Dynamic application charging identification
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
InventorsJan Backman, Kim Martinsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a solution for handling charging and statistics of use of applications in a wireless communication network (100) and in particular identifying type of service provided in a safe manner. This is provided by providing an authenticated application identifier in data packets communicated between user equipment (101) and an application service (104) in a packet based network (106). This authenticated application identifier is obtained by packet inspection of data packets in a network gateway (103). Furthermore, use information is stored in a database (105) for statistical and/or charging purposes.
Claims13
A method for handling applications used in a wireless communications network, in a gateway node in the wireless communications network, comprising the steps of:
- providing access for a user equipment (UE), to an application server (APS);
- providing download of an authenticated application to the UE, wherein the application is authenticated using an authentication service;
- providing communication between a service on a packet data network and the UE using the application;
- identifying and authenticating the application used in the service using packet inspection of communication packets and determining an application identifier and authentication data located in the packets;
- determining application statistics relating to the identified application;
- and
- storing the application statistics in a database.
A node in a communications network, comprising:
- a processor;
- a computer readable memory unit;
- and
- a communications interface;
- wherein the processor is configured to execute computer program instruction sets stored in the computer readable memory unit and using the communications interface for:
- i. providing access for a user equipment (UE), to an application server (APS);
- ii. allowing download of an authenticated application to the UE, wherein the application is authenticated using an authentication service;
- iii. providing communication between a service on a packet data network and the UE using the application;
- iv. identifying and authenticating the application used in the service using packet inspection of communication packets and determining an application identifier and authentication data located in the packets;
- v. determining application statistics relating to the identified application;
- and
- vi. storing the application statistics in a database.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.