Application Certificate Checks for Network Service Policy Association

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems struggle to efficiently manage network service usage and billing for numerous small application service providers, lacking automated solutions for specifying and controlling access service policies and billing, which is impractical for carriers to handle manually.

Innovation Solution

An Application Services Provider Interface System (ASPI) is implemented, enabling device-assisted services (DAS) through a device service processor and service controller, using APIs to manage network service usage, verify policy compliance, and facilitate automated billing and charging based on service plans.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automated Application Services Provider Interface System is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomation of policy managementVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an Application Services Provider Interface System that acts as an intermediary between application service providers and the carrier network. This interface system automates policy specification, service plan selection, and billing processes, resolving the contradiction by providing automated functionality through a dedicated intermediary layer rather than requiring complex manual processes throughout the entire system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the service management functionality into distinct components: application service providers can independently specify policies and select service plans through the automated interface, while the carrier network handles billing and enforcement separately. This segmentation allows automation to improve productivity without requiring the entire system to become uniformly complex.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If application service providers specify custom access service policies, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepolicy customizationVSAvoidpolicy management system

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic policy specification where application service providers can define custom access service policies and service plans based on their specific needs. The system dynamically adapts to different policy requirements without requiring static, pre-configured settings for every possible scenario. This allows high adaptability while managing complexity through flexible, on-demand policy creation rather than exhaustive pre-programming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows application service providers to customize policies by changing specific parameters such as billing rates, service limits, and access conditions. Rather than requiring complete policy definitions, the system enables adaptability through parameter adjustment, reducing the overall complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If certificate verification is performed, then reliability is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud preventionVSAvoidassociation setup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs certificate verification as a preliminary action during the application association process. By verifying certificates early in the association setup, the system ensures reliability and fraud prevention before service activation. This preliminary verification prevents later disputes and ensures that only authorized applications are associated with service plans, accepting the time cost as a necessary investment for security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual verification processes with automated certificate-based authentication. This substitution of mechanical/manual verification with automated cryptographic verification improves both reliability and efficiency, as the automated process can verify certificates quickly and consistently without human intervention, reducing the time loss compared to manual verification methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20250358276A1End User Device that Secures an Association of Application to Service Policy with an Application Certificate Check

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 HEADWATER RESEARCH LLC

AI summary

Network service provisioning is described. Network service provisioning to a device includes a mechanism for ensuring that network services are available based upon one or more of appropriate traffic control, billing, and notification policies. Ensuring that the policies are properly enforced on a device is a focus of this paper. The enforcement policies can be on the device or in the network.