Method and apparatus to provide charging for ad-hoc service provisioning between trusted parties and between untrusted parties

摘要

A method and a system provide a service for a user device with a service provider. The method includes establishing a service provisioning relationship between the user device and a bridging user device through a first wireless network (e.g., a Bluetooth network); providing a desired service for the user device with the service provider via the bridging user device and the first wireless network, and through a second wireless network (e.g., a cellular network) that couples the bridging user device to the service provider; while providing the service, recording charging data for the service provisioning relationship between the user device and the bridging user device; and reporting the charging data from the bridging user device to the service provider. In the preferred embodiment at least the establishing and recording functions use service provider trusted software running on the user device and on the bridging user device.