Patent · US Active

System and methods for enabling sponsored data access across multiple carriers

US9582816B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
4References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 23, 2015
Grant dateFeb 28, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 23, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M2215/0192
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A service and system for providing sponsored data, wherein the data usage is not charged to a mobile subscriber but, rather, paid for by a sponsor. The system and service is mobile-operator neutral and exists separate and apart from any given mobile network. The system provides, to mobile network operators and sponsoring entities, a single domain name (TLD). The TLD is white-listed, in wild-card form, by the mobile network operator so that the operator will know to zero rate any data traffic associated with the TLD. Sponsoring entities are also provided with a unique identifier. The unique identifier is concatenated, as a pre-pend, to the TLD, thereby generating a FQDN that (1) identifies associated data traffic as being “sponsored” and (2) identifies the entity sponsoring the data. The system monitors data usage associated with each FQDN and prepares a bill that charges each sponsoring entity for the data usage associated with the particular FQDN.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.