Metering data transfer between end systems

• US 6,760,416 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Roncaldier, Emanuela, Banks, David, Wiley, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US09/561,173
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 358/438, 379/124, 379/106.08, 379/111, 379/112.01, 379/114.01
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8207 Time based data metric aspects, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7813 Time based data, e.g. VoIP or circuit switched packet data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements

Abstract

Metering of a data transfer operation between two end systems across a communications infrastructure is done by having at least one of the end systems send a metering message to a service system. Both end systems can be set to send respective metering messages to the service system at the conclusion of the transfer operation. Metering messages can also be sent on an on-going basis during the course of the transfer operation by one or both end systems; in this latter case, the end system or systems involved preferably maintain a connection with the service system throughout the transfer operation. Metering can be in terms of pages sent.

Claims

1. A communications arrangement comprising:

a communications infrastructure;

first and second end systems connected to the communications infrastructures, and

a service system, separate from the end systems, that is connected to the communications infrastructure and arranged to facilitate establishment of communication between the first and second end systems, said end systems being arranged to effect, when in communication, a data transfer operation in which data is transferred over the communications infrastructure between the end systems without passing via the service system;

at least one of said first and second end systems including a metering unit that meters the transfer of data between the first and second end systems during said data transfer operation, the metering unit being arranged to periodically send a metering message over the communications infrastructure to the service system during the course of said data transfer operation; and

the service system including a receiving and collating unit that receives and collates said metering messages.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second end systems is arranged to maintain a connection with said service system during the transfer of data between the end systems, the metering unit being arranged to pass said metering messages over the corresponding said connections.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said data is formatted into pages and the metering unit is arranged to include in said metering messages metering data is expressed in terms of the number of pages transferred.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said data represents scanned-in pages and the metering unit is arranged to include in said metering messages metering data expressed in terms of the number of scanned-in pages transferred.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said communications infrastructure comprises a data network and accesses a network that provides:

connection to the data network through data-network access points, the end systems being connected to said network, and said service system being connected to the data network for facilitating the establishment of communication between the end systems over the data network via the network and data-network access points.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the metering unit is arranged to include in the metering messages it sends, authentication data for authenticating to the service system the end system that includes the metering unit concerned.

14. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the service system is arranged, at the time of facilitating the establishment of communication between the end systems, to create a job record for the prospective said data transfer operation between the end systems;

the service system being further arranged to correlate the metering messages it receives with the job record of the data transfer operation concerned, and to extract metering data from these messages and store this data in the job record.

7. A communications arrangement comprising:

a communications infrastructure;

first and second end systems connected to the communications infrastructure for enabling the transfer of data between the end systems during a data transfer operation, and

a service system separate from the end systems and connected to the communications infrastructure, each of said end systems including at least one metering unit that meters the transfer of data between the end systems during said data transfer operation, the metering unit of each end systems being arranged to send at least one metering message over the communications infrastructure to the service system in respect of said data transfer operation;

the service system including a receiving and collating unit that receives and collates said metering messages.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the metering unit of each of the first and second end systems is arranged to periodically sends a said metering message to the service system throughout the course of said data transfer operation.

9. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein each of the first and second end systems is arranged to maintain a connection with said service system during the transfer of data between the end systems, the metering unit being arranged to pass said metering messages over these connections.

10. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said data is formatted into pages and the metering unit is arranged to include in said metering messages metering data expressed in terms of the number of pages transferred.

11. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said data represents scanned-in pages and the metering unit is arranged to include in said metering messages metering data expressed in terms of the number of scanned-in pages transferred.

12. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein said communications infrastructure comprises a data network and accesses a network that provides connection to the data network through data-network access points, the end systems being connected to said network, and said service system being connected to the data network for facilitating the establishment of communication between the end systems over the data network via the network and data-network access points.

13. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein each metering unit is arranged to include in the metering messages it sends, authentication data authenticating to the service system the end system that includes the metering unit concerned.

15. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the service system is arranged to facilitate establishment of communication between the first and second end systems for effecting said data transfer operation, the said end systems being arranged to effect said data transfer operation such that data is transferred over the communications infrastructure between the end systems without passing via the service system.

16. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the service system is arranged, at the time of facilitating the establishment of communication between the end systems, to create a job record for the prospective said data transfer operation between the end systems;

the service system being further arranged to correlate the metering messages it receives with the job record of the data transfer operation concerned, and to extract metering data from these messages and store this data in the job record.

17. A service system comprising:

a communications interface for connecting the service system to a communications infrastructure;

a first sub-system for facilitating establishment of communication between first and second end systems connected to the communications infrastructure and separate from the service system; and

a second sub-system for receiving metering messages from at least one of the first and second end systems in respect of a data transfer operation in which the end systems transfer data between each other over the communications infrastructure without the data passing via the service system, the second sub-system being arranged to collate metering messages received from said at least one end system in respect of the same data transfer operation.

18. A service system according to claim 17, wherein the second sub-system is arranged to receive and collate metering messages from both end systems in respect of the same data transfer operation.

19. An arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the service system is arranged, at the time of facilitating the establishment of communication between the end systems, to create a job record for the prospective said data transfer operation between the end systems;

the service system being further arranged to correlate the metering messages it receives with the job record of the data transfer operation concerned and to extract metering data from these messages, and store this data in the job record.