Unified Billing Gateway for Mobile Broadband and Cloud Resources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile operators face challenges in efficiently billing users for their consumption of both mobile broadband services and virtualized cloud resources, as existing systems require custom-built solutions to integrate billing for these services, lacking a streamlined approach.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a mobile broadband charging system, a cloud operating system, and a specially configured device that connects these systems to enable unified billing for mobile broadband services and virtualized cloud resources, using APIs and data center charging adaptation modules to convert and report usage data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a mobile operator wants to bill a user for their consumption of both mobile broadband services and virtualized cloud resources, then unified billing capability is improved, but system complexity increases requiring custom-built cloud operating system and integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling the mobile broadband charging system to handle both mobile broadband services and virtualized cloud resources billing through a single integrated system. The system uses standardized APIs and protocols to universally process different types of service consumption (mobile data, cloud computing, storage, networking) through unified charging workflows, eliminating the need for separate custom-built cloud operating systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an intermediary approach by introducing a charging gateway that acts as a mediator between the mobile broadband charging system and the virtualized cloud resources. This gateway translates and adapts charging requests and responses between different systems using standardized interfaces, simplifying integration while maintaining unified billing capability without requiring deep custom integration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-built cloud operating system is developed to integrate billing, then billing functionality is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables existing mobile broadband charging systems to universally handle cloud resources billing by implementing standardized charging workflows and API interfaces. This approach allows the system to perform multiple billing functions (mobile broadband, cloud computing, storage, networking) through a single platform without requiring custom-built solutions for each service type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the charging system to automatically handle cloud resources billing through standardized interfaces and automated charging workflows. The system autonomously processes usage data from cloud services, applies appropriate charging rules, and generates billing information without requiring manual intervention or custom integration development for each cloud service provider.
3Device complexity
If separate billing systems are used for mobile broadband and cloud resources, then system simplicity is maintained, but billing efficiency and user experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the billing functionality for mobile broadband services and virtualized cloud resources into a single integrated charging system. By combining these previously separate billing processes into one unified system, the patent achieves improved billing efficiency and consolidated user billing while maintaining manageable system complexity through standardized interfaces and modular architecture.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system, a device, and various methods are described herein for billing a user for their consumption of mobile broadband services which are monitored by a mobile broadband charging system and for their consumption of virtualized cloud resources which are monitored by a cloud operating system. In one example, the system comprises a commercially available mobile broadband charging system and a commercially available cloud operating system and then incorporates the device to combine the commercially available mobile broadband charging system and the commercially available cloud operating system in order to bill the user for their consumption of mobile broadband services and virtualized cloud resources.