[Patents] EPO patent on charging methods for IP services

[PILCH Hartmut phm@openecs.org]

EP 1026853
CHARGING METHOD FOR INFORMATION COMMUNICATION NETWORK 
NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE (JP)
2000-08-09

   Claims
   
   1. A billing method in a communication network including an
   information provider server device, a plurality of user terminals
   which receive information from said server device and a transfer
   device for routing information transmission between said server device
   and said user terminals; wherein said transfer device comprises:
   a step of recording billing management information for identifying
   server devices which are to be subject to IP billing which is billing
   with respect to information providers;
   a step of detecting a network address of said server device designated
   when said user terminal receives an information transmission from said
   server device;
   a step of determining whether or not said server device is to be
   subject to IP billing based on the detected network address and said
   billing management information; and
   a step of performing a billing procedure with respect to the
   information provider which performed the information transmission if
   said server device is determined to be subject to IP billing.
   2. A billing method as recited in claim 1, wherein said transfer
   device does not route an information transmission if it is determined
   not to be subject to IP billing.
   3. A billing method as in claim 1, wherein said transfer device
   performs a billing procedure with respect to users who have received
   the information transmission if it is determined not to be subject to
   IP billing.
   4. A billing method in a communication network including an
   information provider server device, a plurality of user terminals
   which receive information from said server device and a transfer
   device for routing information transmission between said server device
   and said user terminals; wherein said server device comprises:
   a step of including billing information which indicates whether or not
   to use IP billing which is billing with respect to the information
   provider in the transmission data supplied to said user terminals in
   response to a request; and
   said transfer device comprises:
   a step of determining whether or not said information transmission is
   subject to IP billing based on said billing information when routing
   the exchange of said transmission data; and
   a step of performing a billing procedure with respect to the
   information provider which provided said information transmission if
   it is determined to be subject to IP billing.
   5. A billing method as in claim 4, wherein said transfer device
   performs a billing procedure with respect to users who have received
   the information transmission if it is determined not to be subject to
   IP billing.
   6. A billing method in a communication network including an
   information provider server device, a plurality of user terminals
   which receive information from said server device and a transfer
   device for routing information transmission between said server device
   and said user terminals; wherein said transfer device comprises:
   a mailbox for mediating push-type information transmission that is
   subject to IP billing which is billing with respect to the information
   provider;
   and comprises:
   a step of storing in said mailbox information mail sent from said
   server device designating a desired destination and the address of
   said mailbox;
   a step of transmitting the information mail stored in said mailbox to
   user terminals which are the designated destinations; and
   a step of performing a billing procedure with respect to the
   information provider which offered said information transmission with
   respect to push-type transmission services through said mailbox.
   7. A billing method in a communication network including an
   information provider server device, a plurality of user terminals
   which receive information from said server device and a transfer
   device for routing information transmission between said server device
   and said user terminals; wherein said transfer device comprises:
   an IP-billed mailbox for medating push-type information transmission
   that is subject to IP billing which is billing with respect to the
   information provider; and
   a user-billed mailbox for mediating information transmission that is
   not subject to IP billing;
   and performs a billing procedure with respect to the information
   provider which offered said information transmission with respect to
   push-type information transmission services through said IP-billed
   mailbox; and
   a step of performing a billing procedure with respect to the user that
   received said information transmission with respect to information
   transmission services through said user-billed mailbox.
   8. A billing method as in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the object of
   said billing is a communication fee with respect to communication
   services for the information transmission.
   9. A billing method as in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the object of
   said billing is an information fee with respect to information
   provided by the information transmission.
   10. A billing method as in claim 9, wherein said transfer device
   performs a billing procedure of information fees with respect to users
   if it is determined as not being subject to IP-billing, and otherwise
   does not perform a billing procedure of information fees.
   11. A billing method as in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in
   that said server device belongs to a first communication network
   following a first communication protocol and said plurality of user
   terminals belong to a second communication network following a second
   communication protocol different from that of said first communication
   network; and
   said transfer device is a gateway for converting between said first
   and second communication protocols and routing information
   transmissions.
   12. A billing method as in claim 11, wherein said second communication
   network is a local network accommodating specific user terminals; and
   said first information communication network is a global network
   interconnecting information resources such as said server device
   assigned identification information for identifying an absolute
   network address.
   13. A billing method as in claim 12, wherein said second communication
   network is a mobile communication network accommodating a plurality of
   user terminals which are mobile terminals, and
   said first information communication network is the Internet.
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   Data supplied from the esp@cenet database - l2