Content-based billing
First Claim
1. A method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- at an intercepting device, intercepting a Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (“
HTTP”
) response message that has been sent over a computer network from a provider server device to a requestor client device, prior to said HTTP response message arriving at said requestor client device;
wherein the intercepting device is deployed on the computer network between the provider server device and the requestor client device, wherein the HTTP response message provides content and is addressed to said requestor client device and not to the intercepting device;
based at least on the intercepted HTTP response message, the intercepting device determining what content is being provided by the provider server device in the HTTP response message;
before the content is delivered to the requestor client device, the intercepting device determining whether the requestor client device is associated with any user of a first set of users or any user of a second set of users, wherein each user in the first set of users is required to authorize payment for the content, wherein each user in the second set of users is not required to authorize payment for the content;
responsive to the determining that the requestor client device is associated with a user in the first set of users, the intercepting device sending the requestor client device a payment authorization request message;
responsive to detecting that the requestor client device has authorized payment for the content, the intercepting device transmitting the HTTP response message from the intercepting device to allow the requestor client device to obtain the content;
wherein the method is performed by one or more computer devices.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for content-based billing is provided. Techniques are provided for intercepting, modifying, and retransmitting a request between various entities engaged in content-based billing in the context of the World Wide Web. Various techniques such as HTTP proxy servers, wireless protocol gateways, routers, and level 41 switches may be used for intercepting the request. The request maybe modified based on numerous factors such as profile information, levels of service, and requested content. The entities that engage in content-based billing include but are not limited to users (including mobile users), content providers, access providers (including HTTP proxy servers).
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Citations
77 Claims
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1. A method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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at an intercepting device, intercepting a Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (“
HTTP”
) response message that has been sent over a computer network from a provider server device to a requestor client device, prior to said HTTP response message arriving at said requestor client device;wherein the intercepting device is deployed on the computer network between the provider server device and the requestor client device, wherein the HTTP response message provides content and is addressed to said requestor client device and not to the intercepting device; based at least on the intercepted HTTP response message, the intercepting device determining what content is being provided by the provider server device in the HTTP response message; before the content is delivered to the requestor client device, the intercepting device determining whether the requestor client device is associated with any user of a first set of users or any user of a second set of users, wherein each user in the first set of users is required to authorize payment for the content, wherein each user in the second set of users is not required to authorize payment for the content; responsive to the determining that the requestor client device is associated with a user in the first set of users, the intercepting device sending the requestor client device a payment authorization request message; responsive to detecting that the requestor client device has authorized payment for the content, the intercepting device transmitting the HTTP response message from the intercepting device to allow the requestor client device to obtain the content; wherein the method is performed by one or more computer devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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at an intercepting device, intercepting a Hyper-Text Transport Protocol (“
HTTP”
) response message that has been sent over a computer network from a provider server device to a requestor client device, prior to said HTTP response message arriving at said requestor client device;wherein the intercepting device is deployed on the computer network between the provider server device and the requestor client device, wherein the HTTP response message provides content and is addressed to said requestor client device and not to the intercepting device; based at least on the intercepted HTTP response message, the intercepting device determining what content is being provided by the provider server device in the HTTP response message; before the content is delivered to the requestor client device, the intercepting device determining whether the requestor client device is associated with any user of a first set of users or any user of a second set of users, wherein each user in the first set of users is required to authorize payment for the content, wherein each user in the second set of users is not required to authorize payment for the content; responsive to the determining that the requestor client device is associated with a user in the first set of users, the intercepting device sending the requestor client device a payment authorization request message; responsive to detecting that the requestor client device has authorized payment for the content, the intercepting device transmitting the HTTP response message from the intercepting device to allow the requestor client device to obtain the content. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method comprising:
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at an intercepting device, intercepting an HTTP response message that has been sent over a computer network from a provider server device to a requestor client device, prior to said HTTP response message being received by the requestor client device; wherein the HTTP response message comprises a body and a header; wherein the intercepting device is deployed on the computer network between the provider server device and the requestor client device, wherein the HTTP response message is addressed to the requestor client device and not the intercepting device; wherein the HTTP response message includes a price at which the provider is willing to provide to the requestor content, the body of the HTTP response message comprising the content; reading the price from the HTTP response message; the intercepting device forwarding the HTTP response message to the requestor client device; sending billing data to a billing service, the billing data being based on the price that was read from the HTTP response message; wherein the method is performed by one or more computer devices. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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at an intercepting device, intercepting an HTTP response message that has been sent over a computer network from a provider server device to a requestor client device, prior to said HTTP response message being received by the requestor client device; wherein the HTTP response message comprises a body and a header; wherein the intercepting device is deployed on the computer network between the provider server device and the requestor client device, wherein the HTTP response message is addressed to the requestor client device and not the intercepting device; wherein the HTTP response message includes a price at which the provider is willing to provide to the requestor content, the body of the HTTP response message comprising the content; reading the price from the HTTP response message; the intercepting device forwarding the HTTP response message to the requestor client device; sending billing data to a billing service, the billing data being based on the price that was read from the HTTP response message. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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Specification