Method and apparatus providing prepaid billing for network services using explicit service authorization in an access server

• US 20040193513A1
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ajai, Tirumali Seetharam, Chandra Murty, Kotha Subba Rama, Grayson, Mark, Centemeri, Marco Cesare, Ravindranath, Vinodh Kumar, Agarwal, Navneet, King, Matthew Lawrence, Fitzgerald, John, Hess, Tanja, Hovey, David, Phadnis, Amit, Pruss, Richard Manfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/29 characterised by micropayments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/775 Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/79 Virtual purses
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 : per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7277 : Account specifications on parallel communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method is disclosed for authorizing a prepaid network service in a data network. A network end station issues a request for a prepaid network service. At a network node, such as a router serving as a gateway for selecting services, a determination is made about whether a user associated with the end station is authorized to access the prepaid network service. Network traffic from the end station is forwarded to a service provider only when the user is authorized to use the prepaid network service. Specific embodiments provide message flows among a mobile station, gateway support node, router, and authentication server that support providing prepaid services in a packet-switched network for mobile communication. In certain embodiments, a connection is held open for an end station while a prepaid quota value is refreshed at a portal, thereby reducing overhead and precluding the need to repeat user logon steps. Further, unused quota amounts can be returned to the authentication server for use in association with multiple concurrent connections of the same device.

Claims

1. A method of authorizing a prepaid mobile network service, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a prepaid network service from a mobile station;

determining whether a mobile user associated with the mobile station is authorized to access the prepaid network service; and

forwarding network traffic associated with the prepaid network service from the mobile station to a service provider only when the mobile user is authorized to use the prepaid network service.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the steps of receiving, determining and forwarding are performed by a packet router that is interposed between a gateway support node of a mobile network in which the mobile station participates and the service provider.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether a mobile user is authorized to access the prepaid network service comprises the steps of:

requesting an authentication server to provide a prepaid quota value associated with the prepaid network service and the mobile station;

receiving the prepaid quota value from the authentication server; and

determining that the mobile user is authorized to access the prepaid network service only when the prepaid quota value is nonzero.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the prepaid quota value is approximately zero as a result of usage of the prepaid network service by the mobile user;

requesting the authentication server to re-authorize usage of the prepaid network service; and

determining that the mobile user is authorized to continue accessing the prepaid network service only when the authentication server re-authorizes usage of the prepaid network service.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of redirecting the traffic of the mobile station associated with the prepaid network service to a portal page that facilitates replenishment of the prepaid network service quota value when the authentication server fails to re-authorize usage of the prepaid network service.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a PDP context data structure in association with the mobile station;

requesting an authentication server to provide a service profile associated with the mobile user; and

performing the determining step for each service that is identified in the service profile.

7. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring traffic communicated by the mobile station for the prepaid network service associated with the quota value;

determining that the traffic is discontinued or inactive; and

returning an unused portion of the quota value to the authentication server.

8. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring traffic communicated by the mobile station for the prepaid network service associated with the quota value;

determining that the traffic is discontinued or inactive;

returning an unused portion of the quota value to the authentication server; and

receiving, from the authentication server, a new portion of the quota value in association with authorization for a new connection of the mobile station for use with a new prepaid network service.

9. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring traffic communicated by the mobile station for the prepaid network service associated with the quota value;

determining that the traffic is discontinued or inactive;

returning an unused portion of the quota value to the authentication server; and

allotting the unused portion of the quota value to one or more different connections of the mobile station to one or more different services.

10. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:

sending an authorization request to the authentication server;

redirecting network traffic associated with the prepaid network service to a portal page that provides user credit status and information about replenishing the quota value; and

maintaining a connection of the mobile station to the prepaid network service while concurrently blocking traffic directed to the prepaid network service.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a message from the authentication server specifying re-authorization for the connection; and

performing the steps of claim 3 with respect to monitoring, determining, returning and allotting.

32. A method as recited in any of claim 1, 12, or 16, wherein the requests are issued using RADIUS protocol.

33. A method as recited in any of claim 1, 12, or 16, wherein the requests are issued using Diameter protocol.

34. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the receiving step further comprises placing the connection in a waiting state, determining that the mobile station has re-initiated communication of traffic on the connection, and receiving, from the authentication server, a new portion of the quota value in association with authorization for the connection.

12. A method of authorizing a prepaid mobile network service, the method comprising the steps of:

at a router in a packet-switched network, wherein the router provides a gateway for selecting mobile network services, receiving a request for a prepaid network service from a mobile station;

requesting an authentication server to provide a prepaid quota value associated with the prepaid network service and the mobile station;

receiving the prepaid quota value from the authentication server; and

forwarding network traffic associated with the prepaid network service from the mobile station to a service provider only when the prepaid quota value is nonzero;

monitoring traffic communicated by the mobile station for the prepaid network service associated with the quota value;

determining that the traffic is discontinued or inactive;

returning an unused portion of the quota value to the authentication server;

allotting the unused portion of the quota value to one or more different connections of the mobile station to one or more different services; and

when the quota value becomes zero through use of the prepaid mobile service by the mobile station;

sending an authorization request to the authentication server;

redirecting network traffic associated with the prepaid network service to a portal page that provides user credit status and information about replenishing the quota value; and

maintaining a connection of the mobile station to the prepaid network service while concurrently blocking traffic directed to the prepaid network service.

13. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for authorizing a prepaid mobile network service, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving a request for a prepaid network service from a mobile station;

determining whether a mobile user associated with the mobile station is authorized to access the prepaid network service; and

forwarding network traffic associated with the prepaid network service from the mobile station to a service provider only when the mobile user is authorized to use the prepaid network service.

14. An apparatus for creating and storing troubleshooting information for authorizing a prepaid mobile network service, comprising:

means for receiving a request for a prepaid network service from a mobile station;

means for determining whether a mobile user associated with the mobile station is authorized to access the prepaid network service; and

means for forwarding network traffic associated with the prepaid network service from the mobile station to a service provider only when the mobile user is authorized to use the prepaid network service.

15. An apparatus for authorizing a prepaid mobile network service, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving a request for a prepaid network service from a mobile station;

determining whether a mobile user associated with the mobile station is authorized to access the prepaid network service; and

forwarding network traffic associated with the prepaid network service from the mobile station to a service provider only when the mobile user is authorized to use the prepaid network service.

16. A method of authorizing a prepaid network service, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a prepaid network service from a network end station;

determining whether a user associated with the end station is authorized to access the prepaid network service; and

forwarding network traffic associated with the prepaid network service from the end station to a service provider only when the user is authorized to use the prepaid network service.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the steps of receiving, determining and forwarding are performed by a packet router that is interposed between a gateway support node of a network in which the end station participates and the service provider.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of determining whether a user is authorized to access the prepaid network service comprises the steps of:

requesting an authentication server to provide a prepaid quota value associated with the prepaid network service and the end station;

receiving the prepaid quota value from the authentication server; and

determining that the user is authorized to access the prepaid network service only when the prepaid quota value is nonzero.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the prepaid quota value is approximately zero as a result of usage of the prepaid network service by the user;

requesting the authentication server to re-authorize usage of the prepaid network service; and

determining that the user is authorized to continue accessing the prepaid network service only when the authentication server re-authorizes usage of the prepaid network service.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, further comprising the step of redirecting the traffic of the station associated with the prepaid network service to a portal page that facilitates replenishment of the prepaid network service quota value when the authentication server fails to re-authorize usage of the prepaid network service.

21. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

creating and storing a PDP context data structure in association with the end station;

requesting an authentication server to provide a service profile associated with the user; and

performing the determining step for each service that is identified in the service profile.

22. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring traffic communicated by the end station for the prepaid network service associated with the quota value;

determining that the traffic is discontinued or inactive; and

returning an unused portion of the quota value to the authentication server.

23. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring traffic communicated by the end station for the prepaid network service associated with the quota value;

determining that the traffic is discontinued or inactive;

returning an unused portion of the quota value to the authentication server; and

receiving, from the authentication server, a new portion of the quota value in association with authorization for a new connection of the end station for use with a new prepaid network service.

24. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring traffic communicated by the end station for the prepaid network service associated with the quota value;

determining that the traffic is discontinued or inactive;

returning an unused portion of the quota value to the authentication server; and

allotting the unused portion of the quota value to one or more different connections of the end station to one or more different services.

25. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the determining step further comprises the steps of:

sending an authorization request to the authentication server;

redirecting network traffic associated with the prepaid network service to a portal page that provides user credit status and information about replenishing the quota value; and

maintaining a connection of the end station to the prepaid network service while concurrently blocking traffic directed to the prepaid network service.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a message from the authentication server specifying re-authorization for the connection; and

performing the steps of claim 18 with respect to monitoring, determining, returning and allotting.

27. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the network end station is a mobile station that is used in a cellular packet-switched mobile network.

28. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the network end station is a computing device that participates in a Public Wireless LAN (PWLAN).

29. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the network end station is a computing device that participates in an Ethernet-to-the-X (ETTX) network.

30. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the network end station and the gateway support node comprise a single element.

31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein the single element is a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN).