Mobile connection broker

• US 20050136957A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Raivisto, Tommi
• Application Number:
  US10/746,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20050136957A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 Biding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for setting up a communication session between a first peer inside a mobile network, and a second peer outside that mobile network. Contact is established from the second peer to a connection broker responsible for brokering various connections with the first peer, and the second peer requests from the connection broker a connection to the first peer. The connection broker determines whether the first peer is reachable, and finds out what costs, if any, would be borne by the first peer or the second peer or both, in order to pay for a lease of at least the connection requested by the second peer. Then the communication session is set up via the connection, if the first peer is reachable and the costs are acceptable.

Claims

1. A method of setting up a communication session between a first peer inside a mobile network, and a second peer outside that mobile network, comprising:

establishing contact from the second peer to a connection broker responsible for brokering various connections with the first peer,

requesting from the connection broker a connection to the first peer,

determining whether the first peer is reachable,

finding out costs, if any, that would be borne by the first peer or the second peer or both, for a lease of at least the connection, and

setting up the communication session via the connection, if the first peer is reachable and the costs are acceptable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection broker acts as a server with respect to an application of the second peer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said setting up the communication session is a service provided by the connection broker through a web service interface, and wherein the various connections include a web service or resource automatically provided by the first peer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein none of the costs are borne by the first peer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least the connection comprises a plurality of connections.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection remains valid within at least one limit of the lease.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second peer participates in the communication session via internet, and wherein the second peer is located in a fixed network.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one limit of the lease comprises a time limit, or an amount of data, or a number of transactions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said setting up the communication session is accomplished by providing an address of the first peer to the second peer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said setting up the communication session is accomplished by the connection broker relaying all data between the first peer and the second peer.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein none of the costs are borne by the second peer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said finding out costs is done by the

connection broker in consultation with the first peer or the second peer or both, and

wherein the costs are acceptable if the first peer approves costs borne by the first peer and the second peer approves costs borne by the second peer.

13. The method of claim 2, preceded by making available at least one application programming interface for the application, the application programming interface enabling utilization of the connection broker.

14. A data structure embodied in a computer readable medium, for enabling the first peer, the second peer, or the connection broker to perform according to the method of claim 1.

15. A system for setting up a communication session between peers, comprising:

a first peer inside a mobile network;

a connection broker, for brokering various connections with the first peer;

a second peer outside the mobile network, for establishing contact from the second peer to the connection broker, and for requesting from the connection broker a connection to the first peer,

wherein the connection broker is for determining reachability of the first peer, and is also for finding out costs, if any, that would be borne by the first peer or the second peer or both for a lease of at least the connection, and

wherein the connection broker is furthermore for setting up the communication session via the connection if the first peer is reachable and the costs are acceptable.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the connection broker is located in a fixed device or a mobile device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the connection broker acts as a server with respect to an application of the second peer.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said setting up the communication session is a service provided by the connection broker through a web service interface, and wherein the various connections include a web service or resource automatically provided by the first peer.

19. The system of claim 15,

wherein the second peer is for establishing the contact and requesting the connection via a connection request signal from the second peer to the connection broker,

wherein the connection broker is responsive to the connection request signal, and is for determining said reachability and finding out said costs autonomously or by sending a connection inquiry signal to the first peer,

wherein the first peer is responsive to the connection inquiry signal, and is for providing an availability and cost signal to the connection broker, and

wherein the connection broker is responsive to the availability and cost signal, and is for accomplishing the setting up of the communication session by providing a connection setup signal to the second peer, the connection setup signal being indicative of how to proceed with the connection and indicative of the costs.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the connection broker is for determining the reachability by asking the mobile network.

21. A mobile device including a first peer, for setting up a communication session with a second peer, comprising:

a transceiver, for receiving and passing along a connection inquiry signal sent from a connection broker in order to determine reachability and cost requirements of the mobile device;

a processing unit, responsive to the connection inquiry signal, for providing a preference query signal; and

a connection broker preference module, responsive to the preference query signal, for providing a preference reply signal indicative of the reachability and the cost requirements,

wherein the processing unit is also responsive to the preference reply signal, and is also for providing an availability and cost signal to the transceiver, and

wherein the transceiver is also for transmitting the availability and cost signal to the connection broker, and for subsequently communicating with a second peer via a connection signal in conformity with the reachability and cost requirements.