WAP service personalization, management and billing object oriented platform

• US 6,640,097 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Markport Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Markport Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Doyle, John, McGee, Brendan, Harte, Robert, Corrigan, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/166,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20020187775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/409, 709/223, 370/404
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

An access node has a portal which performs interfacing between a wireless network domain and content/service providers in the Internet. On the wireless side the portal is linked with an SMSC, a CBC, and a USSD server for interfacing with and management of bearer stacks. Service functionality includes modular systems including a Push server, a Pre-paid calling server, and a location server in addition to internal portal functions. The latter provide for subscriber self-provisioning, customer care provisioning, subscriber device provisioning, and service provisioning. Thus, the node caters for both particular subscriber service and mobile device requirements.

Claims

1. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a pre-pay system including means for allowing access by mobile subscribers to content on a pre-paid basis, the pre-pay system being module linked with the portal.

2. A service management access node as claimed in claim 1, wherein the node comprises a push server connected to the portal and to bearer management functions.

3. A service management access node as claimed in claim 1, wherein the node further comprises a WTA server comprising means for invocation of mobile network services including call set-up, call forwarding, and call answering services.

4. A service management access node as claimed in claim 3, wherein the WTA server is configured as a Web Server for delivery of content requested by a client and has access to mobile network elements.

5. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a portal including means for interfacing with the bearer stacks and with a WAP gateway, and wherein the portal includes the Internet interface,

the portal being connected to the bearer stacks via bearer management functions,

the bearer management functions including an SMSC.

6. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a portal including means for interfacing with the bearer stacks and with a WAP gateway, and wherein the portal includes the Internet interface,

the portal being connected to the bearer stacks via bearer management functions,

the bearer management functions including a USSD server.

7. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a portal including means for interfacing with the bearer stacks and with a WAP gateway, and wherein the portal includes the Internet interface,

the portal being connected to the bearer stacks via bearer management functions,

the portal being linked with the bearer management functions via a SMPP interface.

8. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a pre-pay system including means for allowing access by mobile subscribers to content on a pre-paid basis, the portal being linked with the pre-pay system via a SMPP interface.

9. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a portal including means for interfacing with the bearer stacks and with a WAP gateway, and wherein the portal includes the Internet interface,

the portal including a billing application having means for writing billing event data to a billing log for export to an external billing system, and for dynamically interfacing with a pre-pay system for real-time debiting of subscriber accounts.

10. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a portal including means for interfacing with the bearer stacks and with a WAP gateway, and wherein the portal comprises the Internet interface,

the portal including a secure Web-based self-provisioning interface having means for enabling mobile network subscribers to select a portfolio of personalised services, said interface having mean for creating a subscriber home page defining the personalised services, said interface having means for setting data filters, for defining push schedules, and for configuring subscriber terminal type.

11. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a portal including means for interfacing with the bearer stacks and with a WAP gateway, and wherein the portal comprises the Internet interface,

the portal including a secure Web-based self-provisioning interface having means for enabling mobile network subscribers to select a portfolio of personalised services, said interface having mean for creating a subscriber home page defining the personalised services, the portal having means for allowing subscriber access to said home page via both the Internet and via a mobile network.

12. A service management access node comprising a mobile network interface, an Internet interface, and a service conversion and message relaying platform between said interfaces for provision of Internet content to mobile subscribers,

the platform comprises means for controlling mobile subscriber access according to security criteria, for allowing a mobile subscriber to create a personalised content profile, and for storing said profile and managing transmission of requests and delivery of content according to said profile, and

the mobile network interface comprises a bearer stack for each of a plurality of different bearers,

the platform comprising a portal including means for interfacing with the bearer stacks and with a WAP gateway, and wherein the portal comprises the Internet interface,

said portal having a customer care provisioning interface and a provisioning database, said interface allowing network operator personnel to access said database for inputting and updating operator-specific provisioning data for subscribers.

13. A service management access node as claimed in claim 12, wherein said provisioning interface comprises a mobile subscriber device provisioning function comprising means for matching content and Internet applications for device type.

14. A service management access node as claimed in claim 12, wherein the portal comprises means for instantiating a generic subscriber object oriented class representing common characteristics of all subscribers, for instantiating subscriber device classes derived from the generic subscriber class, and for instantiating a management object for a subscriber.

15. A service management access node as claimed in claim 14, wherein the portal comprises means for instantiating dynamic management objects for updating a subscriber'"'"'s service profile, said dynamic management object interacting with session management objects to monitor subscriber usage patterns and for dynamically modifying the service profile.

16. A service management access node as claimed in claim 14, wherein the portal comprises means for instantiating a payment management class for controlling subscriber payment for services.

17. A service management access node as claimed in claim 14, wherein the portal comprises means for instantiating a session object for a subscriber session.

18. A service management access node as claimed in claim 17, wherein the portal comprises means for linking a session object to a subscriber access rights object representing subscribed-to services.