Services in a communication system

• US 20060253294A1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Makelainen, Sami, Martti, Jyrki
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A user device (20) is provided with information relating to a service wherein content is communicated to the user device via an access system provided by a communications network (22). In the method information regarding access charges from a charging entity (26) associated with the access system is provided to a service provider entity (24), where after an indication of total cost of the service covering content charges and the access charges is sent from the service provider entity to the user device. Alternatively, indication of the total costs can be sent directly to the user device from the charging entity.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user device with information relating to a service, wherein content associated with a service provided by a service provider is communicated to the user device via an access system provided by a communications network, said method comprising:

generating information regarding access charges of the access system; and

communicating said information regarding access charges of the access system together with content charges of the service provider to the user device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating comprises sending an indication of total cost of the service including content charges and the access charges to the user device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the step of sending said information regarding access charges from a charging entity associated with the access system to a service provider entity, wherein the step of communicating comprises sending an indication of total cost of the service including content charges and the access charges from the service provider entity to the user device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating comprises sending an indication of total cost of the service including content charges and the access charges from a charging entity associated with the access system to the user device.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating occurs before the service is taken into use at the user device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating occurs during use of the service.

7. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising sending from the service provider entity to the charging entity information identifying the service and the user device.

8. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising sending from the service provider entity to the charging entity a message containing information regarding at least any one of the user device, the service, volume of content to be communicated, and a data bearer between the user device and the access network.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of

sending a request for the service from the user device to a service provider entity;

discovering an appropriate charging entity in response to receiving the request for the service at the service provider entity; and

sending from the service provider entity to the discovered charging entity information identifying the service and the user device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising resolving access charges associated with use of resources of the access system at a charging entity based on information associated with the service and the user device as received from a service provider entity and information from a database.

11. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of sending information regarding access charges from the charging entity comprises sending further information regarding other charges.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of sending further information comprises sending information regarding total charges for the service.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising sending an acceptance of the total cost from the user device.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising sending information regarding the access charges from the user device.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, comprising receiving information regarding access charges at the user device prior the step of sending the information regarding the access charges from the user device.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising pushing rate information from the communications network to the user device.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising sending periodically rate information from the communications network to the user device.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising sending rate information from the communications network to the user device after a rate change.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising sending a request for rate information from the user device to the communications network.

20. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises generating said information regarding the access charges at the user device.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of generating comprises generating said information regarding the access charges at the user device based on metadata.

22. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising processing information received from the user device to obtain a total cost for of the service.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the step of processing information comprises processing, at an entity connected to the communications network, information regarding the access charges received from the user device and information regarding content charges to obtain the total cost for of the service.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the step of processing information comprises dynamically adjusting the content charges based on information received from the user device.

25. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising including by the user device the information regarding access charges into a request for the service.

26. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a mobile device, and the access system comprises an access network of a mobile communication network.

27. A method as claimed in claim 3, comprising communication of data between the charging entity and the service provider via a separate data network.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the separate data network comprises an Internet Protocol network.

29. A computer program comprising program code means configured to perform the steps of claim 1 when the program is run on a computer.

30. A charging server for a communications network, said charging comprising:

means for generating information regarding access charges of an access system of the communications network when content that is associated with a service provided by a service provider is communicated to a user device via the access system; and

an interface for sending said information regarding access charges of the access system for communication together with content charges of the service provider to the user device.

31. A charging server as claimed in claim 30, wherein the interface is configured for communication of said information regarding access charges of the access system to a service provider entity.

32. A charging server as claimed in claim 30, wherein the means for generating information is configured to process information identifying the service and the user device.

33. A charging server as claimed in claim 30, wherein the means for generating information are configured to resolve access charges associated with use of resources of the access system at a charging entity based on information associated with the service and the user device and information from a database.

34. A charging server as claimed in claim 30, wherein the means for generating information are configured to generate information regarding other charges.

35. A charging server as claimed in claim 34, wherein the means for generating information are configured to generate said information regarding total charges for the service.

36. A charging server as claimed in claim 35, wherein the interface is for communication of said information regarding the total charges for the service to the user device.

37. A charging server as claimed in claim 30, wherein the interface is configured for communication of data via a data network.

38. A charging server as claimed in claim 37, wherein the data network comprises an Internet Protocol network.

39. A charging server as claimed in claim 30, wherein the means for generating are configured to generate the information regarding the access chares based on information received from the user device.

45. A communication system comprising at least one of a charging server in accordance with claim 30 and a service provider entity,

wherein the service provider entity comprises:

an interface for receiving information regarding access charges of the access system for communication of content that is associated with a service provided by the service provider entity to a user device via the access system; and

means for sending information regarding access charges of the access system for communication together with content charges of the service provider to the user device.

46. A communications as claimed in claim 45, wherein the service provider entity is configured to receive said information regarding access charges from a charging entity associated with the access system of the communications network.

47. A communications as claimed in claim 45, wherein the service provider entity is configured to receive said information regarding access charges from the user device.

40. A service provider entity, comprising:

an interface for receiving information regarding access charges of the access system for communication of content that is associated with a service provided by the service provider entity to a user device via an access system of a communications network; and

means for sending information regarding access charges of the access system for communication together with content charges of the service provider to the user device.

41. A service provider entity as claimed in claim 40 being configured to receive said information regarding access charges from a charging entity associated with the access system of the communications network.

42. A service provider entity as claimed in claim 41, configured to discover an appropriate charging entity in response to receiving a request for the service.

43. A service provider entity as claimed in claim 42, configured to provide the discovered charging entity with information identifying the service and the user device.

44. A service provider entity as claimed in claim 40 being configured to receive said information regarding access charges from the user device.

48. A method for providing charging information relating to a service provided by a service provider, wherein content associated with the service is communicated to the user device via an access system provided by a communications network, said method comprising:

providing the user device with information regarding access charges of the access system;

providing the user device with information regarding content charges; and

processing said information regarding the access charges of the access system and said information regarding the content charges in the user device to provide a total charge.

49. A method as claimed in claim 48, further comprising receiving by the user device an indication of acceptance of the total cost of the service;

and sending a request for the service in response to said indication.

50. A method as claimed in claim 48, comprising receiving information regarding access charges at the user device.

51. A method as claimed in claim 48, comprising pushing rate information from the communications network to the user device.

52. A method as claimed in claim 48, comprising sending periodically rate information from the communications network to the user device.

53. A method as claimed in claim 48, comprising sending rate information from the communications network to the user device after a rate change.

54. A method as claimed in claim 48, comprising sending a request for rate information from the user device to the communications network.

55. A method as claimed in claim 48, wherein the step of generating comprises generating said information regarding the access charges at the user device.

56. A method as claimed in claim 48, wherein the step of generating comprises generating said information regarding the access charges at the user device based on metadata.

57. A user device comprising:

a receiver for receiving content associated with a service via an access system of a communications network;

a controller configured to process information regarding access charges of the access system and information regarding content charges to provide a total charge; and

a user interface for presenting the total charge.

58. A user device as claimed in claim 57 being configured to receive an indication of acceptance of the total cost of the service, and to send a request for the service in response to said indication.

59. A user device as claimed in claim 57, wherein the controller is configured to process information regarding access charges received from the communications network.

60. A user device as claimed in claim 57, wherein the controller is configured to generate said information regarding the access charges.

61. A user device as claimed in claim 60, wherein the controller is configured to generate said information regarding the access charges based on metadata.

62. A user device as claimed in claim 57, comprising a memory for storing access charge information.