turned on and when the network interface is turned off.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein obtaining said desired content comprises encrypting said desired content, transmitting said encrypted desired content from said content provider across a network and decrypting said encrypted desired content.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein connecting said client with said content provider comprises transmitting a connect packet from said client to a router device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transmitting a status packet from said router device to said client.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising updating a status of said router device in a state table.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting a call detail record from said client to a billing module.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said call detail record comprising information relating to at least one of a time, an Internet protocol address and a status.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein disconnecting said client from said content provider comprises transmitting a disconnect packet from said client to a router device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein disconnecting said client further comprises transmitting a status packet from said router device to said client.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising updating a status of said router device in a state table.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying call detail record information.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein said desired content relates to a video file.

29. A method of billing for access to a desired content across a network, said method comprising:

communicating with a network device to obtain access to said desired content;

obtaining said desired content across said network device;

communicating with said network device to terminate access to said desired content; and

storing information relating to said communicating with said network device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said stored information relates to when a network interface associated with said network device is turned on and when said network interface is turn off.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein obtaining said desired content comprises encrypting said desired content, transmitting said encrypted desired content across said network, and decrypting said encrypted desired content.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said desired content relates to a video file.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein communicating with said network device to obtain access comprises transmitting a connect packet from a client to a router device.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising transmitting a call detail record from a client to a billing module based on said stored information.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein communication with said network device to terminate access comprises transmitting a disconnect packet from a client to a router device.

36. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of billing usage over a network, said method comprising:

determining when a network interface is turned on;

determining when said network interface is turned off; and

storing information relating to a time-based bill based on when the network interface is turned on and when the network interface is turned off.

37. A computer system comprising at least one processing unit, at least one input device, at least one output device and at least one storage device, said storage device tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the processing unit to perform a method of billing usage over a network, said method comprising:

determining when a network interface is turned on;

determining when said network interface is turned off; and

storing information relating to a time-based bill based on when the network interface is turned on and when the network interface is turned off.