Content-based billing

• US 9,331,983 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Pei-Yuan, Semel, Ivry, Padala, Sailendra K., Le Rohelec, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sharvin, David
• Application Number:
  US10/078,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20020129088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,191 Days
• Field of Search: 705/40, 705/35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• 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 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

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).

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message;

sending data about the payment to a billing service in response to said determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the intercepting device performs the step of requesting payment authorization on behalf of the provider server device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the intercepting device, generating a log of said HTTP response message;

sending billing data to a billing service based on the log.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, at an aggregation engine external to the intercepting device, reading the log, wherein the aggregation engine is configured to send the billing data to the billing service based on the log.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the log includes information to indicate how much an entity associated with the requestor client device or the provider server device is to pay for delivery of the content to the requestor client device.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising the computer-implemented step of:

reading a plurality of logs, including said log, at an aggregation engine that places access information contained in said plurality of logs into a format required by a billing system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a particular entity associated with the requestor client device or the provider server device must pre-pay for delivery of the content;

determining whether the particular entity has sufficient funds to pay for the content; and

determining how to handle said HTTP response message based on whether said particular entity has sufficient funds to pay for the content.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

inspecting one of a provider profile associated with the provider server device or a requestor profile associated with the requestor client device; and

based on the provider profile or the requestor profile, determining that an entity associated with the requestor client device must pre-pay for the content.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the HTTP response message includes a price at which the provider server device is providing the content.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of decrementing an account balance associated with the requestor client device or the provider server device when the requestor client device accesses the content.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating a requestor profile to award the requestor client device a prize for having requested said content.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising inspecting a profile associated with the requestor client device to determine whether the requestor client device is in the first set of users or is in the second set of users.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

determining whether an entity associated with the requestor client device has funds to pay for the content based on an authorization source.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the authorization source is one of a profile, a billing system, or a billing scheme of an access provider.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

determining whether the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner; and

if the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner, then retransmitting the HTTP response message to the requestor client device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of determining whether the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner further comprises the computer-implemented steps of:

determining whether the content involves a fee by inspecting a provider profile;

if the content does involve a fee, then

establishing a secure connection with the provider server device; and

authenticating the provider server device by using an authentication mechanism.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising billing an account associated with the provider server device for providing the content.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the type of the content based upon a URL path associated with the content.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether said content has billing implications;

if said content has billing implications, sending billing data to a billing service, the billing data being based at least in part on the determined content.

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:

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.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

at the intercepting device, generating a log of said HTTP response message;

sending data to a billing service based on the log.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

at an aggregation engine external to the intercepting device, reading the log, wherein the aggregation engine is configured to send the billing data to the billing service based on the log.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the log includes information to indicate how much an entity associated with the requestor client device or the provider server device is to pay for delivery of the content to the requestor client device.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of reading a plurality of logs, including said log, at an aggregation engine that places access information contained in said plurality of logs into a format required by a billing system.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

determining that a particular entity associated with the requestor client device or the provider server device must pre-pay for delivery of the content;

determining whether the particular entity has sufficient funds to pay for the content; and

determining how to handle said HTTP response message based on whether said particular entity has sufficient funds to pay for the content.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

inspecting one of a provider profile associated with the provider server device or a requestor profile associated with the requestor client device; and

based on the provider profile or the requestor profile, determining that an entity associated with the requestor client device must pre-pay for the content.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein the HTTP response message includes a price at which the provider server device is providing the content.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of decrementing an account balance associated with the requestor client device or the provider server device when the requestor client device accesses the content.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of updating a requestor profile to award the requestor client device a prize for having requested said content.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of inspecting a profile associated with the requestor client device to determine whether the requestor client device is in the first set of users or is in the second set of users.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

determining whether an entity associated with the requestor client device has funds to pay for the content based on an authorization source.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the authorization source is one of a profile, a billing system, or a billing scheme of an access provider.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

determining whether the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner; and

if the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner, then retransmitting the HTTP response message to the requestor client device.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34 wherein instructions for determining whether the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner further comprise one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

determining whether the content involves a fee by inspecting a provider profile;

if the content does involve a fee, then

establishing a secure connection with the provider server device; and

authenticating the provider server device by using an authentication mechanism.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message;

sending data about the payment to a billing service in response to said determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

billing an account associated with the provider server device for providing the content.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

determining whether said content has billing implications;

if said content has billing implications, sending billing data to a billing service, the billing data being based at least in part on the determined content.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising determining the type of the content based upon a URL path associated with the content.

40. A method comprising:

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.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising the steps of:

determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message;

wherein sending data to said billing service occurs in response to said determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising billing an account associated with the provider server device for providing the content.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the intercepting device performs the step of reading the price from the HTTP response message.

44. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

at the intercepting device, generating a log of said HTTP response message;

wherein the billing data sent to the billing service is based on the log.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising, at an aggregation engine external to the intercepting device, reading the log, generating the billing data based on the log, and sending the billing data.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the log includes information to indicate how much the requestor client device or the provider server device is to pay for the content.

47. The method of claim 44, further comprising the computer-implemented step of:

reading a plurality of logs, including said log, at an aggregation engine that places access information contained in said plurality of logs into the format required by the billing service.

48. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

prior to the intercepting device forwarding the HTTP response message, the intercepting device sending a confirmation page requesting payment authorization for the price from the requestor client device on behalf of the provider server device.

49. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

determining that the requestor client device must pre-pay for the content;

determining whether the requestor client device has sufficient funds to pay for the content; and

determining how to handle said HTTP response message based on whether said requestor client device has sufficient funds to pay for the content.

50. The method of claim 40, further comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

inspecting one of a provider profile associated with the provider server device or a requestor profile associated with the requestor client device; and

based on the provider profile or the requestor profile, determining that the requestor client device must pre-pay for the content.

51. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of decrementing an account balance of the requestor client device based on the price.

52. The method of claim 40, further comprising updating a requestor profile to award the requestor client device a prize for having requested said content.

53. The method of claim 40, further comprising inspecting a profile to determine whether the requestor client device requires pre-authorization for the content.

54. The method of claim 40, further comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

determining whether the requestor client device has funds to pay for the content based on an authorization source.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the authorization source is one of a profile, a billing system, and a billing scheme of an access provider.

56. The method of claim 40, further comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

determining whether the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner; and

if the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner, then retransmitting the HTTP response message to the requestor client device.

57. The method of claim 40, further comprising reading the price from the header of the HTTP response message.

58. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

locating requestor preference data associated with the requestor client device;

prior to forwarding the HTTP request message to the requestor client device, determining whether to send, to the requestor client device, a confirmation page indicating the price that was read from the HTTP response message;

responsive to determining to send the confirmation page, sending the confirmation page to the requestor client device and waiting for a requestor authorization message before forwarding the HTTP request message;

responsive to determining not to send the confirmation page, forwarding the HTTP request message without waiting for a requestor authorization message.

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:

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.

60. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message;

wherein sending data to said billing service occurs in response to said determining that said content is being or has been provided to said requestor client device by said provider server device through, at least in part, the intercepted HTTP response message.

61. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of billing an account associated with the provider server device for providing the content.

62. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, wherein the intercepting device performs the step of reading the price from the HTTP response message.

63. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

at the intercepting device, generating a log of said HTTP response message;

wherein the billing data sent to the billing service is based on the log.

64. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 63, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of, at an aggregation engine external to the intercepting device, reading the log, generating the billing data based on the log, and sending the billing data.

65. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 63, wherein the log includes information to indicate how much the requestor client device or the provider server device is to pay for the content.

66. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 63, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the step of:

reading a plurality of logs, including said log, at an aggregation engine that places access information contained in said plurality of logs into the format required by the billing service.

67. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

prior to the intercepting device forwarding the HTTP response message, the intercepting device sending a confirmation page requesting payment authorization for the price from the requestor client device on behalf of the provider server device.

68. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

determining that the requestor client device must pre-pay for the content;

determining whether the requestor client device has sufficient funds to pay for the content; and

determining how to handle said HTTP response message based on whether said requestor client device has sufficient funds to pay for the content.

69. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

inspecting one of a provider profile associated with the provider server device or a requestor profile associated with the requestor client device; and

based on the provider profile or the requestor profile, determining that the requestor client device must pre-pay for the content.

70. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

decrementing an account balance of the requestor client device based on the price.

71. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

updating a requestor profile to award the requestor client device a prize for having requested said content.

72. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

inspecting a profile to determine whether the requestor client device requires pre-authorization for the content.

73. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

determining whether the requestor client device has funds to pay for the content based on an authorization source.

74. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 73, wherein the authorization source is one of a profile, a billing system, and a billing scheme of an access provider.

75. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

determining whether the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner; and

if the provider server device is associated with an authorized partner, then retransmitting the HTTP response message to the requestor client device.

76. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform reading the price from the header of the HTTP response message.

77. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 59, further storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

locating requestor preference data associated with the requestor client device;

prior to forwarding the HTTP request message to the requestor client device, determining whether to send, to the requestor client device, a confirmation page indicating the price that was read from the HTTP response message;

responsive to determining to send the confirmation page, sending the conformation page to the requestor client device and waiting for a requestor authorization message before forwarding the HTTP request message;

responsive to determining not to send the confirmation page, forwarding the HTTP request message without waiting for a requestor authorization message.