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, in a gateway node in a wireless communications network, applications used in a wireless communications network, comprising:
- 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 of communication packets between a service on a packet data network and the UE using the application, wherein at least one of the communication packets includes an internet protocol (IP) address, a port number, an application identifier and authentication data;
- identifying and authenticating the application used in the service by using packet inspection of the communication packets and determining the application identifier and the authentication data located in the at least one packet;
- 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 use the communications interface for:
- i. providing access for a user equipment (UE) to an application server (APS);
- ii. providing download of an authenticated application to the UE, wherein the application is authenticated using an authentication service;
- iii. providing communication of communication packets between a service on a packet data network and the UE using the application, wherein at least one of the communication packets includes an internet protocol (IP) address a port number, an application identifier. and authentication data;
- iv. identifying and authenticating the application used in the service by using packet inspection of the communication packets and determining the application identifier and the authentication data located in the at least one packet;
- 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.