Method and system for presentation of content from one cellular phone to another through a computer network

• US 6,892,064 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Qi, Naizhen, Wang, Xiaozhou
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, Ming
• Application Number:
  US09/947,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20020028672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/408
• 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 2203/353 where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels protocols for multimedia information services per se H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A cellular phone issues a request for content from a server. The cellular requests and authorizes the content for use by another cellular phone. When the content is received by the second cellular phone, the first cellular phone is billed.

Claims

1. In a network, a first cellular phone that requests presentation of a content via the network, a second cellular phone to be presented with said content, a provider server that holds said content, a carrier server comprising a first carrier server related to said first cellular phone, and a second carrier server related to said second cellular phone connected to one another through the network, wherein said first carrier server comprises:

a unit for receiving a content presentation request from said first cellular phone, wherein said content presentation request requests presentation of content held by said provider server;

a database for storing identification information of said first cellular phone and information related to said second cellular phone;

a unit for sending said content requested from said first cellular phone and said information related to said second cellular phone to said provider server; and

a unit for receiving charging information related to presentation of said content sent by said second carrier server, which receives said requested content from said provider server, wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said charging information is received by said carrier server for charging the first cellular phone after a service to which said charging information pertains to has been accessed by the second cellular phone.

2. In a network, a first cellular phone that requests presentation of a content via the network, a second cellular phone to be presented with said content, a provider server that holds said content, a carrier server comprising a first carrier server related to said first cellular phone, and a second carrier server related to said second cellular phone connected to one another through the network, wherein said first carrier server comprises:

a unit for receiving a content presentation request from said first cellular phone, wherein said content presentation request requests presentation of content held by said provider server;

a database for storing identification information of said first cellular phone and information related to said second cellular phone;

a unit for sending said content requested from said first cellular phone and said information related to said second cellular phone to said provider server; and

a unit for receiving charging information related to presentation of said content sent by said second carrier server, which receives said requested content from said provider server, wherein said second carrier server includes a unit for communicating arrival of said requested content to said second cellular phone, wherein said first and said second carrier server belong to a same cellular phone carrier, and wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said charging information is received by said second cellular phone by use of identification information of said first cellular phone after said service is used.

3. A content presentation method, comprising the steps of:

enabling a carrier server to receive a content presentation request from a first cellular phone via a network;

deciding requested content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone from said received content presentation request;

sending content information requested from said carrier server, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone to a provider server;

sending said requested content to said second cellular phone via predetermined network;

enabling said provider server to send charging information to said first cellular phone via said carrier server;

changing a time for sending said charging information according to said content;

identifying said predetermined network used by said second cellular phone from information related to said second cellular phone; and

sending said charging information after said second cellular phone uses said service when said content is service use permitting information.

4. A provider server process for presenting a content via a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving requested content information identification, information of a first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone to be presented with said content included respectively in a content presentation request sent from said first cellular phone to a carrier server via a network;

sending said requested content to a predetermined network to which said second cellular phone belongs with use of said information related to said second cellular phone; and

sending charging information related to said requested content at a time changed according to said requested content to said carrier server, wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said step of sending said charging information is executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said service.

5. A computer readable recording medium that stores a carrier server program for executing content presentation method for providing a content via a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a content presentation request form a first cellular phone via a network;

deciding content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone to be presented with a content included respectively in said received content presentation request;

sending said content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone to a provider server;

receiving charging information issued to said firs cellular phone; and

including charging information of said presented content in a stored charging information of said first cellular phone, wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said step of including said charging information executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said service.