Internet charging system
First Claim
1. An Internet charging system in a system having an information terminal and a terminal server that provides Internet access service employing a public network to the information terminal, comprising on the terminal server side:
- a charging server for sequentially calculating an Internet usage fee which occurs according to Internet usage by an Internet user through the information terminal;
a charging database having a charging table required for calculating the Internet usage fee; and
a customer database having a customer table which includes information on a customer as the Internet user through the information terminal;
wherein the charging table which includes information on a charging method associated with Internet access is periodically transmitted to the information terminal;
wherein the information terminal is adapted to allow the customer to select a desired charging method information from the transmitted charging table, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network; and
wherein said charging server includes a calculating unit for calculating a network access charge by said charging server according to a charging method information selected by said customer, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A charging system which enables a customer to select an access method from plural kinds of access service including access service with advertisements, when the customer uses the Internet. Internet access information, and information on a method for displaying information for charging and a charging method associated with Internet access are transmitted to an information terminal (101) of the customer, from a terminal server (105) to which the information terminal (101) is connected through modems (102), (104) and a public network (103). The customer selects desired information from the transmitted information.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. An Internet charging system in a system having an information terminal and a terminal server that provides Internet access service employing a public network to the information terminal, comprising on the terminal server side:
-
a charging server for sequentially calculating an Internet usage fee which occurs according to Internet usage by an Internet user through the information terminal; a charging database having a charging table required for calculating the Internet usage fee; and a customer database having a customer table which includes information on a customer as the Internet user through the information terminal; wherein the charging table which includes information on a charging method associated with Internet access is periodically transmitted to the information terminal; wherein the information terminal is adapted to allow the customer to select a desired charging method information from the transmitted charging table, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network; andwherein said charging server includes a calculating unit for calculating a network access charge by said charging server according to a charging method information selected by said customer, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An Internet charging system in a system having an information terminal and a terminal server that provides Internet access service employing a public network to the information terminal, comprising on the terminal server side:
-
a charging server for sequentially calculating an Internet usage fee which occurs according to Internet usage by an Internet user through the information terminal; a charging database having a charging table required for calculating the Internet usage fee; a customer database having a customer table which includes information on a customer as the Internet user through the information terminal; an advertisement data controller for controlling a size and a display time of an advertisement which is sent to the terminal server; an advertisement content server for retaining contents of the advertisement; a data traffic monitor server for monitoring data traffic of the Internet; and a usage state monitor server for monitoring a state of Internet usage by the customer; wherein the charging table which includes information on a charging method associated with Internet access is periodically transmitted to the information terminal; wherein an Internet access service providing method, an advertisement distribution method, and the charging method associated with Internet access are changed according to the state of Internet usage by the customer and the result of the selection by the customer of the desired charging method information in the charging table, said desired charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network; andwherein said charging server includes a calculating unit for calculating a network access charge by said charging server according to a charging method information selected by said customer, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An Internet charging system in a system having an information terminal and a terminal server that provides Internet access service employing a public network to the information terminal, comprising on the terminal server side:
-
a charging server for sequentially calculating an Internet usage fee which occurs according to Internet usage by an Internet user through the information terminal; a charging database having a charging table required for calculating the Internet usage fee; a customer database having a customer table which includes information on a customer as the Internet user through the information terminal; an advertisement data controller for controlling a size and a display time of an advertisement which is sent to the terminal server; an advertisement content server for retaining contents of the advertisement; a data traffic monitor server for monitoring data traffic of the Internet; and a usage state monitor server for monitoring a state of Internet usage by the customer; wherein the charging table which includes information on a charging method associated with Internet access is periodically transmitted to the information terminal; wherein one or more of an Internet access service providing method, an advertisement distribution method, and the charging method associated with Internet access are changed according to the state of Internet usage by the customer and the result of the selection by the customer of the desired charging method information in the charging table; and wherein the information terminal is configured to automatically change a provider. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method of providing a network access to a user of an information terminal in a system including a terminal server, a charging server, and a customer database, said method comprising the steps of:
-
responsive to receiving a network access request from said user by said terminal server, conditionally, upon successfully authenticating said user, granting said access request; charging said user by said charging server based upon a charging information in said customer database; presenting a user a selection for charging method information, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network;calculating a network access charge by said charging server according to a charging method information selected by said user, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network;responsive to accepting said user'"'"'s selection, transmit said selection to at least one of;
said customer database, said charging server.
-
-
25. A method of providing a network access to a user of an information terminal in a system including a terminal server, a charging server, a customer database, and an access setting database including information on plural providers, said method comprising the steps of:
-
responsive to receiving a network access request from said user by said terminal server, conditionally, upon successfully authenticating said user, granting said access request; charging said user by said charging server based upon a charging information in said customer database; presenting a user a selection for charging method information; calculating a network access charge by said charging server according to a charging method information selected by said user, said charging method information including at least one information item selected from the group consisting of;
a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal, a number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal, electronic commerce deal amount, electronic commerce deal frequency, and communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network;responsive to accepting said user'"'"'s selection, automatically select a provider from said access setting database.
-
Specification