Automatic subscription system for applications and services provided to wireless devices

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] I. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to wireless telecommunications and computer networks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for providing an infrastructure to support an automatic subscription of wireless devices and an end-to-end billing arrangement for services provided to wireless device service subscribers by network carriers and third parties.

[0003] II. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, communicate packets including voice and data over a wireless network. In existing wireless telecommunication systems, such as cellular telecommunication systems, a wireless service provider or carrier has wireless service subscribers that pay the provider for the time that the wireless device of the subscriber accesses the cellular network. Fees are typically charged to the subscriber for the initial activation of a telecommunication device and then fees can be charged for ongoing airtime and device usage. However, existing systems typically do not account for other activities at the telecommunication device beyond airtime usage.

[0005] Further, if the subscriber of the wireless device desires to download and use a software application or upgrade the functionality of the telecommunication device, the user will typically either call a service provider or contact the service provider through another electronic means, such as through a separate Internet access. In some instances, the service provider can transmit the application to the wireless device across the wireless network (through a one time direct access download) or allow the user access a network site with the wireless device through the wireless network and at such site the application is downloadable or accessible to the subscriber. Otherwise service personnel of the provider must have physical access to the telecommunication device to install the software or upgrade the components thereof.

[0006] Further, the proliferation of computer technology has made it easier and cheaper to develop software application. A computer programmer can easily develop a video game or a utility application on a personal computer, and the programmer can tailor the game to run on different computer hardware platforms including on a wireless handset. However, the individual application developer encounters difficulty in getting the product to market, especially for applications that are executable on wireless devices. The developer must first create a full version of the application and then sell it to the carriers in order to derive any income. Consequently, creating application for the wireless device market is a huge investment by the developer without the guarantee of return.

[0007] Wireless telecommunications carriers may rely on independent developers to develop applications for their users, but this arrangement would create new problems for the carriers. Now, the carriers, instead of hiring many developers, needs to track usages of products developed by these independent developers and pay them accordingly, which can be a huge task itself.

[0008] Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method that handles end-to-end billing for carriers. Such system should allow wireless services provides to deliver value-added products and services to their subscribers beyond simple airtime, and allow the application developer to receive payments for their products. It is thus to such a system and method for automatically managing subscription billing for wireless device subscribers that the present invention is primarily directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention discloses a system, method, and computer program that automatically manages an application or service subscription price plan for applications and services provided to wireless devices from other computer devices on a wireless network during wireless device end-user interaction with the computer devices. Once an application or subscription is activated, the subscription requires periodic payment (such as monthly) by the wireless device carrier service subscriber (who is not necessarily the end-user at the wireless device interacting on the network) for continued access to the application or service. The wireless device end-user interaction with other computer devices, such as application download servers, is monitored, either directly if the interaction is with the same server that records application or service subscription data, or across the wireless network when the end-user obtains an application or service from another computer device. The application or service subscription can either be billed directly to the wireless device subscriber for the subscription(s) or a bill transmitted to the carrier or other entity to bill the subscriber. In one embodiment, the system includes one or more wireless devices selectively in communication with other computer devices across a wireless network, where each wireless device has an end-user thereof and a computer platform that is able to selectively download and execute software applications thereupon and is accessible by the end-user. At least one server is selectively in communication and interacts with the one or more wireless devices across the wireless network, such interaction typically occurring upon request of the end-user of the wireless device through the wireless network to download or interact with the server. The end-user interaction with at least one server across the wireless network causes a subscription of an application or service, which can be recorded and billed for at the same server or through the interaction of several computer devices on the wireless network.

[0010] The method for managing subscription price plans for applications and services provided to wireless devices from computer devices on a wireless network particularly includes the steps of causing a subscription of an application and service to occur from end-user interaction between the wireless device and a server, and recording the subscriptions for the wireless devices at the server. The method can also include the steps of billing the wireless device carrier service subscriber and tracking subscription deletion at the wireless device to automatically discontinue the subscription.

[0011] The present system and method thus enable wireless telecommunications carriers to offer value-added services from individual developers providing applications and services to wireless service subscribers without needing to build up a requisite infrastructure for providing the application and services. The system can provide further support by generating invoices to the carrier themselves, carrier subscribers, and can disburse payments for the subscriptions to the applications and service providers, however, in one embodiment, the system simply forwards the subscription records to the carrier for billing and collection. The user of the system can thus tailor the degree of control and responsibility of the billing server(s) in supporting third party applications and services to the wireless devices.

[0012] Other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent after review of the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a system diagram depicting an embodiment of telecommunication system that supports the automatic subscription system.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the interface architecture between the third party developers, network carriers, and wireless devices.

[0015]FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an end-user application or service subscription process.

[0016]FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a subscription process on a third party application server.

[0017]FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an end-user subscription termination process.

[0018]FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a deletion process on a third party computer device.

[0019]FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a monthly invoicing process of the wireless subscriber of the carrier network.

[0020]FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a multi-party settlement map for third party applications and services provided to the end-users of a wireless network carrier.

[0021]FIG. 9 is an illustration of an invoice record according to one embodiment of the system.

[0022]FIG. 10 is an illustration of a product (application or service) record according to one embodiment of the system.

[0023]FIG. 11 is an exemplary embodiment of a billing server.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] In this description, the terms “communication device,” “wireless device,” “hand held telephone,” and “handset” are used interchangeably, the terms “server” and “end-to-end billing system” are used interchangeably, and the term “application” as used herein is intended to encompass executable and non-executable software files, raw data, aggregated data, patches, and other code segments. A “wireless device service subscriber” is a carrier service customer that pays a carrier for network airtime, i.e. voice and data calls from the wireless device. And an “application or service subscription” is a value-added service or application purchased by the wireless device end-user from another computer device on the network, such as an application download server, which is typically billed periodically, e.g. monthly. A “value-added” subscriber” is a party who subscribes to a value-added service and does not have to initiate an automatic subscription when accessing the subscribed value-added service. Thus, in some instances, the purchasing end-user may not be the same person as wireless device subscriber, an example being a child end-user using the wireless device of the parent who is actually the wireless device service subscriber. Further, like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views. With the advent of 3^rdgeneration (3G) wireless communication technology, more bandwidth becomes available for wireless communications, and handsets and wireless telecommunication devices, such as cellular telephones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) with increasing capabilities have become available. Now, users can check weather, receive e-mails, receive paging messages, traverse the Internet, and play an interactive game with a remote party all through his wireless handset, in addition to using it for maintaining audio communications with another party. At the same time, proliferation of computer technology has made easier and cheaper to develop digital media and deliver it to the wireless devices. The provision of more value added services, such as downloadable applications, can bring revenue to a wireless service provider or carrier, and one manner to achieve the additional revenue is to provide support to independent application developers. The present invention thus provides the billing support for third party independent application providers who provide applications to end-users of a network carrier as is further described herein.

[0025]FIG. 1 depicts a communication network <b>100</b> used according to the present invention. The communication network <b>100</b> includes a wireless communications network, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) <b>110</b>, and the Internet <b>120</b>. The wireless communication network includes one or more communication towers <b>102</b>, each connected to a base station (BS) <b>104</b> and serving users with communication devices <b>106</b>. The communication devices <b>106</b> can be cellular telephones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, or other hand-held, stationary, or portable communication device that uses a wireless and cellular telecommunication network. The commands and data input by each user are transmitted as digital data to a communication tower <b>102</b>. The communication between a user using a communication device <b>106</b> and the communication tower <b>102</b> can be based on different technologies, such code division multiplexed access (CDMA), time division multiplexed access (TDMA), frequency division multiplexed access (FDMA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), or other protocols that may be used in a wireless communications network or a data communications network. The data from each user is sent from the communication tower <b>102</b> to a base station (BS) <b>104</b>, and forwarded to a mobile switching center (MSC) <b>108</b>, which may be connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) <b>110</b>.

[0026] The PSTN <b>110</b> is connected to the Internet <b>120</b> and to the wireless communication network through a MSC <b>108</b>. The PSTN <b>110</b> supports users accessing the Internet using a computer <b>116</b> through dial up services. The user utilizes the computer <b>116</b> and dials through a telephone line <b>118</b> to access an Internet service provider (ISP) <b>122</b>. The ISP <b>122</b> provides connection between the user at the computer <b>116</b> and the Internet <b>120</b>. Users at computers <b>114</b> may also access directly the ISP <b>122</b> through high-speed data connections such as digital subscriber line (DSL), T1 connections, and the like. The Internet <b>120</b> is a high-speed data network. A user may access the Internet directly by connecting to a hub on the Internet <b>120</b> or access through an ISP <b>122</b> connected to the Internet <b>120</b>. A billing server <b>112</b> may be connected to the Internet <b>120</b>, to the MSC <b>108</b>, or to the PSTN <b>110</b>. Preferably, the billing server <b>112</b> is connected directly to the MSC <b>108</b>. However, the server <b>112</b> does not necessarily need access to the wireless device <b>106</b> but can solely reside on the network and a file level interface from the server can collect and transform the device download event into a billable usage record.

[0027]FIG. 2 is an interface architecture <b>200</b> that depicts data flow in a virtual marketplace available for access by the wireless devices <b>106</b> that causes an automatic subscription for applications and services accessed by the wireless devices <b>106</b>. The automatic subscription system of the present application may be a subsystem of the virtual marketplace <b>206</b> according to one embodiment, and it may also be an independent system providing the billing services to the virtual marketplace according to another embodiment. The independent developers <b>202</b>, who generally have access to a computer <b>114</b> or <b>116</b>, can submit their products through an interface <b>204</b>, also known as the developer extranet, to the virtual marketplace <b>206</b>, which can reside on a billing server, an application download server, or any computer device on the wireless network. Thus one server can provide the entire virtual marketplace with full billing and collection of proceeds as is further defined herein, or billing can be a separate system from the virtual marketplace with an interface to the marketplace to create the rated billing records and to process subscription billing services. The developers <b>202</b> may also submit their products through the developer extranet <b>204</b>, which then forwards to the virtual marketplace <b>206</b>, or the developers can submit the product directly to the virtual marketplace <b>206</b> If the developer is the carrier then the application is submitted through the carrier extranet <b>208</b>. The interface <b>204</b> may be a web site in communication with the server or a file transfer protocol (FTP) conforming port on the server <b>112</b>, or other data interconnection. The carrier extranet <b>208</b> may be an interface to the carrier's private network. It should be noted that the developer extranet <b>204</b> and carrier extranet <b>208</b> typically interface to a common server <b>112</b> or database that enables the virtual marketplace <b>206</b>. If the developer extranet and carrier extranet cannot be hosted on private networks to enable interaction between the two without some common connectivity, the negotiation can occur through both extranets interfacing over the Internet to the server <b>112</b> or common database.

[0028] In one embodiment, before a developer <b>202</b> is allowed to submit his product, such as a software application, to the virtual marketplace <b>206</b>, the developer <b>202</b> must certify that the product conforms to the standards established by the virtual marketplace <b>206</b>. The virtual marketplace <b>206</b> publishes a set of standards for its environment that should be followed by developers who wish to submit their products to the virtual marketplace <b>206</b>. Standardizing the products ensures the product can run without problems on a user handset that supports the virtual marketplace's environment. One example of such environment is Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW™) and BREW Distributed System (BDS) developed by Qualcomm Corporation. The product may also be required to be tested for conformance by a third party testing organization.

[0029] After the developer <b>202</b> submits the product, the developer extranet enables negotiation of the price for the product between the developer <b>202</b> and carrier. The negotiation may be conducted directly between the carrier(s), other third parties, and the developers <b>202</b> within the virtual marketplace <b>206</b> using the developer extranet (<b>204</b>), or through the carrier (<b>212</b>) using the carrier extranet <b>208</b>. Thus, developers <b>202</b> can negotiate with other developers, and carriers, to deliver applications and services to carrier customers. After the negotiation, the virtual marketplace <b>206</b> retains an agreed to application price plan between developer <b>202</b> and carrier <b>212</b>. The product can be associated with the originating developer before negotiation starts.

[0030] After the product is included in the product catalog and made available to the users <b>210</b> of communication devices <b>106</b>. An end-user <b>210</b> of the wireless device accesses the wireless telecommunications services through the carrier <b>212</b> receives the product catalog from the carrier <b>212</b>. The end-user <b>210</b> can view the product catalog and select a product from the product catalog. The step of “selection” can be an application download, menu display, data transfer, diagnosis tool, or any other computer interaction between the wireless device <b>106</b> and billing server <b>112</b> or other communication device.

[0031] The selection is sent from the user wireless device <b>106</b> to the carrier <b>212</b>, which forwards to the server <b>112</b>, which is this capacity acts as an application download server. The server <b>112</b> checks the selection and downloads the product to the wireless device. The application is dispatched to the end-user's wireless device <b>106</b> via the carrier <b>212</b>. After receiving the application, the end-user <b>210</b> can activate it on that end-user's wireless device <b>106</b>. For certain products, the server <b>112</b> needs not to dispatch the entire product to the user device <b>106</b>, but only a user interface portion of the product. The user interface interacts with the end-user <b>210</b> through the user wireless device <b>106</b> and sends information back to the server <b>112</b> where the application runs. Note that in another embodiment, the application runs on the device or it accesses services/content from a third party server and does not run on the server <b>112</b>.

[0032]FIG. 3 illustrates an end-user process <b>300</b> at the wireless device <b>106</b>. When the wireless device <b>106</b> is powered up and in communication with the carrier, the wireless device <b>106</b> receives a catalog of products and services that are available to the user, as shown at step <b>302</b>, and displays the catalog on the wireless device display screen, as shown at step <b>304</b>. The products and services available to the user may include interactive games, personal appointment applications, and other utility programs. The user can select a product with an associated price from the catalog, and the selection is received by the wireless device <b>106</b>, as shown at step <b>306</b>. The wireless device <b>106</b> sends the end-user selection and a download request to the carrier <b>212</b>, as shown at step <b>308</b>, through a data channel, and the carrier <b>212</b> forwards the selection along with the user and application download information to the server <b>112</b>. The handset <b>106</b> also sends user information, which is normally minimal as carriers <b>212</b> are very sensitive to retaining the user specific information to the server <b>112</b> through the carrier <b>212</b>, as shown at step <b>310</b>. The server <b>112</b> retrieves the selected product and dispatches to the user wireless device <b>106</b>. When the end-user wireless device <b>106</b> receives the product, as shown at step <b>312</b>, the end-user wireless device <b>106</b> activates the product for the end-user. It should be noted that in another embodiment, the download acknowledgement can be sent after step <b>312</b>, as opposed to the time of application or service download.

[0033]FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the virtual marketplace automatic subscription process <b>400</b> executing on a server <b>112</b>. The server <b>112</b> receives the end-user selection along with the download request and the user information from the carrier <b>212</b> (or wireless device), as shown at step <b>402</b>, along with the user information, and can check to see if the user is a value-added service subscriber, as shown at step <b>404</b>, i.e. is a subscriber for the application download or interactive service. Although, it is not necessary to perform this check if the application or service subscription can be instigated anew by the wireless device end-user. The subscription can also be part of the download acknowledgement. For example, the download may be one time purchase of 30 days of use of an application, or a monthly subscription, and the end-user can have the option of pay per use or monthly subscription. If a check is made the user is a monthly wireless service subscriber, then the server <b>112</b> records the request, as shown at step <b>406</b>, and retrieves the product, as shown at step <b>408</b>. After retrieving the product, the server <b>112</b> sends the product via the carrier data network to the wireless device <b>106</b>, as shown at step <b>410</b>.

[0034] If so embodied, if the user is not a monthly subscriber, then the server <b>112</b> can check the user information received to see whether the user is a authorized subscriber of a wireless carrier, which would occur at decision <b>412</b>. Conversely, the server <b>112</b> could be contacted by a prepaid wireless device or other device not subscribed to a specific carrier's service, and in which case another method of payment can be arranged with the end-user. Alternately, at this point a user authorization check can be made from the server <b>112</b> to a carrier <b>212</b> authorization service to validate that the user is a an authorized carrier user for the service. The user may be a wireless service subscriber and not yet a value-added service subscriber, and this would be a pay per use situation. If the wireless device <b>106</b> is a wireless service subscriber, then the server <b>112</b> has that wireless subscriber's information and an account set up for him. The server <b>112</b> records the request, as shown in step <b>414</b>, and generates a one-time billable event, as shown in step <b>416</b>. The server <b>112</b> can also generate a monthly billing record, step <b>418</b>, and sends the billing record to the carrier <b>212</b>, step <b>420</b>. It should be noted that steps <b>414</b>, <b>416</b>, <b>418</b>, <b>420</b> may not occur until after <b>410</b> as a billable event is not logged or account created at <b>422</b> a successful download is confirmed was successful. Alternately, the server <b>112</b> can send data to cause another device on the network to create a billing record for downloaded applications. For pay per use value-added subscribers, a billing record is generated for each application download or other subscription event. After the billing process is taken care of (pre-pay only), the server <b>112</b> proceeds to retrieve the product, step <b>408</b>, and sends it to the user, step <b>410</b>. For post pay events, the download proceeds and the download event is recorded and billing is handled after the end-user has the application on the device.

[0035] In another embodiment, the system also handles the situation when the user is using a pre-paid wireless telephone, i.e., the user is not a monthly wireless service subscriber. The wireless telephone device can be a pre-paid device, where the user can purchase in advance for wireless communications services. Further, an application download server can make a call to a carrier provided pre-pay service first to authorize the application download and secondly to debit the customer account. Pre-pay consumers are then not able to download subscription based applications. The amount of services purchased may be stored in the wireless device itself or in a card that can be inserted into the wireless device. This amount is debited each time the user makes a wireless call. When the amount is depleted, the wireless device can no longer place a wireless call, unless the user replenishes it at a dealer or purchases a new pre-paid card.

[0036] When a wireless device subscriber that has no existing subscription account selects a product for download, the server <b>112</b> can automatically create an account for this user, as shown in step <b>422</b>, and then proceed similarly as if the user were a monthly subscriber. Such step is unnecessary if only usage records exist on the server <b>112</b>. If so embodied, a billing record is generated, as shown at step <b>418</b>, and sent to the carrier, as shown at step <b>420</b>, before the product is retrieved, as shown at step <b>408</b>, and sent to the user, as shown at step <b>410</b>. The carrier <b>212</b> may deduct the amount from the billing record for the product from the user's pre-paid amount.

[0037] When recording the request as shown in step <b>406</b> or step <b>414</b>, the server <b>112</b> can extract demographic information from the user information and record it along with the product information. One method of obtaining demographic information is using the Subscriber ID (SID) to derive detailed information about their customers and buying trends. The demographic information may be made available to the product's developer, so the developer may have an idea about the user of his product. The demographic information may also be provided to the carriers and allowing the carriers to have a better picture about the users who tend to subscribe to similar products or services.

[0038]FIG. 5 illustrates an end-user process for terminating an active subscription of a product by using the deletion process <b>500</b>. The end-user can select a product from the displayed active applications displayed on the wireless device <b>106</b>, as shown in step <b>502</b>. The wireless device <b>106</b> can display more than one catalog: one for all the products and one for the products targeted to the individual or groups that the user is associated with. The wireless device <b>106</b> receives the selection, as shown at step <b>504</b>, and sends the deletion request along with the product and user information to the server <b>112</b>, as shown at step <b>506</b>. Alternately, if the application is solely resident on the wireless device <b>106</b>, the user does not have to browse the catalog to delete the application and unsubscribe. The user can utilize an application manager to delete the application on the device and the delete event is queued and sent to the server <b>112</b> on the next data call.

[0039]FIG. 6 illustrates a server process <b>600</b> for a user terminating a subscription on a product for a specific value-added subscriber. When the server <b>112</b>, either an application download server or transaction server, receives the deletion request and related information, step <b>602</b>, the server <b>112</b> retrieves the user record, such as SID information, as shown at step <b>604</b>, and updates the user record by removing the product from the list of active subscription products, as shown at step <b>606</b>. The request can be simple deletion of a resident application for which the end-user has a subscription, and a flag or other notification means can be sent to the server <b>112</b> for notification of the deletion.

[0040] The system accordingly can support flexible subscription plans. A user may subscribe to a flat price service plan, where the user pays a fixed price per month and the wireless device subscriber can access all products listed in the catalog. The end-user may also subscribe to an adjustable price service plan, where the monthly subscription fee depends on how many products or what products the user has subscribed to. The user may also purchase an application based on a one-time flat fee for a specified number of uses service plan. The system will automatically account for the subscription in whatever method provided.

[0041]FIG. 7 illustrates the monthly invoice process <b>700</b>, which can be a process on a carrier <b>212</b> server. If so embodied, the server <b>112</b> can periodically generate invoices or other billing information for its monthly application and service subscribers every month and sends the invoices or other billing information to the carriers <b>212</b> of the wireless device service subscribers. The server <b>112</b> retrieves subscriber records, as shown at step <b>702</b>, and then generates billing records for those wireless service subscribers as shown at step <b>704</b>. Customer may utilize products which are subscription services or one-time purchase. Since the server <b>112</b> may support multiple carriers and users who are subscribers with different carriers, the billing records are segregated and sent to the carrier based on carrier specific tagged identifier, as shown at step <b>706</b>.

[0042]FIG. 8 is a relationship map <b>800</b> illustrating the financial relationship between developers <b>202</b>, the subscription billing system <b>802</b>, carriers <b>212</b>, and end-users at the wireless device <b>210</b>. The subscription billing system <b>802</b> may support more than one carrier <b>212</b> and generate invoices separately for each carrier <b>212</b>. The invoices generated are available for viewing by the developers <b>202</b>. Each carrier <b>212</b> sends a bill to each individual user <b>210</b> who has subscribed or used a product or service from a product catalog, and receives a payment from each user <b>210</b>. The carrier <b>212</b> pays the invoice to billing system <b>802</b>, and the billing system <b>802</b> makes payments to the developers <b>202</b>.

[0043] The relationship <b>800</b> shows the advantage of the present invention. For developers <b>202</b>, the present invention allows for easy marketing of their products and eliminates the hassle of dealing with individual buyers or the trouble of searching for publishers to carry their products. For carriers <b>212</b>, the present invention provides a way to make more products available to end users <b>210</b>, thus providing new venues to generate more profits, without the need to hire a large number of software developers. For users <b>210</b>, the present invention makes more applications available to the users <b>210</b> and maybe be eliminates the need for the users <b>210</b> to carry multiple electronic devices, such as pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or even game devices.

[0044]FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a billing record <b>900</b>. The billing record <b>900</b> is kept in a billing database in the server <b>112</b> and has user identification <b>902</b>, carrier identification <b>904</b>, subscription plan identification <b>906</b> an invoice <b>908</b> (which can include rated price information, developer fee, and list price information) and usage information <b>910</b>. The billing record is generated by the billing server <b>112</b> and sent to each carrier <b>212</b>. The carrier <b>212</b> then bills the user for the rated price. The carrier <b>212</b> may adjust the invoice amount before billing the wireless device subscriber.

[0045]FIG. 10 illustrates a product record <b>1000</b> according to one embodiment of the invention. The product record <b>1000</b> is accessible to developers for viewing. It should be noted that sometimes only a subset of the billing record is accessible to the developer because there is carrier sensitive information in the billing record that is not available to the developer. The product record <b>1000</b> is kept in a product database in the billing server <b>112</b> and has a developer identification field <b>1002</b>, a product identification field <b>1004</b>, a subscription usage (such as list price) information field <b>1006</b>, a pay-per-use usage information field <b>1008</b>, and one or more user information fields <b>1010</b>. The subscription usage field <b>1006</b> can list how many value-added subscribers have subscribed this product on monthly basis; the pay-per-use usage field <b>1008</b> can list how many specific value-added subscriber have subscribed this product on pay-per-use basis; the user information field <b>1010</b> may list demographical data extracted from the user information received. The usage record can also contain information such as subscriber id, timestamp, part number, part name, event type (i.e., download or delete), application list price, application developer fee, application license information, etc.

[0046]FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of the components of a billing server, such as can be implemented on server <b>112</b>. The server <b>112</b> has an invoice generator <b>1102</b>, a subscription recorder <b>1104</b>, a developer interface <b>1106</b>, a controller <b>1108</b>, a product database <b>1110</b>, a catalog library <b>1112</b>, a developer account manager <b>1114</b>, a carrier interface <b>1116</b>, and a billing database <b>1118</b>. The invoice generator <b>1102</b> generates invoices to the carriers; the subscription recorder <b>1104</b> records user selections; the developer interface <b>1106</b> receives product submissions from developers and provides access to the developer for viewing subscription information; the product database <b>1110</b> stores all the products submitted; the catalog library <b>1112</b> stores all the catalogs devised for different carriers and hardware platforms; the developer account manager <b>1114</b> provides subscription information or other data to the developers and makes payments to the developers; the carrier interface <b>1116</b> interfaces with the carriers; the billing database <b>1118</b> records billing records for all the users; and the controller <b>1108</b> oversees the operation of the server <b>112</b>. In other embodiment, the application download server or transaction manager generates carrier invoices, and the carrier billing systems generate customer invoices. Consequently, the transaction manager manages active subscriptions and generates monthly subscription billing events that get exported to carrier billing systems and the transaction manager can supports billing services to developers <b>202</b> for developer payment reconciliation but this summary usage information does not include carrier sensitive usage information such as SID, etc.

[0047] A developer can access the server <b>112</b> through the interface <b>204</b>, which is handled by the developer interface <b>1106</b>, by entering his developer identification number. The server <b>112</b> assigns to each developer an identification number and a password. After entering the identification number and the password, the billing server <b>112</b> allows the developer to access at least billing support services associated with the developer identification number.

[0048] It can thus be seen that the system yields a method for providing an end-to-end billing system <b>802</b> that supports multiple parties, where the subscription billing system <b>802</b> supports plurality of developers and a multitude of end-users through various carriers. The system is transparent to the end-user that only sees the subscription-causing event and the subscription-ending event, with the system handling the billing between those events. The billing system <b>802</b> sets up individual accounts for each developer, where the products developed by each developer is listed in his own account. The subscription billing system <b>802</b> also can associate each end-user with a carrier and records each end user's service plan. The system can also record product requests, deliver the product requested to the end-user, and generate invoices individually on per use basis or monthly on subscription basis. If so embodied, the payment collected from each carrier is recorded and an appropriate portion of the collected payment is distributed to the developers whose products have been used or subscribed by the end users.

[0049] In view of the method being executable on the computer platform of a computing device such as server <b>112</b>, the present invention includes a program resident in a computer readable medium, where the program directs a server or other computing device having a computer platform to perform the steps of the method. The computer readable medium can be the memory of the server <b>112</b>, or can be in a connective database. Further, the computer readable medium can be in a secondary storage media that is loadable onto a wireless device computer platform, such as a magnetic disk or tape, optical disk, hard disk, flash memory, or other storage media as is known in the art.

[0050] In the context of FIGS. 3-7, the method may be implemented, for example, by operating portion(s) of the wireless network to execute a sequence of machine-readable instructions, such the server <b>112</b>. The instructions can reside in various types of signal-bearing or data storage primary, secondary, or tertiary media. The media may comprise, for example, RAM (not shown) accessible by, or residing within, the components of the wireless network. Whether contained in RAM, a diskette, or other secondary storage media, the instructions may be stored on a variety of machine-readable data storage media, such as DASD storage (e.g., a conventional “hard drive” or a RAID array), magnetic tape, electronic read-only memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM), flash memory cards, an optical storage device (e.g. CD-ROM, WORM, DVD, digital optical tape), paper “punch” cards, or other suitable data storage media including digital and analog transmission media.

[0051] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set for the in the following claims. Furthermore, although elements of the invention may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.