WO2002080053A1 - Method and system for charging for playing a multimedia file - Google Patents
Method and system for charging for playing a multimedia file Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2002080053A1 WO2002080053A1 PCT/EP2002/003338 EP0203338W WO02080053A1 WO 2002080053 A1 WO2002080053 A1 WO 2002080053A1 EP 0203338 W EP0203338 W EP 0203338W WO 02080053 A1 WO02080053 A1 WO 02080053A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- information
- server
- user
- identification code
- computer
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06Q30/00—Commerce
- G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
-
- 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
- H04M15/51—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP for resellers, retailers or service providers
-
- 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
- H04M15/68—Payment of value-added services
-
- 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
- H04M2215/0196—Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
- H04M2215/22—Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
- H04M2215/54—Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
Definitions
- the invention pertains to a method for charging for the use of information by a computer user who receives the information on his computer te ⁇ ninal during a session via a communications network, like the Internet, such method comprising the following steps:
- an information provider offers the information on the computer terminal of a computer user; b) the computer user indicates his wish to use the information and thus becomes the information user; c) the information user receives a telephone number on his computer terminal; d) the information user uses a telephone terminal to establish a connection with the telephone extension associated with the telephone number received in step c); e) the information user receives an identification code; f) the information user enters the received identification code; g) the information provider makes the desired information available to the information user based on reception of the identification code entered by the information user, for such period as payment is made via the telephone call charges.
- the invention further pertains to a system for charging for the use of information by a computer user who receives the information during a session via a communications network, like the Internet, such system comprising: at least one computer terminal of a computer user, configured for establishing contact, via a communications network, like the Internet, with servers connected to the communications network;
- - at least one server of an information provider connected to the communications network and configured for making information available to computer users via their computer terminals;
- - at least one telephone terminal by means of which a connection can be established via a telephone network with a server connected to the communications network.
- Such a method and such a system are known from WO 97/01920.
- the method according to this prior art makes it possible to give a user of a computer system, such as a personal computer (PC), access to information provided by other parties, the information providers, in return for payment by the computer user to the information 0 providers for the use of the information (i.e. viewing or listening to the information).
- the aforementioned computer system of the user is connected for that purpose via a communications network, like the Internet, to other computer systems that include the computer systems of information providers.
- a communications network like the Internet
- the user can, by means of communications media and software associated with his PC, retrieve s information from computer systems of information providers.
- the known method has a number of disadvantages.
- One of the disadvantages o stems from the circumstance that each individual information provider desiring financial compensation in the described way must provide means for assuring payment.
- a second disadvantage of the known method is that it does not provide a solution for the use of infor ⁇ nation of the streaming audio/video type.
- a method according to the invention is further characterized in that it comprises: a substep b 1 , in which the session via the communications network is rerouted to a server of a mediation authority; - a substep b2, during which a record is created in a data file coupled to the server of the mediation authority to save data about the information user and the information he requires, whereby a unique identification code is added to the record; a substep b3, in which the server of the mediation authority sends the telephone number receivable in step c) to the computer terminal of the information user, together with the identification code usable in step f), in the form of the unique identification code mentioned in the description of substep b2.
- the involvement of a mediation authority makes it possible to offer several information providers means at a central location for obtaining payment for provided information.
- the mediation authority also maintains contacts with the department within the organization of the network operator with which the owner of the used telephone set has a subscription and which department is responsible for sending out bills.
- the mediation authority should further be the trusted party that acts on behalf of several different information providers.
- the information user receives the information code to be used as part of a session via the communications network, the Internet session, and he enters the identification code via a telephone terminal, i.e. the telephone set that he uses.
- the method further includes the substeps recited in claim 3. Addition of these substeps makes it possible, depending 5 on the type of information desired, to connect the information user in the continuance of the session directly to the relevant server of an information provider, whereby an examination takes place of the details concerning the information and the identification of the media player belonging to the current activation of that media player. This latter point makes it possible to check from time to time whether the information is still being o played by the same activation of the media player concerned.
- the method further includes the steps recited in claim 4. This prevents information received by the information user being played after expiry of the period for which payment has been or will be made, and 5 further prevents such information being played in a session other than the one paid for.
- a server of a mediation authority configured to provide a service that o consists of charging for information received on the computer terminal via the communications network, such service being provided for at least two information providers and for which purpose the server comprises:
- - means for establishing and maintaining a data file configured to save records containing data about information users and information desired 5 by them, with a unique identification code being added to each such record;
- proxy server configured to enable communication between an o information user and a server of an information provider.
- a mediation authority with a server with the recited means offers the aforementioned advantage of a central "payment service” that serves several information providers, while it is furthermore possible to add information providers in a technically and economically responsible manner.
- WO 97/01920 A method and a system for charging a user of a computer system.
- Fig.l is a diagrammatic representation of a system for using the method according to the invention.
- the method according to the invention is eminently suited to the paid viewing of or listening to information made available in the form of "streaming video" or "streaming audio".
- Streaming technology offers a technique for transmitting information in such a way that it can be treated at the receiving end as a continuous, uninterrupted information stream. This technique has become increasingly important with the growing o popularity of the Internet, because most computer users do not have such high-speed access to the Internet as to allow the downloading of large multimedia files at a suitable speed.
- the browser, or an auxiliary program such as a media player, resident in the computer of the information user, can display the information before the entire file has been transferred.
- the inbound data 5 must temporarily be stored at the receiving end and, from that temporary storage, is sent as a continuous stream to the application software, whereby that software processes the data and converts it to images or sound. If the data arrives faster than momentarily necessary for representation of images or sound, the data that at that moment is "superfluous" must be stored in a buffer for later usage. If the data does not arrive fast o enough, the representation of the information concerned will not be fluent but will be jerky. Quality may also deteriorate in other ways.
- the te ⁇ ninal (1) of a computer user is linked by means of a connection (2) to a communications network (3), like the Internet.
- the computer user is notified on his tenninal (1) of the possibility to have information sent to his terminal in return for payment (step a). If the computer user decides to have the information sent to him, he makes this known by operating a (virtual) button on the screen of his terminal by a mouse click (step b). This causes the session to be rerouted to the server (5) of a mediation authority, also connected to the communications network (3), which provides services to a number of different information providers (step bl).
- HTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol.
- the HHTP proxy server brings about at application level the transfer of information between two computer systems that communicate via the Internet. Refer for a detailed explanation of this and other terms to "Computer networking, a top-down approach featuring the Internet", of James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross, ISBN 0-201-47711-4.
- the server (5) creates a record for saving data about the information user and the information that he desires, with a unique identification code being added to the record (step b2).
- the server (5) then causes a telephone number to be displayed on the screen of the terminal (1), which is preferably a premium rate number (starting with the prefix 09..).
- the unique identification code (step c/e/b3) is also shown as this occurs.
- Use of a premium rate number enables information to be offered in different ways, notably pay per minute (i.e. the information user pays for each unit of time that he views or listens to the information and may possibly switch between different contents), pay per viewed or heard item or pay per call set-up (i.e. establishment of a connection to the premium rate number entitles the user to view or listen to information for a predetermined length of time, such as five minutes, whereby the user may possibly switch between different contents).
- pay per minute i.e. the information user pays for each unit of time that he views or listens to the information and may possibly switch between different contents
- pay per viewed or heard item or pay per call set-up i.e. establishment of a connection to the premium rate number en
- step d If the computer user indicates that he wishes to receive the information that must be paid for, he uses a telephone terminal (8) (a fixed or mobile phone) to dial the - 1 - telephone number displayed on his screen (step d), thereby setting up a connection via the telephone network (9) with the server (5) of the mediation authority, and then enters the unique identification code (step f).
- the record in the database (7) of the server (5) will now be filled with data regarding the payment willingness of the information user, 5 the length of time for which the information will be available, an initial value for a media player identification (whereby the media player is a software application in the terminal (1)) and the type of information desired (step f).
- the method according to the invention is eminently suited to information of the "streaming" type, both streaming video and streaming audio.
- the computer l o of the information user must contain an installed media player, such as the Media Player of Microsoft.
- the media player usable with the method according to the invention, must include a software mechanism that generates a player identification when the player is activated. This player identification may take the form of a series of hexadecimal digits, such as ⁇ 46FBBB80-0192-l ldl-9C39-00A0C922E703 ⁇ .
- the player identification will be unique to the player installed in the computer concerned (but always the same on every activation), or unique to the activation of the player during a certain playing session. In the latter case, a different player identification will be generated on every activation of the player, so as to prevent easy discovery of a pattern in the information usage behavior
- the communications session will be rerouted to a server (10) for paid information that is connected to the 5 HTTP proxy server of the server (5).
- a server (10) for paid information that is connected to the 5 HTTP proxy server of the server (5).
- This is an optional step for a situation whereby the information provider makes available various information files for which payment must be made. The information user can then choose from those various files. Based on that choice and the associated information type, a connection will be established via a media proxy server (11), suitable for transfer of the chosen information type (media type), with 0 a server ( 12), which may physically be resident in the server (5), on which the chosen information is located (step £2); with application of the method according to the invention, this will in particular be information of the "streaming" type.
- the unique identification code will be made known as this occurs to the media proxy server (11) to which the server (12) of the infonnation provider is connected. Also, the suitable media player in the computer of the information user will be activated, the media player identification associated with this activation will be dete ⁇ nined and this player identification will be entered in the record with the unique identification code concerned (also in step f2).
- the media proxy server (11), to which the server (12) of the information provider is connected, receives the content of the record thus filled (step f3).
- the information user now has access to the server (12) of the information provider; this server starts providing the information, which is displayed or, as the case may be, made audible via the terminal (1) to the information user (step g).
- the media proxy server checks at regular intervals, for example with a (settable) "heartbeat" of five seconds, whether a valid record is still present in the database of the server (5) with the unique identification code associated with the information stream concerned (step h). If this is not the case, the provision of the information, i.e. the
- step i The circumstance that a valid record with the unique identification code is no longer present may be the result of: expiry of the period for which payment has been made in the case of "Pay per Call”; - breaking of the telephone connection in the case of "Pay per Minute”;
- step (i) Discontinuation of provision of the information, in step (i), may also occur because the media player identification has been changed since the most recent verification. If the media player identification has been changed, this indicates that the media player in the computer of the information user was reactivated during the current session, apparently for the purpose of downloading the same information again but without having to pay again.
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- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
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- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Finance (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Strategic Management (AREA)
- Economics (AREA)
- Marketing (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
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Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP02737897A EP1374132A1 (en) | 2001-03-28 | 2002-03-25 | Method and system for charging for playing a multimedia file |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
NL1017716 | 2001-03-28 | ||
NL1017716A NL1017716C2 (en) | 2001-03-28 | 2001-03-28 | Method and system for paying for playing a multimedia file. |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2002080053A1 true WO2002080053A1 (en) | 2002-10-10 |
Family
ID=19773146
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2002/003338 WO2002080053A1 (en) | 2001-03-28 | 2002-03-25 | Method and system for charging for playing a multimedia file |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1374132A1 (en) |
NL (1) | NL1017716C2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2002080053A1 (en) |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1997001920A1 (en) * | 1995-06-28 | 1997-01-16 | Telecom Finland Oy | A method and a system for charging a user of a computer system |
EP0926611A2 (en) * | 1997-12-23 | 1999-06-30 | AT&T Corp. | Method for validation of electronic transactions |
US5930777A (en) * | 1997-04-15 | 1999-07-27 | Barber; Timothy P. | Method of charging for pay-per-access information over a network |
WO1999057663A1 (en) * | 1998-04-22 | 1999-11-11 | Echarge Corporation | Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork |
WO1999066436A1 (en) * | 1998-06-19 | 1999-12-23 | Protx Limited | Verified payment system |
US6058381A (en) * | 1996-10-30 | 2000-05-02 | Nelson; Theodor Holm | Many-to-many payments system for network content materials |
WO2000033557A1 (en) * | 1998-11-27 | 2000-06-08 | The Patent Gmbh | Method for billing services which can be retrieved from the internet |
WO2000062265A1 (en) * | 1999-04-09 | 2000-10-19 | Liquid Audio, Inc. | Secure online music distribution system |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA2195968C (en) * | 1995-05-24 | 2001-11-20 | Jay S. Walker | 900 number billing and collection system and method for on-line computer services |
US5745556A (en) * | 1995-09-22 | 1998-04-28 | At&T Corp. | Interactive and information data services telephone billing system |
-
2001
- 2001-03-28 NL NL1017716A patent/NL1017716C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2002
- 2002-03-25 EP EP02737897A patent/EP1374132A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2002-03-25 WO PCT/EP2002/003338 patent/WO2002080053A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO1997001920A1 (en) * | 1995-06-28 | 1997-01-16 | Telecom Finland Oy | A method and a system for charging a user of a computer system |
US6058381A (en) * | 1996-10-30 | 2000-05-02 | Nelson; Theodor Holm | Many-to-many payments system for network content materials |
US5930777A (en) * | 1997-04-15 | 1999-07-27 | Barber; Timothy P. | Method of charging for pay-per-access information over a network |
EP0926611A2 (en) * | 1997-12-23 | 1999-06-30 | AT&T Corp. | Method for validation of electronic transactions |
WO1999057663A1 (en) * | 1998-04-22 | 1999-11-11 | Echarge Corporation | Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork |
WO1999066436A1 (en) * | 1998-06-19 | 1999-12-23 | Protx Limited | Verified payment system |
WO2000033557A1 (en) * | 1998-11-27 | 2000-06-08 | The Patent Gmbh | Method for billing services which can be retrieved from the internet |
WO2000062265A1 (en) * | 1999-04-09 | 2000-10-19 | Liquid Audio, Inc. | Secure online music distribution system |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See also references of EP1374132A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1374132A1 (en) | 2004-01-02 |
NL1017716C2 (en) | 2002-10-01 |
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