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WO2015163806A1 - A toll-free data indication system, an end user device, a toll-free data notification server, and methods therein, for handling a content from a content owner - Google Patents

A toll-free data indication system, an end user device, a toll-free data notification server, and methods therein, for handling a content from a content owner Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015163806A1
WO2015163806A1 PCT/SE2015/050435 SE2015050435W WO2015163806A1 WO 2015163806 A1 WO2015163806 A1 WO 2015163806A1 SE 2015050435 W SE2015050435 W SE 2015050435W WO 2015163806 A1 WO2015163806 A1 WO 2015163806A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
toll
free data
end user
user device
content
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2015/050435
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Dan Mathiasen
Niamh BARRETT
Salman TAJ
Magnus Thulstrup
Original Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ) filed Critical Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ)
Publication of WO2015163806A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015163806A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/02—Details
    • H04L12/14—Charging, metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
    • H04L12/1453—Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
    • H04L12/1471—Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network splitting of costs
    • H04L12/1478—Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network splitting of costs the splitting involving only the communication parties
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/08—Metering calls to called party, i.e. B-party charged for the communication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/43—Billing software details
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/80—Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
    • H04M15/8083—Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
    • H04W4/24—Accounting or billing
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
    • H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
    • H04M2215/0192—Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods

Definitions

  • Embodiments herein relate to a toll-free data indication system, and a method therein.
  • Embodiments herein further relate to an end user device, a method therein, and a computer program and a computer program product for a web browser in the end user device.
  • Embodiments herein further relate to, a toll-free data notification server, a method therein, and a computer program and a computer program product for the toll-free data notification server. In particular, they relate to handling a content from a content owner.
  • End user devices are also known as e.g. communication devices, User Equipments (UE), mobile terminals, wireless devices, wireless terminals and/or mobile stations. End user devices may be enabled to communicate wirelessly in a cellular communication network or wireless communication system, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system or cellular networks. The communication may be performed e.g. between two end user devices, between an end user device and a regular telephone and/or between end user devices and a server via a Radio Access Network (RAN) and possibly one or more core networks, comprised in the cellular communications network.
  • RAN Radio Access Network
  • End user devices may further be referred to as mobile telephones, cellular telephones, computers, or tablets with wireless capability, just to mention some further examples.
  • the end user devices in the present context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the RAN, with another entity, such as another end user device or a server.
  • End user devices may further comprise a web browser that is used to locate, retrieve and display content from the World Wde Web (WWW) including web pages, images, video and other files.
  • WWW World Wde Web
  • the cellular communications network covers a geographical area which is divided into cell areas, wherein each cell area is served by a base station, e.g. a Radio Base Station (RBS), which sometimes may be referred to as e.g. "eNB”, “eNodeB”, “NodeB”, “B node”, or BTS (Base Transceiver Station), depending on the technology and terminology used.
  • the base stations may be of different classes such as e.g. macro eNodeB, home eNodeB or pico base station, based on transmission power and thereby also cell size.
  • a cell is the geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the base station at a base station site.
  • One base station, situated on the base station site may serve one or several cells. The cells often overlap each other.
  • each base station may support one or several communication technologies.
  • the base stations communicate over the air interface, also referred to as the cellular interface, operating on radio frequencies with the (wireless) end user devices within range of the base stations.
  • base stations which may be referred to as eNodeBs or even eNBs, may be directly connected to one or more core networks.
  • 3GPP LTE radio access standard has been written in order to support high bitrates and low latency both for uplink and downlink traffic. All data transmission is in LTE controlled by the radio base station.
  • a Multi Service Proxy is an intermediate network processor, deployed on a Gi interface.
  • the Gi interface is located above a mobile core network Packet Gateway (PGW).
  • PGW Packet Gateway
  • MSP performs functions such as traffic inspection, traffic optimization, access control for mobile data traffic.
  • MSP as of two years back acts as an enabler for a toll-free data/sponsored data function. This function enables a business model that allows an internet content owner to pay for an end user's data traffic, i.e. data traffic for an end user device.
  • MSP acting as an enabler for toll-free data.
  • MSP is responsible in this solution to in a secure way receive instructions from a content owner on which internet resources that the content owner is willing to pay for.
  • the toll-free data enabler thereafter produces charging data used by the carrier to charge the content owner.
  • the object is achieved by a method performed by a toll-free data indication system.
  • the toll-free data indication system comprises an end user device, a content owner, and a toll-free data enabler network processor.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor stores subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device, received from the content owner.
  • the end user device sends to the content owner, a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL.
  • the content owner sends, the requested content to the end user device, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor.
  • the end user device collects one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content.
  • the end user device sends a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor, which request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor determines if the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device,
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor sends to the end user device a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the object is achieved by a method performed by an end user device comprised in a toll-free data indication system.
  • the toll-free data indication system further comprises a content owner, and a toll-free data notification server.
  • the end user device sends to the content owner, a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL.
  • the end user device receives from the content owner, the requested content, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server.
  • the end user device collects one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
  • the end user device sends a request to the toll-free data notification server by using the link of the toll-free data notification server, which request comprises the collected one or more URLs.
  • the end user device receives a notification message indicating whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the object is achieved by a method performed by a toll-free data notification server comprised in a toll-free data indication system.
  • the toll-free data indication system further comprises a content owner and an end user device.
  • the toll-free data notification server receives from the end user device, a request comprising one or more Uniform Resource Locators, URLs, collected by the end user device from a content received from the content owner.
  • the toll-free data notification server determines if the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device.
  • the toll-free data notification server sends to the end user device a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the object is achieved by a toll-free data indication system.
  • the toll-free data indication system is arranged to comprise an end user device, a content owner, and a toll-free data enabler network processor.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor is configured to store subscriber toll- free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device, received from the content owner.
  • the end user device is configured to send to the content owner, a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL.
  • the content owner is configured to send the requested content to the end user device, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor.
  • the end user device is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content.
  • the end user device is further configured to send a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor, which request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor is further configured to determine if the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor is further configured to send by to the end user device a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the object is achieved by a method performed by an end user device arranged to be comprised in a toll-free data indication system, which toll-free data indication system further is arranged to comprise a content owner, and a toll-free data notification server, and wherein the end user device 120 is configured to:
  • the object is achieved by a method performed by a toll-free data notification server arranged to be comprised in a toll- free data indication system, which toll-free data indication system further arranged to comprise a content owner and an end user device, wherein the toll-free data notification server is configured to:
  • a request comprising one or more Uniform Resource Locators, URLs, collected by the end user device from a content received from the content owner.
  • a digitally signed toll-free data notification message is provided to the end user device that can be used to inform the user of the end user device about getting toll-free data access to a content.
  • the mechanism is independent on if the toll-free data traffic is carried over Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS).
  • HTTP Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
  • HTTPS Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments herein.
  • FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram depicting embodiments of a method in a toll-free data indication system.
  • FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in an end user device
  • FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a toll-free data notification server.
  • FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram depicting embodiments of a method in a toll-free data indication system.
  • FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating embodiments of a sequence of actions performed by a web browser.
  • FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating embodiments of a sequence of actions performed by a toll-free data notification server.
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of an end user device.
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of a toll-free data notification server.
  • FIG. 10 shows a web browser in an end user device or a toll free enabler or a subscriber toll-free data repository or a toll-free data notification server or a content owner according to the embodiments herein.
  • FIG. 1 1 further shows a web browser in an end user device or a toll-free data enabler or a content owner according to the embodiments herein.
  • FIG. 12 shows a subscriber toll-free data repository or a toll-free data notification server according to the embodiments herein.
  • the prior art solution is not suitable if the data traffic is encrypted, and the problem is how to notify the end user of an end user device about the toll-free data service.
  • This toll-free data notification needs to be provided by a toll-free data enabler and cannot be provided by a content owner as the toll-free data enabler is the only entity having this information, i.e. which data of the content owner that is sponsored by the content owner and therefore is toll-free data for the end user device to download.
  • the toll-free data notification furthermore must be possible to trust, to prevent spoofing or any other malicious event.
  • the technical problem is trivial to solve for non- encrypted traffic, since HTTP traffic can be inspected and modified by intermediaries, but not trivial for encrypted traffic.
  • the present embodiments provide a mechanism that enables a web browser or application to present to the end user a toll-free data indicator that is agnostic to if the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) traffic is encrypted or not.
  • HTTP Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
  • Data traffic that is not encrypted sends HTTP requests and responses in clear text. This makes it possible for intermediate network processors to inspect and also modify the contents of these requests and responses.
  • Encrypted HTTP traffic on the other hand, first establishes a secure communication channel using Transport Layer Security (TLS) over which the HTTP requests and responses are sent. This prevents inspection and modification of HTTP requests and responses.
  • TLS Transport Layer Security
  • This mechanism also ensures that the web browser and/or web application can rely on the data.
  • FIG. 1 shows the components of the toll-free data indication system 100 in which embodiments herein may be implemented.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 comprises an end user device 120.
  • the end user device 120 may e.g. be referred to as a user equipment, a mobile wireless terminal, a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet computer, with wireless capabilities, or any other units capable to communicate with a communication network.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 itself may comprise three entities, a toll-free data enabler 131 , a subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 on one end, is connected to a mobile network 135 comprising a mobile core network and a cellular network.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 on the other end, is connected to the internet 137.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a content owner 140.
  • the content owner 140 resides in the internet 137 and provides data content to end user devices, such as the end user device 120, over the internet 137.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 is a network processor that handles mobile data traffic between the mobile network and the internet 137. In some example scenarios, it receives from the content owner 140, individual subscriber rules, i.e. subscriber toll-free data rules relating to different subscribers of end user devices such as the end user device 120. The subscriber toll-free data rules are stored in the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 for later usage.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 may also be responsible for producing call detail records that is used to debit, i.e. charge either the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 is a repository that is used to store the subscriber toll-free data rules for later usage, such as the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120. It may be a database but the subscriber toll-free data rules may also be stored in a Random Access Memory (RAM).
  • RAM Random Access Memory
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 is responsible for receiving requests made from an end user device such as the end user device 120, and subsequently report toll-free data status. This function enables that an application in the end user device 120 can display an icon or image in the end user device 120 so that the subscriber of the end user device 120 knows if the currently consumed data is paid by the content owner or shall be paid by the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the end user device 120 is connected by the mobile network 135 comprising the core and cellular network, to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the role of the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is to inspect the traffic and read subscriber toll-free data rules related to subscribers such as the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the content owner 140 embeds a toll-free data notification URL into a response to the end user device 120.
  • the mobile data traffic traverses through the toll-free data enabler 131 to and from the content-owner 140.
  • the actions performed by the end user device 120 may be performed e.g. by means of a web browser in the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data indication mechanism according to some embodiments herein may comprise the following:
  • the end user device 120 requests a content such as a web content from the content owner 140 on the internet 137.
  • the mobile data traffic comprising the request traverses through the toll-free data enabler 131 to the content-owner 140.
  • the content owner embeds a link, i.e. an Uniform Resource Locator (URL) pointing to the toll-free data enabler.
  • URL Uniform Resource Locator
  • the end user device 120 downloads the content such as the web content from the content owner 140 and collects URLs related to the components of the downloaded i.e. received content.
  • the end user device 120 detects the presence of the embedded link and initiates a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 by means of the embedded link.
  • the request comprises the collected URLs to the recently downloaded web content from the content owner 140.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 controls each of the URLs in the requests and indicates for each URL if the content owner 140 or the end user will be debited, i.e. charged for the content.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 comprises an end user device 120, a content owner 140, and a toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 comprises a toll-free data enabler 131 , and a toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll- free data enabler network processor 130 further comprises a toll-free data enabler 131 and a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the method comprises the following actions, which actions may be taken in any suitable order.
  • Subscriber toll-free data rules of the subscriber of the end user device 120 have previously been sent by the content owner 140. They have been received by the toll-free data enabler 131 comprised in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 and subsequently stored in the toll-free data subscriber toll-free data repository 132 comprised in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules comprise one or more URLs, optionally with wildcards that will be used later on to match requested URLs with.
  • the requested URLs relate to content or components of content provided by the content owner 140.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules specify URLs related to content which is provided toll free, i.e. free of charge to the end user device 120 by the content owner 140.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 stores subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device 120, received from the content owner 140.
  • the storing of subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120 is performed by the toll-free data enabler 131 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the end user device 120 sends a request for a content, i.e. issues a request to retrieve web content from the content owner 140, as specified in a requested URL in the request.
  • the request may also be referred to as mobile data traffic.
  • the request traverses the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the request represented by the mobile data traffic is forwarded by the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 to the content owner 140 addressed by the URL in the request.
  • the end user device 120 sends to the content owner 140, a request for the content, which content relates to an URL.
  • the request may e.g. be done by using, for instance but not restricted to, a web browser application in the end user device 120.
  • the requested URL may for instance reference, i.e. relate to a location of a movie or another resource that a content owner is willing to pay for on behalf of the subscriber of an end- user device 120 and leave out the rest of the sentence.
  • a GET message according to the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, (HTTP) protocol may be used to retrieve resources from a content owner 140.
  • Action 203 may be used to retrieve resources from a content owner 140.
  • the content owner 140 adds a link such as e.g. a toll-free data notification URL, and returns the requested content to the end user device 120 via the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. Consequently the requested content is downloaded in the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data notification URL is an address to the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data notification URL will be used by the end user device 120 to send a request to find out whether the requested content is free of charge or not.
  • the content owner 140 sends the requested content to the end user device 120.
  • the content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is represented by a link to the toll-free data notification server 133 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • HTTPS Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure
  • the end user device 120 detects the presence of a toll-free data notification URL, i.e. the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the 10 end user device collects all URLs that the downloaded web content comprises, which means URLs to the respective component of the downloaded content. These URLs will be used by the end user device 120 to request whether content from the different collected URLs are toll-free data or not.
  • the end user device 120 collects one or more URLs.
  • the one or more 15 URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content.
  • the end user device 120 sends a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the 20 request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content.
  • the request is a request for a toll-free data notification regarding the collected URLs.
  • the URLs may e.g. be listed in a payload of an HTTP request.
  • a POST message according to the HTTP or HTTPS protocol may be used for this action.
  • the request is sent to the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 shares the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 with the toll-free data enabler 131.
  • the toll-free 30 data notification server 133 identifies the end user device 120 and retrieves the
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 has identified the requesting subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 35 receives from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120 based on the identified subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules may be received as a response to a request sent by the toll-free data notification server 133 to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules are returned from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules specifies URLs related to content which is provided toll-free, i.e. free of charge to the end user device 120 by the content owner 140.
  • Each of the collected URLs provided in the request by the end user device 120 is verified towards the toll-free data rules of the subscriber of the end user device 120 to establish whether the subscriber of the end user device 120 or the content owner 140 shall be charged for the content of the respective URL.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 determines if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content. This is performed by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules comprises one or more URL's, optionally with wildcards that may be used to match request URLs with.
  • the determining if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content is performed by the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • a response is created by the toll-free data notification server 133 that includes for each collected URL in the request from the end user device 120, information on if the content owner 140 or the end user, i.e. the subscriber of the end user device is to be debited, i.e. charged.
  • the response is sent to the end user device 120.
  • the end user device 120 interprets the response and renders the result to the end user device 120.
  • the result may e.g. be displayed on a display of the end user device 120
  • the exact way that the toll-free data information is rendered to the end user device 120 may vary. It may for instance be an image comprising the text "toll-free data" that is displayed e.g. in red if the end user of the end user device 120, is to pay for the content or e.g. green if the downloaded web content owner pays for the downloaded content.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 sends to the end user device 120 a notification message. Based on the determining, the notification message indicates the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the HTTP or HTTPS protocol may be used for this action.
  • sending to the end user device 120 a notification message is performed by the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the notification message may be digitally signed.
  • the advantage with this is that the end user device 120 knows that the contents of the notification message can be trusted.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 identifies the end user device
  • RADIUS Remote Authentication Dial In User Service
  • PGW Packet Gateway
  • RADIUS is a networking protocol that provides centralized Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) management for users who connect and use a network service.
  • the RADIUS information maps an Internet protocol (IP) address of the end user device 120 with a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Service Digital Network Number (MSISDN) phone number.
  • IP Internet protocol
  • MSISDN Mobile Subscriber Integrated Service Digital Network Number
  • An MSISDN is a number uniquely identifying a subscription in a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile network, i.e. it is the telephone number to the SIM card in a mobile/cellular phone such as the end user device 120.
  • GSM Global System for Mobile Communications
  • UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules has previously been received by the toll-free data enabler 131 by the content owner 140 and subsequently stored in in the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 by the toll-free data enabler 131.
  • the rules comprises the one or more URL's, optionally with wildcards that is used to match the requested URLs with.
  • the requested content sent by the content owner 140 to the end user device 120 is received by the toll-free data enabler 131 to be forwarded to the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 may collect one or more URLs.
  • the one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the content to receive if selected.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 compares the collected one or more URLs with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules and decides if the content owner 140 or the end user such as the subscriber of the end user device 120, shall be debited for the data, i.e. the content. Charging data is produced accordingly.
  • the requested content is returned to the end user device 120. The latter is performed in Action 203.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 determines if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with subscriber toll-free data rules for a subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 charges the content owner 140 and/or the subscriber of the end user device 120 for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content according to the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • 3GPP on or offline charging protocols such as Gy which is an on-line charging interface between a Gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) and an Online Charging System (OCS), Service Charging Application Protocol (SCAP), Secure File Transfer Protocol or GPRS Tunnelling Protocol Extension (GTP) may be used.
  • GPRS means General Packet Radio Service.
  • Embodiments of the method described above will now be described in a general way, first from the perspective of the end user device 120 and then from the perspective of the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • Example embodiments of a method performed by an end user device 120 comprised in a toll-free data indication system 100 will now be described with reference to a flowchart depicted in FIG. 3.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a content owner 140, and a toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the method comprises the following actions, which actions may be taken in any suitable order.
  • the end user device 120 sends to the content owner 140, a request for a content.
  • the content relates to an URL.
  • the end user device 120 receives from the content owner 140, the requested content.
  • the content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the received content is carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
  • the end user device 120 collects one or more URLs.
  • the one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
  • the end user device 120 sends a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 by using the link of the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the request comprises the collected one or more URLs.
  • the end user device 120 receives a notification message indicating whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs. The end user of the end user device 120 now may see what he/she will be charged for and what the content owner pays for.
  • the notification message may be digitally signed. This is so that the end user device knows that the contents of the notification message can be trusted.
  • the end user device 120 may comprise a computer program for a web browser in the end user device 120.
  • the computer program comprises a computer program code which, when executed, causes the web browser to perform the method actions 301-305.
  • a computer program product for a web browser in an end user device 120 may be provided.
  • the computer program product comprises a computer program for the web browser and a computer readable means on which the computer program for the web browser is stored. Example embodiments of a method performed by a toll-free data notification server
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a content owner 140 and an end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the method comprises the following actions, which actions may be taken in any suitable order. Dashed lines of one box in Figure 4 indicate that this action is not mandatory. Action 401
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 receives from the end user device 120, a request comprising one or more URLs collected by the end user device 120 from a content received from the content owner 140.
  • the received content may be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 identifies the subscriber of the requesting end user device 120. Action 403
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 sends to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, a request for subscriber toll-free data rules for the identified subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • Action 404
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 receives from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the requested subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 determines if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content. This is performed by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 sends to the end user device 120, a notification message. Based on the determining in Action 405, indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the notification message is digitally signed. A purpose of this is that the end user device 130 knows that the contents of the notification message can be trusted.
  • a computer program for the toll-free data notification server 133 may comprise a computer program code which, when executed, causes the toll-free data notification server 133 to perform the method actions 401-406.
  • a computer program product for the toll-free data notification server 133 may comprise the computer program for the toll-free data notification server 133 and a computer readable means on which the computer program for the a toll-free data notification server 133 is stored.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates sequence of actions performed according to one embodiment in order to obtain a toll-free data indication.
  • the end user device 120 issues a request to retrieve a content such as a web content from a content owner as specified in the requested URL.
  • the request being referred to as Mobile Data Traffic in FIG. 5, traverses the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • a request may be done by using for instance but not restricted to the web browser application in the end-user device 120.
  • the requested URL may for instance reference the location of a movie or another resource that the user can consume free of charge.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 identifies the end user device 120 or the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the subscribers individual toll-free data rules are then requested from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • User identification is in cellular networks performed by inspecting previously received RADIUS information sent by a PGW.
  • the RADIUS information maps the IP address of the end user device 120 with a MSISDN phone number. The end user device 120 is thereby identified by using the MSISDN.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules have previously been received by the toll-free data enabler 131 from the content owner 140 and have subsequently been stored in the toll-free data enabler 131 or in the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules comprises one or more URL's, optionally with wildcards that is used to match request URLs with. Action 503.
  • the rules are returned from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 to the toll-free data enabler 131.
  • the mobile data traffic i.e. the request for the content, is forwarded to the content owner 140 addressed by the URL in action 501.
  • the content owner 140 adds a toll-free data notification URL, also referred to as the link to the toll-free data notification server 133 and returns the requested content to the end user device 120 via the toll-free data enabler 131.
  • the toll-free data notification URL is the address to the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 compares the request URL with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules and decides if the content owner 140 or the end user such as the subscriber of the end user device 120 shall be debited for the data. Charging data is produced accordingly and the requested content such as the web content is returned to the end user device 120.
  • the end user device 120 detects the presence of a toll-free data notification URL in the received content.
  • the end user device 120 collects all URLs that the downloaded web content consists of, i.e. comprises.
  • the URLs may be listed in a payload of a HTTP request and the request is sent to the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 shares the subscriber toll- free data repository 132 with the toll-free data enabler 131.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 identifies the end user device 120 and retrieves the subscriber toll-free data rules of the end user device 120 from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the subscriber toll-free data rules of the end user device 120 are returned to the toll-free data notification server 133 and each of the collected URLs provided by the end user device 120 in action 507 is verified towards the subscriber toll- free data rules of the end user device 120.
  • a response is created by the toll-free data notification server 133 that includes for each URL collected by the end user device 120 in action 507, information on if the content owner 140 or the end user such as the subscriber of the end user device 120 is to be debited for the requested content such as the web content being returned to the end user device 120 in action 506.
  • Action 510 The response comprising the information on if the content owner 140 or the end user is to be debited for the content being returned to the end user device 120 in action 506, is sent to the end user device 120.
  • the end user device 120 interprets the response and renders the result to the end user device 120.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates sequence of actions performed by the end user device 120, according to one embodiment in order to obtain a toll-free data indication. Action 601. The end user device 120 receives the requested web content.
  • the end user device 120 checks the HTTP response containing the requested web content for a toll-free data notification URL.
  • Action 605. The end user device 120 waits for a response from the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • Action 606 When the response is received from the toll-free data notification server 133, the response is used to render the toll-free data notification to the end user device 120.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a chain of events and decisions in the toll-free data notification server 133, according to one embodiment.
  • Action 701. A request containing a list of URL is received in the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 identifies the end user device 120 performing the request.
  • the individual subscriber toll-free data rules are read from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 holding these.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 waits for the subscriber toll-free data rules.
  • Action 706 The URL list received in 701 is matched with the subscriber toll-free data rules. Action 707. A response is created containing a similar list of URLs as in 701 but with additional information on if the subscriber of the end user device 120 or the content owner 140 is to be debited for each of the URLs.
  • the end user device 120 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in FIG 8. As mentioned the end user device 120 is arranged to be comprised in the toll-free data indication system 100.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 further is arranged to comprise the content owner 140, and the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the end user device 120 is configured to, e.g. by means of a sending module 810 or a transmitter configured to, send to the content owner 140 a request for a content, which content relates to an URL.
  • the end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of a receiving module 820 or a receiver configured to, receive from the content owner 140 the requested content.
  • the content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the received content is arranged to be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
  • the end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of a collecting module 830 or a processor configured to, collect one or more URLs.
  • the one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
  • the end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of the sending module 810 or the transmitter configured to, send a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 by using the link of the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the request comprises the collected one or more URLs.
  • the end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of the receiving module 820 or the receiver configured to, receive a notification message indicating whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the notification message may be digitally signed i.e. may be arranged to be digitally signed.
  • the embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 840 in the end user device 120 depicted in FIG. 8, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein.
  • the program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the end user device 120.
  • a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the end user device 120.
  • One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick.
  • the computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the end user device 120.
  • the end user device 120 may further comprise a memory 850 comprising one or more memory units.
  • the memory 850 comprises instructions executable by the processor 840.
  • the memory 850 is arranged to be used to store e.g. data, configurations, and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed in the end user device 120.
  • modules in the end user device 120 may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g. stored in the memory 850, that when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 840 as described above.
  • processors may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system-on-a-chip (SoC).
  • ASIC Application-Specific Integrated Circuitry
  • SoC system-on-a-chip
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in FIG. 9. As mentioned above the toll-free data notification server 133 is arranged to be comprised in a toll-free data indication system 100. The toll-free data indication system 100 is further arranged to comprise the content owner 140 and the end user device 120. In some embodiments, the toll-free data indication system 100 further is arranged to comprise a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 is configured to e.g. by means of a receiving module 910 or a receiver configured to, receive from the end user device 120 a request comprising one or more URLs collected by the end user device 120 from a content received from the content owner 140.
  • the received content may be arranged to be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 is further configured to e.g. by means of a determining module 920 or a processor configured to, determining if the content owner 15 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 is further configured to e.g. by means of a sending module 930 or a transmitter configured to, send to the end user device 120 a notification message, based on the determining 207 indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 may further be configured to e.g. by means of an identifying module 940 or the processor configured to, identify the subscriber of the requesting end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 is further configured to e.g. by means of the sending module 930 or a transmitter configured to, send to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, a request for subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the identified end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 is configured to e.g. by means of the receiving module 910 or the receiver configured to, receive from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the requested subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the notification message may be arranged to be digitally signed.
  • the embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 950 in the toll-free data notification server 133 depicted in FIG. 9, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein.
  • the program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick.
  • the computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 may further comprise the memory 960 comprising one or more memory units.
  • the memory 960 comprises instructions executable by the processor 950.
  • the memory 960 is arranged to be used to store data, configurations, and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed in the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll- free data indication system 100 may comprise the following arrangement.
  • the toll-free data indication system 100 is arranged to comprise the end user device 120, the content owner 140, and the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to store subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device 120, received from the content owner 140.
  • the end user device 120 is configured to send to the content owner 140, a request for a content, which content relates to an URL.
  • the content owner 140 is configured to send the requested content to the end user device 120, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the received content may be arranged to be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
  • the end user device 120 is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
  • the end user device 120 is further configured to send a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is further configured to determine if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is further configured to send by to the end user device 120 a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the notification message may be digitally signed.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is arranged to comprise a toll-free data enabler 131 , and a toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to perform the storing of the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is represented by a link to the toll-free data notification server 133 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the end user device 120 is further configured to 5 send the request to the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, by using the link to the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll- free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to determine if the content owner 10 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to send to the end user device 120 the notification message.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is further arranged to comprise a subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 has 20 identified the requesting subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 is configured to receive from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the subscriber toll- free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120, based on the identified subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 further is arranged to comprise a toll-free data enabler 131 and a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
  • the requested content to be sent by the content owner 140 30 to the end user device 120 is received by the toll-free data enabler 131 to be forwarded to the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content one more URLs from each respective component of the received 35 content. Further in these embodiments, the toll-free data enabler 131 is configured to determine if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 shall be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with subscriber toll-free data rules for a subscriber of the end user device 120.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 further is configured to charge the content owner 140 and/or the subscriber of the end user device 120 for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content according to the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
  • the embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, in each one out of: the end user device 120, the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133, such as the processor 840 in the end-user device 120, the processor 950 and the processor depicted in FIG. 10 and FIG 11 , together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein.
  • the program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the master node 110.
  • the computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to any one out of: the end user device 120, the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • the one out of: the end user device 120, the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133 may each further comprise a memory comprising one or more memory units, such as the memory 850 in the end-user device 120, the memory 960 and the memories depicted in FIG. 10 and FIG 11.
  • the memories may each comprise instructions executable by the respective associated processor.
  • the memories are arranged to be used to store e.g.
  • the end user device 120 the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll- 5 free data notification server 133.
  • FIG: 10 depicts example of any one out of the web browser in the end user device 120, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the toll-free data notification server 133 and the content owner 140.
  • FIG. 1 1 depicts example of any one out of the web browser in the end user device
  • FIG: 12 depicts example of any one out of the subscriber toll-free data repository 15 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • An aspect of the embodiments defines a method for a web browser in the end user device 120, wherein the web browser provides a toll-free data indication to the end user device 120, the method comprising:
  • the method comprising:
  • 35 Receiving mobile data traffic from the end user device 120. - Sending a request to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 to read the rules for a subscriber.
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a method for a subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the method comprising:
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a method for the toll-free data notification server 133, the method comprising:
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a method for the content owner 140 that provides a toll-free data service to the end users, the method comprising:
  • An aspect of the embodiments defines a web browser in the end user device 120 such as a mobile phone, wherein the web browser provides a toll-free data indication to the end user device, the web browser comprising processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the web browser to:
  • the web browser may also comprise a receiver configured to receive web content, a processor that checks the response for a toll-free data notification URL, analyzes the received content and collects URL of each component of the received content and renders the toll-free data notification to the end user device, and a transmitter to send requests for retrieving web content and to toll-free data notification server.
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 comprising a processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the toll-free data enabler to:
  • the toll-free data enabler 131 may also comprise a receiver configured to receive mobile data traffic from the end user device, the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository and the requested web content from the content owner, a processor configured to compare the requested URL with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules, decide if the content owner or the end user shall be debited for the data and produce charging data depending on who is debited, and a transmitter configured to send a request to the subscriber toll-free data repository to read the rules for a subscriber, forward the mobile data traffic to the content owner and return the requested web content to the end user.
  • subscriber toll-free data repository 132 comprising a processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the subscriber toll-free data repository to:
  • the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 could also comprise a receiver configured to receive a request from the toll-free data enabler to read the rules for a subscriber and a request from the toll-free data notification server 133 to identify the end user device 120 and retrieve the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, and a transmitter configured to send the rules to the toll-free data enabler and send the rules to the toll-free data notification server 133.
  • a toll-free data notification server 133 comprising a processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the toll-free data notification server to:
  • the toll-free data notification server 133 may also comprise a receiver configured to receive a toll-free data notification request from the end user device 120 and a transmitter configured to send a toll-free data notification response to the end user device 120.
  • a receiver configured to receive a toll-free data notification request from the end user device 120
  • a transmitter configured to send a toll-free data notification response to the end user device 120.
  • the content owner 140 that provides a toll-free data service to an end user device 120, the content owner comprising processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the content owner to:
  • the content owner 140 may also comprise a receiver configured to receive mobile data traffic from the toll-free data enabler 131 , a processor that adds a toll-free data notification URL, and a transmitter to return the requested content.
  • a further aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for the web browser in the end user device 120 comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the web browser to:
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for a toll-free data enabler 131 , the computer program comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the toll-free data enabler to perform the following actions:
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for the subscriber toll-free data repository 120, the computer program comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the subscriber toll-free data repository to perform the following actions:
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for the toll-free data notification server 133, the computer program comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the toll-free data notification server 133 to perform the following actions:
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for a content owner 140 comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the content owner to:
  • a further aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for a web browser in the end user device 120 comprising a computer program for a web browser and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a web browser is stored.
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the toll- free data enabler 131 comprising a computer program for a toll-free data enabler and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a toll-free data enabler is stored.
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the subscriber toll-free data repository comprising a computer program for a subscriber toll- free data repository and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a subscriber toll-free data repository is stored.
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the toll- free data notification server 133 comprising a computer program for a toll-free data notification server and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a toll-free data notification server is stored.
  • Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the content owner comprising a computer program for a content owner and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a content owner is stored. At least one of the embodiments provides the following advantages:
  • a network provides a trustable toll-free data notification message to the web browser in the end user device 120 that can be used to inform the user of the end user device 120 about that he or she actually is getting toll-free data access to web content.
  • This mechanism is independent on if the toll-free data traffic is carried over HTTP or HTTPS.

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Abstract

A method in a toll-free data indication system is provided. The toll-free data enabler network processor stores (201) subscriber toll-free data rules of a the end user device, from the content owner. The content owner sends (203) to the requested content to the end user device, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor. The end user device collects (204) URLs comprising an URL from each component of the received content. The end user device sends (205) a request comprises the collected URLs to the toll- free data enabler network processor, using the link. The toll-free data enabler network processor determines (207) if the content owner or the end user device 12 will be charged for the content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the end user device, and sends (208) to the end user device a notification indicating whether the content owner or the end user device will be charged.

Description

A TOLL-FREE DATA INDICATION SYSTEM, AN END USER DEVICE, A TOLL-FREE DATA NOTIFICATION SERVER, AND METHODS THEREIN, FOR HANDLING A
CONTENT FROM A CONTENT OWNER.
TECHNICAL FIELD
Embodiments herein relate to a toll-free data indication system, and a method therein. Embodiments herein further relate to an end user device, a method therein, and a computer program and a computer program product for a web browser in the end user device. Embodiments herein further relate to, a toll-free data notification server, a method therein, and a computer program and a computer program product for the toll-free data notification server. In particular, they relate to handling a content from a content owner.
BACKGROUND
End user devices are also known as e.g. communication devices, User Equipments (UE), mobile terminals, wireless devices, wireless terminals and/or mobile stations. End user devices may be enabled to communicate wirelessly in a cellular communication network or wireless communication system, sometimes also referred to as a cellular radio system or cellular networks. The communication may be performed e.g. between two end user devices, between an end user device and a regular telephone and/or between end user devices and a server via a Radio Access Network (RAN) and possibly one or more core networks, comprised in the cellular communications network.
End user devices may further be referred to as mobile telephones, cellular telephones, computers, or tablets with wireless capability, just to mention some further examples. The end user devices in the present context may be, for example, portable, pocket-storable, hand-held, computer-comprised, or vehicle-mounted mobile devices, enabled to communicate voice and/or data, via the RAN, with another entity, such as another end user device or a server.
End user devices may further comprise a web browser that is used to locate, retrieve and display content from the World Wde Web (WWW) including web pages, images, video and other files.
The cellular communications network covers a geographical area which is divided into cell areas, wherein each cell area is served by a base station, e.g. a Radio Base Station (RBS), which sometimes may be referred to as e.g. "eNB", "eNodeB", "NodeB", "B node", or BTS (Base Transceiver Station), depending on the technology and terminology used. The base stations may be of different classes such as e.g. macro eNodeB, home eNodeB or pico base station, based on transmission power and thereby also cell size. A cell is the geographical area where radio coverage is provided by the base station at a base station site. One base station, situated on the base station site, may serve one or several cells. The cells often overlap each other. Further, each base station may support one or several communication technologies. The base stations communicate over the air interface, also referred to as the cellular interface, operating on radio frequencies with the (wireless) end user devices within range of the base stations.
In 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), base stations, which may be referred to as eNodeBs or even eNBs, may be directly connected to one or more core networks.
3GPP LTE radio access standard has been written in order to support high bitrates and low latency both for uplink and downlink traffic. All data transmission is in LTE controlled by the radio base station.
A Multi Service Proxy (MSP) is an intermediate network processor, deployed on a Gi interface. The Gi interface is located above a mobile core network Packet Gateway (PGW). MSP performs functions such as traffic inspection, traffic optimization, access control for mobile data traffic. MSP as of two years back acts as an enabler for a toll-free data/sponsored data function. This function enables a business model that allows an internet content owner to pay for an end user's data traffic, i.e. data traffic for an end user device.
This feature is highly dependent on the (MSP), acting as an enabler for toll-free data. MSP is responsible in this solution to in a secure way receive instructions from a content owner on which internet resources that the content owner is willing to pay for. The toll-free data enabler thereafter produces charging data used by the carrier to charge the content owner.
This solution works well for unencrypted data traffic, but is less suitable for if the data traffic is encrypted. SUMMARY
It is therefore an object of embodiments herein to improve the handling of toll-free data in a wireless communications system.
According to a first aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed by a toll-free data indication system. The toll-free data indication system comprises an end user device, a content owner, and a toll-free data enabler network processor.
The toll-free data enabler network processor stores subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device, received from the content owner.
The end user device sends to the content owner, a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL.
The content owner sends, the requested content to the end user device, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor.
The end user device collects one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content.
The end user device sends a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor, which request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content.
The toll-free data enabler network processor determines if the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device,
The toll-free data enabler network processor sends to the end user device a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs. According to a second aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed by an end user device comprised in a toll-free data indication system. The toll-free data indication system further comprises a content owner, and a toll-free data notification server.
The end user device sends to the content owner, a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL. The end user device receives from the content owner, the requested content, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server.
The end user device collects one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
The end user device sends a request to the toll-free data notification server by using the link of the toll-free data notification server, which request comprises the collected one or more URLs.
The end user device receives a notification message indicating whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
According to a third aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed by a toll-free data notification server comprised in a toll-free data indication system. The toll-free data indication system further comprises a content owner and an end user device.
The toll-free data notification server receives from the end user device, a request comprising one or more Uniform Resource Locators, URLs, collected by the end user device from a content received from the content owner.
The toll-free data notification server determines if the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device.
The toll-free data notification server sends to the end user device a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
According to a fourth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a toll- free data indication system. The toll-free data indication system is arranged to comprise an end user device, a content owner, and a toll-free data enabler network processor.
The toll-free data enabler network processor is configured to store subscriber toll- free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device, received from the content owner.
The end user device is configured to send to the content owner, a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL. The content owner is configured to send the requested content to the end user device, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor.
The end user device is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content.
The end user device is further configured to send a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor, which request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content.
The toll-free data enabler network processor is further configured to determine if the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device.
The toll-free data enabler network processor is further configured to send by to the end user device a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
According to a fifth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed by an end user device arranged to be comprised in a toll-free data indication system, which toll-free data indication system further is arranged to comprise a content owner, and a toll-free data notification server, and wherein the end user device 120 is configured to:
Send to the content owner, a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL.
Receive from the content owner, the requested content, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server.
Collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content.
Send a request to the toll-free data notification server by using the link of the toll- free data notification server, which request comprises the collected one or more URLs.
Receive a notification message indicating whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs. According to a sixth aspect of embodiments herein, the object is achieved by a method performed by a toll-free data notification server arranged to be comprised in a toll- free data indication system, which toll-free data indication system further arranged to comprise a content owner and an end user device, wherein the toll-free data notification server is configured to:
Receive from the end user device, a request comprising one or more Uniform Resource Locators, URLs, collected by the end user device from a content received from the content owner.
Determining if the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device.
Send to the end user device a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner or the subscriber of the end user device will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
Embodiments provides the following advantages:
A digitally signed toll-free data notification message is provided to the end user device that can be used to inform the user of the end user device about getting toll-free data access to a content. The mechanism is independent on if the toll-free data traffic is carried over Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Examples of embodiments herein are described in more detail with reference to attached drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments herein.
FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram depicting embodiments of a method in a toll-free data indication system.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in an end user device
FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting embodiments of a method in a toll-free data notification server.
FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram depicting embodiments of a method in a toll-free data indication system. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating embodiments of a sequence of actions performed by a web browser.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating embodiments of a sequence of actions performed by a toll-free data notification server.
FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of an end user device.
FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram illustrating embodiments of a toll-free data notification server.
FIG. 10 shows a web browser in an end user device or a toll free enabler or a subscriber toll-free data repository or a toll-free data notification server or a content owner according to the embodiments herein.
FIG. 1 1 further shows a web browser in an end user device or a toll-free data enabler or a content owner according to the embodiments herein.
FIG. 12 shows a subscriber toll-free data repository or a toll-free data notification server according to the embodiments herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As part of developing embodiments herein, a problem will first be identified and shortly discussed.
As mentioned above, the prior art solution is not suitable if the data traffic is encrypted, and the problem is how to notify the end user of an end user device about the toll-free data service. This toll-free data notification needs to be provided by a toll-free data enabler and cannot be provided by a content owner as the toll-free data enabler is the only entity having this information, i.e. which data of the content owner that is sponsored by the content owner and therefore is toll-free data for the end user device to download. The toll-free data notification furthermore must be possible to trust, to prevent spoofing or any other malicious event. The technical problem is trivial to solve for non- encrypted traffic, since HTTP traffic can be inspected and modified by intermediaries, but not trivial for encrypted traffic.
The present embodiments provide a mechanism that enables a web browser or application to present to the end user a toll-free data indicator that is agnostic to if the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) traffic is encrypted or not. Data traffic that is not encrypted sends HTTP requests and responses in clear text. This makes it possible for intermediate network processors to inspect and also modify the contents of these requests and responses. Encrypted HTTP traffic on the other hand, first establishes a secure communication channel using Transport Layer Security (TLS) over which the HTTP requests and responses are sent. This prevents inspection and modification of HTTP requests and responses. This mechanism also ensures that the web browser and/or web application can rely on the data. Although the embodiments herein address mainly encrypted traffic, the same mechanism may also be applied to non-encrypted traffic. FIG. 1 shows the components of the toll-free data indication system 100 in which embodiments herein may be implemented.
The toll-free data indication system 100 comprises an end user device 120. The end user device 120 may e.g. be referred to as a user equipment, a mobile wireless terminal, a mobile phone, a computer, a tablet computer, with wireless capabilities, or any other units capable to communicate with a communication network.
The toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
The toll-free data enabler network processor 130 itself may comprise three entities, a toll-free data enabler 131 , a subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and toll-free data notification server 133. The toll-free data enabler network processor 130 on one end, is connected to a mobile network 135 comprising a mobile core network and a cellular network. The toll-free data enabler network processor 130, on the other end, is connected to the internet 137.
The toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a content owner 140. The content owner 140 resides in the internet 137 and provides data content to end user devices, such as the end user device 120, over the internet 137.
The toll-free data enabler 131 is a network processor that handles mobile data traffic between the mobile network and the internet 137. In some example scenarios, it receives from the content owner 140, individual subscriber rules, i.e. subscriber toll-free data rules relating to different subscribers of end user devices such as the end user device 120. The subscriber toll-free data rules are stored in the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 for later usage.
The toll-free data enabler 131 may also be responsible for producing call detail records that is used to debit, i.e. charge either the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120.
The subscriber toll-free data repository 132 is a repository that is used to store the subscriber toll-free data rules for later usage, such as the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120. It may be a database but the subscriber toll-free data rules may also be stored in a Random Access Memory (RAM).
The toll-free data notification server 133 is responsible for receiving requests made from an end user device such as the end user device 120, and subsequently report toll-free data status. This function enables that an application in the end user device 120 can display an icon or image in the end user device 120 so that the subscriber of the end user device 120 knows if the currently consumed data is paid by the content owner or shall be paid by the subscriber of the end user device 120.
The end user device 120 is connected by the mobile network 135 comprising the core and cellular network, to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. The role of the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is to inspect the traffic and read subscriber toll-free data rules related to subscribers such as the subscriber of the end user device 120. The content owner 140 embeds a toll-free data notification URL into a response to the end user device 120. Thus the mobile data traffic traverses through the toll-free data enabler 131 to and from the content-owner 140.
The actions performed by the end user device 120, as described in the following, may be performed e.g. by means of a web browser in the end user device 120. The toll-free data indication mechanism according to some embodiments herein may comprise the following:
- The end user device 120 requests a content such as a web content from the content owner 140 on the internet 137. The mobile data traffic comprising the request traverses through the toll-free data enabler 131 to the content-owner 140. - The content owner embeds a link, i.e. an Uniform Resource Locator (URL) pointing to the toll-free data enabler. The terms link and URL are used interchangeable herein.
- The end user device 120 downloads the content such as the web content from the content owner 140 and collects URLs related to the components of the downloaded i.e. received content.
- The end user device 120 detects the presence of the embedded link and initiates a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 by means of the embedded link. The request comprises the collected URLs to the recently downloaded web content from the content owner 140.
- The toll-free data notification server 133 controls each of the URLs in the requests and indicates for each URL if the content owner 140 or the end user will be debited, i.e. charged for the content.
Example embodiments of a method performed by a toll-free data indication system 100, will now be described with reference to a sequence diagram depicted in FIG. 2. As mentioned above, the toll-free data indication system 100 comprises an end user device 120, a content owner 140, and a toll-free data enabler network processor 130. In some embodiments the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 comprises a toll-free data enabler 131 , and a toll-free data notification server 133. In some embodiments the toll- free data enabler network processor 130 further comprises a toll-free data enabler 131 and a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
The method comprises the following actions, which actions may be taken in any suitable order.
Action 201
Subscriber toll-free data rules of the subscriber of the end user device 120 have previously been sent by the content owner 140. They have been received by the toll-free data enabler 131 comprised in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 and subsequently stored in the toll-free data subscriber toll-free data repository 132 comprised in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. The subscriber toll-free data rules comprise one or more URLs, optionally with wildcards that will be used later on to match requested URLs with. The requested URLs relate to content or components of content provided by the content owner 140. The subscriber toll-free data rules specify URLs related to content which is provided toll free, i.e. free of charge to the end user device 120 by the content owner 140. Thus the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 stores subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device 120, received from the content owner 140.
In some embodiments, the storing of subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120, is performed by the toll-free data enabler 131 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
Action 202
In an example scenario, the end user device 120 sends a request for a content, i.e. issues a request to retrieve web content from the content owner 140, as specified in a requested URL in the request. The request may also be referred to as mobile data traffic. The request traverses the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. The request represented by the mobile data traffic is forwarded by the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 to the content owner 140 addressed by the URL in the request.
Therefore, the end user device 120 sends to the content owner 140, a request for the content, which content relates to an URL. The request may e.g. be done by using, for instance but not restricted to, a web browser application in the end user device 120. The requested URL may for instance reference, i.e. relate to a location of a movie or another resource that a content owner is willing to pay for on behalf of the subscriber of an end- user device 120 and leave out the rest of the sentence. A GET message according to the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, (HTTP) protocol may be used to retrieve resources from a content owner 140. Action 203
In the example scenario, the content owner 140 adds a link such as e.g. a toll-free data notification URL, and returns the requested content to the end user device 120 via the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. Consequently the requested content is downloaded in the end user device 120. The toll-free data notification URL is an address to the toll-free data notification server 133. The toll-free data notification URL will be used by the end user device 120 to send a request to find out whether the requested content is free of charge or not.
Thus the content owner 140 sends the requested content to the end user device 120. The content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. In some embodiments, the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is represented by a link to the toll-free data notification server 133 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
An advantage is that the received content may be carried over any one out of a 5 Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS), and HTTP.
Action 204
In the example scenario, the end user device 120 detects the presence of a toll-free data notification URL, i.e. the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. The 10 end user device collects all URLs that the downloaded web content comprises, which means URLs to the respective component of the downloaded content. These URLs will be used by the end user device 120 to request whether content from the different collected URLs are toll-free data or not.
Therefore the end user device 120 collects one or more URLs. The one or more 15 URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content.
Action 205
The end user device 120 sends a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. The
20 request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content. The request is a request for a toll-free data notification regarding the collected URLs. The URLs may e.g. be listed in a payload of an HTTP request. A POST message according to the HTTP or HTTPS protocol may be used for this action. In some embodiments, the request is sent to the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor
25 130, by using the link to the toll-free data notification server 133.
Action 206
In the example scenario, the toll-free data notification server 133 shares the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 with the toll-free data enabler 131. The toll-free 30 data notification server 133 identifies the end user device 120 and retrieves the
subscribers toll-free data rules of the identified end user device 120 from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
In some embodiment, the toll-free data notification server 133 has identified the requesting subscriber of the end user device 120. The toll-free data notification server 133 35 receives from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120 based on the identified subscriber of the end user device 120. The subscriber toll-free data rules may be received as a response to a request sent by the toll-free data notification server 133 to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
Action 207
In the example scenario, the subscriber toll-free data rules are returned from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132. As mentioned above, the subscriber toll-free data rules specifies URLs related to content which is provided toll-free, i.e. free of charge to the end user device 120 by the content owner 140. Each of the collected URLs provided in the request by the end user device 120 is verified towards the toll-free data rules of the subscriber of the end user device 120 to establish whether the subscriber of the end user device 120 or the content owner 140 shall be charged for the content of the respective URL.
In other words, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 determines if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content. This is performed by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120. The subscriber toll-free data rules comprises one or more URL's, optionally with wildcards that may be used to match request URLs with.
In some embodiments, the determining if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, is performed by the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
Action 208
In the example scenario, a response is created by the toll-free data notification server 133 that includes for each collected URL in the request from the end user device 120, information on if the content owner 140 or the end user, i.e. the subscriber of the end user device is to be debited, i.e. charged. The response is sent to the end user device 120. The end user device 120 interprets the response and renders the result to the end user device 120. The result may e.g. be displayed on a display of the end user device 120 The exact way that the toll-free data information is rendered to the end user device 120 may vary. It may for instance be an image comprising the text "toll-free data" that is displayed e.g. in red if the end user of the end user device 120, is to pay for the content or e.g. green if the downloaded web content owner pays for the downloaded content.
Thus the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 sends to the end user device 120 a notification message. Based on the determining, the notification message indicates the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs. The HTTP or HTTPS protocol may be used for this action.
In some embodiments, sending to the end user device 120 a notification message is performed by the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
The notification message may be digitally signed. The advantage with this is that the end user device 120 knows that the contents of the notification message can be trusted.
Action 209
In the example scenario, the toll-free data enabler 131 identifies the end user device
120 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 and the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120 are requested from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132. User device identification in cellular networks may be performed by inspecting previously received Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) information sent by a Packet Gateway (PGW). RADIUS is a networking protocol that provides centralized Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) management for users who connect and use a network service. The RADIUS information maps an Internet protocol (IP) address of the end user device 120 with a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Service Digital Network Number (MSISDN) phone number. An MSISDN is a number uniquely identifying a subscription in a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile network, i.e. it is the telephone number to the SIM card in a mobile/cellular phone such as the end user device 120. The end user device 120 is thereby identified by using the MSISDN.
As mentioned above, the subscriber toll-free data rules has previously been received by the toll-free data enabler 131 by the content owner 140 and subsequently stored in in the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 by the toll-free data enabler 131. The rules comprises the one or more URL's, optionally with wildcards that is used to match the requested URLs with.
In some embodiments, the requested content sent by the content owner 140 to the end user device 120 is received by the toll-free data enabler 131 to be forwarded to the end user device 120. In these embodiments, the toll-free data enabler 131 may collect one or more URLs. The one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the content to receive if selected. Action 210
In the example scenario, the toll-free data enabler 131 compares the collected one or more URLs with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules and decides if the content owner 140 or the end user such as the subscriber of the end user device 120, shall be debited for the data, i.e. the content. Charging data is produced accordingly. The requested content is returned to the end user device 120. The latter is performed in Action 203.
Therefore in some embodiments, the toll-free data enabler 131 determines if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with subscriber toll-free data rules for a subscriber of the end user device 120.
Action 211
In some embodiments the toll-free data enabler 131 charges the content owner 140 and/or the subscriber of the end user device 120 for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content according to the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs. For this action, 3GPP on or offline charging protocols, such as Gy which is an on-line charging interface between a Gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) and an Online Charging System (OCS), Service Charging Application Protocol (SCAP), Secure File Transfer Protocol or GPRS Tunnelling Protocol Extension (GTP) may be used. GPRS means General Packet Radio Service.
Embodiments of the method described above will now be described in a general way, first from the perspective of the end user device 120 and then from the perspective of the toll-free data notification server 133. Example embodiments of a method performed by an end user device 120 comprised in a toll-free data indication system 100, will now be described with reference to a flowchart depicted in FIG. 3. As mentioned above the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a content owner 140, and a toll-free data notification server 133.
The method comprises the following actions, which actions may be taken in any suitable order.
Action 301
The end user device 120 sends to the content owner 140, a request for a content. The content relates to an URL.
Action 302
The end user device 120 receives from the content owner 140, the requested content. The content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server 133.
In some embodiments, the received content is carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
Action 303
The end user device 120 collects one or more URLs. The one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
Action 304
The end user device 120 sends a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 by using the link of the toll-free data notification server 133. The request comprises the collected one or more URLs.
Action 305
The end user device 120 receives a notification message indicating whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs. The end user of the end user device 120 now may see what he/she will be charged for and what the content owner pays for.
The notification message may be digitally signed. This is so that the end user device knows that the contents of the notification message can be trusted. The end user device 120 may comprise a computer program for a web browser in the end user device 120. The computer program comprises a computer program code which, when executed, causes the web browser to perform the method actions 301-305. A computer program product for a web browser in an end user device 120 may be provided. The computer program product comprises a computer program for the web browser and a computer readable means on which the computer program for the web browser is stored. Example embodiments of a method performed by a toll-free data notification server
133 comprised in a toll-free data indication system 100, will now be described with reference to a flowchart depicted in FIG. 4. As mentioned above the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a content owner 140 and an end user device 120. In some embodiments the toll-free data indication system 100 further comprises a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
The method comprises the following actions, which actions may be taken in any suitable order. Dashed lines of one box in Figure 4 indicate that this action is not mandatory. Action 401
The toll-free data notification server 133 receives from the end user device 120, a request comprising one or more URLs collected by the end user device 120 from a content received from the content owner 140.
The received content may be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
Action 402,
In some embodiments, the toll-free data notification server 133 identifies the subscriber of the requesting end user device 120. Action 403
In some embodiments, the toll-free data notification server 133 sends to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, a request for subscriber toll-free data rules for the identified subscriber of the end user device 120. Action 404
In some embodiments, the toll-free data notification server 133 receives from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the requested subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
Action 405
The toll-free data notification server 133 determines if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content. This is performed by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
Action 406
The toll-free data notification server 133 sends to the end user device 120, a notification message. Based on the determining in Action 405, indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
The notification message is digitally signed. A purpose of this is that the end user device 130 knows that the contents of the notification message can be trusted.
A computer program for the toll-free data notification server 133 may comprise a computer program code which, when executed, causes the toll-free data notification server 133 to perform the method actions 401-406.
A computer program product for the toll-free data notification server 133 may comprise the computer program for the toll-free data notification server 133 and a computer readable means on which the computer program for the a toll-free data notification server 133 is stored.
Embodiments herein will now be further described and explained. The text below is applicable to, and may be combined with any suitable embodiment described above. FIG. 5 illustrates sequence of actions performed according to one embodiment in order to obtain a toll-free data indication.
Action 501. The end user device 120 issues a request to retrieve a content such as a web content from a content owner as specified in the requested URL. The request being referred to as Mobile Data Traffic in FIG. 5, traverses the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
A request may be done by using for instance but not restricted to the web browser application in the end-user device 120. The requested URL may for instance reference the location of a movie or another resource that the user can consume free of charge.
Action 502. The toll-free data enabler 131 identifies the end user device 120 or the subscriber of the end user device 120. The subscribers individual toll-free data rules are then requested from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
User identification is in cellular networks performed by inspecting previously received RADIUS information sent by a PGW. As mentioned above, the RADIUS information maps the IP address of the end user device 120 with a MSISDN phone number. The end user device 120 is thereby identified by using the MSISDN.
The subscriber toll-free data rules have previously been received by the toll-free data enabler 131 from the content owner 140 and have subsequently been stored in the toll-free data enabler 131 or in the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
The subscriber toll-free data rules comprises one or more URL's, optionally with wildcards that is used to match request URLs with. Action 503. The rules are returned from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 to the toll-free data enabler 131.
Action 504. The mobile data traffic, i.e. the request for the content, is forwarded to the content owner 140 addressed by the URL in action 501.
Action 505. The content owner 140 adds a toll-free data notification URL, also referred to as the link to the toll-free data notification server 133 and returns the requested content to the end user device 120 via the toll-free data enabler 131. The toll-free data notification URL is the address to the toll-free data notification server 133. Action 506. The toll-free data enabler 131 compares the request URL with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules and decides if the content owner 140 or the end user such as the subscriber of the end user device 120 shall be debited for the data. Charging data is produced accordingly and the requested content such as the web content is returned to the end user device 120.
Action 507. The end user device 120 detects the presence of a toll-free data notification URL in the received content. The end user device 120 collects all URLs that the downloaded web content consists of, i.e. comprises. The URLs may be listed in a payload of a HTTP request and the request is sent to the toll-free data notification server 133.
Action 508. The toll-free data notification server 133 shares the subscriber toll- free data repository 132 with the toll-free data enabler 131. The toll-free data notification server 133 identifies the end user device 120 and retrieves the subscriber toll-free data rules of the end user device 120 from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
Action 509. The subscriber toll-free data rules of the end user device 120 are returned to the toll-free data notification server 133 and each of the collected URLs provided by the end user device 120 in action 507 is verified towards the subscriber toll- free data rules of the end user device 120. A response is created by the toll-free data notification server 133 that includes for each URL collected by the end user device 120 in action 507, information on if the content owner 140 or the end user such as the subscriber of the end user device 120 is to be debited for the requested content such as the web content being returned to the end user device 120 in action 506.
Action 510. The response comprising the information on if the content owner 140 or the end user is to be debited for the content being returned to the end user device 120 in action 506, is sent to the end user device 120. The end user device 120 interprets the response and renders the result to the end user device 120.
The exact way that the toll-free data information is rendered to the end user device may vary. It may for instance be an image containing the text "toll-free data" that is displayed in red if the end user is to pay for the content or green if the downloaded web content owner pays for the downloaded web content. FIG. 6 illustrates sequence of actions performed by the end user device 120, according to one embodiment in order to obtain a toll-free data indication. Action 601. The end user device 120 receives the requested web content.
Action 602. The end user device 120 checks the HTTP response containing the requested web content for a toll-free data notification URL.
Action 603. If the toll-free data notification URL is not present, the content is rendered to the end user device and the flow ends.
Action 604. If the toll-free data notification URL is present in the response, the end user device 120 analyses the content received in action 601 and collects the URL of each component of the received content. A request is sent to the toll-free data notification server 133 using the toll-free data notification URL. The content is rendered to the end user device 120.
Action 605. The end user device 120 waits for a response from the toll-free data notification server 133.
Action 606. When the response is received from the toll-free data notification server 133, the response is used to render the toll-free data notification to the end user device 120.
FIG. 7 illustrates a chain of events and decisions in the toll-free data notification server 133, according to one embodiment.
Action 701. A request containing a list of URL is received in the toll-free data notification server 133.
Action 702. The toll-free data notification server 133 identifies the end user device 120 performing the request.
Action 703. If the end user device 120 cannot be identified, no individual subscriber/end user toll-free data rules can be retrieved. An error is returned to the end user device 120.
Action 704. The individual subscriber toll-free data rules are read from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 holding these.
Action 705. The toll-free data notification server 133 waits for the subscriber toll-free data rules.
Action 706. The URL list received in 701 is matched with the subscriber toll-free data rules. Action 707. A response is created containing a similar list of URLs as in 701 but with additional information on if the subscriber of the end user device 120 or the content owner 140 is to be debited for each of the URLs.
To perform the method actions described above in relation to FIG 2, 3, 5 and 6, the end user device 120 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in FIG 8. As mentioned the end user device 120 is arranged to be comprised in the toll-free data indication system 100. The toll-free data indication system 100 further is arranged to comprise the content owner 140, and the toll-free data notification server 133.
The end user device 120 is configured to, e.g. by means of a sending module 810 or a transmitter configured to, send to the content owner 140 a request for a content, which content relates to an URL.
The end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of a receiving module 820 or a receiver configured to, receive from the content owner 140 the requested content. The content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server 133.
In some embodiments, the received content is arranged to be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
The end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of a collecting module 830 or a processor configured to, collect one or more URLs. The one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
The end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of the sending module 810 or the transmitter configured to, send a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 by using the link of the toll-free data notification server 133. The request comprises the collected one or more URLs.
The end user device 120 is further configured to, e.g. by means of the receiving module 820 or the receiver configured to, receive a notification message indicating whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
The notification message may be digitally signed i.e. may be arranged to be digitally signed.
The embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 840 in the end user device 120 depicted in FIG. 8, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the end user device 120. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the end user device 120.
The end user device 120 may further comprise a memory 850 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 850 comprises instructions executable by the processor 840.
The memory 850 is arranged to be used to store e.g. data, configurations, and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed in the end user device 120.
Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the modules in the end user device 120, described above may refer to a combination of analog and digital circuits, and/or one or more processors configured with software and/or firmware, e.g. stored in the memory 850, that when executed by the one or more processors such as the processor 840 as described above. One or more of these processors, as well as the other digital hardware, may be included in a single Application-Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASIC), or several processors and various digital hardware may be distributed among several separate components, whether individually packaged or assembled into a system-on-a-chip (SoC).
To perform the method actions described above in relation to FIG. 2, 4, 5 and 7, the toll-free data notification server 133 may comprise the following arrangement depicted in FIG. 9. As mentioned above the toll-free data notification server 133 is arranged to be comprised in a toll-free data indication system 100. The toll-free data indication system 100 is further arranged to comprise the content owner 140 and the end user device 120. In some embodiments, the toll-free data indication system 100 further is arranged to comprise a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
5
The toll-free data notification server 133 is configured to e.g. by means of a receiving module 910 or a receiver configured to, receive from the end user device 120 a request comprising one or more URLs collected by the end user device 120 from a content received from the content owner 140.
10 The received content may be arranged to be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
The toll-free data notification server 133 is further configured to e.g. by means of a determining module 920 or a processor configured to, determining if the content owner 15 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content
referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
20 The toll-free data notification server 133 is further configured to e.g. by means of a sending module 930 or a transmitter configured to, send to the end user device 120 a notification message, based on the determining 207 indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more
25 URLs.
The toll-free data notification server 133 may further be configured to e.g. by means of an identifying module 940 or the processor configured to, identify the subscriber of the requesting end user device 120.
30
The toll-free data notification server 133 is further configured to e.g. by means of the sending module 930 or a transmitter configured to, send to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, a request for subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the identified end user device 120.
35 The toll-free data notification server 133 is configured to e.g. by means of the receiving module 910 or the receiver configured to, receive from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the requested subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120. The notification message may be arranged to be digitally signed.
The embodiments herein may be implemented through one or more processors, such as a processor 950 in the toll-free data notification server 133 depicted in FIG. 9, together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the toll-free data notification server 133. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to the toll-free data notification server 133.
The toll-free data notification server 133 may further comprise the memory 960 comprising one or more memory units. The memory 960 comprises instructions executable by the processor 950.
The memory 960 is arranged to be used to store data, configurations, and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed in the toll-free data notification server 133.
To perform the method actions described above in relation to FIG. 2 and 5, the toll- free data indication system 100 may comprise the following arrangement. As mentioned above the toll-free data indication system 100 is arranged to comprise the end user device 120, the content owner 140, and the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. The toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to store subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device 120, received from the content owner 140.
The end user device 120 is configured to send to the content owner 140, a request for a content, which content relates to an URL. The content owner 140 is configured to send the requested content to the end user device 120, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
The received content may be arranged to be carried over any one out of HTTPS and HTTP.
The end user device 120 is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content.
The end user device 120 is further configured to send a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130. The request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content.
The toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is further configured to determine if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120.
The toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is further configured to send by to the end user device 120 a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
The notification message may be digitally signed.
In some embodiments, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is arranged to comprise a toll-free data enabler 131 , and a toll-free data notification server 133.
In these embodiments, the toll-free data enabler 131 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to perform the storing of the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120. Further, in these embodiments, the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is represented by a link to the toll-free data notification server 133 within the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
Further, in these embodiments, the end user device 120 is further configured to 5 send the request to the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, by using the link to the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130.
Further, in these embodiments, the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll- free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to determine if the content owner 10 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the content
referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content.
Yet further, in these embodiments, the toll-free data notification server 133 in the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is configured to send to the end user device 120 the notification message.
15
In some embodiments, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 is further arranged to comprise a subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and toll-free data notification server 133.
Further in these embodiments, the toll-free data notification server 133 has 20 identified the requesting subscriber of the end user device 120.
Yet further in these embodiments, the toll-free data notification server 133 is configured to receive from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the subscriber toll- free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device 120, based on the identified subscriber of the end user device 120.
25
In some embodiments, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130 further is arranged to comprise a toll-free data enabler 131 and a subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
In these embodiments, the requested content to be sent by the content owner 140 30 to the end user device 120 is received by the toll-free data enabler 131 to be forwarded to the end user device 120.
In these embodiments, the toll-free data enabler 131 is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the received content one more URLs from each respective component of the received 35 content. Further in these embodiments, the toll-free data enabler 131 is configured to determine if the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 shall be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with subscriber toll-free data rules for a subscriber of the end user device 120.
Yet further in these embodiments, the toll-free data enabler 131 further is configured to charge the content owner 140 and/or the subscriber of the end user device 120 for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content according to the determined outcome whether the content owner 140 or the subscriber of the end user device 120 will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
The embodiments herein, may be implemented through one or more processors, in each one out of: the end user device 120, the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133, such as the processor 840 in the end-user device 120, the processor 950 and the processor depicted in FIG. 10 and FIG 11 , together with computer program code for performing the functions and actions of the embodiments herein. The program code mentioned above may also be provided as a computer program product, for instance in the form of a data carrier carrying computer program code for performing the embodiments herein when being loaded into the master node 110. One such carrier may be in the form of a CD ROM disc. It is however feasible with other data carriers such as a memory stick. The computer program code may furthermore be provided as pure program code on a server and downloaded to any one out of: the end user device 120, the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133.
The one out of: the end user device 120, the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133 may each further comprise a memory comprising one or more memory units, such as the memory 850 in the end-user device 120, the memory 960 and the memories depicted in FIG. 10 and FIG 11. The memories may each comprise instructions executable by the respective associated processor. The memories are arranged to be used to store e.g. data, configurations, and applications to perform the methods herein when being executed in any one out of: the end user device 120, the content owner 140, the toll-free data enabler network processor 130, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 and the toll- 5 free data notification server 133.
FIG: 10 depicts example of any one out of the web browser in the end user device 120, the toll-free data enabler 131 , the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the toll-free data notification server 133 and the content owner 140.
10
FIG: 1 1 depicts example of any one out of the web browser in the end user device
120, the toll-free data enabler 131 and the content owner 140.
FIG: 12 depicts example of any one out of the subscriber toll-free data repository 15 132 and the toll-free data notification server 133.
The following text refers to further embodiments herein. These embodiments are applicable to, and may be combined with any suitable embodiment described above.
20 An aspect of the embodiments defines a method for a web browser in the end user device 120, wherein the web browser provides a toll-free data indication to the end user device 120, the method comprising:
- Sending a request to retrieve web content from a content owner 140.
- Receiving the requested web content.
25 - Checking the response for a toll-free data notification URL.
- Analyzing the received content and collecting the URL of each component of the received content.
- Sending a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 using the toll-free data notification URL.
30 - Using the response to render the toll-free data notification to the end user
device120.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a method for the toll-free data enabler
121 , the method comprising:
35 - Receiving mobile data traffic from the end user device 120. - Sending a request to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 to read the rules for a subscriber.
- Receiving the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
- Forwarding the mobile data traffic to the content owner 140.
- Receiving the requested web content from the content owner 140.
- Comparing the requested URL with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules.
- Deciding if the content owner 140 or the end user of the end user device 120 shall be debited for the data.
- Producing charging data depending on who is debited.
- Returning the requested web content to the end user device 120.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a method for a subscriber toll-free data repository 132, the method comprising:
- Receiving a request from the toll-free data enabler 131 to read the rules for a subscriber.
- Returning the rules to the toll-free data enabler 131.
- Receiving a request from the toll-free data notification server 133 to identify the end user device 120 and retrieve the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
- Returning the rules to the toll-free data notification server 133.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a method for the toll-free data notification server 133, the method comprising:
- Receiving a toll-free data notification request from the end user device 120.
- Sending a toll-free data notification response to the end user device 120.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a method for the content owner 140 that provides a toll-free data service to the end users, the method comprising:
- Receiving mobile data traffic from the toll-free data enabler 131.
- Adding a toll-free data notification URL.
- Returning the requested content.
An aspect of the embodiments defines a web browser in the end user device 120 such as a mobile phone, wherein the web browser provides a toll-free data indication to the end user device, the web browser comprising processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the web browser to:
- Send a request to retrieve web content from the content owner 140.
- Receive the requested web content.
- Check the response for a toll-free data notification URL.
- Analyze the received content and collect the URL of each component of the received content.
- Sending a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 using the toll-free data notification URL.
- Use the response to render the toll-free data notification to the end user device 120
The web browser may also comprise a receiver configured to receive web content, a processor that checks the response for a toll-free data notification URL, analyzes the received content and collects URL of each component of the received content and renders the toll-free data notification to the end user device, and a transmitter to send requests for retrieving web content and to toll-free data notification server.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines the toll-free data enabler 131 comprising a processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the toll-free data enabler to:
- Receive mobile data traffic from the end user device 120.
- Send a request to the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 to read the rules for a subscriber.
- Receive the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
- Forward the mobile data traffic to the content owner 140.
- Receive the requested web content from the content owner 140.
- Compare the requested URL with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules.
- Decide if the content owner 140 or the end user device 120 shall be debited for the data.
- Produce charging data depending on who is debited.
- Return the requested web content to the end user device 120.
The toll-free data enabler 131 may also comprise a receiver configured to receive mobile data traffic from the end user device, the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository and the requested web content from the content owner, a processor configured to compare the requested URL with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules, decide if the content owner or the end user shall be debited for the data and produce charging data depending on who is debited, and a transmitter configured to send a request to the subscriber toll-free data repository to read the rules for a subscriber, forward the mobile data traffic to the content owner and return the requested web content to the end user.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines the subscriber toll-free data repository 132 comprising a processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the subscriber toll-free data repository to:
- Receive a request from the toll-free data enabler 131 to read the rules for a subscriber.
- Return the rules to the toll-free data enabler 131.
- Receive a request from the toll-free data notification server 133 to identify the end user device 120 and retrieve the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
- Return the rules to the toll-free data notification server 133.
The subscriber toll-free data repository 132 could also comprise a receiver configured to receive a request from the toll-free data enabler to read the rules for a subscriber and a request from the toll-free data notification server 133 to identify the end user device 120 and retrieve the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132, and a transmitter configured to send the rules to the toll-free data enabler and send the rules to the toll-free data notification server 133. Another aspect of the embodiments defines a toll-free data notification server 133 comprising a processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the toll-free data notification server to:
- Receive a toll-free data notification request from the end user device 120.
- Send a toll-free data notification response to the end user device 120.
The toll-free data notification server 133 may also comprise a receiver configured to receive a toll-free data notification request from the end user device 120 and a transmitter configured to send a toll-free data notification response to the end user device 120. Another aspect of the embodiments defines the content owner 140 that provides a toll-free data service to an end user device 120, the content owner comprising processing means and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processing means, causes the content owner to:
- Receive mobile data traffic from the toll-free data enabler 131.
- Add a toll-free data notification URL
- Return the requested content to the end user device 120.
The content owner 140 may also comprise a receiver configured to receive mobile data traffic from the toll-free data enabler 131 , a processor that adds a toll-free data notification URL, and a transmitter to return the requested content.
A further aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for the web browser in the end user device 120 comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the web browser to:
- Send a request to retrieve web content from a content owner 140.
- Receive the requested web content.
- Check the response for a toll-free data notification URL.
- Analyze the received content and collect the URL of each component of the received content.
- Sending a request to the toll-free data notification server 133 using the toll-free data notification URL.
- Use the response to render the toll-free data notification to the end user device
120.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for a toll-free data enabler 131 , the computer program comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the toll-free data enabler to perform the following actions:
- Receive mobile data traffic from the end user device 120.
- Send a request to the subscriber toll-free data repository to read the rules for a subscriber.
- Receive the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
- Forward the mobile data traffic to the content owner 140.
- Receive the requested web content from the content owner 140.
- Compare the requested URL with the subscriber individual toll-free data rules. - Decide if the content owner 140 or the end user device 120 shall be debited for the data.
- Produce charging data depending on who is debited.
- Return the requested web content to the end user device 120.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for the subscriber toll-free data repository 120, the computer program comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the subscriber toll-free data repository to perform the following actions:
- Receive a request from the toll-free data enabler 131 to read the rules for a subscriber.
- Return the rules to the toll-free data enabler 131.
- Receive a request from the toll-free data notification server to identify the end user device 120 and retrieve the rules from the subscriber toll-free data repository 132.
- Return the rules to the toll-free data notification server 133.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for the toll-free data notification server 133, the computer program comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the toll-free data notification server 133 to perform the following actions:
- Receive a toll-free data notification request from the end user device 120.
- Send a toll-free data notification response to the end user device 120.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program for a content owner 140 comprising a computer program code which, when executed, causes the content owner to:
- Receive mobile data traffic from the toll-free data enabler 131.
- Add a toll-free data notification URL.
- Return the requested content to the end user device 120.
A further aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for a web browser in the end user device 120 comprising a computer program for a web browser and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a web browser is stored. Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the toll- free data enabler 131 comprising a computer program for a toll-free data enabler and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a toll-free data enabler is stored.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the subscriber toll-free data repository comprising a computer program for a subscriber toll- free data repository and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a subscriber toll-free data repository is stored.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the toll- free data notification server 133 comprising a computer program for a toll-free data notification server and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a toll-free data notification server is stored.
Another aspect of the embodiments defines a computer program product for the content owner comprising a computer program for a content owner and a computer readable means on which the computer program for a content owner is stored. At least one of the embodiments provides the following advantages:
- A network provides a trustable toll-free data notification message to the web browser in the end user device 120 that can be used to inform the user of the end user device 120 about that he or she actually is getting toll-free data access to web content.
- This mechanism is independent on if the toll-free data traffic is carried over HTTP or HTTPS.
When using the word "comprise" or "comprising" it shall be interpreted as non- limiting, i.e. meaning "consist at least of".
The embodiments herein are not limited to the above described preferred embodiments. Various alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used.
Therefore, the above embodiments should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appending claims.

Claims

A method performed by a toll-free data indication system (100), wherein the toll- free data indication system (100) comprises an end user device (120), a content owner (140), and a toll-free data enabler network processor (130), the method comprising:
storing (201) by the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device (120), received from the content owner (140),
sending (202) by the end user device (120) to the content owner (140), a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL, sending (203) by the content owner (140), the requested content to the end user device (120), which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor (130),
collecting (204) by the end user device (120), one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the content to be received, sending (205) by the end user device (120), a request to the toll-free data enabler network processor (130), using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor (130), which request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content,
determining (207) by the toll-free data enabler network processor (130), if the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120),
sending (208) by the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) to the end user device (120) a notification message, based on the determining (207) indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) comprises a toll-free data enabler (131), and a toll-free data notification server (133), and wherein storing (201) subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120), is performed by the toll-free data enabler (131) within the toll-free data enabler network processor (130),
wherein the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is represented by a link to the toll-free data notification server (133) within the toll- free data enabler network processor (130),
wherein the request is sent to the toll-free data notification server (133) in the toll-free data enabler network processor (130), by using the link to the toll-free data notification server (133),
wherein determining (207) if the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content is performed by the toll-free data notification server (133) in the toll-free data enabler network processor (130), and
wherein sending (208) to the end user device (120) a notification message is performed by the toll-free data notification server (133) in the toll-free data enabler network processor (130).
The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the received content is carried over any one out of: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
The method according to any of the claims 1-3, wherein the notification message is digitally signed.
The method according to any of the claims 1-4, wherein the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) further comprises a toll-free data notification server (133), wherein the toll-free data notification server (133) has identified the requesting subscriber of the end user device (120), the method further comprising: receiving (206) by toll-free data notification server (133) from the subscriber toll-free data repository (132) the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120) based on the identified subscriber of the end user device (120). The method according to any of the claims 1-5, wherein the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) further comprises a toll-free data enabler (131) and a subscriber toll-free data repository (132),
wherein the requested content sent by the content owner (140) to the end user device (120) is received by the toll-free data enabler (131) to be forwarded to the end user device (120), the method further comprising:
collecting (209) by the toll-free data enabler (131), one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the content to receive if selected,
determining (210) by the toll-free data enabler (131) if the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with subscriber toll-free data rules for a subscriber of the end user device (120).
charging (21 1) by the toll-free data enabler (131),_the content owner (140) and/or the subscriber of the end user device (120) for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content according to the determined outcome whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
A method performed by an end user device (120) comprised in a toll-free data indication system (100), which toll-free data indication system (100) further comprises a content owner (140), and a toll-free data notification server (133), the method comprising:
sending (301) to the content owner (140), a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL,
receiving (302) from the content owner (140), the requested content, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server (133),
collecting (303) one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the content to receive if selected,
sending (304) a request to the toll-free data notification server (133) by using the link of the toll-free data notification server (133), which request comprises the collected one or more URLs, and receiving (305) a notification message indicating whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
. The method according to claim 7, wherein the received content is carried over any one out of: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
. The method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the notification message is digitally signed.
0. A computer program for a web browser in an end user device (120), which
computer program comprises a computer program code which, when executed, causes the web browser to perform the method actions according to any of the claims 7-9.
1. A computer program product for a web browser in an end user device (120) comprising a computer program for the web browser and a computer readable means on which the computer program for the web browser is stored.
2. A method performed by a toll-free data notification server (133) comprised in a toll- free data indication system (100), which toll-free data indication system (100) further comprises a content owner (140) and an end user device (120), the method comprising:
receiving (401) from the end user device (120), a request comprising one or more Uniform Resource Locators, URLs, collected by the end user device (120) from a content received from the content owner (140),
determining (405) if the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120), sending (406) to the end user device (120) a notification message, based on the determining (405) indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
13. The method according to claim 12, which toll-free data indication system (100) further comprises a subscriber toll-free data repository (132), the method further comprising:
identifying (402) the subscriber of the requesting end user device (120), sending (403) to the subscriber toll-free data repository (132), a request for subscriber toll-free data rules for the identified subscriber of the end user device
(120),
receiving (404) from the subscriber toll-free data repository (132), the requested subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120).
14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the received content is carried over any one out of: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
15. The method according to any of the claims 12-14, wherein the notification message is digitally signed.
16. A computer program for a toll-free data notification server (133), which computer program comprises a computer program code which, when executed, causes the toll-free data notification server (133) to perform the method actions according to any of the claims 12-15.
17. A computer program product for a toll-free data notification server (133) comprising a computer program for the toll-free data notification server (133) and a computer readable means on which the computer program for the a toll-free data notification server (133) is stored. 18. A toll-free data indication system (100), wherein the toll-free data indication system (100) is arranged to comprise an end user device (120), a content owner (140), and a toll-free data enabler network processor (130), wherein:
the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is configured to store subscriber toll-free data rules of a subscriber of the end user device (120), received from the content owner (140), the end user device (120) is configured to send to the content owner (140), a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL, the content owner (140) is configured to send the requested content to the end user device (120), which content comprises a link to the toll-free data enabler network processor (130),
the end user device (120) is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content,
the end user device (120) is further configured to send a request to the toll- free data enabler network processor (130), using the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor (130), which request comprises the collected one or more URLs of the received content,
the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is further configured to determinejf the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more
URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120), and wherein
the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is further configured to send by to the end user device (120) a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
19. The toll-free data indication system (100) according to claim 18, wherein the toll- free data enabler network processor (130) is arranged to comprise a toll-free data enabler (131), and a toll-free data notification server (133), and
wherein the toll-free data enabler (131) within the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is configured to perform the storing of the subscriber toll- free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120),
wherein the link to the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is represented by a link to the toll-free data notification server (133) within the toll- free data enabler network processor (130),
the end user device (120) is further configured to send the request to the toll- free data notification server (133) in the toll-free data enabler network processor (130), by using the link to the toll-free data notification server (133) in the toll-free data enabler network processor (130),
wherein the toll-free data notification server (133) in the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is configured to determine if the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, and wherein
the toll-free data notification server (133) in the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) is configured to send to the end user device (120) the notification message.
20. The toll-free data indication system (100) according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the received content is arranged to be carried over any one out of: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).
21. The toll-free data indication system (100) according to any of the claims 18-20, wherein the notification message is digitally signed.
22. The toll-free data indication system (100) according to any of the claims 18-21 , wherein the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) further is arranged to comprise a subscriber toll-free data repository (132) and toll-free data notification server (133),
wherein the toll-free data notification server (133) has identified the requesting subscriber of the end user device (120), and wherein
toll-free data notification server (133) is configured to receive from the subscriber toll-free data repository (132), the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120), based on the identified subscriber of the end user device (120).
23. The toll-free data indication system (100) according to any of the claims 18-22, wherein the toll-free data enabler network processor (130) further is arranged to comprise a toll-free data enabler (131) and a subscriber toll-free data repository (132), wherein the requested content to be sent by the content owner (140) to the end user device (120) is received by the toll-free data enabler (131) to be forwarded to the end user device (120),
wherein the toll-free data enabler (131) is configured to collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprises an URL from each component of the content to receive if selected,
wherein the toll-free data enabler (131) is configured to determine if the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) shall be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with subscriber toll-free data rules for a subscriber of the end user device (120).
wherein the toll-free data enabler (131) further is configured to charge the content owner (140) and/or the subscriber of the end user device (120) for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content according to the determined outcome whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
24. An end user device (120) arranged to be comprised in a toll-free data indication system (100), which toll-free data indication system (100) further is arranged to comprise a content owner (140), and a toll-free data notification server (133), and wherein the end user device (120) is configured to:
send to the content owner (140), a request for a content, which content relates to a Uniform Resource Locator, URL,
receive from the content owner (140), the requested content, which content comprises a link to the toll-free data notification server (133),
collect one or more URLs, which one or more URLs comprise an URL from each component of the received content,
send a request to the toll-free data notification server (133) by using the link of the toll-free data notification server (133), which request comprises the collected one or more URLs, and
receive a notification message indicating whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
25. The end user device (120) according to claim 24, wherein the received content is arranged to be carried over any one out of: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). 26. The end user device (120) according to claim 24 or 25 wherein the notification
message is arranged to be digitally signed.
27. A toll-free data notification server (133) arranged to be comprised in a toll-free data indication system (100), which toll-free data indication system (100) further arranged to comprise a content owner (140) and an end user device (120), wherein the toll-free data notification server (133) is configured to:
receive from the end user device (120), a request comprising one or more Uniform Resource Locators, URLs, collected by the end user device (120) from a content received from the content owner (140),
determining if the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs of the received content, by matching the request with the subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120),
send to the end user device (120) a notification message, based on the determining indicating the determined outcome whether the content owner (140) or the subscriber of the end user device (120) will be charged for the received content referenced by the respective collected one or more URLs.
28. The toll-free data notification server (133) according to claim 27, which toll-free data indication system (100) further is arranged to comprise a subscriber toll-free data repository (132), wherein the toll-free data notification server (133) is configured to:
identify the subscriber of the requesting end user device (120),
send to a subscriber toll-free data repository (132), a request for subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the identified end user device (120),
receive from the subscriber toll-free data repository (132), the requested subscriber toll-free data rules for the subscriber of the end user device (120).
29. The toll-free data notification server (133) according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the received content is arranged to be carried over any one out of: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure, HTTPS, and Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, HTTP. 30. The toll-free data notification server (133) according to any of the claims 27-29, wherein the notification message is arranged to be digitally signed.
PCT/SE2015/050435 2014-04-25 2015-04-13 A toll-free data indication system, an end user device, a toll-free data notification server, and methods therein, for handling a content from a content owner WO2015163806A1 (en)

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