FR2827449A1 - Method, for factoring length of time of free access to internet server, involves paying service established and first network/access code communicating second terminal with part access changes reverse factored - Google Patents

Abstract

Connection method establishing a paying service from a first terminal (21) connected to a first network (1) of free transmission access. Transmission (31) is carried out to first terminal requesting pay access (13) to first network central server. Server responds (2) on access code and establishes communication (35) between second terminal (24) and audio sever (6). Part of cost of pay access factor is reversed and paid by service called.

Description

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METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INVOICING THE DURATION OF ACCESS TO A DATA SERVER THROUGH A FREE DIGITAL DATA TRANSMISSION NETWORK.

The present invention relates to a billing method for the duration of access to a data server by a digital data transmission network accessible free of charge, as well as a system implementing this method.

It applies in particular, but not exclusively, to the invoicing of access to websites.

The Internet is a public network connecting computers and computer networks. It was originally designed to be a completely free network. However, some computers connected to the network, called servers, provide paid services such as the dissemination of paid information.

At present, there are several solutions for disseminating paid information.

One solution is to ask people wishing to access paid information to register by providing the server manager with identity information and possibly bank account information. In return, the server manager assigns an access code to the person thus registered, this access code having to be entered to access the paid information. In this way, the server can determine when and especially for how long or what information the registered user has consulted, and therefore charge for access to this information.

This solution has the disadvantage of requiring prior registration which is dissuasive for occasional visitors or those wishing to remain anonymous.

In addition, as the access code circulates on the network, it can be fraudulently recovered by a third party who can then use it to access the paid service at the expense of the holder of the access code.

To overcome this drawback, it has been proposed to distribute access codes corresponding to a certain number of access units. Such access codes are, for example, distributed in the form of cards that users must buy at determined points of sale, the price of the card depending on the number of corresponding units. Each time you access paid information,

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 the user must provide an access code, the number of corresponding units being decremented according to the information consulted or the duration of access.

When the number of units corresponding to the access code is exhausted, the user is no longer authorized to access the paid information.

This solution has the drawback of requiring the establishment of a very dense sales network for distributing access cards to allow users to obtain access cards near the place where they are located. In addition, this solution only gives access to users located in the geographical area covered by the access card sales network, which does not make it possible to exploit the international nature of the Internet network.

In patent application No. FR 99 10867, provision has been made to use an audiotex server with surcharge which is called via a public telephone network. The user who wishes to access paid information receives by download a program which is executed on the user's computer.

This program calls the audiotex server to obtain an amount of credit desired by the user, then gives access to the paid information for this amount of credit. The user is then billed by the telephone network operator who pays the surcharge to the holder of the audiotex server linked to the manager of the paid information server.

This solution has the advantage of requiring no registration on the part of users.

However, this solution is only applicable to users using an analog modem connected to a telephone network to access the Internet.

It therefore does not take into account new fast connection modes such as cable or ADSL (Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line) transmission technology.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by adapting the technique using an audiotex server to the new rapid connection methods to the Internet. This objective is achieved by providing a billing method for the duration of use of a service offered to a customer via a first transmission network accessible free of charge, characterized in that it comprises steps during which: - the client sends a request for access to a paid service using a first terminal connected to the first network,

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p réseau, - le client établit une communication entre un second terminal et le serveur audio par l'intermédiaire du second réseau, par laquelle il transmet le code d'accès reçu, - à la suite de la transmission du code d'accès, une connexion est établie par l'intermédiaire du premier réseau entre le premier terminal et le service payant, - la connexion entre le premier terminal et le service payant est coupée dès que le client interrompt la communication entre le second terminal et le serveur audio, et - le client est facturé par un opérateur du second réseau d'un montant déterminé en fonction de la durée de la communication entre le second terminal et le serveur audio, une partie du montant facturé au client étant reversée au service payant. - the client receives in response by the first network an access code and a call number from an audio server to be called on a second transmission network to which the user has previously subscribed, the audio server being referenced for remuneration based on communications received by the second

p network, - the client establishes a communication between a second terminal and the audio server via the second network, by which it transmits the access code received, - following the transmission of the access code, a connection is established via the first network between the first terminal and the paying service, - the connection between the first terminal and the paying service is cut as soon as the client interrupts the communication between the second terminal and the audio server, and - the client is billed by an operator of the second network for an amount determined according to the duration of the communication between the second terminal and the audio server, part of the amount billed to the client being transferred to the paying service.

According to a feature of the invention, a program is downloaded and executed on the first terminal following the request for access to a paid service, the program managing communications between the first terminal and the first network for the establishment of the connection of the first terminal with the paid service.

Advantageously, the audio server to be called by the client to access the requested paid service is chosen according to the paid service and the geographical location of the client.

According to another feature of the invention, the connection between the first terminal and the paying service is established by a proxy server which is controlled to authorize data exchanges between the first terminal and the paying service following the transmission of the code access by the second terminal, and to prohibit said data exchanges when the communication between the second terminal and the audio server is cut.

Preferably, the first terminal issues the access request and accesses the paid service via navigation software installed on the first

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 terminal, and in that a program executed on the first terminal: - modifies configuration parameters of the navigation software so that, during the establishment of the connection between the first terminal and the paid service, the navigation software accesses the paid service via a proxy server, and - following the termination of said connection, restores said configuration parameters to their original value.

Also preferably, the start and end times of said connection between the first terminal and the paid service are recorded in a log, in association with a reference making it possible to identify the corresponding paid service.

The invention also relates to a system for billing by the duration of use of a service offered to a customer via a first transmission network accessible free of charge, comprising a terminal made available to the customer connected to the first network with which the customer can access a paid service. This system is characterized in that it comprises: - a central server connected to the first network and comprising means for, following a request for access to a paid service accessible by the first network, providing the first terminal with a call number of an audio server and an access code identifying the first terminal, - at least one audio server connected to the central server and to a second transmission network, access to which by the second network is chargeable by duration , - a second terminal made available to the client comprising means for establishing communication with the audio server via the second network, using the call number, and for transmitting the access code to the server audio, and - at least one proxy server connected to the first network and to the paid service, and comprising means for authorizing or not a connection of the first terminal to the paid service via the first network, the audio server comprising means for r transmit to the central server the access code received with a notification of start of communication on receipt of the access code and a notification of end of communication when the communication with the second terminal is cut, and the central server

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 comprising means for controlling the proxy server as a function of the communications start and end notifications received from the audio server.

Advantageously, the first network is the Internet network and the second network is a public telephone network.

According to a feature of the invention, this system comprises a plurality of pay services accessible by the network via a plurality of proxy servers, and a plurality of audio servers, the central server comprising means for determining according to the respective geographic locations of the client and the paid service, the audio server and the proxy server to be used to establish a connection between the first terminal and the paid service.

Preferably, the central server comprises at least two redundant computers.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described below, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows in the form of a block diagram the system according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows in the form of a flowchart the different steps performed by the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 represents a system allowing the implementation of the method according to the invention. This system comprises a public network 1 for transmitting digital data, such as the Internet network, through which a user 10 equipped with a microcomputer 21 seeks to access a service provider 11, commonly called a web server, giving access to one or more paid services 13 and a free home page 12.

The system according to the invention involves another web server called central server 2, as well as an audio server 6 of the audiotex type, and a proxy server 3 associated with a proxy manager 4, these components of the system according to the invention being also connected to network 1.

A proxy server is an intermediary machine between two different networks,

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 typically a local network and the Internet, designed to allow or deny requests for access to one network from the other network. Such a server is used in particular to protect local networks connected to the Internet from unauthorized intrusions coming from the latter.

To access the Internet, the user launches on his microcomputer 21 what is called navigation software, such software being designed to manage communications between the microcomputer and a server accessible via the Internet, display the information transmitted by the server and take into account and issue user commands to the server.

Browsers are generally designed to be able to access the Internet via a proxy server. In this case, it is necessary to configure the browser software by specifying the identification parameters of the proxy server such as its IP address (Internet Protocol, address which identifies a computer connected to the Internet).

To access services or paid information provided by the server 11, the user must use his navigation software to access the home page 12 of the server by specifying his URL address (Universal Resource Locator). The provision of such an address to the navigation software triggers the transmission and display on the screen of the microcomputer 21 of the home page in which the user can, using a mouse for example , designate the paid service to which he wishes to access. This designation triggers the transmission 31 of a command to the server 11, which in response transmits 32 a program 25 to the user. On receipt of this program, it is executed by the microcomputer 21.

The different steps carried out by the program 25 are illustrated in FIG. 2, the communications established between the components of the system being represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 in broken lines, associated with a reference number from 31 to 46.

In step 51, the program reads and stores the proxy parameters of the navigation software, and checks whether another instance of the program is already running, in which case it stops. Otherwise, it requests information from the user, such as country and language. In step 52, the program 25 establishes a communication link with the central server 2 and transmits 33 this information to the latter, with its name and the URL address of the server 11a from which it has been downloaded, this information being unique .

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 On reception 70 of such information, the central server 2 determines 71 the parameters for connection to the paying site, and in particular the IP address (Internet Protocol) used by the navigation software to connect to the Internet network 1. From the information received and the user's IP address, the central server 2 accesses databases 20 to determine: - the surcharged telephone number of an audio server 6 that the user must call, depending on the country of origin indicated by the user, - the IP address of the proxy server 3 to be used by the user's navigation software to access the paid service, this address depending on the country in which the user is located, and possibly the load already allocated to the various proxy servers used in this country, - an access code to be communicated to the user, which must be unique at any given time for the selected audio server 6, and - the URL to which the user must be sent to access the requested paid service 13.

The server 2 can also determine the URL address to which the user must be sent when he leaves the paid service.

In step 72, the central server 2 transmits 34 this information to the program 25 with information concerning the price of the call to the audio server 6 and the conditions of access to the paid service, according to the local regulations of the country where is the user. Then, the central server 2 waits 73 for information from the selected audio server 6.

In step 53, the program 25 receives this information, then closes 54 the navigation software on the microcomputer 21. Then, in step 55, the program 25 invites the user to call the audio server 6 selected in displaying on the screen 23 of the user the information necessary to establish the connection with the paying service, namely the surcharged telephone number of the audio server 6 to be called, and the access code to be supplied to the latter .

To access the paid service, the user must have near a

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 fixed or mobile telephone 24 connected to a public and paying telephone network 5, of cable or cellular type, for calling the audio server 6. When the user dials the received premium telephone number, the audio server 6 which is a voice server, invites him to enter an access code using the telephone keypad 24.

The user must then enter 35 in this way the access code he has received and leave the telephone 24 off the hook for the entire time he wishes to access the paid service.

During this time, the audio server 6 which is on hold 81 for a call and an access code, receives the transmitted access code. In step 82, it retransmits it 36 over the network 1 with its telephone number to the central server 2. In the event of a transmission problem between the audio server 6 and the central server 2, this information can be transmitted by electronic mail.

When it receives the access code, the central server 2 finds the corresponding IP address of the user according to the call number of the audio server 6 and updates a log 26 in which it writes a reference to the service chargeable requested 13 correspondent and the user connection start time.

In the following step 75, the central server 2 establishes a connection with the proxy manager 4 via the network 1 to ask it 38 to authorize 39 a link via the proxy server 3 coming from or going to the IP address of the user. The connection between the central server 2 and the proxy manager 4 is maintained until the user has hung up his telephone 24.

In the following step 76, the central server 2 notifies the program 25 of an authorization to access the requested paid service 13, by transmitting to it an IP address of the proxy server to be used for this purpose.

On reception 56 of this authorization, the program 25 modifies 57 the proxy parameters of the navigation software on the microcomputer 21, and activates the navigation software 58 by asking it to connect 41 to the URL address of the paying service 13 determined in step 71, via the proxy server 3. Of course, before modifying the proxy parameters of the navigation software, the program 25 stores the previous parameters in order to be able to restore them at the end of access to the paid service. Before modifying these parameters, the program 25 closes the navigation software if necessary, then relaunches it after modifying the proxy parameters.

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Provision may also be made for the program 25 to permanently store on the microcomputer 21 an indicator making it possible to determine whether the proxy parameters of the navigation software are those configured by the user or those configured by the program 25. In this way, when it starts, the program 25 can determine whether its previous execution ended correctly or not, and therefore whether the user's proxy settings have been restored or not. In the latter case, the program 25 starts by restoring the proxy settings of the user and updates the indicator.

Of course, this indicator is also updated by the program 25 each time that it modifies the proxy parameters of the navigation software.

To complete his access to the paid service, the user hangs up 42 the telephone 24, which is detected 83 by the audio server 6. The audio server 6 then warns 43 the central server 2, by sending 84 for example by e-mail a notification on-hook including the corresponding access code of the user and the telephone number of the audio server.

Upon receipt 77 of such a hang-up notification, the central server 2 immediately alerts 78 the program 25 by sending it a notification 44, as well as the proxy manager 4 by asking it 45 to immediately stop the traffic from the proxy server 3 with the IP address of the corresponding user. The proxy manager 4 executes this order by appropriately configuring the proxy server 46 The central server can also update its connection log 26 to record the date and time of end of connection of the user in association with the reference to paid service 13.

The connection with the paid service is also interrupted if the user closes the program 25 on his microcomputer 21 or if the latter abruptly stops. In this case, the central server 2 detects the closure of the link established between it and the program 25.

On the other hand, if the user accesses another site without hanging up his telephone 24, he continues to pay for access to the paid service.

On receipt 59 of the hang-up notification, the program 25 restores the proxy parameters of the navigation software 60 and relaunches the software with the URL address to be used at the end of access to the paid service 13.

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During the entire connection of the microcomputer 21 to the paying service, the telephone 24 is off the hook. Consequently, the corresponding amount of the call will be invoiced to the user by the operator in charge of the telephone network 5 used, this amount including a surcharge which is transferred by the operator to the holder of the audio server 6. The latter transfers to all or part of this surcharge to the paying service provider 13.

In this way, a service provided via the Internet 1 can be paid for the duration of connection, without requiring prior registration of users.

It should be noted that the central site 2 can be designed to manage the access to several paying sites 13, since on the one hand it knows the URL address of the paying service requested by the user, and on the other hand, it manages a newspaper with the help of which it can determine the share to be allocated to each paying service provider, of the amount of the surcharges paid back by the operator of the telephone network 5.

Likewise, the central site 2 can be in relation with several audio servers 6, at the rate of at least one per country, using different telephone networks, managed by different operators.

We can predict that the hourly price of connection to a paid site depends on the paid service requested. In this case, it suffices to use several audio servers registered with telecommunications operators with different surcharges, the choice of audio server to be called by the user also being made according to the hourly price of the paid service.

The program 25 is advantageously designed to operate on any type of microcomputer and with any type of browser.

Alternatively, several programs 25 designed for different computers or for different navigation software can be provided, the choice of the program to be downloaded to the user being made according to the type of the user's computer or the navigation software. , this information being transmitted by the latter when it accesses a server connected to the network 1.

Furthermore, provision can be made for the central server 2 to constitute a database relating the IP addresses and the countries of origin of the users. There is in fact no database enabling the geographical distribution of IP addresses to be established.

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 In addition, the central server 2 constituting the key element of the system, it is therefore preferable to provide several redundant servers, so that at least one server is permanently in service.

Claims (10)

1. Method for establishing a connection to a paid service, via a first terminal (21) connected to a first transmission network (1) accessible free of charge, characterized in that it comprises steps consisting in: - transmitting (31) using the first terminal (21) a request for access to the paid service (13) intended for a central server (2) via the first network (1), - receiving (34) in response from the central server (2) on the first terminal an access code and a call number from an audio server (6) to be called on a second transmission network (5) including access is chargeable, the call number of the audio server being surcharged by an operator of the second network, - establishing (35) a communication between a second terminal (24) located near the first terminal and the audio server (6) by l 'intermediary of the second network (5), to transmit the access code received to the audio server, - following the re reception of the access code by the audio server, establishing a connection (41) via the first network (1) between the first terminal (21) and the paying service (13), - interrupting (45) the connection ( 41) between the first terminal (21) and the paying service (13) as soon as the communication between the second terminal (24) and the audio server (6) is interrupted (42), - establish an invoice by the operator of the second network (5) of an amount determined as a function of the duration of the communication between the second terminal (24) and the audio server (6), part of the amount invoiced being transferred to the paying service.  2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a program (25) is downloaded (32) and executed on the first terminal (21) following the request for access (31) to a paid service (11 ), the program (25) managing the communications between the first terminal (21) and the first network (1) for establishing the connection (41) of the first terminal with the paid service (13).  3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises a selection step (71) of the audio server (6) to be called by the client to access the paid service (13) requested, depending on the paid service and geographic location of the first <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  terminal (21).  4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection (41) between the first terminal (21) and the paid service (13) is established by a proxy server (3) which is controlled (75 , 78) to authorize data exchanges between the first terminal and the paying service following the transmission (35) of the access code by the second terminal (24), and to prohibit said data exchanges when the communication enters the second terminal and the audio server (6) is shut down.  5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first terminal (21) transmits the access request and accesses the paid service (13) via navigation software installed on the first terminal, and in that a program (25) executed on the first terminal: - modifies (57) configuration parameters of the navigation software so that, during the establishment of the connection (41) between the first terminal and the paid service (13), the navigation software accesses the paid service via a proxy server (3), and - following the interruption (42) of said connection, restores (60) said parameters of configuration at their original value.  6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the instants of start and end of said connection between the first terminal (21) and the paying service (13) are recorded by a central server (2) connected to the first network in a newspaper (26), in association with a reference making it possible to identify the corresponding paying service.  7. System for billing by the duration of use of a service offered to a customer via a first transmission network (1) accessible free of charge, comprising a terminal (21) made available to the connected customer to the first network (1) with which the client can access a paid service, characterized in that it comprises: - a central server (2) connected to the first network (1) and comprising means for, following a request for access to a paid service accessible by the first network (1), supplying the first terminal with a call number from an audio server and an access code identifying the first terminal, <Desc / Clms Page number 14>  - at least one audio server (6) connected to the central server (2) and to a second transmission network (5), access to which by the second network is chargeable by duration, - a second terminal (24) set to provision of the client comprising means for establishing communication with the audio server (6) via the second network (5), using the call number, and for transmitting the access code to the audio server, and - at least one proxy server (3) connected to the first network (1) and to the paying service (13), and comprising means for authorizing or not a connection (41) of the first terminal (21) to the paying service (13) via the first network (1), the audio server (6) comprising means for transmitting to the central server (2) the access code received with a notification of start of communication on receipt of the access code and a notification of end of communication when the communication with the second terminal (24) is cut, the central server comprising means for controlling the proxy server as a function of the communications start and end notifications received from the audio server (6).  8. System according to claim 7, characterized in that the first network (1) is the Internet network and the second network is a public telephone network.  9. System according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of paid services (13) accessible by the network (1) via a plurality of proxy servers (3), and a plurality audio servers (6), the central server (2) comprising means for determining according to the respective geographic locations of the client and the paid service, the audio server and the proxy server to be used to establish a connection (41) between the first terminal and paid service.  10. System according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the central server (2) comprises at least two redundant computers.