Method and system for providing and billing internet services

• US 7,529,711 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Reith, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jagdish N
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMILTON, SARA CHANDLER
• Application Number:
  US09/999,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,743 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing and billing Internet services that allow a user to select a service profile among a plurality of service profiles. The present invention assigns a service telephone number to each of the service profiles, such that each service profile is uniquely identified by its service telephone number. When the user selects and logs on to one of the service profiles, the present invention checks whether the user has subscribed for being billed on a user telephone number through a telephone network operator, and, if this is the case, the present invention allows access to the selected service profile. When access is allowed, the present invention creates a call detail record including the user telephone number as calling number and the service telephone number of the selected service profile as called number. The present invention then transmits the call detail record to a billing system of the telephone network operator.

Claims

1. Method of providing and billing Internet services, wherein a user may select among a plurality of service profiles, comprising the steps of:

assigning a service telephone number to each of said service profiles, such that each service profile is uniquely identified by its service telephone number,

subscribing the user for being billed for Internet services and providing the user with a logon information associated with a user telephone number and identifying at least one of said service profiles with said logon information;

storing said logon information and said at least one identified service profile in a database;

when the user selects and using said logon information logs on to one of said service profiles, accessing said database to check whether the user has subscribed for being billed for that service profile on said user telephone number through a telephone network operator, and, if this is the case, allowing access to the selected service profile,

when access is allowed, creating a call detail record including the user telephone number as calling number and the service telephone number of the selected service profile as called number, and

transmitting the call detail record to a billing system of said telephone network operator.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the service profile is selected by the user by calling the service telephone number via a telephone network.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein said telephone network is a wireless network.

4. Method according to claim 2, wherein the selection of the service profile is achieved by a non-established call which is rejected in a signalling system of the telephone network.

5. Method according to claim 2, wherein the selection of the service profile is achieved by an established call forwarded through at least one telephone network to an Internet service controller.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein said established call is used for authentication of the user.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein authentication of the user comprises the steps of challenging the user for a random keyword that the user has to repeat, detecting voice spectrum parameters of the user, when he repeats the keyword, and identifying the user on the basis of said voice spectrum parameters.

8. A system for providing and billing Internet services, including an Internet Service Provider (“

ISP”

) and a telephone network operator, wherein

a user may select among a plurality of service profiles;

each one of said plurality of selectable service profiles is uniquely identified by its service telephone number;

the user is subscribed for being billed for Internet Services and provided with a logon information associated with a user telephone number; and

,

at least one of said plurality of selectable service profiles is identified with said logon information;

the system comprising;

a network service switch through which the user has access to one of said plurality of selectable service profiles,

a database coupled to said network service switch configured to store user information, including said logon information and said at least one identified service profile; and

monitoring means coupled to said database and said network service switch configured to monitor access sessions of the user, said monitoring means are configured to create a call detail record to be sent to said billing system, said call detail record including, as calling number, the user telephone number and, as called number, a service telephone number identifying the selected service profile, and

a billing system, provided by the telephone network operator and coupled to said monitoring means, configured to process call detail records of telephone calls transmitted from said monitoring means,

wherein when the user selects and, using said logon information, logs on to one of said service profiles, said network service switch accesses said database to check whether the user has subscribed for being billed for that service profile on said user telephone number through said telephone network operator, and, if this is the case, allows access to said selected service profile.

9. System according to claim 8, wherein said monitoring means are included in a signalling system of a telephone network.

10. System according to claim 8, wherein said network service switch is configured to change the one of the plurality of selectable service profiles upon a command entered by the user, while the user remains connected to the Internet.

11. System according to claim 10, wherein the monitoring means are configured to receive said command to change the service profile through the telephone network and to forward this command to the network service switch.