PROVIDING AND CHARGING FOR DATA SERVICES IN ROAMING NETWORK ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20110171954A1
• Filed: 03/18/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: BENGTSSON, Henrik Sven
• Application Number:
  US13/051,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20110171954A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• 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 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method provides detecting a roaming operator by a mobile communications device, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator; receiving a data service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator independent of the home operator; sending information, from the mobile communications device, to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator; and receiving a voice service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a roaming operator, by a mobile communications device that is associated with a home operator;

determining that the roaming operator offers mobile communication service independent of the home operator, where determining whether the roaming operator provides the mobile communication service independent of the home operator includes;

requesting a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator, and

detecting a redirection to a different URI; and

providing, to a user of the mobile communications device and upon determining that the roaming operator offers mobile communication service independent of the home operator, an option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to the user, an option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator in conjunction with the home operator.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator; and

upon receiving the selection of the option, prompting the user to enter payment information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator; and

upon receiving the selection of the option;

receiving a first mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator, and

receiving a different second mobile communication service from the roaming operator in conjunction with the home operator.

5. The method of claim 4, where receiving the second mobile communication service includes:

receiving data from a general packet radio system of the roaming operator through a tower of the home operator.

6. The method of claim 4, where receiving the second communication service includes:

sending or receiving a simple messaging system (SMS) or a multi-media messaging system (MMS) message through a tower of the home operator, and not through a general packet radio system of the roaming operator.

7. The method of claim 1, where the different URI indicates a monetary cost associated with the mobile communication service offered by the roaming operator,

where providing the option includes outputting, to the user, the monetary cost associated with the mobile communication service offered by the roaming operator.

8. A system comprising:

a device, associated with a home operator, to;

detect a roaming operator;

determine that the roaming operator offers mobile communication service independent of the home operator, where when the device is to determine whether the roaming operator provides the mobile communication service independent of the home operator, the device is to;

request a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator, and

detect a redirection to a different URI; and

provide, to a user of the device and upon determining that the roaming operator offers mobile communication service independent of the home operator, an option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator.

9. The system of claim 8, where the device is further to:

provide, to the user, an option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator in conjunction with the home operator.

10. The system of claim 8, where the device is further to:

receive a selection of the option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator; and

prompt, upon receiving the selection of the option, the user to enter payment information.

11. The system of claim 8, where the device is further to:

receive a selection of the option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator; and

upon receiving the selection of the option;

receive a first mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator, and

receive a different second mobile communication service from the roaming operator in conjunction with the home operator.

12. The system of claim 11, where when receiving the second mobile communication service, the device is to:

receive data from a general packet radio system of the roaming operator through a tower of the home operator.

13. The system of claim 11, where when receiving the second communication service, the device is to:

send or receive a simple messaging system (SMS) or a multi-media messaging system (MMS) message through a tower of the home operator, and not through a general packet radio system of the roaming operator.

14. The system of claim 8, where the different URI indicates a monetary cost associated with the mobile communication service offered by the roaming operator,

where providing the option includes outputting, to the user, the monetary cost associated with the mobile communication service offered by the roaming operator.

15. A system comprising:

a device, associated with a home operator, comprising;

means for detect a roaming operator;

means for determining that the roaming operator offers mobile communication service independent of the home operator, were the means for determining whether the roaming operator provides the mobile communication service independent of the home operator include;

means for requesting a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator, and

means for detecting a redirection to a different URI; and

means for providing, to a user of the device and upon determining that the roaming operator offers mobile communication service independent of the home operator, an option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for providing, to the user, an option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator in conjunction with the home operator.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving a selection of the option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator; and

means for prompting, upon receiving the selection of the option, the user to enter payment information.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving a selection of the option to receive the mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator;

means for receiving, upon receiving the selection of the option, a first mobile communication service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator, and

means for receiving, upon receiving the selection of the option, a different second mobile communication service from the roaming operator in conjunction with the home operator.

19. The system of claim 18, where the means for receiving the second mobile communication service include:

means for receiving data from a general packet radio system of the roaming operator through a tower of the home operator.

20. The system of claim 18, where the means for receiving the second communication service include:

means for sending or receiving a simple messaging system (SMS) or a multi-media messaging system (MMS) message through a tower of the home operator, and not through a general packet radio system of the roaming operator.