Host-sponsored data transmission billing system and method

Abstract

A host-sponsored data transmission billing system and method is provided to permit reduced costs to a mobile user for internet access through an internet gateway. An operator billing system is provided (either in the internet gateway itself or coupled to the internet gateway) to generate billing data for payment by the mobile user for connection requests by the mobile user through the internet gateway to private sites on the internet. However, to reduce the costs to the mobile user to encourage access to host-sponsored commercial sites, the operator billing system bills data for payment by host-sponsors for connection requests by the mobile user to the host-sponsored sites. A General Packet Radio System (GPRS) can be utilized in this arrangement as the internet gateway.

1 . A network entity for billing for Internet connections between a mobile terminal user and an Internet site, comprising: 
 a database storing a list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for host-sponsored sites;    a log file tracer to provide an output indicative of the IP addresses accessed by the mobile terminal user; and    a comparator for comparing the output of the log file tracer with the IP addresses stored in the database for determining whether the IP addresses accessed by the mobile terminal user includes host-sponsored sites.    
     
     
         2 . The network entity of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 means for generating billing data for payment by a host-sponsor of said site for connecting the mobile terminal user with said site when the determination indicates that an IP address accessed by the mobile terminal users is a host-sponsored site.    
     
     
         3 . The network entity of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 means for generating billing data for payment by the mobile terminal user for connecting with said site when the determination indicates that an IP address accessed by the mobile terminal users is a private site.    
     
     
         4 . The network entity of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 a cellular telecommunications interface for providing wireless connection with the mobile terminal users; and    a network interface connecting with the Internet.    
     
     
         5 . In a system comprising at least one mobile device operated by at least one user which is wirelessly coupled to a billing system operated by a wireless operator providing connectivity to a packet data network including at least one host operated server offering data transmission to the at least one user when accessed by a user of the at least one mobile device, a method comprising: 
 the at least one user requesting connectivity to a server coupled to the packet data network;    determining if the at least one user requested connectivity is to at least one of the at least one host operated server; and    in response to the requested connectivity being determined to be to at least one of the at least one host operated server which has not agreed to accept full charges assigned by the billing system to the user for connectivity to the at least one host operated server, the at least one host operated server to which connectivity is requested by the at least one user provides the at least one user with free access to only a portion of the data which may be provided by the at least one host operated server to which connectivity is requested upon request from the users.    
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein: 
 the free access is to predetermined pages of a website operated by the at least one host operated server to which connectivity is requested.    
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein: 
 the free access is provided upon the purchase by the at least one user of items or services.    
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 6  wherein: 
 the free access is provided upon the purchase by the at least one user of items or services.    
     
     
         9 . A method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein: 
 the free access is a specified amount of free time or a specified amount of free data provided from the at least one host operated server to the at least one user.    
     
     
         10 . A method in accordance with  claim 6  wherein: 
 the free access is a specified amount of free time or a specified amount of free data provided from the at least one host operated server to the at least one user.    
     
     
         11 . A method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein: 
 the free access is a specified amount of free time or a specified amount of free data provided from the at least one host operated server to the at least one user.    
     
     
         12 . A method in accordance with  claim 8  wherein: 
 the free access is a specified amount of free time or a specified amount of free data provided from the at least one host operated server to the at least one user.