Device Agent Service Usage Measurement for Encrypted Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network-based service usage measurement and billing systems are inadequate for modern digital devices, as they struggle to accurately measure and bill for advanced service usage, particularly in scenarios involving encrypted traffic, multi-device/multi-user setups, and high-bandwidth applications, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs for service providers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a device-assisted service usage measurement and billing system that generates, aggregates, and mediates Charging Data Records (CDRs) using device-based measures, which can enhance or replace network-based systems, allowing for more precise and flexible service usage tracking and billing, including support for encrypted traffic, multi-device/multi-user scenarios, and new service models without requiring significant upgrades to existing network infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If network-based service usage measurement and billing systems are used, then existing network infrastructure can be maintained, but measurement precision and adaptability for advanced service usage are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides service usage measurement into two segments: network-based measurement for traditional services and device-based measurement for advanced services. The device agent on the user device independently measures service usage parameters, while the network infrastructure continues to provide billing management. This segmentation enables precise measurement of encrypted and high-bandwidth services without requiring complete system replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
A device agent acts as an intermediary between the user device and the network billing system. The agent collects service usage data locally, processes it according to billing rules, and transmits aggregated information to the network. This intermediary layer enables accurate measurement of complex service usage patterns while maintaining compatibility with existing network infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If network-based billing systems are used, then infrastructure upgrades are minimized, but adaptability to diverse service models and encrypted traffic is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The billing system implements dynamic adaptability through configurable device agents that can be provisioned with different service profiles and measurement parameters. The system dynamically adjusts to diverse service models by loading appropriate billing rules and policies onto devices, enabling support for encrypted traffic, multi-device scenarios, and emerging service types without physical infrastructure changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves versatility by changing operational parameters rather than physical infrastructure. Device agents can be configured with different measurement parameters, billing rules, and service profiles through software updates. This allows the same hardware infrastructure to adapt to evolving service models, encrypted protocols, and multi-user scenarios by simply modifying configuration parameters.
3Productivity
If device-assisted service usage measurement is implemented, then measurement precision and service tracking capabilities are improved, but device and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device agent implements self-service functionality by autonomously measuring service usage, applying billing rules, and generating reports without continuous network intervention. The agent independently manages local measurement tasks, processes encrypted traffic identification, and maintains service usage records, reducing the burden on network infrastructure while improving tracking efficiency for diverse service models.
Data Source
AI summary
A network system comprising memory configured to store a service offer set identifying one or more service plans available to an end-user device, the one or more service plans enabling the end-user device to communicate over a wireless access network; and one or more network elements configured to obtain the service offer set from memory, send information associated with the service offer set to the end-user device over the wireless access network, the information enabling the end-user device to present, through a user interface, one or more service plan selection options associated with the one or more service plans available to the end-user device, receive an offer set user selection from the end-user device, the offer set user selection indicating a user selection of at least one of the one or more service plan selection options, and provision one or more functions based on the offer set user selection.