Methods and systems for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service session
First Claim
1. A method for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service user session, comprising:
- identifying a user session;
identifying a user profile that is associated with said user session;
identifying a plurality of service parameters of said user session, wherein said plurality of service parameters correspond to one or more of Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) layers 4 through 7;
identifying a plurality of different types of services associated with said plurality of service parameters, wherein each of said different types of services is identified by a different one of said plurality of service parameters, wherein said plurality of different types of services are provided during said user session, wherein said plurality of different types of services are provided on a General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (GPRS/UMTS) network, and wherein said plurality of different types of services utilize a same packet data protocol of said GPRS/UMTS network;
accessing an online charging server to obtain triggers and thresholds for generating a plurality of service-level usage reports;
generating a service usage report for each of said plurality of different types of services, wherein said service usage report is generated at a gateway support node located within said GPRS/UMTS network, wherein said service usage report comprises a billing rate that is based on both said user profile and at least one of said plurality of service parameters, and wherein said plurality of different types of services are associated with different billing rates;
providing access to said service usage report for storage as a part of billing records, wherein said billing records comprise a plurality of service usage reports associated with said user profile; and
compiling said plurality of service usage reports to determine a total charge associated with said user session.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service user session are disclosed. A method includes identifying a mobile data service user session and identifying a mobile data service user that is associated with the identified mobile data service user session. One or more services used by the mobile data service user during the mobile data service user session are identified. A service usage report is generated for each of the one or more services used by the mobile data service user. The usage reports are based on a measure of service usage of each of the identified one or more services and a billing profile that is associated with the user. Access is provided to the user service usage reports for storage as a part of billing records.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service user session, comprising:
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identifying a user session; identifying a user profile that is associated with said user session; identifying a plurality of service parameters of said user session, wherein said plurality of service parameters correspond to one or more of Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) layers 4 through 7; identifying a plurality of different types of services associated with said plurality of service parameters, wherein each of said different types of services is identified by a different one of said plurality of service parameters, wherein said plurality of different types of services are provided during said user session, wherein said plurality of different types of services are provided on a General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (GPRS/UMTS) network, and wherein said plurality of different types of services utilize a same packet data protocol of said GPRS/UMTS network; accessing an online charging server to obtain triggers and thresholds for generating a plurality of service-level usage reports; generating a service usage report for each of said plurality of different types of services, wherein said service usage report is generated at a gateway support node located within said GPRS/UMTS network, wherein said service usage report comprises a billing rate that is based on both said user profile and at least one of said plurality of service parameters, and wherein said plurality of different types of services are associated with different billing rates; providing access to said service usage report for storage as a part of billing records, wherein said billing records comprise a plurality of service usage reports associated with said user profile; and compiling said plurality of service usage reports to determine a total charge associated with said user session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus, comprising:
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a computer readable memory unit; one or more processors coupled to said memory unit, said one or more processors for executing a method for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service user session, comprising; identifying a user session; identifying a user profile that is associated with said user session; identifying a plurality of service parameters of said user session; identifying a plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services associated with said plurality of service parameters, wherein each of said different types of mobile Internet data services is identified by a different one of said plurality of service parameters, wherein said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services are provided on a General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (GPRS/UMTS) network, and wherein said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services are provided using a specific data protocol of said GPRS/UMTS network; accessing an online charging server to obtain triggers and thresholds for generating a plurality of service usage reports; generating a service usage report for each of said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services, wherein said service usage report is generated at a gateway support node of said GPRS/UMTS network, wherein said service usage report comprises a billing rate that is based on both said user profile and at least one of said plurality of service parameters, and wherein said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services are associated with different billing rates; and determining a total charge for said user profile, wherein said total charge is determined by compiling said plurality of service usage reports associated with said plurality of different types of mobile Internet data services. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for differential billing of services used during a mobile data service user session, comprising:
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means for identifying a user session; means for identifying a user profile associated with said user session; means for identifying a plurality of service parameters for said user session; means for identifying a plurality of services provided during said user session, wherein each of said plurality of services is associated with a different one of said plurality of service parameters, wherein said plurality of services are provided on a General Packet Radio Service/Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (GPRS/UMTS) network, and wherein said plurality of services are provided using a same data protocol of said GPRS/UMTS network; means for accessing an online charging server to obtain triggers and thresholds for generating a plurality of service usage reports; means for generating a service usage report for each of said plurality of services, wherein said service usage report comprises a billing rate that is based on both said user profile and at least one of said plurality of service parameters, and wherein said plurality of services are associated with different billing rates; and means for determining a total charge for said user profile, wherein said total charge is determined by compiling said plurality of service usage reports associated with said plurality of services provided during said user session. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification