FACILITATION OF MOBILE OPERATOR BILLING BASED ON WIRELESS NETWORK TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND TRACKING OF DESTINATION ADDRESS IN CONJUNCTION WITH BILLING POLICIES

• US 20130316675A1
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Inventors: Luna, Michael, Bott, Ross
• Application Number:
  US13/900,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20130316675A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1435 volume-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1478 the splitting involving only the communication parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

Systems and methods for wireless network traffic routing through traffic optimization and tracking of destination and/or origination addresses in conjunction with billing policies to facilitate service provider billing is disclosed. Since the distributed proxy system, which includes, for example, a proxy server and/or a local proxy on the mobile device, can intercept traffic to and/or from the mobile device, the intercepted traffic may or may not access the wireless network and/or reach the addressed destination. Thus, for outgoing and incoming requests directed from or directed to the mobile device, the distributed proxy system tracks and stores a destination address (e.g., a destination IP address). The proxy server can extract and store the origination address for each incoming communication for various mobile devices and apply applicable billing policies such that a service provider can bill or otherwise manage incoming communications to the mobile devices.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating service provider billing at a server for multiple mobile devices, the method comprising:

determining, by the server, destination and origination addresses of traffic over one or more mobile networks to or from the multiple mobile devices in conjunction with management or optimization of the traffic;

applying billing rules to the traffic associated with the determined addresses to generate billing information, wherein the traffic uses the one or more mobile networks; and

providing at least some of the extracted addresses and the billing information for the at least some of the extracted addresses to a given service provider associated with a given one of the one or more mobile networks used by a given mobile device sending or receiving the traffic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the billing rules specify details for shared billing arrangements between a given content provider providing data to the given mobile device and a user of the given mobile device requesting the data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the billing rules for a given content provider providing data to a given mobile device vary over time or with the volume of traffic generated by the given mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying information about the traffic to be used in conjunction with applying the billing rules, wherein the identified information is selected from the following:

a mobile device application requesting data, a size of the requested data, and a request time for the requested data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the management or optimization of the traffic is based upon analysis of mobile device application behavior.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the management or optimization of the traffic is based upon analysis of mobile device user behavior.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the management or optimization of the traffic is based upon analysis of mobile network conditions.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising categorizing the extracted destination and originating addresses, wherein the at least some of the provided extracted addresses are categorized.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the categorization is based on billable and non-billable addresses.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the destination address or originating address with a name of a mobile device requesting application.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the destination address or originating address with one or more of:

a request time for data, a receipt time of data, and information identifying a communication associated with the extracted address.

12. A method of providing billing information from a server to a service provider of a mobile network, the method comprising:

extracting, at the server, a destination address or an originating address of traffic in the mobile network from or to a mobile device, respectively, that is intercepted;

identifying a size of the intercepted traffic,

calculating billing information based on the destination address or the originating address, the size of the intercepted traffic, and pre-established billing policies, wherein the billing information is calculated for the mobile device and a content provider communicating with the mobile device, and

wherein the billing information is provided to the service provider, and

further wherein the destination address or the originating address is extracted in conjunction with management or optimization of traffic in the mobile network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the management or optimization of traffic is based upon analysis of mobile device application behavior.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the management or optimization of traffic is based upon analysis of mobile device user behavior.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the management or optimization of traffic is based upon analysis of mobile network conditions.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising identifying information about the traffic to be used in conjunction with applying the billing policies, wherein the identified information is selected from the following:

a mobile device application requesting data, a size of the requested data, and a request time for the requested data.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the billing policies for a given content provider providing data to a given mobile device vary over time or with the volume of traffic generated by the given mobile device.

18. A system for facilitating service provider billing for multiple mobile devices, the system comprising:

a proxy server, remote from the multiple mobile devices;

the proxy server having a processor and memory unit;

the memory unit having stored thereon instructions which when executed by the proxy server, cause the proxy server to;

intercept traffic to or from the multiple mobile devices over one or more mobile networks, wherein interception of traffic is performed in conjunction with management or optimization of traffic in the one or more mobile networks;

extract destination addresses for traffic from the multiple mobile devices or originating addresses for traffic to the multiple mobile devices; and

apply billing rules to the traffic associated with the extracted addresses to generate billing information,

wherein at least some of the extracted addresses and the billing information for the at least some of the extracted addresses are provided to the service provider of the mobile network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the proxy server is further caused to categorize the extracted addresses as a billable or non-billable address, and the categorization is further provided to the service provider.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the proxy server is further caused to identify information about the traffic and provide the identified information to the service provider, wherein the identified information is selected from the following:

a mobile device application requesting the data, a size of the data, and a request time for the data.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the management and optimization of traffic is based upon analysis of at least one of:

mobile device application behavior, mobile device user behavior, and mobile network conditions.

22. A system for facilitating service provider billing for a service provider of a mobile network, the system comprising:

means for extracting a destination address or an originating address of traffic over a mobile network to or from a mobile device in the mobile network, wherein the extraction is performed in conjunction with management or optimization of the traffic;

means for applying billing policies to communications associated with the determined addresses of traffic to generate billing information,

wherein the extracted destination address or originating address and the billing information is provided to the service provider.