Internet charging system

• US 7,620,601 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyawaki, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US10/031,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,107 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14, 705/49, 705/1, 705/412, 705/30, 705/34, 705/40, 705/44, 705 51- 54, 705/59, 705 75- 78, 726 1- 7, 726/21, 726 26- 34, 725/1, 725/104, 379/114, 379/121, 379126-127, 455406-409
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers

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.

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; 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. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, comprising:

in the information terminal,

an access program for accessing the Internet;

a usage state monitor program for monitoring the state of Internet usage by the customer;

an information terminal charging database having an information terminal charging table which includes information required for calculating the Internet usage fee; and

an access setting database having an access table which includes information on plural providers such as phone numbers, ID numbers, passwords, thereby

automatically changing a provider.

3. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

line usage fee information concerning a usage fee of the public network.

4. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

advertisement size information concerning a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal.

5. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging system has

advertisement number information concerning the number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal.

6. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

advertisement display time information concerning a display time of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal.

7. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

usage time-zone information concerning a time zone in which the client uses the Internet.

8. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

information on accumulated access time that is an accumulation of time for which the customer uses the Internet.

9. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

data packet amount information concerning an amount of data packets utilized in the Internet.

10. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network.

11. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 1, wherein

the charging table has

electric commerce deal amount/frequency information, which concerns a deal amount when the customer performs electronic commerce employing the Internet, and a frequency of performing the electronic commerce.

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; 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.

13. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 12, comprising in the information terminal:

an access program for accessing the Internet;

a usage state monitor program for monitoring the state of Internet usage by the customer;

an information terminal charging database having an information terminal charging table which includes information required for calculating the Internet usage fee; and

an access setting database having an access table which includes information on plural providers, thereby automatically changing a provider.

14. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 12, wherein the charging table has line usage fee information concerning a usage fee of the public network.

15. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 12, wherein the charging table has advertisement display time information concerning a display time of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal.

16. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 12, wherein the charging table has usage time-zone information concerning a time zone in which the client uses the Internet.

17. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 12, wherein the charging table has information on accumulated access time that is an accumulation of time for which the customer uses the Internet.

18. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 12, wherein the charging table has data packet amount information concerning an amount of data packets utilized in the Internet.

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.

20. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 19, wherein the charging table has advertisement size information concerning a size of the advertisement displayed on the information terminal.

21. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 19, wherein the charging system has advertisement number information concerning the number of advertisements displayed on the information terminal.

22. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 19, wherein the charging table has communication traffic state information concerning a communication traffic state in the public network.

23. The Internet charging system as defined in claim 19, wherein the charging table has electronic commerce deal amount/frequency information which concerns a deal amount when the customer performs electronic commerce employing the Internet, and a frequency of performing the electronic commerce.

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.