Zero-Rating Gateway for Cellular Data Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cellular customers face high costs for cellular data communication, as carriers do not provide unlimited free access, and existing solutions lack efficient methods to minimize data charges for applications using HTTP or HTTPS requests on mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A zero-rating transformation system that uses a network access component to receive requests, compare them to zero-rating rewrite rules, and transform them to access zero-rated network resources, minimizing data charges by routing requests through servers that are zero-rated with the user's cellular carrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cellular customers use standard HTTP/HTTPS requests for data access, then they can access any network resource, but they incur high cellular data charges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a zero-rating gateway as an intermediary component that sits between the mobile device and the network. This gateway intercepts HTTP/HTTPS requests, rewrites them to route through zero-rated servers, and forwards the responses back to the application. By inserting this intermediary layer, the system enables automatic routing through zero-rated paths without requiring changes to the application itself, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining ease of access and reducing data charges
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by automatically detecting zero-rating opportunities and routing requests without user intervention. The zero-rating gateway monitors network traffic, identifies requests that can be routed through zero-rated servers using configured rewrite rules, and automatically transforms the request paths. This eliminates the need for users to manually manage data usage or understand zero-rating policies, allowing the system to serve itself in optimizing data charge reduction
2Loss of energy
If cellular carriers provide zero-rated access to specific networks, then customers save on data charges, but the system complexity increases to manage zero-rating rules
Solution Approach 1:
The zero-rating gateway acts as an intermediary that centralizes the complexity of zero-rating rule management. Instead of distributing complex rule management logic across multiple devices or requiring carrier infrastructure changes, the gateway consolidates rewrite rule configuration, pattern matching, and request transformation in a single component. This intermediary absorbs the system complexity while presenting a simple interface to both users and carriers
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by parameterizing zero-rating rules with configurable patterns, server mappings, and protocol specifications. Rewrite rules are defined as adjustable parameters that can be configured without changing the underlying system architecture. This allows carriers and administrators to manage zero-rating policies by modifying rule parameters rather than restructuring the entire system, thereby reducing operational complexity
3Productivity
If applications directly access network resources, then data retrieval is straightforward, but bandwidth costs increase for cellular customers
Solution Approach 1:
The zero-rating gateway serves as an intermediary that transparently sits in the data path between applications and network resources. It receives requests from applications, transforms them to route through zero-rated servers, and returns responses without requiring applications to change their data retrieval logic. This maintains productivity by keeping the application interface simple while the intermediary handles the cost-optimization transformations in the background
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-configuring rewrite rules that map application requests to zero-rated server endpoints before actual data retrieval occurs. The gateway is pre-loaded with knowledge of which servers offer zero-rated access and how to transform requests accordingly. This preliminary preparation enables automatic routing decisions at request time without real-time computation, maintaining fast data retrieval while reducing costs
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques to transform network resource requests to zero rated network requests are described. Some embodiments are particularly directed to techniques transform network resource requests on a cellular network to zero rating by replacing the destination of the request with a zero-rated source for the network resource. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a data store and a network access component. The data store may be operative to store a plurality of zero-rating rewrite rules. The network access component may be operative to receive a network request from an application component on the mobile device, the network request for access to a network resource; compare the network resource to the plurality of zero-rating rewrite rules to identify a zero-rating rewrite rule matching the network resource; transform the network request to a zero-rated network request for the network resource using the identified zero-rating rewrite rule; and perform the zero-rated network request. Other embodiments are described and claimed.