Enhanced roaming services and converged carrier networks with device assisted services and a proxy

• US 8,340,634 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Headwater Research LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Original Assignee: Headwater Partners I LLC (Greg Raleigh)
• Inventors: Raleigh, Gregory G.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US12/695,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20100197268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 705/30, 455405-408, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/432.1, 455/469, 709/203, 709/223, 709/224, 709/229, 715/736, 726/1
• US Class Current: 455/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• 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 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/50 for cross-charging network operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0172 Mediation, i.e. device or program to reformat CDRS from one or more switches in order to adapt to one or more billing programs formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/52 Interconnection, inter-exchange, reseller billing, billing agreements between different operators, e.g. billing identifier added on the CDR in order to cross charge the other operator, inter-operator accounting, reconciliation, bill directly resellers customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

Enhanced roaming services and converged networks with device assisted services and a proxy is provided. In some embodiments, enhanced roaming services and converged networks with device assisted services and a proxy includes collecting device generated service usage information for one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network; and providing the device generated service usage information in a syntax and a communication protocol that can be used by other network devices to augment or replace network generated service usage information for the one or more devices in wireless communication on the wireless network.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more processors, including a processor of a proxy network device in communication with a device through a particular logical channel over a wireless network, the particular logical channel configured to support less than all data traffic associated with the device, the less than all data traffic including traffic associated with a particular service activity of a plurality of service activities available to the device, the one or more processors configured to;

obtain service usage information for the device, the service usage information associated with the particular service activity;

format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system; and

provide the formatted service usage information to the network accounting system; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

2. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy network device includes a proxy server.

3. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy network device includes a proxy router.

4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a first wireless network, and wherein the proxy network device is configured to support the particular service activity over a second wireless access network.

5. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising service design interface configured to assist in programming more processors to implement a service policy.

6. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to obtain the service usage information by generating the service usage information.

7. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR).

8. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to obtain the service usage information from the device.

9. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy network device includes a service usage data store.

10. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy network device includes a service usage data store and a rules engine for aggregating the service usage information.

11. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system by:

aggregating the service usage information; and

applying a set of rules to the aggregated service usage information.

12. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system by:

aggregating the service usage information; and

applying a set of rules to the aggregated service usage information;

and wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the formatted service usage information to the network accounting system by communicating a set of one or more CDRs to the network accounting billing system.

13. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system by:

aggregating the service usage information; and

verifying the aggregated service usage information;

and wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the formatted service usage information to the network accounting system by communicating a set of one or more CDRs to the network accounting system.

14. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system by:

aggregating the service usage information; and

verifying the aggregated service usage information by comparing at least a subset of the aggregated service usage information to at least one network generated CDR;

and wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the formatted service usage information to the network accounting system by communicating a set of one or more CDRs associated with service usage for the device to the network accounting system.

15. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system by:

aggregating the service usage information device; and

applying a set of at least one ruleto the aggregated service usage information, wherein the set of at least one rule includes a bill by account rule;

and wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the formatted service usage information to the network accounting system by communicating a set of one or more CDRs to a billing interface or a billing system.

16. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system by:

aggregating the service usage information; and

applying a set of at least one ruleto the aggregated service usage information, wherein the set of at least one rule includes a bill by account rule;

and wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the formatted service usage information to the network accounting system by communicating a set of one or more CDRs to a billing interface or a billing system, wherein at least one of the one or more CDRs includes a billing offset.

17. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the syntax is a charging data record (CDR), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system by:

communicating a set of one or more CDRs to the network accounting system, and wherein the network accounting system comprises a billing system.

18. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide a service controller function, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to obtain service usage information for the device by collecting the service usage information with assistance from the service controller function.

19. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the network accounting system comprises:

a service controller.

20. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the network accounting system comprises:

a billing interface or a billing system.

21. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an activity associated with a particular application on the device.

22. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an activity associated with a source address or a destination address.

23. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an activity associated with a particular content type.

24. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an activity associated with a data socket, a communication end point, or a communication source.

25. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an activity that takes place at a particular time of day.

26. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an activity associated with a particular quality-of-service (QoS) parameter.

27. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an activity associated with a network busy state.

28. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an ambient service activity.

29. They system recited in claim 1, further comprising the network accounting system, and wherein the network accounting system is configured to assist in allocating at least a portion of the formatted service usage information to an account associated with a sponsor entity, the sponsor entity being an entity other than a user of the device.

30. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the network accounting system is further configured to assist in billing the sponsor entity.

31. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to assist in controlling the traffic associated with the particular service activity.

32. The system recited in claim 31, wherein the particular service activity is a roaming service activity.

33. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to assist in controlling the traffic associated with the particular service activity by allowing the traffic associated with the particular service activity.

34. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to assist in controlling the traffic associated with the particular service activity by blocking or limiting the traffic associated with the particular service activity.

35. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to assist in controlling the traffic associated with the particular service activity based on a set of one or more rules.

36. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is an ambient service activity, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to impose a limit on the traffic associated with the ambient service activity.

37. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy network device resides in the wireless network.

38. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy network device resides in a partner server or a partner network.

39. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular service activity is a roaming service activity, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to assist in implementing a policy associated with the roaming service activity.

40. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy network device resides in a home wireless network, and wherein the particular service activity comprises a roaming service activity.

41. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising the network accounting system, and wherein the network accounting system is configured to assist in allocating at least a portion of the service usage information to a user of the device.

42. The system recited in claim 41, wherein the network accounting system is further configured to assist in billing the user.

43. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising the network accounting system, and wherein the network accounting system is configured to assist in allocating a credit based at least in part on the service usage information.

44. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising the network accounting system, and wherein the network accounting system is configured to reduce a service usage or service cost allocated to a user account based on a credit or an offset.

45. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular logical channel comprises a tunnel or a secure link.

46. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular logical channel is associated with side information.

47. The system recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more processors is configured to assist in establishing the particular logical channel.

48. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the particular logical channel comprises a secure channel between an agent or software on the device and the proxy network device.

49. The system recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more processors is configured to assist in implementing an accounting policy to account for the particular service activity.

50. The system recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more processors is configured to assist in implementing a traffic control policy.

51. The system recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more processors is configured to assist in identifying the traffic associated with the particular service activity.

52. The system recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more processors is configured to assist in identifying traffic that is not associated with the particular service activity.

53. The system recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more processors is configured to assist in routing or directing traffic associated with the particular service activity to the particular logical channel.

54. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor of the proxy network device is configured to generate the service usage information.

55. The system recited in claim 7, wherein the CDR includes information about an amount of usage.

56. The system recited in claim 7, wherein the CDR includes information about one or more of:

an application, an application type, a domain, a website, a traffic type, a traffic class, a communication end point, a source or destination, a socket, an address, a quality of service (QoS), a protocol, a transaction, and a uniform resource locator (URL).

57. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to format the service usage information into a syntax that can be used by a network accounting system for service usage accounting by:

aggregating the service usage information, and verifying the aggregated service usage information by comparing the service usage information to a limit,

and wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide the formatted service usage information to the network accounting system by communicating a set of one or more CDRs to the network accounting system.