HTTP extension header for metering information

• US 20060126809A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syniverse Technologies LLC (Syniverse Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Skylead Assets Limited
• Inventors: Halpern, Joel M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,266,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1425 involving dedicated fields in the data packet for billing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/59 based on real time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/81 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• 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 2215/0112 Dynamic pricing, e.g. change of tariff during call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing

Abstract

A packet inspection system is provided with data inspection logic for inspecting subscriber packet traffic. The system includes a pre-rating classification table associated with the data inspection logic. The pre-rating classification table includes a table having one or more entry for static or slowly changing rating aspects of traffic applications and/or one or more entries identifying a dynamic changing rating aspects of a traffic application. A server with a rating engine is also provided. The data inspection logic makes a query to the pre-rating table as to the treatment of rating aspects of traffic applications and either obtains a rate value from the pre-rating classification table from one of the table entries for static or slowly changing rating aspects of traffic applications or obtains an indication from the one or more entry identifying a dynamic changing rating aspects of traffic applications directing the data inspection logic to query the rating engine, the data inspection logic then querying the server as to dynamic changing rating aspects of traffic applications and the server providing the data inspection logic with a correct valuation for the dynamic changing rating aspects of traffic applications.

Claims

1. A packet inspection system, the system comprising:

a subscriber delivery system including data inspection logic inspecting subscriber packet traffic;

metering data associated with said data inspection logic, said data inspection logic receiving and inspecting subscriber requests to determine if a request relates to a server or server content specified in said metering data, and if a subscriber'"'"'s request relates to a server or server content specified metering, the subscriber'"'"'s request passes through the data inspection logic to the server and said data inspection logic defers metering until a response is received;

wherein a server'"'"'s reply to the subscriber'"'"'s request includes metering information, said reply being received by said data inspection logic and said data inspection logic applying appropriate charging to a subscriber'"'"'s account based on said metering information.

2. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said metering information comprises one or more of:

a name of a metering category wherein said metering data includes metering category data associated with said data inspection logic, each of said metering category data having associated charging information;

information providing an indication of the amount to be charged to the subscriber'"'"'s account;

a content value class for postpaid subscribers and/or a credit amount for prepaid subscribers applicable to the content to be transferred; and

information providing an indication that the subscriber'"'"'s account is to be charged based on metering data already associated with said data inspection logic.

3. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising metering category data associated with said data inspection logic, each of said categories having associated charging information, wherein said metering information comprises a name of a metering category or a new or replacement metering category and said providing an indication that the subscriber'"'"'s account is to be charged based on a metering category already associated with said data inspection logic or based on a metering category newly associated with said data inspection logic.

4. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said metering information is provided in a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header of a response message to the subscriber and said data inspection logic inspects at least said HTTP header of said response message and wherein said content server includes HTTP logic means for adding an HTTP extension header as part of said HTTP header of said response message.

5. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said metering information is provided in a body of a response message to the subscriber and said data inspection logic parses said body of said response message, wherein said response message is a Multimedia Messaging System (MMS) message.

6. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 2, wherein the delivery system applies appropriate charging to the subscribers account based on the content value class for postpaid subscribers and/or the credit amount for prepaid subscribers applicable to the content to be transferred and generates a Call Detail Records (CDRs) for auditing and settling up with the business partner.

7. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the metering data includes one or more Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) sets comprising a collections of patterns which can match URIs used in the subscriber'"'"'s request, wherein the content server having an associated URI that falls within one of the URI sets of the metering data has in advance agreed to provide metering information in the reply.

8. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 1, wherein when the subscriber sends a request for content of the content server, it is directed through the delivery system and said inspection logic holds or saves data that indicates the request is server specified metering, until a response directed through the delivery system is received from the content server and where the request relates to a server or server content specified in said metering data and the reply does not include metering information or where the request does not relate to a server or server content specified in said metering data said inspection logic applies a normal metering policy.

9. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 8, wherein said normal metering policy includes using one or more of pre-rating tables and one or more pre-paid balance management protocols such as, Remote Authentication Dial in User Service (RADIUS), DIAMETER and Open Services Architecture (OSA)/PARLAY.

10. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said data inspection logic is formed by one or more processors connected to said subscriber traffic by one or more switches at a location with said one or more processors and said content server is at a remote location, said content server being connected to said one or more processors and said one or more switches via said router.

11. A method of metering subscriber data traffic, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving subscriber packet traffic at a delivery system, the subscriber packet traffic including requests for content;

providing metering data associated with the data inspection logic;

using the data inspection logic at the delivery system for inspecting the subscriber packet traffic including receiving and inspecting subscriber requests to determine if a request relates to server specified metering or not, and if the subscriber'"'"'s request relates to server specified metering, the request passes through the data inspection logic and the data inspection logic defers metering until a response is received;

using a content server to provide a reply to the subscriber'"'"'s request that includes metering information, the reply being sent to the delivery system;

receiving the reply at the delivery system;

using the inspection logic to determine if the reply can be passed to the subscriber based on the metering information and if so, the appropriate charging to a subscriber'"'"'s account based on the metering information.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the metering information includes one or more of:

a content value class for postpaid subscribers and/or a credit amount for prepaid subscribers applicable to the content to be transferred;

information comprises information providing an indication of the amount to be charged to the subscribers account;

information comprises information providing an indication that the subscriber'"'"'s account is to be charged based on metering data already associated with the data inspection logic; and

a name of a metering category wherein metering category data is associated with the data inspection logic with each of the categories having associated charging information.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

using the delivery system to apply appropriate charging to the subscribers account based on the content value class for postpaid subscribers and/or the credit amount for prepaid subscribers applicable to the content to be transferred; and

generating a Call Details Records (CDRs) for auditing and settling up with a business partner.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein

the metering data includes one or more URI sets comprising collections of patterns which can match URIs used in the subscriber'"'"'s request the content server has an associated URI that falls within one of the URI sets of the metering data has in advance agreed to provide metering information in the reply.

15. A method according to claim 12, further comprising

sending a new or replacement metering category as metering information providing an indication that the subscriber'"'"'s account is to be charged based on the new or replacement metering category already.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the metering information is provided in a HTTP header of a response message to the subscriber and the data inspection logic inspects at least the HTTP header of the response message and wherein the content server includes HTTP logic means for adding an HTTP extension header as part of the HTTP header of the response message including an extension header providing an additional line as part of the HTTP header including the metering information.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the metering information is provided in a body of a response message to the subscriber and the data inspection logic parses the body of the response message.

18. A subscriber delivery system, the system comprising:

a data inspection logic for inspecting subscriber packet traffic; and

metering data associated with said data inspection logic, said data inspection logic receiving and inspecting subscriber requests to determine if a request relates to a source or source content specified in said metering data, and if the subscriber'"'"'s request relates to the source or source content specified in said metering data, said metering data indicates that the content source may send metering information, the subscriber'"'"'s request passes through said data inspection logic to the content source and the data inspection logic defers metering until a response is received, wherein the system is connected to a content source replying to the subscriber'"'"'s request including providing metering information in the reply, said reply being received by said data inspection logic and said data inspection logic applying appropriate charging to a subscriber'"'"'s account based on said metering information.

19. A system inspection logic according to claim 18, wherein said inspection logic comprises a plurality of processing blades of a chassis, wherein each processing blade is connected to a switch that is connected to a router, wherein each of said processing blades is connected to a switch via a gigabit Ethernet connection.

20. A subscriber delivery system according to claim 19, wherein:

the metering information includes one or more of;

a content value class for postpaid subscribers and/or a credit amount for prepaid subscribers applicable to the content to be transferred;

information comprises information providing an indication of the amount to be charged to the subscribers account;

information comprises information providing an indication that the subscriber'"'"'s account is to be charged based on metering data already associated with the data inspection logic; and

a name of a metering category wherein metering category data is associated with the data inspection logic with each of the categories having associated charging information; and

the metering data includes one or more URI sets comprising collections of patterns which can match URIs used in the subscriber'"'"'s request wherein the content source may have an associated URI that falls within one of the URI sets of the metering data.