System and method for determining charges for usage of a network connection
US6338046B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 8, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 6, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M2215/0164
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for determining charges for use of network service connections. The network includes nodes which facilitate the transfer of information between source and destination locations. When a connection is established with a node, a billing cell is transmitted to the node over the connection which contains billing and connection information. Data cells are transmitted over the same connection subsequent to the billing cell. A terminate billing cell or conventional means may be used to drop the connection when the connection is no longer needed. The node computes the cost of using the connection based on the billing and connection information copied from the billing cell, and may also consider the connection time and the amount of data transferred over the connection. Upon establishing a subsequent connection with another node, the previous node transmits the billing cell to the new node which copies the billing cell content and, after receiving the data cells over the new connection, performs similar connection usage computations. This process is repeated by each of the nodes involved in the transfer of information between the source and destination. The nodes transmit…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.