Method for delivering and charging for services in a telecommunications network

• US 7,386,481 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Portalify Oy (Hytera Communications Corp. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Portalify Oy (Hytera Communications Corp. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Aronsson, Hannu, Sateri, Simo
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg; Yogesh C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shah; Amee A.
• Application Number:
  US10/492,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/40, 713/156
• US Class Current: 705/26.35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing

Abstract

The method is for delivering and charging for services. The network has one or more user terminals with a browser for requesting services from the service provider and has a connection to a management server. The service provider provides services to the user terminals. The management server has a connection to a database managed by the management server. The database includes information about valid users. The management server communicates with service users in order to process payments for services to be used.

Claims

1. A method for delivering and charging for services in a telecommunication network, having at least one user terminal, a browser, a service provider and a management server, the method comprising:

the user terminal of a user sending a request for a service to the service provider,

the service provider checking at the service provider if the user has the right to the requested service,

when the user does not have the right to the requested service;

the service provider sending a redirect signal to the user terminal to redirect the user to the management server, the redirect signal including a content identification associated with the requested service;

the user terminal sending a service request to the management server, the service request sent to the management server comprising the content identification;

the management server receiving the service request, including the content identification, from the user terminal;

the management server sending a payment request based on the content identification for the service request to the user terminal, the payment request comprising a unique code;

the user making a payment according to the payment request by sending a payment confirmation signal to a service number operated by a payment recipient;

the payment recipient then sending a payment confirmation signal to the management server to confirm payment, the payment confirmation signal including the unique code;

the management server receiving the payment confirmation signal and the unique code;

the management server sending a redirect signal to the user terminal to redirect the user terminal to the service provider, the redirect signal from the management server including a token based on the unique code to confirm payment of the requested service;

the user terminal receiving the redirect signal from the management server;

a browser of the user terminal automatically sending a new service request, comprising the token, to the service provider to again request the service;

the service provider receiving the new service request; and

after receiving the new service request, the service provider again checking whether the user has the right to the requested service based on the token; and

delivering the requested service to the user terminal after having confirmed the user'"'"'s right to the service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for the service from the user terminal to the service provider is a web page and the request contains an address to the web page.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the management server checks if a payment for the requested service has been performed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the service provider checks the right to the service and validating the token included in the service request from the user terminal when the user has the right to the service.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the method further comprises the steps of checking an integrity of the token, a validation time, a browser program and/or IP address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the browser sending a cookie to the management server and the cookie containing user information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein information about valid users is stored in a database and includes a list of cookies of valid users and other user information including validity times for using the service, user equipment information, and connection information to avoid misuse of the right to use the service.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the management server updates the cookies in the database or creates a new cookie for a new user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the instructions from the management server to the user terminal also includes a user cookie to be used next time a service is requested.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the payment is a one-time payment or a subscription.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a connection between the service provider and the user terminal is kept active by the management server sending instructions in a form of an incomplete web page, which is completed when the user has paid for the requested service.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein a connection between the service provider and the user terminal is kept active by the management server sending instructions in a form of a frame-set, containing one frame having a page with instructions for paying and another frame containing a check page.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the check page is refreshed with short intervals.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein when the payment for the service has been performed, another check page is formed, which causes the user browser to request the check again.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein a connection between the service provider and the user terminal is kept active by sending a program to the browser with an instruction page, the program connecting the browser to the management server and when the payment arrives, the management server sends a redirection message and a validation token to the program, which causes the browser to redirect to the service provider.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein when the payment for the service has been performed, a the token included in the redirect signal contains information about the user'"'"'s right to the requested service including information about payment of the requested service.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the token is a short expire token with a short lifetime.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the token is a subscription token or a long time token.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein users having the right to the service have a valid payment status.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the token is a short expire token for all users.