Method and apparatus providing prepaid billing for network services using explicit service authorization in an access server

US7720960B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Cisco Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Richard M. Pruss · Forsayth, AU
• Matthew King · Headley Down, GB
• John Fitzgerald · San Jose, US
• Tanja Hess · Hessen, DE
• Mark Grayson · Grafton, GB
• David Hovey · Grasse, FR
• Marco C. Centemeri · Rho, IT
• Amit Phadnis · Savanuru, IN
• Navneet Agarwal · Bengaluru, IN
• Vinodh Kumar Ravindranath · Bengaluru, IN
• Kotha Subba Rama Chandra Murty · Bengaluru, IN
• Tirumali Seetharam Ajai · Savanuru, IN

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 4, 2003
• Grant date: May 18, 2010
• Expiry date: Sep 2, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04W4/24
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method is disclosed for authorizing a prepaid network service in a data network. A network end station issues a request for a prepaid network service. At a network node, such as a router serving as a gateway for selecting services, a determination is made about whether a user associated with the end station is authorized to access the prepaid network service. Network traffic from the end station is forwarded to a service provider only when the user is authorized to use the prepaid network service. Specific embodiments provide message flows among a mobile station, gateway support node, router, and authentication server that support providing prepaid services in a packet-switched network for mobile communication. In certain embodiments, a connection is held open for an end station while a prepaid quota value is refreshed at a portal, thereby reducing overhead and precluding the need to repeat user logon steps. Further, unused quota amounts can be returned to the authentication server for use in association with multiple concurrent connections of the same device.