Method and arrangement for gathering data from a communication network

• US 9,231,771 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alekstra Oy
• Original Assignee: Alekstra Oy
• Inventors: Toikka, Toni Jaakkima
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US13/146,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,182 Days
• Field of Search: 455405-408
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/82 Criteria or parameters used for performing billing operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7072 Validate charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/78 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An arrangement for gathering data from a communication network (101) includes a server device (102) connected to the communication network. The arrangement includes in user terminal devices (107,108) an interface application arranged to transmit to the server device first data related to telecommunication services provided by the communication network. The server device is arranged to produce second data, e.g. fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services, at least partly on the basis of the first data and to make the second data accessible to users (109,110) of the user terminal devices. The user terminal devices are utilised in gathering data from the communication network and thus the data is automatically gathered from those locations of the communication network in which the network and the telecommunication services are being used and thus no separate devices for gathering data are needed.

Claims

1. An arrangement for gathering data from a communication network, comprising:

a server device connected to the communication network; and

in each of a plurality of user terminal devices connected to the communication network, an interface application configured to;

gather, from functional elements of the user terminal device comprising the interface application under consideration, first data related to any of quality or quantity of telecommunication services provided by the communication network, and

control the user terminal device comprising the interface application under consideration to transmit the first data to the server device via the communication network,

wherein the server device is configured to;

produce a second data based on the first data gathered from each of the plurality of user terminal devices, at least a part of the second data being formed of indicators of either of service quality or quantity, and

transmit, via the communication network, the second data to at least one terminal device of the plurality of user terminal devices so as to make the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the server device is arranged to form the service quality indicators for the telecommunication services at least partly on the basis of the first data.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the server device is arranged to form statistical service quality indicators for the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and corresponding data received from other user terminal devices connected to the communication network, the statistical service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the server device is arranged to calculate different alternatives for the fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and different alternative pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated alternatives for the fees forming at least a part of the second data.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the server device is arranged to make the second data accessible via the Internet (115).

6. arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises at least one of the following:

a mobile communication network, a landline communication network.

7. A server device for gathering data from a communication network, comprising:

first interface circuitries arranged to receive first data from a plurality of user terminal devices via the communication network, the first data being related to any of quality or quantity of telecommunication services provided by the communication network and gathered by the plurality of user terminal devices;

a processing system arranged to produce a second data based on the first data received from each of the plurality of user terminal devices, at least a part of the second data being formed of indicators of either service quality or quantity; and

second interface circuitries arranged to transmit the second data to at least one terminal device of the plurality of user terminal devices via the communication network so as to make the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

8. The server device according to claim 7, wherein the processing system is arranged to form the service indicators for the telecommunication services at least partly on the basis of the first data.

9. The server device according to claim 8, wherein the processing system is arranged to form statistical service quality indicators for the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and corresponding data received from other user terminal devices connected to the communication network, the statistical service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

10. The server device according to claim 7, wherein the second interface circuitries are arranged to make the second data accessible via the Internet.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having encoded thereon a computer program for a server device connected to a communication network, the computer program comprising computer executable instructions for controlling a programmable processor to:

produce a second data based on first data received from each of a plurality of user terminal devices via the communication network, the first data being related to any of quality or quantity of telecommunication services provided by the communication network and gathered by the plurality of user terminal devices, at least a part of the second data being formed of indicators of either service quality or quantity, and

control interface circuitries of the server device to transmit the second data to at least one user terminal device of the plurality of terminal devices via the communication network so as to make the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

12. A method for gathering data from a communication network, comprising:

gathering first data from functional elements of a plurality of user terminal devices connected to the communication network, the first data being related to any of quality or quantity of telecommunication services provided by the communication network and the functional elements enabling a user of each of the user terminal devices to use the telecommunication services;

producing a second data based on the first data of each of the plurality of user terminals, at least a part of the second data being formed of indicators of either service quality or quantity; and

transmitting the second data to at least one terminal device of the plurality of user terminal devices via the communication network so as to make the second data accessible to a user of the at least one user terminal device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first data comprises event information related to usage of the telecommunication services, and the producing of the second data comprises calculating fees payable due to the usage of the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and pricing basis applicable to the telecommunication services, the calculated fees forming at least a part of the second data.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the service indicators for the telecommunication services are produced at least partly on the basis of the first data.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the producing of the second data comprises forming statistical service quality indicators for the telecommunication services on the basis of the first data and corresponding data received from other user terminal devices connected to the communication network, the statistical service quality indicators forming at least a part of the second data.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second data is made accessible to the user of the at least one user terminal device by making the second data accessible via the Internet.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the communication network comprises at least one of the following:

a mobile communication network, and a landline communication network.