METHOD FOR BILLING SERVICES SUCH AS PUSH MAIL

• US 20110016028A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Toure, Famory, Ganne, Gilles, Huguet, William, Leprince, Marc, Papini, Hélène, Reynes, Francois, Bourgeois, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/598,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016028A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A method enabling a mobile communication terminal belonging to an operator'"'"'s network to access a service such as push mail, which method comprises a step of creating a first permanent private connection between a platform and the operator'"'"'s network, which platform comprises a database of the users of pre-payment services and a dynamic IP address-assigning server, which method further comprises:

• • a step of receiving a request from the mobile communication terminal,
  • a step of identifying that terminal and the service requested by it,
  • a step of querying the user database in order to determine whether the identified terminal enjoys prepayment for the requested service,
  • a step of charging the credit of the terminal'"'"'s user for the requested prepaid service.

Claims

1. A method enabling a mobile communication terminal belonging to an operator'"'"'s network to access a service such as push mail, which method comprises a step of creating a first permanent private connection between a platform and the operator'"'"'s network and a step of creating a second permanent private connection between the platform and a network operator center, said platform comprising a database of the users of pre-payment services, which method further comprises:

a step of receiving a request from the mobile communication terminal,

a step of identifying that terminal and the service requested by it,

a step of querying the user database in order to determine whether the identified terminal enjoys prepayment for the requested service,

a step of charging the credit of the terminal'"'"'s user for the requested prepaid service.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s credit is counted down to a minimum predetermined threshold value, with a message being sent to the user terminal once this threshold value has been reached, said message informing the user that the threshold value has been reached and suggesting that the account be topped up.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a step of creating a second permanent private connection between the platform and the network operator center.

2. A method enabling a mobile communication terminal belonging to an operator'"'"'s network to access a service such as push mail, which method comprises a step of creating a first permanent private connection between a platform and the operator'"'"'s network, which platform comprises a database of the users of pre-payment services and a dynamic IP address-assigning server, which method further comprises:

a step of receiving a request from the mobile communication terminal,

a step of identifying that terminal and the service requested by it,

a step of querying the user database in order to determine whether the identified terminal enjoys prepayment for the requested service,

a step of counting down the credit of the terminal'"'"'s user for the requested prepaid service.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the dynamic IP address-assigning server is an authentication, authorization, and accounting server.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the dynamic IP address-assigning server implements the DHCP and RADIUS protocols.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein it comprises a step of creating a second permanent private connection between the platform and the network operator center.