An aspect of the invention relates to a computer-implemented method for charging and paying for a use of resources of a distributed network. The distributed network comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is configured to run one or more computational units. The one or more computational units comprise one or more application units for providing application services to users of the distributed network. The embodied method comprises steps of running, by each user of the network, one or more local user gas accounts at one or more of the application units and processing, via the local user gas accounts, payments for the use of the resources of the distributed network.

Further aspects relate to a distributed network, a node of a distributed network and a corresponding computer program product.

Techniques are described for managing communications between multiple intercommunicating computing nodes, such as multiple virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems. In some situations, users may specify groups of computing nodes and optionally associated access policies for use in the managing of the communications for those groups, such as by specifying which source nodes are allowed to transmit data to particular destinations nodes. In addition, determinations of whether initiated data transmissions from source nodes to destination nodes are authorized may be dynamically negotiated for and recorded for later use in automatically authorizing future such data transmissions without negotiation. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Techniques are described for managing communications between multiple intercommunicating computing nodes, such as multiple virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems. In some situations, users may specify groups of computing nodes and optionally associated access policies for use in the managing of the communications for those groups, such as by specifying which source nodes are allowed to transmit data to particular destinations nodes. In addition, determinations of whether initiated data transmissions from source nodes to destination nodes are authorized may be dynamically negotiated for and recorded for later use in automatically authorizing future such data transmissions without negotiation. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

An apparatus for measuring and displaying Internet traffic of a mobile device, which includes a traffic measurement module and a traffic display module. The apparatus also includes a SIM card account creation module configured to create a SIM card account for each of a plurality of SIM cards. The traffic measurement module measures the Internet traffic of each of the SIM card accounts. The traffic display module displays the Internet traffic of each of the SIM card accounts. The Internet traffic of each SIM card on the mobile device may be measured and displayed.

An information processing system configured to communicate with an apparatus and an external server and to perform a series of processes specified by the apparatus is provided. The information processing system includes a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to identify a program that is executed in the external server based on the series of processes specified by the apparatus, and control the operational state of the external server in which the identified program is executed.

A method and system for a wireless local area network user accessing a fixed broadband network, the method includes: a broadband network gateway (BNG) device initiating an identity authenticating process to an authentication authorization accounting (AAA) server for a wireless local area network (WLAN) user; after the AAA server successfully authenticates the WLAN user, the BNG device acquiring a mobility identifier of the WLAN user from the AAA server; after receiving the mobility identifier of the WLAN user, the BNG device allowing the mobility access of the WLAN user.

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for enforcing time and usage limits are provided. One method includes allocating a usage allowance and time allowance for a group subscription to a network, and receiving a notification when a minimum threshold is reached for either the usage allowance or the time allowance within a certain duration. The method may further include determining a remainder of the usage allowance and a remainder of the time allowance by querying at least one policy and charging enforcement function, and reallocating the usage allowance and the time allowance based on the determined remainder of the usage allowance and the determined remainder of the time allowance.

The present disclosure relates to a method performed in an operator network providing data network connectivity to Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices, for charging of a service session involving a plurality of the M2M devices. The method comprises, from each of the plurality of M2M devices involved in the service session, receiving a service message comprising a service identifier (SID) corresponding to the service session. The method also comprises, by means of the received SID from each of the plurality of M2M devices, determining the number of M2M devices involved in the service session. The method also comprises, based on the determined number of M2M devices, calculating a charging rate for the service session. The method also comprises using the calculated rate, charging the service session.

An approach is provided for adjusting a characteristic of a data stream. A rate of data usage provided by one or more data streams within a time period that has not ended is determined. An amount of time remaining in the time period is determined. Based at least in part on the amount of time remaining in the time period and the rate of data usage, an expected amount of data usage within the entire time period is determined. Whether the expected amount of data usage exceeds a limit on data usage within the entire time period is determined. If the expected amount of data usage exceeds the limit, the characteristic of the data stream is adjusted so that actual data usage within the entire time period does not exceed the limit. The actual data usage is based in part on the adjusted characteristic.

In one aspect of the teachings herein, an Application Function (AF) in a wireless communication network is configured to support online charging for the consumption of content that has been pre-fetched to a wireless device via the network. The AF functionality thus provides a mechanism by which content may be pre-fetched to a wireless device in advance of charging for that content, while reliably conditioning the later consumption of that content at the wireless device on the online charging decisions made by an online charging system. In another aspect, a wireless device is configured to send a consumption request for pre-fetched content towards such an AF and condition its consumption of the pre-fetched content on the consumption response returned to it.