Verifiable service billing for intermediate networking devices

• US 8,023,425 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sinkantarakorn; Pao
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaidi; Iqbal
• Application Number:
  US12/380,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 370/475, 370/474, 370/351, 370252-253, 370/913, 370/119, 370352-356, 370466-473, 370237-241, 709/229, 709238-242, 726/15, 726/12
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0876 Aspects of the degree of configuration automation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 : Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 : Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 : by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 : Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 : Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2408 : for supporting different services, e.g. a differentiated services [DiffServ] type of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 : Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 : Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 : for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 : using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 : by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 : avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• 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 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 : based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 : Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8055 : Selecting cheaper transport technology for a given service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 : Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 : Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 : of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 : Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 : Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 : Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 : based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 : using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 : using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 : Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning

Abstract

Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, an intermediate networking device provides a service intermediary or intermediate connection between a network and one or more communications devices; implements a service policy set for assisting control of the intermediate networking device use of a service on the network, in which the service policy set includes one or more service policies, each policy being associated with either the intermediate networking device or a communications device; and monitors use of the service based on the service policy set; and in which the implementation of the service policy set is verified.

Claims

1. A first end point device comprising:

an access network modem configured to communicate data over at least one access network, the access network modem providing a connection via at least one 2G, 3G or 4G wireless network;

a local area network modem configured to communicate data with one or more additional end point devices over a local area network, the local area network modem providing a connection via at least one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB;

a forwarding agent configured to forward the data between the access network modem and the local area network modem according to an access network forwarding policy to implement a network access forwarding service, the forwarding agent including a policy implementation agent configured to forward the data in the first end point device'"'"'s communications stack, and a firewall agent configured to pass or redirect the data to one or more specific access network routing paths according to the access network forwarding policy; and

a service processor configured to;

detect an event associated with the access network forwarding service;

present a notification message to a user of the first end point device in response to the event, the notification message including an offer to activate the access network forwarding service;

receive a user response for activating the access network forwarding service;

provide information regarding the user response to an activation server as part of enabling the access network forwarding service for the first end point device;

receive a service profile including one or more access network forwarding settings from the activation server, the one or more access network forwarding settings including one or more restriction settings on the access network forwarding service, the one or more access network forwarding settings identifying which access network route or traffic redirection is to be used by the forwarding agent when attempting to forward traffic between the one or more additional end point devices and the access network; and

update the access network forwarding policy with one or more access network forwarding settings to enable the forwarding agent to forward the data.

2. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the user response includes user preferences for the access network forwarding service.

3. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the user response is received as input into a display window associated with the notification message.

4. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the detecting an event includes intercepting a request to perform access network forwarding.

5. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the detecting an event includes detecting user interest in using the access network forwarding service.

6. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein content of the notification message is received from the activation server.

7. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the forwarding agent is configured to adjust the access network forwarding service based on a network congestion state.

8. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the forwarding agent is configured to adjust the access network forwarding service based on a time of day.

9. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the one or more restriction settings includes a setting for enabling or disabling the access network forwarding service.

10. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein based on an access network forwarding setting, the forwarding agent is configured to restrict providing a forwarding connection of the network access forwarding service to a maximum number of additional end point devices, wherein the forwarding connection connects the one or more additional end point devices to the access network via the forwarding agent.

11. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein based on an access network forwarding setting, the forwarding agent is configured to restrict data associated with certain network destinations from being forwarded.

12. The first end point device of claim 11, wherein the network destinations that are restricted are determined by a parental control policy stored on the first end point device.

13. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein based on an access network forwarding setting, the forwarding agent is configured to restrict a certain data content type from being forwarded.

14. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the service processor is further configured to determine a network traffic classification for the data, and wherein the one or more restriction setting includes restriction settings that vary depending on the network traffic classification of the data.

15. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein based on an access network forwarding setting, the forwarding agent is configured to restrict a usage of a forwarding connection of the network access forwarding service, wherein the forwarding connection connects the one or more additional end point devices to the access network via the forwarding agent.

16. The first end point device of claim 15, wherein the restriction on usage is on an aggregate usage of the forwarding connection, and wherein the aggregate usage limit applies to a total usage for all additional end point devices.

17. The first end point device of claim 15, wherein the restriction on usage is on a data rate of usage of the forwarding connection.

18. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein the service processor is further configured to facilitate enabling the access network forwarding service on at least two access networks, and wherein the one or more access network forwarding settings include at least one setting that is different for different access networks.

19. The first end point device of claim 18, wherein the different access networks include a home access network and a roaming access network, and wherein the access network forwarding settings used to implement the access network forwarding service are dependent on whether the first end point device is connected to the home access network or the roaming access network.

20. The first end point device of claim 1, wherein a forwarding service notification is provided by the service processor to the user of the first end point device or a user of an additional end point device during use of the access network forwarding service.

21. The first end point device of claim 20, wherein the forwarding service notification informs the user of an amount of usage of the access network forwarding service, a rate of usage of the access network forwarding service, that the access network forwarding service is being used on a particular access network, that a service usage restriction setting is in place for the access network forwarding service, that the access network forwarding service is available, or that the access network forwarding service is not available.

22. The first end point device of claim 20, wherein the forwarding service notification provides the user with an option to purchase additional access network forwarding service.

23. The first end point device of claim 20, wherein the forwarding service notification is provided when the access network forwarding service is enabled and the at least one access network includes a roaming access network.

24. A network system for activating an access network forwarding service for a first end point device, the first end point device including an access network modem configured to communicate data over at least one access network, the access network modem providing a connection via at least one 2G, 3G or 4G wireless network, a local area network modem configured to communicate data with one or more additional end point devices over a local area network, the local area network modem providing a connection via at least one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB, a forwarding agent configured to forward the data between the access network modem and the local area network modem according to an access network forwarding policy to implement a network access forwarding service, the forwarding agent including a policy implementation agent configured to forward the data in the first end point device'"'"'s communications stack and including a firewall agent configured to pass or redirect the data to one or more specific access network routing paths according to the access network forwarding policy, and a service processor configured to send one or more messages including information regarding a user response for activating the access network forwarding service to the network system, the network system comprising:

one or more activation servers configured to;

receive the one or more messages from the service processor of the first end point device, the one or more messages including information regarding the user response;

perform an activation sequence in response to receiving the information regarding the user response from the service processor; and

provision at least one of the first end point device and one or more network elements to allow the access network forwarding service to be provided on the first end point device; and

a service controller configured to;

obtain a service profile including one or more access network forwarding settings for the access network forwarding policy, the one or more access network forwarding settings including one or more restriction settings on the access network forwarding service, at least one of the access network forwarding settings identifying which access network route or traffic redirection is to be used by the first end point device when attempting to forward traffic between the one or more additional end point devices and the access network; and

transmit the one or more access network forwarding settings to at least one selected from the group consisting of the first end point device and at least one of the one or more network elements.

25. The network system of claim 24, wherein the one or more messages includes credentials specific to the first end point device, and wherein the activation sequence is specific to the credentials.

26. The network system of claim 24, wherein a first activation server is configured to re-route the first end point device to a second activation server based on a credential received from the first end point device or based on a query-response sequence.

27. The network system of claim 24, wherein the one or more activation servers are further configured to provision the first end point device by transmitting software for updating the service processor of the first end point device.

28. The network system of claim 24, wherein the one or more activation servers are operated by a virtual service provider, and wherein the virtual service provider bills a user of the first end point device for the access network forwarding service and provides a payment to a provider of the access network.

29. The network system of claim 24,

wherein the one or more network elements include at least one of an authentication and authorization server, a billing system, and one or more gateways.

30. The network system of claim 29, wherein the service controller is further configured to assign the data to one or more specific access network routing paths.

31. The network system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the one or more access network forwarding settings configures the forwarding agent to begin providing the forwarding of the data.

32. The network system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the one or more access network forwarding settings is a function of a network congestion state.

33. The network system of claim 24, wherein at least one of the one or more access network forwarding settings is a function of a time of day.

34. The network system of claim 24, wherein the one or more restriction settings includes a setting for enabling or disabling the access network forwarding service.

35. The network system of claim 34, wherein the one or more restriction settings includes restriction settings that vary depending on a network traffic classification of the data.

36. The network system of claim 34, wherein a particular restriction setting is on a usage of a forwarding connection of the access network forwarding service, wherein the forwarding connection connects the one or more additional end point devices to the access network via the forwarding agent.

37. The network system of claim 24, wherein a particular restriction setting restricts data associated with certain network destinations from the access network forwarding service.

38. The network system of claim 37, wherein the network destinations that are restricted are determined by a parental control policy.

39. The network system of claim 24, wherein the one or more access network forwarding settings includes at least one setting that is different for different access networks, each providing an access network forwarding service.

40. The network system of claim 24, wherein the service controller is further configured to provide a forwarding service notification to the first end point device or to an additional end point device during use of the access network forwarding service.

41. The network system of claim 40, wherein the forwarding service notification is provided when the access network forwarding service is enabled and the at least one access network includes a roaming access network.

42. The network system of claim 40, wherein the forwarding service notification informs the user of an amount of usage of the access network forwarding service, a rate of usage of the access network forwarding service, that the access network forwarding service is being used on a particular access network, that a service usage restriction setting is in place for the access network forwarding service, that the access network forwarding service is available or that the access network forwarding service is not available.

43. The network system of claim 24, wherein a particular restriction setting restricts a forwarding connection of the network access forwarding service to a maximum number of additional end point devices, wherein the forwarding connection connects the one or more additional end point devices to the access network via the forwarding agent.

44. A method comprising:

receiving, at a service design system, first service plan elements of a first service plan for using an access network forwarding service, the access network forwarding service to be used by a first end point device, the first end point device including an access network modem configured to communicate data over at least one access network, the access network modem providing a connection via at least one 2G, 3G or 4G wireless network, and a local area network modem configured to communicate data with one or more additional end point devices over a local area network, the local area network modem providing a connection via at least one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB;

generating an access network forwarding policy based on the first service plan elements, the access network forwarding policy defining a state of a forwarding connection, wherein the forwarding connection is configured to communicate the data between the one or more additional end point devices and the access network via the local area network modem and the access network modem, wherein the first service plan elements include one or more access network forwarding settings that define one or more restriction settings on the access network forwarding service, the one or more access network forwarding settings identifying which access network route or traffic redirection is to be used by the first end point device when attempting to forward traffic between the one or more additional end point devices and the access network;

associating the first end point device with the first service plan;

translating the access network forwarding policy to first instructions; and

providing the first instructions to one or more policy implementation agents, the one or more policy implementation agents capable of implementing the access network forwarding policy for the first end point device.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein a particular restriction setting restricts use of the forwarding connection of the network access forwarding service to a maximum number of additional end point devices.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein a particular restriction setting restricts data associated with certain network destinations from the access network forwarding service.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the network destinations that are restricted are determined by a parental control policy.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the one or more restriction settings include restriction settings that vary depending on a network traffic classification of the data.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein a particular restriction setting is on a usage of a forwarding connection of the access network forwarding service, wherein the forwarding connection connects the one or more additional end point devices to the access network via the forwarding agent.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein the one or more policy implementation agents include the first end point device.

51. A first end point device comprising:

an access network modem configured to communicate data over at least one access network, the access network modem providing a connection via at least one 2G, 3G or 4G wireless network;

a local area network modem configured to communicate data with one or more additional end point devices over a local area network, the local area network modem providing a connection via at least one of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or USB;

a forwarding agent configured to forward the data between the access network modem and the local area network modem according to an access network forwarding policy to implement a network access forwarding service, the forwarding agent including a policy implementation agent configured to forward the data in the first end point device'"'"'s communications stack, and a firewall agent configured to pass or redirect the data to one or more specific access network routing paths according to the access network forwarding policy; and

a service processor configured to;

detect an event associated with the access network forwarding service;

present a notification message to a user of the first end point device in response to the event, the notification message including an indication that the access network forwarding service is unavailable;

receive a service profile including one or more access network forwarding settings from the activation server, the one or more access network forwarding settings including one or more restriction settings on the access network forwarding service, the one or more access network forwarding settings identifying which access network route or traffic redirection is to be used by the forwarding agent when attempting to forward traffic between the one or more additional end point devices and the access network; and

update the access network forwarding policy with one or more access network forwarding settings to enable the forwarding agent to forward the data.