Patent Connections Around US7552870B2: Exploring Digital Access and Credit Systems

Behind the scenes of everyday web interactions, key patents shape how information flows, and US7552870B2 is one of them.

Now featured in the case Reframe Technologies LLC vs. PayPal Inc., this patent introduces a Network Resource Trading Exchange. Its core idea: users who operate internet-connected access gateways can trade unused internet access for roaming access through other gateways, no subscriptions or prepayments required. In essence, it’s about turning excess connectivity into a global barter system for network access.

In this article, we utilize the Global Patent Search (GPS) platform to identify patents that align with the architectural logic of US 7552870 B2. We won’t focus on the legal battle; instead, we’ll concentrate on the innovation and the technologies related to it.

For IP professionals, system architects, or anyone tracking the evolution of peer-to-peer connectivity models, this is a feature-mapped dive you’ll want to see.

Understanding Patent US7552870B2

Patent US7552870B2, titled “Trading Network Resources,” outlines a system that allows users who operate internet-connected wireless access gateways to trade access to their network resources with other users. It does not rely on traditional billing or subscription models. This invention enables a decentralized exchange of internet access, allowing users to effectively earn credits for sharing their own network and redeem those credits for access elsewhere.

Its four key features are

#1. Network Resource Trading Rxchange: A platform enabling users to trade access to their wireless internet gateways globally.

#2. Dual-account structure: Separate account systems for users and access gateway operators, allowing credits to be applied across accounts.

#3. Real-time authorization protocol: Immediate processing of access requests based on user balances and gateway settings

#4. Session management and settlement: Automated systems to track usage, authorize sessions, and apply credit adjustments.

This framework opens up new possibilities for decentralized, credit-based access to global internet infrastructure.

Similar Patents As US7552870B2

To explore the innovation landscape surrounding US7552870B2, we’ll use the Global Patent Search tool to surface related patents with technical similarities.Below is a quick glimpse of the GPS tool in working.

Source: Global Patent Search

Each selected reference highlights how network access, resource sharing, or decentralized usage models have been addressed across different systems. This approach helps position US7552870B2 within a broader ecosystem of peer-based connectivity and access management solutions.

#1. US2008222000A1

Published in 2008, this U.S. patent US2008222000A1 explores systems and media for awarding usage credits based on user behavior, particularly in relation to accessing electronic documents and digital services.

What this patent introduces to the landscape?

1. Usage-based credit accumulation: Users earn credits through their interaction with online content, tracked by aggregator servers.
   
2. Redeemable digital currency: The earned credits can be used for premium services, such as enhanced searches or paid digital content access.
   
3. User-centric access control: The system allows credit-driven interaction via web interfaces, putting credit management directly in the hands of users.
   

How it connects to US7552870B2?

While the context differs, digital content vs. network infrastructure, this patent shares core conceptual elements with US7552870B2:

• It introduces a usage credit economy to facilitate access to otherwise restricted digital services.
• Like the network resource trading model in US7552870B2, it emphasizes decentralized credit allocation without fixed payment models.
• Both approaches empower users to convert participation or contribution into tangible access privileges.
  

Why this matters?

This patent helps establish a broader technological narrative around user-earned credits enabling access to digital services. It frames US7552870B2 not just as a network-sharing solution, but as part of a wider shift toward credit-based access ecosystems in tech infrastructure.

#2. KR20050050167A

Published in 2005, this Korean patent KR20050050167A introduces a member management method that allows users to freely convert accumulated points into cyber money, aiming to support payment for communication services and e-commerce participation.

What this patent introduces to the landscape?

1. Point-to-currency conversion model: Users can accumulate various types of points (signup, referral, advertisement, billing) and convert them into cyber money without usage limits.
   
2. Dynamic reward system: Points are earned from multiple user interactions, including advertising engagement and service participation.
   
3. Subscriber incentive structure: The system encourages continuous user participation by minimizing service payment burdens and promoting e-commerce activity through flexible point use.
   

How it connects to US7552870B2?

KR20050050167A and US7552870B2 both explore user-controlled digital credit systems:

• Each system allows users to accumulate credits or points through resource or service interaction.
• Both prioritize flexible redemption: US 7552870 B2 enables credit-based access to network gateways, while KR 20050050167 A supports paying communication fees or online purchases.
• They represent parallel solutions in credit decentralization and user-driven access models, though applied in different service domains.
  

Why this matters?

This patent reinforces the broader concept of letting users trade accumulated digital value for practical service access. Its flexible conversion logic parallels US7552870B2’s network sharing framework, highlighting a growing ecosystem of systems built on non-monetary, user-earned access credits.

#3. US7457777B1

Published in 2008, this U.S. patent US7457777B1 presents a system where service unit credits, such as those accumulated from unused mobile or utility services, can be commoditized, traded, or applied to future service use.

What this patent introduces to the landscape?

1. Service unit rollover and crediting: Customers receive credits for unused service units within a billing cycle, which can be applied to future usage.
   
2. Commoditization of service credits: The system allows these credits to be treated as tradable assets, enabling buying, selling, or bartering with them.
   
3. Service-as-currency model: Credits act not just as deferred value, but as a medium of exchange for goods or other services, effectively creating a parallel transaction mechanism.
   

How it connects to US7552870B2?

US7457777B1 shares conceptual DNA with US7552870B2 in its credit-based exchange framework:

• Both envision credits earned through service interaction (e.g., unused bandwidth or network access) as valuable digital assets.
• Each patent supports non-cash-based access models where users leverage accumulated service credits for future or alternative usage.
• While one focuses on telecom services and the other on network access points, the structural logic of credit creation, accumulation, and redemption aligns closely.
  

Why this matters?

This patent adds dimension to how network-related services can be transformed into tradeable, value-bearing assets, echoing the philosophy behind US7552870B2. It highlights a shift toward flexible, user-centric value systems that transcend traditional subscription models.

#4. US2002052788A1

Published in 2002, this U.S. patent US2002052788A1 outlines a method for implementing a digital credit system designed for internet and interactive TV transactions, enabling the accumulation, exchange, and control of user-generated credits.

What this patent introduces to the landscape?

1. Digital credit system for media transactions: Users earn and spend digital currency (credits or coupons) based on their engagement with media platforms.
   
2. User-level and group-based tracking: The system supports individual as well as group (e.g., household) credit management, including roles for affiliate decision-making.
   
3. Flexible redemption framework: Earned credits can be exchanged for goods, services, or upgraded content, with quality of service affecting credit consumption.
   

How it connects to US7552870B2?

This patent parallels US7552870B2 in its credit-for-access model:

• Both systems facilitate user-earned digital credits that can be exchanged for services.
• Each framework is built around tracking participation and enabling redemption across a distributed digital environment.
• The group-level management concept mirrors US7552870B2’s support for shared network access within user-controlled systems.
  

Why this matters?

US2002052788A1 contributes to the understanding of how user-generated digital value can be managed, scaled, and monetized. Its focus on transaction flexibility and community control reflects the same decentralization principles foundational to US7552870B2.

#5. US2003128826A1

Published in 2003, this U.S. patent US2003128826A1 introduces a system for charge metering in data transmission networks, using stored electronic credits as a mechanism to authorize and manage network access.

What this patent introduces to the landscape?

1. Terminal-based electronic credits: Users store network access credits directly on their terminal devices, which are debited during data transmission.
   
2. Credit-based network access: The method allows bypassing traditional authentication protocols by validating access through credit availability.
   
3. Subscriber-linked accounting: Each terminal’s credits are linked to a unique subscriber account, enabling personal usage tracking and charge management.
   

How it connects to US7552870B2?

US2003128826A1 aligns closely with US7552870B2 in several technical aspects:

• Both rely on digital credits to enable access to network services.
• They emphasize user-side storage and real-time credit validation, allowing decentralized access control.
• Each solution replaces or supplements conventional authentication or billing systems with usage-based credit debiting.
  

Why this matters?

This patent further solidifies the technological thread of credit-mediated network resource access, a core theme in US7552870B2. It adds weight to the idea that network usage can be dynamically metered and monetized through localized, user-controlled credit mechanisms.

How to Find Related Patents Using Global Patent Search?

Understanding the broader innovation landscape around a patent can be essential for research, product planning, or spotting conceptual overlaps in emerging technologies. The Global Patent Search (GPS) tool streamlines this process by uncovering similar inventions across geographies, industries, and timelines. Here’s how it works:

1. Enter the patent number into GPS: The tool transforms a standard patent number into an AI-driven natural language query. Users can refine this query with technical keywords to align with their specific research objectives.

2. Explore conceptual snippets: GPS highlights key excerpts from related patents, showing where functional ideas or architectural components match the input patent.

3. Identify structurally similar inventions: The platform surfaces patents with comparable frameworks, usage models, or system configurations, giving users a window into how similar problems have been solved.

4. Compare without legal jargon: Instead of relying on legal claims, GPS focuses on technological commonalities, allowing users to assess relevance based solely on design and function.

5. Accelerate cross-domain research: Whether investigating networking protocols, decentralized systems, or user-credit exchanges, GPS makes it easier to analyze connections across diverse innovation areas.

With these capabilities, Global Patent Search offers a smarter and faster way to navigate the patent landscape and uncover meaningful technological parallels.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. The related patent references mentioned are preliminary results from the Global Patent Search (GPS) tool and do not guarantee legal significance. For a comprehensive related patent analysis, we recommend conducting a detailed search using GPS or consulting a patent attorney.