License control at a gateway server

1. A method of controlling, at a server, access right of a message received from a terminal at the server, and where the message is processed by a protocol stack, and where the message is a data packet comprising:

a sender address specifying the address of the terminal,

a port number specifying the application address of the instance sending the message at the terminal, and

user data including the contents of the message,

and the method comprising:

checking the right of the message to enter the server before the message is allowed to pass to the protocol stack establishing a session between the server and the terminal and for receiving the data packet within the session, and the checking of the right of the message to enter the server comprises:

storing a number of access right licenses purchased by a licensee, and reserving a license of the licensee if the data packet arrived in a new concurrent session relating to the licensee,

controlling that the number of reserved licenses does not exceed the number of purchased access right licenses,

reserving a license for the session as a response to having determined existence of access right, and

monitoring the time passed since the last data packet arrived in one session, and releasing the license for the session where a predetermined time has passed since the last data packet arrived in the session.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises

reading both the sender address and the port number from the data packet for identifying the terminal.

3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:

reserving a license for each different combination of sender address and port number found in a data packet.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

communicating messages with a particular wireless network and adapting messages received from the wireless network for the protocol stack, and after the adaptation checking the access right.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

passing the message to the protocol stack in response to determining allowed access, and

discarding the message in response to determining denied access.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:

returning an error message to the terminal in response to a discarded message.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein where the license has been released for a particular session and a data packet again arrives in that session, performing the access right checking for the newly received data packet and reserving a new license upon allowed access.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein where a data packet arrives before said predetermined time has passed, performing the access right checking for the newly received data packet, and allowing access on basis of the already reserved license without reserving a new license.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the terminals comprise mobile terminals.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the mobile terminals comprise cellular telephones supporting the Wireless Application Protocol.

11. A server for receiving a message from a terminal and comprising a protocol stack for processing the message according to a particular protocol stack,

wherein the message is a data packet comprising:

a sender address specifying the address of the terminal,

a port number specifying the application address of the instance sending the message at the terminal, and

user data including the contents of the message, and the server further comprising:

license control means for controlling the access right of the message to enter the server before the message is allowed to pass to the protocol stack,

connection means for establishing a session between the server and the terminal and for receiving the data packet within the session,

storage means for storing a number of access right licenses purchased by a licensee,

means for reserving a license of the licensee for each data packet arriving in a new concurrent session relating to the licensee, and

means for controlling that the number of reserved licenses does not exceed the number of purchased access right licenses,

wherein the server further comprises

means for reading both the sender address and the port number from the data packet for identifying the terminal,

reservation means for reserving a license for the session as a response to the license control means having determined existance of access right, and

timing means for monitoring the time passed since the last data packet arrived in one session, and releasing the license for the session where a predetermined time has passed since the last data packet arrived in the session.

12. A server according to claim 11 , wherein the server further comprises

a bearer adapter for communicating messages with a particular wireless network and for adapting messages received from the wireless network for the protocol stack, and wherein the license control means have been placed functionally below the protocol stack and above the bearer adapter in the server hierarchy.

13. A server according to claim 11 , wherein the server further comprises:

means for reserving a license for each different combination of sender address and port number found in a data packet.

14. A server according to claim 11 , wherein the server further comprises

means for passing the message to the protocol stack in response to determining allowed access and for discarding the message in response to determining denied access.

15. A server according to claim 14 , wherein the server further comprises

means for returning an error message to the terminal in response to a discarded message.

16. A server according to claim 11 , wherein the server comprises a gateway server serving a plurality of mobile terminals.

17. A server according to claim 16 , wherein the server comprises a Wireless Application Protocol, WAP, gateway.

18. A computer program product executable and embodied in a computer readable medium for controlling, at a server, access right of a message received from a terminal at the server, where the message is processed by a protocol stack and wherein the message is a data packet comprising:

a sender address specifying the address of the terminal,

a port number specifying the application address of the instance sending the message at the terminal, and

user data including the contents of the message, and the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program means for controlling the access right of the message to enter the server before the message is allowed to pass to the protocol stack, wherein the computer program product further comprises:

computer readable program means for causing the server to establish a session between the server and the terminal and for receiving the data packet within the session,

computer readable program means for causing the server to store a number of access right licenses purchased by a licensee, and

computer readable program means for causing the server to reserve a license of the licensee for each data packet arriving in a new concurrent session relating to the licensee,

computer readable program means for causing the server to control that the number of reserved licenses does not exceed the number of purchased access right licenses;

computer readable program means for reserving a license for the session as a response to having determined existance of access right, and

computer readable program means for monitoring the time passed since the last data packet arrived in one session, and releasing the license for the session where a predetermined time has passed since the last data packet arrived in the session.