Device group partitions and settlement platform

• US 9,565,543 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• 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): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US14/037,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20140024340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/222, 709/223, 709/224, 705/34, 455/405, 455/406, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/432.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 15/28 with meter at substation or with calculation of charges at terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/30 the meter or calculation of charges not being controlled from an exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/31 Distributed metering or calculation of charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/75 Account location specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/752 Terminal based account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/765 Linked or grouped accounts, e.g. of users or devices
• 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 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/72 Account specifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7213 Terminal based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/724 Linked accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/96 Distributed calculation of charges, e.g. in different nodes like for mobiles between HLR and VLR, or between the terminal and the billing function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method performed by a network system communicatively coupled to a device over a wireless network, the method comprising: receiving authentication information from the device over the wireless network, the authentication information enabling the network system to authenticate the device; obtaining a charging data record (CDR) comprising information identifying a device activity over the wireless network associated with the device and indicating a usage amount associated with the device activity; and using one or more rules, processing the CDR to generate information configured to assist in (a) providing to a partner entity an accounting of a first portion of usage of the wireless network associated with the device activity indicated by the CDR, the partner entity providing an Internet-based service to the device, and (b) determining an accounting of a second portion of the usage of the wireless network associated with the activity indicated by the CDR.

Claims

1. A method performed by a network system in cooperation with a service processor executing on a wireless end-user device, the method comprising:

receiving authentication information from the wireless end-user device, the authentication information enabling the network system to authenticate the service processor as trusted for device activity monitoring;

the network system providing configuration information to the service processor, the configuration information identifying a plurality of device activities for which wireless network Internet data usage is to be monitored;

based on the configuration information, the service processor, for each of a plurality of reporting intervals, monitoring and separately counting wireless network Internet data usage associated with each identified device activity;

for each reporting interval for which wireless network Internet data usage is counted, the service processor securely sending one or more wireless data usage records to the network system, each such wireless data usage record identified with a corresponding one of the device activities and indicating the separate count of wireless network Internet data usage for that corresponding activity; and

the network system receiving the wireless data usage records and, using one or more electronically-stored rules associated with one or more service plans for the wireless end-user device, apportioning the wireless data usage indicated in the wireless data usage records to different service plan data usage classes based on device activity.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the information identifying the plurality of device activities comprises one or more transaction codes.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising accepting, through an administrator interface, information identifying the plurality of device activities or the one or more rules.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of device activities is a selected one of a search activity, an online commerce activity, a book downloading activity, a music downloading activity, an application downloading activity, and a transaction activity.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of device activities is a selected one of a particular end-user device application or program, wireless network Internet data communications with a particular network end point, wireless network Internet data communications with a particular website, wireless network Internet data communications with a particular content source, wireless network Internet data communications of a particular content type, wireless network Internet data communications with a particular transaction service, and wireless network Internet data communications with a particular online commerce service.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless end-user device belongs to a first device group of a plurality of device groups, the first device group comprising one or more end-user devices including the wireless end-user device, and wherein at least a subset of the one or more rules is based on the wireless end-user device belonging to the first device group.

7. The method recited in claim 6, further comprising accepting, through an administrator interface, information identifying the first device group, the plurality of device activities, or the one or more rules.

8. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the first device group is associated with an enterprise, and at least one other of the plurality of device groups is not associated with the enterprise.

9. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the first device group is associated with an entity selected from the group of entities comprising a device group partner, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), a virtual MVNO, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), an ambient service partner, a roaming service partner, a carrier network partner, a service seller, a service re-seller, a retailer, a distributor, a service wholesaler, a service provider, a carrier, and a carrier network partner, and at least one other of the plurality of device groups is not associated with that entity.

10. A network system comprising one or more network elements in cooperation with a service processor executing on a wireless end-user device, the network system comprising:

network element means for receiving authentication information from the wireless end-user device, the authentication information enabling the network system to authenticate the service processor as trusted for device activity monitoring;

network element means for provisioning configuration information to the service processor, the configuration information identifying a plurality of device activities for which wireless network Internet data usage is to be monitored;

service processor means for, based on the configuration information, and for each of a plurality of reporting intervals, monitoring and separately counting wireless network Internet data usage associated with each identified device activity;

service processor means for, for each reporting interval for which wireless network Internet data usage is counted, securely sending one or more wireless data usage records to one or more of the network elements, each such wireless data usage record identified with a corresponding one of the device activities and indicating the separate count of wireless network Internet data usage for that corresponding activity;

network element means for receiving the wireless data usage records and, using one or more rules associated with one or more service plans for the wireless end-user device, apportioning the wireless data usage indicated in the wireless data usage records to different service plan data usage classes based on device activity.