Multiple access internet portal revenue sharing

• US 8,472,918 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Neil, Douglas R., Rivera, Jose F.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US13/300,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20120064860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.2, 379/121.01, 455/408, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 705/39, 705/40, 705/52, 705/53
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

Multiple access internet portal billing systems are provided. A representative system, among others, includes a communication facility, a wireless internet server, and a transaction billing system. The communication facility includes a billing platform, and is operable to connect to a plurality of wireless device platforms through a mobile network, and to connect to the wireless internet server. The wireless internet server provides internet access to the wireless devices and communicates at least one billing information record including a usage time to a transaction billing system. The transaction billing system receives the billing information record from the wireless internet server, formats the billing information record, and communicates the formatted record to the communication facility billing platform. Methods and other systems for multiple access internet portals are also provided.

Claims

1. A usage based system for a network portal, comprising:

an internet server operable to providing internet content from a content provider and track usage of the internet content per client device;

an electronic billing system operable to receive identification and usage information from the internet server and format the identification and usage information into a transaction record, and

the electronic billing system is configured to charge a customer of a network carrier differently based upon a type of content accessed through the internet server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic billing system is further operable to generate billing reports for the network carrier and the content provider.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the internet server is operable to route a text message to a short message service center.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the internet server is operable to route a wireless access protocol packet to a wireless access protocol gateway.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein content received from the content provider is formatted to a standard used by the internet server.