METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR GATHERING DATA FROM A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20120021718A1
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alekstra Oy
• Original Assignee: Alekstra Oy
• Inventors: Toikka, Toni Jaakkima
• Granted Patent: US 9,231,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/405
• 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 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/78 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An arrangement for gathering data from a communication network (101) includes a server device (102) connected to the communication network. The arrangement includes in user terminal devices (107,108) an interface application arranged to transmit to the server device first data related to telecommunication services provided by the communication network. The server device is arranged to produce second data, e.g. fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services, at least partly on the basis of the first data and to make the second data accessible to users (109,110) of the user terminal devices. The user terminal devices are utilised in gathering data from the communication network and thus the data is automatically gathered from those locations of the communication network in which the network and the telecommunication services are being used and thus no separate devices for gathering data are needed.

Claims

1. An arrangement for gathering data from a communication network (101), the arrangement comprising a server device (102) connected to the communication network, characterized in that the arrangement further comprises, in at least one user terminal device (107, 108) connected to the communication network, an interface application arranged to:

gather, from functional elements of the user terminal device, first data related to telecommunication services provided by the communication network, and

control the user terminal device to transmit the first data to the server device via the communication network,

wherein the server device is arranged to produce second data at least partly on the basis of the first data and to make the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first data comprises event information related to usage of the telecommunication services, and the server device is arranged to calculate fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated fees forming at least a part of the second data.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first data comprises information related to quality of operation of the communication network, and the server device is arranged to form service quality indicators for the telecommunication services at least partly on the basis of the first data, the service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

4. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the server device is arranged to form statistical service quality indicators for the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and corresponding data received from other user terminal devices connected to the communication network, the statistical service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

5. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the server device is arranged to calculate different alternatives for the fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and different alternative pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated alternatives for the fees forming at least a part of the second data.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the server device is arranged to transmit the second data to the at least one user terminal device via the communication network.

7. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the server device is arranged to make the second data accessible via the Internet (115).

8. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises at least one of the following:

a mobile communication network, a landline communication network.

12. A user terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the user terminal device is at least one of the following:

a mobile phone, a palmtop computer, a personal digital assistant.

9. A user terminal device (201) comprising functional elements (202-205) for enabling a user of the user terminal device to use telecommunication services provided by a communication network, characterized in that the user terminal device further comprises an interface application (206) arranged to:

gather, from the functional elements, data related to the telecommunication services, and

control the functional elements to transmit the gathered data to a server device via the communication network.

10. A user terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the gathered data comprises event information related to usage of the telecommunication services, the event information and pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services determining fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services.

11. A user terminal device according to claim 9, wherein the gathered data comprises information related to quality of operation of the communication network.

13. A server device (301) for gathering data from a communication network, characterized in that the server device comprises:

first interface circuitries (304) arranged to receive first data from at least one user terminal device via the communication network, the first data being related to telecommunication services provided by the communication network,

a processing system (302) arranged to produce second data at least partly on the basis of the first data, and

second interface circuitries (305) arranged to make the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

14. A server device according to claim 13, wherein the first data comprises event information related to usage of the telecommunication services, and the processing system is arranged to calculate fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated fees forming at least a part of the second data.

15. A server device according to claim 13, wherein the first data comprises information related to quality of operation of the communication network, and the processing system is arranged to form service quality indicators for the telecommunication services at least partly on the basis of the first data, the service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

16. A server device according to claim 15, wherein the processing system is arranged to form statistical service quality indicators for the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and corresponding data received from other user terminal devices connected to the communication network, the statistical service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

17. A server device according to claim 14, wherein the processing system is arranged to calculate different alternatives for the fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and different alternative pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated alternatives for the fees forming at least a part of the second data.

18. A server device according to claim 13, wherein the second interface circuitries are arranged to transmit the second data to the at least one user terminal device via the communication network.

19. A server device according to claim 13, wherein the second interface circuitries are arranged to make the second data accessible via the Internet.

20. A computer program for a user terminal device that comprises functional elements for enabling a user of the user terminal device to use telecommunication services provided by a communication network, characterized in that the computer program comprises computer executable instructions for controlling a programmable processor to:

gather, from the functional elements of the user terminal device, data related to the telecommunication services, and

control the functional elements of the user terminal device to transmit the gathered data to a server device via the communication network.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, characterized in that the computer readable medium is encoded with a computer program according to claim 20.

22. A computer program for a server device connected to a communication network, characterized in that the computer program comprises computer executable instructions for controlling a programmable processor to:

produce second data at least partly on the basis of first data received from at least one user terminal device via the communication network, the first data being related to telecommunication services provided by the communication network, and

control interface circuitries of the server device to make the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

23. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium, characterized in that the computer readable medium is encoded with a computer program according to claim 22.

24. A method for gathering data from a communication network, characterized in that the method comprises:

gathering (401, 501, 601) first data from functional elements of at least one user terminal device connected to the communication network, the first data being related to telecommunication services provided by the communication network and the functional elements enabling a user of the user terminal device to use the telecommunication services,

producing (402, 502,

     602) second data at least partly on the basis of the first data, and

making (403, 503, 603) the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the first data comprises event information related to usage of the telecommunication services, and the producing of the second data comprises calculating (502) fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated fees forming at least a part of the second data.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the first data comprises information related to quality of operation of the communication network, and the producing of the second data comprises forming (602) service quality indicators for the telecommunication services at least partly on the basis of the first data, the service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the producing of the second data comprises forming statistical service quality indicators for the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and corresponding data received from other user terminal devices connected to the communication network, the statistical service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein the producing of the second data comprises calculating different alternatives for the fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and different alternative pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated alternatives for the fees forming at least a part of the second data.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein the second data is made accessible to the user of the at least one user terminal device by transmitting the second data to the at least one user terminal device via the communication network.

30. A method according to claim 24, wherein the second data is made accessible to the user of the at least one user terminal device by making the second data accessible via the Internet.

31. A method according to claim 24, wherein the communication network comprises at least one of the following:

a mobile communication network, a landline communication network.