Method & system for presentation of content from one cellular phone to another through a computer network

• US 20020028672A1
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Qi, Naizhen, Wang, Xiaozhou
• Granted Patent: US 6,892,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• 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 2203/353 where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels protocols for multimedia information services per se H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A cellular phone issues a request for content from a server. The cellular requests and authorizes the content for use by another cellular phone. When the content is received by the second cellular phone, the first cellular phone is billed.

Claims

1. ) in a network, a first cellular phone that requests presentation of a content via the network, a second cellular phone to be presented with said content, a provider server that holds said content, a carrier server comprising a first carrier server related to said first cellular phone, and a second carrier server related to said second cellular phone connected to one another through the network, wherein said first carrier server comprises:

a unit for receiving a content presentation request from said first cellular phone;

a database for storing identification information of said first cellular phone and information related to said second cellular phone;

a unit for sending content information received from said first cellular phone, identification information of said second cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone to said provider server respectively; and

a unit for receiving charging information related to presentation of said content sent by said second carrier server, which receives said requested content from said provider server.

2. ) The carrier server according to claim 1, wherein said first carrier server changes its time for receiving said charging information according to said content.

3. ) The carrier server according to claim 1, wherein said second carrier server includes a unit for communicating arrival of said requested content to said second cellular phone.

4. ) The carrier server according to claim 3,

wherein said first and said second carrier server belong to the same cellular phone carrier.

5. ) The carrier server according to claim 4,

wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said charging information is received by said second cellular phone by use of identification information of said first cellular phone after said service is used.

6. ) A provider server connected to a first cellular phone that requests presentation of content via a plurality of networks, a second cellular phone to be presented with said content, a slave provider server that holds said content, a first carrier server related to said first cellular phone, and a second carrier server related to said second cellular phone, comprising:

a unit for receiving content information from said first cellular phone, identification information of said first cellular phone, stored in a database of said first carrier server, and information related to said second cellular phone; and

a unit for sending said requested content to said second carrier server, wherein said second carrier server sends charging information related to said content to said first carrier server.

7. ) The provider server according to claim 6,

wherein said server further includes a unit for issuing charging information by use of said identification information of said first cellular phone.

8. ) The provider server according to claim 7,

wherein said server further includes a unit for identifying said network used by said second cellular phone.

9. ) A content presentation method, comprising the steps of:

enabling a carrier server to receive a content presentation request from a first cellular phone via a network;

deciding requested content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone from said received content presentation request;

sending content information requested from said carrier server, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone to said provider server respectively;

sending said requested content to said second cellular phone via a predetermined network; and

enabling said provider server to send charging information to said first cellular phone via said carrier server.

10. ) The content presentation method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

changing a time for sending said charging information according to said content;

identifying said predetermined network used by said second cellular phone from information related to said second cellular phone; and

sending said charging information after said second cellular phone uses said service when said content is service use permitting information.

11. ) A carrier server process for executing content presentation for providing content via a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a content presentation request from a first cellular p hone via a network;

deciding content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone assumed as a presentee included respectively in said received content presentation request;

sending said content information, identification information of said content presentation request source unit, and information of said second cellular phone to a provider server;

receiving charging information issued to said first cellular phone;

including charging information of said content presentation in said stored charging information for said first cellular phone; and

changing a time for receiving said charging information according to the item of said requested content.

12. ) The carrier server process according to claim 11;

wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said step of including said charging information is executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said service.

16. ) The computer readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein said method executed by said computer program stored on said recording medium further comprises the steps of:

changing a time for sending said charging information according to said content; and

identifying said predetermined network used by said second cellular phone from information related to said second cellular phone, wherein said method includes still another step of sending of said charging information after said second cellular phone uses said service when said content is service use permitting information.

18. ) The recording medium according to claim 17,

wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said step of including said charging information is executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said service.

20. ) The recording medium according to claim 19,

wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said step of sending said charging information is executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said service.

13. ) A provider server process for presenting a content via a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving requested content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone to be presented with said content included respectively in a content presentation request sent from a first cellular phone to a carrier server via a network;

sending said requested content to a predetermined network to which said second cellular phone belongs with use of said information related to said second cellular phone; and

sending charging information related to said requested content at a time changed according to said requested content to said carrier server.

14. ) The provider server process according to claim 13;

wherein said content includes service use permitting information and said step of sending said charging information is executed after said second cellular phone makes an access to said service.

15. ) A computer readable recording medium that stores a computer program for executing a content presentation method for providing a content via a network, wherein said computer program executes the steps of:

enabling a carrier server to receive a content presentation request from a first cellular phone via a network;

deciding requested content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone from said received content presentation request;

sending said content information requested from said carrier server, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to said second cellular phone to a provider server respectively;

sending said requested content to said second cellular phone via a predetermined network; and

enabling said provider server to send charging information issued to said first cellular phone to said first cellular phone via said carrier server.

17. ) A computer readable recording medium that stores a carrier server program for executing a content presentation method for providing a content via a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a content presentation request from a first cellular phone via a network;

deciding content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone to be presented with a content included respectively in said received content presentation request;

sending said content information, identification information of said content presentation request source unit, and information related to said second cellular phone to a provider server;

receiving charging information issued to said first cellular phone;

including charging information of said presented content in said stored charging information of said first cellular phone; and

changing a time for receiving said charging information according to the item of said requested content.

19. ) A computer readable recording medium that stores a provider server program for executing a content presentation method for providing a content via a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving requested content information, identification information of said first cellular phone, and information related to a second cellular phone to be presented with said content included respectively in a content presentation request sent from a first cellular phone to a carrier server via a network;

sending said requested content to a predetermined network to which said second cellular phone belongs with use of information related to said second cellular phone; and

sending charging information related to said requested content to said carrier server at a time varied according to said requested content.