SPONSORING OF A MOBILE STATION SESSION BY ANOTHER MOBILE STATION IN A WIRELESS NETWORK
An apparatus and method are described for sponsoring service and preferential traffic handling, (i.e., data connectivity) by wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs). A first WTRU may initiate user sponsoring of a second WTRU via an application server (AS). The first WTRU may receive a service trigger from the AS and forward the service trigger to the second WTRU. The second WTRU may then initiate a sponsored session with the AS using the service trigger in order to receive a service from the AS. The first WTRU may also request the AS to transfer a credit to the second WTRU. The AS may establish a direct communication link with a charging system including an online charging function (OCF) and a charging data function (CDF). The AS may send a request to a network to provide preferential traffic handling needed to deliver content to the second WTRU.
1 . A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for user-to-user sponsoring of mobile data, the method comprising:
receiving identifying information from one or more other WTRUs;
initiating sponsoring of mobile data for a second WTRU of the one or more other WTRUs based on a trigger; and
providing the trigger to the second WTRU to initiate the sponsored mobile data to the second WTRU.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying information is received with involvement of the one or more other WTRUs.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining authorization for sponsorship from the second WTRU.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein obtaining authorization is performed by the WTRU.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger is provided by an application server (AS).
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger includes sponsorship tokens.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the sponsorship tokens are limited in scope to a sponsored mobile data type.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the sponsorship tokens are limited in time.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trigger includes a token.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising matching the mobile data to the WTRU with the token.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sponsoring of the second WTRU enables the second WTRU to access the mobile data.
12 . A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for user-to-user sponsoring of mobile data, the WTRU comprising:
circuitry configured to:
receive identifying information from one or more other WTRUs;
initiate sponsoring of mobile data for a second WTRU of the one or more other WTRUs based on a trigger; and
provide the trigger to the second WTRU to initiate the sponsored mobile data to the second WTRU.
13 . The WTRU of claim 12 , wherein the identifying information is received with involvement of the one or more other WTRUs.
14 . The WTRU of claim 12 , further comprising obtaining authorization for sponsorship from the second WTRU.
15 . The WTRU of claim 12 , wherein the trigger includes sponsorship tokens.
16 . The WTRU of claim 12 , wherein the trigger includes a token.
17 . The WTRU of claim 16 , further comprising matching the mobile data to the WTRU with the token.
18 . A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for user-to-user sponsored mobile data, the WTRU comprising:
circuitry configured to:
provide identifying information of the WTRU to a sponsoring WTRU;
receive a trigger to initiate access to sponsored mobile data; and
initiate sponsored mobile data with the trigger.
19 . The WTRU of claim 18 , wherein the trigger includes sponsorship tokens.
20 . The WTRU of claim 18 , further comprising obtaining authorization for sponsorship from the sponsoring WTRU.