Event based charging for mobile applications

• US 20050014483A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Lagerstrom, Lars
• Application Number:
  US10/683,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20050014483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8278 Event based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• 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 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/788 Event based

Abstract

A method of charging for use of a mobile application includes identifying a trigger associated with a chargeable event, identifying a user requesting such event, and providing details of the chargeable event and the user to a charging function.

Claims

1. A method of charging for a mobile application, the method comprising:

identifying a trigger associated with a chargeable event;

identifying a user requesting such event, and providing details of the chargeable event and the user to a charging function.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger includes an event identifier and a user identifier, said identifiers forming the details of the chargeable event.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the event identifier is a Unified Resource Locator.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user identifier is a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network number.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger is a request from a user terminal to an application.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger is a response from an application to a request from a user terminal.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the application is provided by an application server.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the request or the response is a Hyper Text Transmission Protocol Message.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the application is provided by an application client.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the request or the response is a Session Initiation Protocol Message.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the trigger is contained in a header of a message.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the response includes an authorization of the request.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the application provides the authentication.

14. A network element for enabling charging access to a mobile application, the element comprising:

one or more I/O ports for receiving and transmitting messages; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more I/O ports, the processor configured to;

identify a trigger received in a message, said trigger associated with a chargeable event;

identify a user requesting such an event; and

providing details of the chargeable event and the user to a charging function.

15. The network element according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to identify an event identifier and a user identifier, said identifiers forming the details of the chargeable event.

16. The network element according to claim 15 wherein the event identifier is a Unified Resource Locator.

17. The network element according to claim 15, wherein the user identifier is a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network number.

18. The network element according claim 14, wherein the trigger comprises a request from a user terminal to an application.

19. The network element according to claim 14, wherein the trigger comprises a response from an application to a request from a user terminal.

20. The network element according to claim 19, wherein the application is provided by an application server.

21. The network element according to claim 20, in which the request or the response is a HTTP Message.

22. The network element according to claim 19, in which the application is provided by an application client.

23. The network element according to claim 22 wherein the request or the response is a SIP Message.

24. The network element according to claim 14, wherein the network element comprises a traffic analyzer.

25. The network element according to claim 14, wherein the trigger is present in a header of the received message.

26. The network element according to claim 14, wherein the network element comprises a Gateway General Packet Radio Service Support Node.

27. The mobile communications system including a network element according to claim 14.

28. A method of charging for a mobile application, the method comprising:

generating a trigger identifying a chargeable event and a user associated with a request for such an event; and

providing details of the chargeable event and the user to a charging function.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein the step of providing details to the charging function comprises transmitting the trigger to a mobile communications network.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the trigger is generated in response to use of the mobile application.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the mobile application is a stand-alone application.

32. The method according to claim 28, wherein the trigger is a request to an application server.

33. The method according to claim 28, wherein the trigger is a request to a mobile terminal.

34. The method according to claim 28, further comprising creating a message containing the trigger in a header thereof.

35. A computer program stored on a tangible medium, the computer program comprising code for:

generating a trigger identifying a chargeable event and a user associated with a request for such an event; and

providing details of the chargeable event and the user to a charging function.

36. A mobile application including the computer program of claim 35.

37. A mobile terminal adapted for charging of a mobile application, comprising means for generating a trigger identifying a chargeable event and a user associated with the request for such an event, and means for providing details of the chargeable event and the user to a charging function.

38. A mobile terminal according to claim 37, wherein the means for providing details to the charging function comprises means for transmitting said details to a mobile communications network incorporating a charging function.