FLAT RATE PRICING WITH PACKET-FREQUENCY-AWARE BILLING SYSTEM FOR MOBILE BROADBAND COMMUNICATION

• US 20120084232A1
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Kurabayashi, Shuichi, Yoshida, Naofumi, Takano, Kosuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,087,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• 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 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8005 Flat-fee
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

An information processing apparatus stores a first threshold of a common carrier, the common carrier charging according to the first threshold to be applied to a packet communication volume in each first unit period; performs a packet communication to and from a communication apparatus of the common carrier; calculates a packet communication volume in each second unit period shorter than the first unit period; and controls the packet communication based on the packet communication volume in the second unit period so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. information processing apparatus comprising:

a threshold storage unit configured to store a first threshold of a common carrier, the common carrier being capable of charging according to the first threshold to be applied to a packet communication volume in each first unit period;

a packet communication unit configured to perform packet communication to and from a communication apparatus of the common carrier;

a packet communication volume calculation unit configured to calculate a packet communication volume in each second unit period shorter than the first unit period; and

a packet communication control unit configured to control the packet communication unit based on the packet communication volume in the second unit period so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the packet communication control unit is configured to control whether the packet communication conducted by the packet communication unit is enabled or not based on the packet communication volume in the second unit period so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the packet communication volume in the second unit period exceeds the second threshold obtained by dividing the first threshold in the first unit period for each second unit period, the packet communication control unit is configured to stop the packet communication conducted by the packet communication unit until an average packet communication volume in the second unit period is equal to or less than the second threshold.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the packet communication control unit is configured to change a size of data transmitted or received by the packet communication unit so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising

an information output unit configured to output information indicating that the size of the data is changed.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the packet communication volume calculation unit is configured to calculate the packet communication volume in the second unit period using a weight determined according to an attribute of a packet.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the attribute of the packet includes a communication destination in communication with the packet communication unit through a communication apparatus of the common carrier.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the threshold storage unit is configured to store the communication time period and the first threshold associated with each other;

and

the packet communication control unit is configured to control the packet communication unit based on the packet communication volume in the second unit period so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold corresponding to the communication time period including the current time.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising

an information output unit configured to output information indicating a relation between the communication time period and the first threshold based on the communication time period and the first threshold stored in the threshold storage unit.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

an information output unit configured to output information indicating a packet communication volume in each second unit period calculated by the packet communication volume calculation unit.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a computer program product having computer executable instructions for causing an information processing apparatus to perform a method, the method comprising;

performing packet communication to and from a communication apparatus of the common carrier, the common carrier being capable of charging according to a first threshold to be applied to a packet communication volume for each first unit period;

calculating a packet communication volume in each second unit period shorter than the first unit period; and

controlling the packet communication based on the packet communication volume in the second unit period so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold.

18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first unit period is in association with a communication time period.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the packet communication control unit is configured to stop packet communication conducted by the packet communication unit until an average packet communication volume in the second unit period is equal to or less than the second threshold so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold when the packet communication volume in the second unit period exceeds the second threshold obtained by dividing the first threshold corresponding to the communication time period including a current time for each second unit period.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a charge determination unit that is configured to determine a charge in a charge unit period based on a relation between a packet communication volume in a calculation unit time and a threshold corresponding to a communication time period including the calculation unit time for each calculation unit time.

21. A packet communication method comprising:

providing the information processing apparatus of claim 2,

storing a first threshold of a common carrier, the common carrier being capable of charging according to the first threshold to be applied to a packet communication volume in each first unit period;

performing a packet communication to and from a communication apparatus of the common carrier;

calculating the packet communication volume in each second unit period shorter than the first unit period; and

controlling the packet communication based on packet communication volume in the second unit period so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold.

12. A packet communication method comprising:

in an information processing apparatus,

storing a first threshold of a common carrier, the common carrier being capable of charging according to the first threshold to be applied to a packet communication volume in each first unit period;

performing a packet communication to and from a communication apparatus of the common carrier;

calculating the packet communication volume in each second unit period shorter than the first unit period; and

controlling the packet communication based on packet communication volume in the second unit period so as to keep the packet communication volume in the first unit period below the first threshold.

14. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a threshold storage unit configured to store a threshold to be applied to a packet communication volume in each calculation unit period shorter than a charge unit period with respect to packet communication of a user terminal;

a packet communication volume calculation unit configured to calculate a packet communication volume of the user terminal in each calculation unit period; and

a charge determination unit configured to determine a charge in the charge unit period based on a relation between the packet communication volume and the threshold in each calculation unit period calculated.

15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the charge determination unit is configured to determine the charge in the charge unit period as a fee according to the threshold when the packet communication volume in the calculation unit period exceeds the threshold a predetermined number of times.

16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the threshold storage unit is configured to store the communication time period and the threshold associated with each other;

and

the charge determination unit is configured to determine the charge in the charge unit period based on relation between the packet communication volume in the calculation unit time and the threshold corresponding to the communication time period including the calculation unit time for each calculation unit time.

17. A charging method comprising:

proving the information processing apparatus of claim 14,

storing a threshold to be applied to a packet communication volume in each calculation unit period shorter than a charge unit period with respect to a packet communication of a user terminal;

calculating a packet communication volume of the user terminal in each calculation unit period; and

determining the charge in the charge unit period based on a relation between the packet communication volume and the threshold in each calculation unit period calculated.