System, method, and computer program for rating network transmissions based on user requested data

摘要

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for rating network transmissions based on user requested data. In use, a transmission of data over a network is identified, where the data includes user requested data and additional data. Additionally, a size of the user requested data is determined. Furthermore, the transmission of the user requested data is rated based on the size of the user requested data. The transmission of additional data may be charged to third parties such as advertisers.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
intercepting at a network bridge a transmission including user requested data and a first advertisement sent from a first data source to a device of the user over a network; determining at the network bridge a bandwidth consumed by the transmission of the user requested data; identifying a maximum bandwidth capacity for the network; determining a remaining available bandwidth by calculating the difference between the maximum bandwidth capacity for the network and the bandwidth consumed by only the transmission of the user requested data and not the first advertisement; selecting at the network bridge and from a second data source separate from the first data source a second advertisement, based on a determination that:
the second advertisement consumes a bandwidth that is within a predetermined amount below the determined remaining available bandwidth,the second advertisement is of a type that enables use of the maximum bandwidth capacity, andthe user has opted to receive advertisements selected based on a size of the user requested data; removing the first advertisement from the transmission and appending the second advertisement to the user requested data within the transmission; sending the size of the user requested data from the network bridge to a billing system; determining at the billing system a rate for the transmission of the user requested data based on the size of the user requested data; determining at the billing system whether an account of the user contains sufficient funds to pay the rate for the transmission; sending authorization from the billing system to the network bridge when the billing system determines that the account of the user contains sufficient funds to pay the rate; and transmitting the user requested data and the second advertisement from the network bridge to the device of the user, in response to the authorization.