Providing network services to a network agent

• US 7,957,511 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Serra, Paul A., Drudis, Antoni
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/436,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20070269029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.05, 379/201.02, 379/207.02, 455/557, 455/405, 455/407, 455/414.1, 709/229
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• 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

Abstract

In a communications network, data that establishes a network agent'"'"'s entitlement to network services is stored within the network agent and not within the network. Network services are provided to the network agent by storing network service authorization information and network service usage allowance information within a network agent, which the network agent transmits to the network when network service is requested. The network does not store an account balance for the network agent but instead stores authorization information and actual network service usage information for the network agent.

Claims

1. A method of providing network services to a network agent separate from a network and located on a mobile device, comprising:

a) storing authorization information and network service usage allowance information within the network agent on the mobile device separate from the network;

b) storing the authorization information and actual network service usage information within the network;

c) if the authorization information obtained from the network agent agrees with the authorization information for the agent stored within the network then;

d) updating the network service usage allowance information within the network agent with the actual network service usage information stored within the network; and

e) granting network service to the network agent based on the updated network service usage allowance stored within the network agent.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein c) is comprised of:

granting network service if network service usage allowance information agrees with actual network service usage information.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprised of:

denying network service to the network agent when the authorization information from the network agent and network service usage allowance information obtained from the network agent disagree.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization information is comprised of data that identifies the network agent to the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network service usage allowance information is comprised of data that identifies a current account balance for the network agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network service usage allowance information is comprised of data that identifies a current account balance for the network agent and a timestamp of the network agent'"'"'s last network access.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the network service usage allowance information within the network agent with the actual service usage data stored within the network is comprised of:

storing an account balance for the network agent that is adjusted according to network usage and a timestamp of the network agent'"'"'s last network access.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the network service usage allowance information within the network agent with the actual service usage data stored within the network is comprised of:

storing an account balance for the network agent that is increased by an account credit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network services are comprised of:

telecommunications services, Internet access, and instant messaging service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the network agent is at least one of:

a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant and an MP3 player.

11. A method for a network agent separate from a network and located on a mobile device, to obtain network services from a network, the method comprising:

a) sending to the network from the network agent on the mobile device separate from the network, authorization information and network service usage allowance information, said authorization information and network service usage allowance information being stored within and obtained from the network agent;

b) accessing services provided by the network;

c) receiving from the network, updated network service usage allowance information from the network; and

d) storing within the network agent, the updated network service usage allowance information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein sending authorization information is comprised of sending data that identifies the network agent to the network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein sending network service usage allowance information is comprised of sending data that identifies a current account balance for the network agent.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein sending network service usage allowance information is comprised of sending data that identifies a current account balance for the network agent and a timestamp of the network agent'"'"'s last network access.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of receiving updated network service usage allowance information from the network is comprised of receiving an account balance for the network agent that is adjusted according to network usage and is comprised of receiving a timestamp of when the network agent last accessed the network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein storing within the network agent, updated network service usage allowance information is comprised of storing within the network agent, the account balance for the network agent that is increased by an account credit.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein accessing services provided by the network is comprised of accessing a service that is either a telecommunication service, Internet access, or instant messaging service.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the network agent is at least one of:

a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant and an MP3 player.

19. A network agent separate from a network and located on a mobile device, comprised of:

a communications device capable of wireless communications with the network;

a processor operatively coupled to the communications device;

memory, operatively coupled to the processor, said memory storing program instructions, which when executed, cause the communications device to;

a) send to the network, authorization information and network service usage allowance information, said authorization information and network service usage allowance information being stored within and obtained from the network agent on the mobile device separate from the network;

b) access services provided by the network;

c) receive from the network, updated network service usage allowance information from the network; and

d) store within the network agent, on the mobile device separate from the network, updated network service usage allowance information.

20. The network agent of claim 19, wherein said memory stores program instructions, which when executed, they cause the network agent to:

send data that identifies the network agent to the network.

21. The network agent of claim 19, wherein said memory stores program instructions, which when executed, they cause the network agent to:

send a current account balance for the network agent to the network.

22. The network agent of claim 19, wherein said memory stores program instructions, which when executed, they cause the network agent to:

send data that identifies a current account balance for the network agent to the network and to send to the network, a timestamp of the network agent'"'"'s last network access.

23. The network agent of claim 19, wherein said memory stores program instructions, which when executed, they cause the network agent to:

receive an account balance for the network agent that is adjusted by the network according to network usage and is comprised of receiving a timestamp of when the device accessed the network.

24. The network agent of claim 19, wherein said memory stores program instructions, which when executed, they cause the network agent to:

store within the network agent, the account balance for the network agent that is increased by an account credit.

25. The network agent of claim 19, wherein said memory stores program instructions, which when executed, they cause the network agent to:

access a service that is either telecommunication service, Internet access, or instant messaging service.

26. A network that provides wireless services comprised of:

a switching system that provides network communications services to network agents on mobile devices separate from the network through a wireless communications network;

a processor operatively coupled to the switching system;

memory, operatively coupled to the processor, said memory storing program instructions, which when executed, cause the switching system to;

a) store authorization information and actual network service usage information for network agents on the mobile device separate from the network;

c) evaluate authorization information from a network agent on a mobile device separate from the network and if authorization information obtained from the network agent agrees with the authorization information for the network agent stored within the network then;

d) send updated network service usage allowance information to the network agent; and

e) grant network service to the network agent based on the updated network service usage allowance stored within the network agent.

27. The network of claim 26, wherein the actual network service usage information for the network agent is comprised of data that identifies service usage time provided by the network to the network agent.

28. The network of claim 26, wherein the actual network service usage information is comprised of data that identifies the last time network services were provided to the network agent.

29. The network of claim 26 wherein the network is one of:

a telecommunications network;

an Internet access network, and instant messaging network.