Method and apparatus to provide charging for ad-hoc service provisioning between trusted parties and between untrusted parties

• US 7,415,268 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2004
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Trossen, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US10/792,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/405, 455/407, 455/408, 455/410, 455/422.1, 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/406
• 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: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and a system provide a service for a user device with a service provider. The method includes establishing a service provisioning relationship between the user device and a bridging user device through a first wireless network (e.g., a Bluetooth network); providing a desired service for the user device with the service provider via the bridging user device and the first wireless network, and through a second wireless network (e.g., a cellular network) that couples the bridging user device to the service provider; while providing the service, recording charging data for the service provisioning relationship between the user device and the bridging user device; and reporting the charging data from the bridging user device to the service provider. In the preferred embodiment at least the establishing and recording functions use service provider trusted software running on the user device and on the bridging user device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a service provisioning relationship between a user device and a bridging user device;

providing a desired service for the user device with a service provider via the bridging user device;

while providing the service, recording charging data for the service provisioning relationship between the user device and the bridging user device; and

reporting the charging data from the bridging user device to the service provider,

where at least the establishing and the recording use trusted software comprising a certified unit of code running on the user device and on the bridging user device, and where establishing includes at least one message comprising an indication of a requested charging metric is exchanged between the user device and the bridging user device.

2. A method as in claim 1, where the trusted software is obtained from the service provider.

3. A method as in claim 1, where the service provisioning relationship between the user device and the bridging user device is established through a first wireless network comprising a local, short range wireless network, and where the service for the user device is provided via the bridging user device and the first wireless network, and through a second wireless network comprising a longer range wireless network that couples the bridging user device to the service provider.

4. A method as in claim 3, where the first wireless network comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN), and where the second wireless network comprises a cellular wireless network.

5. A method as in claim 3, where the first wireless network comprises a Bluetooth network, and where the second wireless network comprises a cellular wireless network.

6. A method as in claim 3, where recording charging data accounts at least for the use of the second wireless network by the bridging user device.

7. A method as in claim 1, where establishing includes negotiating the specifics of charging for the service provisioning relationship between the user device and the bridging user device using an offer-counteroffer technique.

8. A method as in claim 1, where recording charging data uses at least one charging metric that is negotiated between the user device and the bridging user device when establishing the service provisioning relationship.

9. A method as in claim 1, where recording charging data accounts at least for the consumption of at least one resource of the bridging user device.

10. A method as in claim 1, where reporting occurs periodically while the service is being provided.

11. A method as in claim 1, where reporting occurs at a termination of the service being provided.

12. A method as in claim 1, where the desired service is provided during a session, and where providing the service initially establishes a charging record for the session at the service provider based at least in part on credential information obtained from the user, via the bridging user.

13. A method as in claim 12, where the credential information comprises an identification of the user device, and information that identifies the user to the service provider as being a client of the service provider.

14. A method as in claim 13, where at least the information that identifies the user to the service provider is encrypted.

15. A method as in claim 12, where the charging record for the session is uniquely identified based on a session identifier.

16. The method of claim 1, where the at least one message exchanged between the user device and the bridging user device further comprises a determination of a usage cost for the requested charging metric.

17. A mobile device, comprising:

a data processor coupled to a memory; and

an interface to a first network;

said memory storing computer code executable by said data processor to request a service to be provided by a service provider and to establish a service provisioning relationship between said mobile device and another device through said first network, where said another device is bidirectionally coupled to said service provider through a second network, and where said service is provided for said mobile device by the service provider via said first network, said another device, and said second network, where said computer code comprises trusted software comprising a certified unit of code running on said mobile device and on said another device, and where to establish the service provisioning relationship includes at least one message comprising an indication of a requested charging metric is exchanged between the mobile device and the another device, and where said another device is operable to record charging data related to the service provisioning relationship between said mobile device and said another device, and to report the charging data to said service provider.

18. A mobile device as in claim 17, where said computer code that establishes said service provisioning relationship includes computer code for negotiating specifics of charging for said service provisioning relationship between said mobile device and said another device.

19. A mobile device as in claim 18, where said specifics of charging comprise use of said second network by said another device.

20. A mobile device as in claim 18, where said specifics of charging comprise use of at least one resource of said another device.

21. A mobile device, comprising:

a data processor coupled to a memory;

an interface to a first network; and

an interface to a second network;

said memory storing computer code executable by said data processor to establish a service provisioning relationship between said mobile device and another device through said first network, said computer code comprising trusted software comprising a certified unit of code running on said mobile device and on said another device, where to establish the service provisioning relationship includes at least one message comprising an indication of a requested charging metric is exchanged between the mobile device and the another device, where said mobile device can be bidirectionally coupled to a service provider through said second network, and where said service is provided for said another device by the service provider via said first network, said mobile device and said second network, and where said computer code executable by said data processor further is operable to record charging data for the service provisioning relationship between said mobile device and said another device, and to report the charging data to said service provider via said second network.

22. A mobile device as in claim 21, where said computer code that establishes said service provisioning relationship includes computer code for negotiating specifics of charging for said service provisioning relationship between said mobile device and said another device.

23. A mobile device as in claim 22, where said specifics of charging comprise use of said second network by said mobile device.

24. A mobile device as in claim 22, where said specifics of charging comprise use of at least one resource of said mobile device.

25. A mobile device as in claim 21, where said mobile device reports the charging data periodically while the service is being provided.

26. A mobile device as in claim 21, where said mobile device reports the charging data at a termination of said service being provided.

27. A mobile terminal comprising a data processor coupled to an interface to a first network, said data processor operating to request a service to be provided by a service provider and to establish a service provisioning relationship between said mobile terminal and a device through said first network, where said device is bidirectionally coupled to said service provider through another network, and where said service is provided for said mobile terminal by the service provider via said first network, said device and said another network, where said data processor operates under control of trusted software comprising a certified unit of code stored in said mobile terminal and in said device, where to establish the service provisioning relationship includes at least one message comprising an indication of a requested charging metric is exchanged between the mobile terminal and the device, and where said device is operable to record charging data related to the service provisioning relationship between said mobile terminal and said device, and to report the charging data to said service provider.

28. A mobile terminal as in claim 27, where said data processor is further operable to negotiate charging for said service provisioning relationship between said mobile terminal and said device.

29. A mobile terminal comprising a data processor coupled to an interface to a first network and to an interface to a second network, said data processor operable to establish a service provisioning relationship between said mobile terminal and a device through said first network, where said mobile terminal can be bidirectionally coupled to said service provider through said second network, where said data processor is further operable to exchange at least one message comprising an indication of a requested charging metric between the mobile terminal and the device to establish the service provisioning relationship, and where said service is provided for said device by a service provider via said first network, said mobile terminal and said second network, and where said data processor is further operable to record charging data for the service provisioning relationship between said mobile terminal and said device, and to report the charging data to said service provider over said second network, where said data processor operates under control of trusted software comprising a certified unit of code stored in said mobile terminal and in said device.

30. A mobile terminal as in claim 29, where said data processor is further operable to negotiate charging for said service provisioning relationship between said mobile terminal and said device.

31. A computer program product embodied on a memory and executable by a processor to perform operations on a bridging user device comprising:

establishing a service provisioning relationship with a user device;

providing a desired service for the user device with a service provider;

while providing the service, recording charging data for the service provisioning relationship; and

reporting the charging data to the service provider,

where at least the establishing and the recording use trusted software comprising a certified unit of code running on the user device and on the bridging user device, and where establishing includes at least one message comprising an indication of a requested charging metric is exchanged between the user device and the bridging user device.

32. The computer program of claim 31, where establishing includes negotiating the specifics of charging for the service provisioning relationship with the user device using an offer-counteroffer technique.

33. The computer program of claim 31, where recording charging data uses at least one charging metric that is negotiated with the user device when establishing the service provisioning relationship.

34. The computer program of claim 31, where the at least one message exchanged between the user device and the bridging user device further comprises a determination of a usage cost for the requested charging metric.