Providing and charging for data services in roaming network environments

• US 7,933,596 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bengtsson, Henrik Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/862,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 455406-408, 455/414.1, 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/0.2, 455/0.3, 370/310, 370/310.2, 379/114.03, 379/0.1, 379 02- 025, 379 027- 028, 37912102-12103, 379126-12705
• US Class Current: 455/433
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/204 UMTS; GPRS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method provides detecting a roaming operator by a mobile communications device, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator; receiving a data service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator independent of the home operator; sending information, from the mobile communications device, to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator; and receiving a voice service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a roaming operator by a mobile communications device, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator;

receiving a data service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator independent of the home operator;

sending information, from the mobile communications device, to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator;

receiving a voice service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator;

determining whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator, where determining whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator includes;

requesting a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator, and

detecting a redirection to a different URI; and

providing to a user of the mobile communications device an option to receive the data service independent of the home operator or not independent of the home operator.

2. The method of claim 1, where detecting a roaming operator includes detecting a plurality of roaming operators, the method further comprising:

providing to a user of the mobile communications device a list of the plurality of roaming operators; and

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of roaming operators, where receiving the data service includes receiving the data service from the selected roaming operator.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending payment information from the mobile communications device to the roaming operator for payment for the data service.

4. The method of claim 1, where receiving the data service includes receiving a first data service, the method further comprising:

receiving a second data service from the roaming operator, where the roaming operator interconnects with the home operator to provide the second data service.

5. The method of claim 4, where the second data service is one of a simple message system (SMS) message or a multi-media message system (MMS) message.

6. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a mobile communications device for rate information for a data service;

sending the rate information for the data service to the mobile communications device from a roaming operator, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator;

receiving authentication information from the mobile communications device;

authenticating the mobile communications device with the home operator;

providing the data service to the mobile communications device by the roaming operator independent of the home operator;

providing a voice service to the mobile communications device by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator;

receiving a request, from the mobile communications device, for a universal resource indicator (URI); and

redirecting the mobile communications to a different URI.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving payment information from the mobile communications device for payment for the data service.

8. The method of claim 6, where providing the data service includes providing a first data service, the method further comprising:

providing a second data service to the mobile communications device, where the roaming operator interconnects with the home operator to provide the second data service.

9. The method of claim 8, where the second data service is one of a simple message system (SMS) message or a multi-media message system (MMS) message.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining whether to provide the second data service by interconnecting with the home operator based on a type of the second data service.

11. A mobile communications device associated with a home operator, the device comprising:

a transceiver to transmit and receive communication signals to and from a roaming operator; and

a processor, coupled to the transceiver, to;

process a data service from the roaming operator independent of the home operator;

provide information to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator;

process a voice service from the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator;

determine whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator;

provide to a user of the mobile communications device an option to receive the data service independent of the home operator or not independent of the home operator;

request a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator; and

detect a redirection to a different URI.

12. The device of claim 11, where the transceiver receives communication signals from a plurality of roaming operators, the device further comprising:

a display to provide the user with a list of the plurality of roaming operators; and

a user interface to receive a selection of one of the plurality of roaming operators, where the processor processes the data service from the selected roaming operator.

13. The device of claim 11, where the processor sends payment information to the roaming operator for payment for the data service.

14. The device of claim 11, where the processor receives a second data service from the roaming operator, where the roaming operator interconnects with the home operator to provide the second data service.

15. The device of claim 14, where the second data service is one of a simple message system (SMS) message or a multi-media message system (MMS) message.

16. A method comprising:

detecting a roaming operator by a mobile communications device, where the mobile communications device is associated with a home operator;

determining whether the roaming operator provides a data service independent of the home operator, where determining whether the roaming operator provides the data service independent of the home operator includes;

requesting a universal resource indicator (URI) from the roaming operator, and

detecting a redirection to a different URI;

providing to a user of the mobile communications device an option to receive a data service independent of the home operator or dependent on the home operator;

receiving the data service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator independent of the home operator;

sending information, from the mobile communications device, to the roaming operator for the roaming operator to authenticate the mobile communications device with the home operator;

receiving a voice service, by the mobile communications device, provided by the roaming operator based on the authentication by the roaming operator of the mobile communications device with the home operator; and

sending payment information from the mobile communications device to the roaming operator for payment for the data service.