Patent US6690929B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6690929B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dynamic quality-of-service and pricing in communication system
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1998-08-03
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Granted: 2004-02-10
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Expires: 2018-08-03
Abstract
Abstract Enhanced system operation is realized with a method, and apparatus for carrying out the method, which negotiates with a customer for a Quality-of-Service level that the customer gets in a connection for a price that the customer is willing to pay. The negotiation is repeated throughout the time the connection exists. In a cellular environment, the QoS is negotiated when a mobile unit initiates a call, at regular intervals during the call (when changes in traffic conditions call for a renegotiation), and when the mobile unit is handed off from one cell to another cell. To prepare for its end of the negotiations, the service provider collects information concerning the level at which its resources are being utilized and determines its ability to guarantee a particular QoS level. This information is continuously updated and combined with historical data to calculate price data.
Inventors
- 👤 Hsi-Jen James Yeh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:32
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W4/00; H04W4/24; H04M; H04M15/00; H04M15/46; H04M15/51; H04M15/55; H04M15/70; H04M15/745; H04M15/80; H04M15/8016; H04M15/8044; H04M15/805; H04M15/81; H04M2215/00; H04M2215/01; H04M2215/0108; H04M2215/0112; H04M2215/0168; H04M2215/20; H04M2215/2026; H04M2215/2046; H04M2215/32; H04M2215/54; H04M2215/56; H04M2215/74; H04M2215/7414; H04M2215/745; H04M2215/7457; H04W28/00; H04W28/16; H04W28/24; H04W36/00; H04W36/08; H04W76/00; H04W76/10; H04W84/00; H04W84/02; H04W84/04; H04W84/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at times, while said connection is established, making an offer that comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider maintaining said connection at said new billing rate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at times, while said connection is established, making an offer that comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider maintaining said connection at said new billing rate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method of claim 1 where said terminal is adapted to operate in accordance with IS-136 and said service provider communicates said offer over the TDC Digital Traffic Channel of said IS-136 protocol, or said terminal is adapted to operate in accordance with IS-95 or GSM protocol and said service provider communicates said offer over the TCH Traffic Channel of said IS-95 and DSM protocols.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 where said step of making said initial offer and said step of accepting in response to said initial offer occur prior to a connection being established for said call.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 where said initial offer comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 4 where one of the service parameters is bandwidth allocated to said call.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 where said acceptance selects from said plurality of offers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 where said offers that are made at times while said connection is established vary with time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 where the offers that are made at times while said connection is established vary with network load.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1 where said times at which said service provider makes an offer are at end of time intervals during which a billing rate is deemed by the service provider to be warranted, making said offer for a new billing rate specific for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider maintaining said call at said new billing rate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 9 where said intervals are less than 10 minutes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising a step of informing a user of said terminal unit when said terminal unit accepts an offer at a higher billing rate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising a step of altering Quality-of-Service that is provided to said call.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 further comprising alerting user of said terminal unit of the alteration in Quality-of-Service that is provided to said call.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 9 where said interval is fixed in duration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 where said interval is variable with time of day or with traffic load experienced by the service provider.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 where said interval is set by a previous offer made by said service provider.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 where said step of acceptance is made by a user in possession of said terminal unit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 where said acceptance is made by an agent module that makes an acceptance decision on its own.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18 where said agent module resides in said terminal unit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 18 where said agent module is installed into said terminal from a database under control of said service provider.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 where said acceptance is made by a software module that makes an acceptance decision on its own.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of said service provider measuring network traffic load and adjusting the billing rates that it offers in response to said measuring.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 22 where said network traffic load is a measure of traffic load carried by a network over which said service provider provides said telecommunication service to said call relative to maximum traffic load that said network can carry.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 23 where, in a cellular environment, said step of measuring comprises said service provider requesting a base station over which said telecommunication service is carried for said call to obtain data relative to traffic load and communicate the data to a Mobile Switching Center under control of said service provider.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call, said offer comprising a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said initial offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at regular intervals, making an offer for a new billing rate specific for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider maintaining said call at said new billing rate.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call, said offer comprising a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said initial offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at regular intervals, making an offer for a new billing rate specific for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider maintaining said call at said new billing rate.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at times, while said connection is established, making an offer that comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider maintaining said connection at said new billing rate where said acceptance is made by an agent module that makes an acceptance decision on its own and where said terminal unit is a wireless unit and said agent module is obtained from a home Mobile Switching Center of said terminal unit.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at times, while said connection is established, making an offer that comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider maintaining said connection at said new billing rate where said acceptance is made by an agent module that makes an acceptance decision on its own and where said terminal unit is a wireless unit and said agent module is obtained from a home Mobile Switching Center of said terminal unit.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
271 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at times, while said connection is established, making an offer that comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider maintaining said connection at said new billing rate; and said service provider measuring network traffic load and adjusting the billing rates that it offers in response to said measuring; where said network traffic load is a measure of traffic load carried by a network over which said service provider provides said telecommunication service to said call relative to maximum traffic load that said network can carry; where, in a cellular environment, said step of measuring comprises said service provider requesting a base station over which said telecommunication service is carried for said call to obtain data relative to traffic load and communicate the data to a Mobile Switching Center under control of said service provider; and where said step of measuring further comprises said service provider requesting said base station to obtain transmission quality data relative to noise conditions in its cell and communicate the transmission quality data to said Mobile Switching Center.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
271 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an initial offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider establishing said connection; said service provider, at times, while said connection is established, making an offer that comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; said terminal unit accepting said offer; said service provider maintaining said connection at said new billing rate; and said service provider measuring network traffic load and adjusting the billing rates that it offers in response to said measuring; where said network traffic load is a measure of traffic load carried by a network over which said service provider provides said telecommunication service to said call relative to maximum traffic load that said network can carry; where, in a cellular environment, said step of measuring comprises said service provider requesting a base station over which said telecommunication service is carried for said call to obtain data relative to traffic load and communicate the data to a Mobile Switching Center under control of said service provider; and where said step of measuring further comprises said service provider requesting said base station to obtain transmission quality data relative to noise conditions in its cell and communicate the transmission quality data to said Mobile Switching Center.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider providing said telecommunication service; where said offer comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates, where said steps of service provider making an offer and said terminal unit accepting the offer constitutes a negotiated bargain, and said method further comprises a step of dynamically repeating negotiation of said bargain.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for a service provider providing telecommunication service for a call of a terminal unit, comprising the steps of: said service provider making an offer to provide connection to another party through a transmission channel of at least a given bandwidth, with a promised Quality-of-Service level, in exchange for a specific billing rate for said call; said terminal unit accepting said offer; and said service provider providing said telecommunication service; where said offer comprises a plurality of detailed offers, each of said detailed offers being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates, where said steps of service provider making an offer and said terminal unit accepting the offer constitutes a negotiated bargain, and said method further comprises a step of dynamically repeating negotiation of said bargain.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
151 words
A system having a customer apparatus coupled to a telecommunication service provider, comprising: a control module, under management of a service provider, for making a sequence of offers for providing service at a given Quality-of-Service level to said customer apparatus at an offered billing rate, with at least some of the offers in said sequence comprising a collection of sub-offers, each sub-offer in said collection being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates, and with at least some of the offers in said sequence being made following establishment of service to said customer apparatus and for continuing service as long as said offers in said sequence are accepted; and a module associated with said customer apparatus for receiving said sequence of offers and for accepting each of the offers in said sequence of offers as long as the offers meet requirements preset into said module.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
151 words
A system having a customer apparatus coupled to a telecommunication service provider, comprising: a control module, under management of a service provider, for making a sequence of offers for providing service at a given Quality-of-Service level to said customer apparatus at an offered billing rate, with at least some of the offers in said sequence comprising a collection of sub-offers, each sub-offer in said collection being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates, and with at least some of the offers in said sequence being made following establishment of service to said customer apparatus and for continuing service as long as said offers in said sequence are accepted; and a module associated with said customer apparatus for receiving said sequence of offers and for accepting each of the offers in said sequence of offers as long as the offers meet requirements preset into said module.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 29 where said control module makes an offer to initiate said service to said customer apparatus, as well as to continue service to said customer apparatus.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 29 where said offered billing rate contained in the offers of said sequence of offers fluctuates as a function of traffic load experienced by said service provider that is affected by the provision of service to said customer apparatus, transmission quality of a channel that is used for the provision of service to said customer apparatus, or bandwidth of the provided service, where the or is taken inclusively.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
63 words
The system of claim 29 further comprising a billing module that collects information about traffic load experienced by said service provider that is affected by the provision of service to said customer apparatus and about transmission quality of a channel that is used for the provision of service to said customer apparatus, and develops therefrom billing rate information for said sequence of offers.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 32 where said control module makes a next offer in said sequence of offers whenever said billing module indicates that the billing rate should be changed.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
150 words
A system having a customer apparatus connected to a telecommunication service provider, comprising: first means, under management of a service provider, for making an offer to provide connection to anther party, and continuation offers to continue providing said connection, at a given Quality-of-Service level and an offered billing rate that are specified in said continuation offers where said offer, or at least some of said continuation offers comprises a collection of sub-offers, each sub-offer in said collection being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; second means associated with said customer apparatus for receiving said continuation offers and for accepting said continuation offers as long as said continuation offers meet requirements preset into said second means; and third means, under control of said service provider and activated when said continuation offers are accepted by said second means, for continuing service to said customer apparatus.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
150 words
A system having a customer apparatus connected to a telecommunication service provider, comprising: first means, under management of a service provider, for making an offer to provide connection to anther party, and continuation offers to continue providing said connection, at a given Quality-of-Service level and an offered billing rate that are specified in said continuation offers where said offer, or at least some of said continuation offers comprises a collection of sub-offers, each sub-offer in said collection being for a different combination of service parameters, promised Quality-of-Service levels, and billing rates; second means associated with said customer apparatus for receiving said continuation offers and for accepting said continuation offers as long as said continuation offers meet requirements preset into said second means; and third means, under control of said service provider and activated when said continuation offers are accepted by said second means, for continuing service to said customer apparatus.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 34 further comprising fourth means for measuring an amount of available resources that are impacted by said call and transmitting a continuation offer that sets a new billing rate when said fourth means detects, upon completion of a measurement, that the amount of available resources has materially changed from a previous completion of a measurement.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 35 where said fourth means repetitively performs said measuring.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
100 words
A processor comprising a processing unit, memory, and software modules for carrying out at least some of functions of a telephone apparatus, the improvement comprising: a first software module that receives from a service provider a package comprising a plurality of offers for service, each of which offers service at a different Quality of Service level, and a second software module that evaluates the offers, and when an offer among said offers meets a set of one or more criteria relating to cost and acceptable Quality of Service level, accepts said offer and sends an acceptance to the service provider.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
100 words
A processor comprising a processing unit, memory, and software modules for carrying out at least some of functions of a telephone apparatus, the improvement comprising: a first software module that receives from a service provider a package comprising a plurality of offers for service, each of which offers service at a different Quality of Service level, and a second software module that evaluates the offers, and when an offer among said offers meets a set of one or more criteria relating to cost and acceptable Quality of Service level, accepts said offer and sends an acceptance to the service provider.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
20 words
The processor of claim 37 where the telephone apparatus functions that are carried out are functions of a cellular telephone.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
17 words
The processor of claim 37 further comprising means for carrying out remaining functions of said telephone apparatus.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
The processor of claim 37 further comprising means for carrying out remaining electronic functions of said telephone apparatus.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
42 words
The processor of claim 37 where said software module receives said offer for service from said service provider in the course of establishing communication for said telephone apparatus and at least one other time thereafter, while said telephone apparatus is in communication.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
141 words
A processor system comprising a processing unit, memory, and software modules for carrying out at least some of telephony functions, the improvement comprising: a first module that receives information about traffic load and develops therefrom a relationship between requested service at a various Quality-of-Service levels and a corresponding billing rates that are to be charged as well as a relationship between in-progress service and a corresponding billing rates that are to be charged, a second module that receives a request for service, a third module that outputs a package comprising a plurality of offers for providing service, or for continuing to provide service, at the various Quality-of-Service levels in exchange for various corresponding billing rates determined by said first module; and a module for receiving a selection of one Quality-of-Service level and a corresponding billing rate from said various Quality-of-Service levels.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
141 words
A processor system comprising a processing unit, memory, and software modules for carrying out at least some of telephony functions, the improvement comprising: a first module that receives information about traffic load and develops therefrom a relationship between requested service at a various Quality-of-Service levels and a corresponding billing rates that are to be charged as well as a relationship between in-progress service and a corresponding billing rates that are to be charged, a second module that receives a request for service, a third module that outputs a package comprising a plurality of offers for providing service, or for continuing to provide service, at the various Quality-of-Service levels in exchange for various corresponding billing rates determined by said first module; and a module for receiving a selection of one Quality-of-Service level and a corresponding billing rate from said various Quality-of-Service levels.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-02-09 | 2007-08-11 | 2008-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-09 | 2011-08-11 | 2012-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-02-09 | 2015-08-11 | 2016-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |