KR20050071947A - Service system and method for location based call charging - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a location-based call rate discount service system and method for providing a call rate discount service when a user attempts to make a call within a specific zone set as a call rate discount area.

The present invention provides a base station for receiving RTD data between a base station and a mobile communication terminal transmitted from a mobile communication terminal; Stores at least one base station location information, receives / stores RTD data transmitted from the base station, identifies the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal based on the RTD data and the base station location information, and determines the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal and the predetermined location. A service for performing a call in a call rate discounted area, including a location information providing server that compares the call rate discounted area to determine whether the mobile communication terminal has called in the call rate discounted area, and transmits a result of the confirmation to the billing server. It is possible to increase the reliability of the rate discount service to the subscriber.

Description

Service System and Method for Location Based Call Charging

The present invention relates to a location-based call rate discount service system, and more particularly, to a location-based call rate discount service system and method for providing a call rate discount service when a user attempts to make a call within a specific area set as a call rate discount area. .

As the number of mobile terminal users increases, mobile operators are providing various value-added services, such as discounts on call rates in certain regions, route guidance, and custom ring / ringback tone replacement sounds.

The call rate discount service in a specific region of the additional service is a service for discounting a call rate of a user in a predetermined specific region, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 1.

1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional location-based call rate discount service method.

Call rate discount service is to discount the call rate when the user tries to call within the zone (A) designated as the call rate discount area. At this time, when the mobile communication terminal (MS) attempts to make a call, the mobile communication terminal (MS) is connected to a signal with a base station (BS4) located closest to, and then transmits and receives a signal according to a call connection with the base station (BS4).

However, as shown in FIG. 1, the mobile communication terminal MS attempts to make a call in the call rate discount area A but is not a base station BS1 to BS3 located in the call rate discount area A. It is often the case that a signal is connected to a local base station (BS4), so that the call rate discount is not applied.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, when the location of the mobile communication terminal attempted to determine the call, and compared with the service area set as the call rate discount area when the mobile communication terminal is located in the service area In addition, the present invention provides a location-based call rate discount service system and method for discounting call rates within a service area.

The present invention for achieving the above object is a base station for performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center for providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, a switch for performing a call exchange between the mobile communication terminal and A location-based call rate discount service system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to the mobile communication terminal, including a billing server for generating billing information according to the use of the mobile communication terminal,

A base station for receiving RTD data between the base station and the mobile communication terminal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal; Store at least one base station location information, receive / store the RTD data transmitted from the base station, determine the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal based on the RTD data and the base station location information,

Comparing the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal with a predetermined call rate discount area to determine whether the mobile communication terminal has called in the call rate discount area, and providing a location information providing server for transmitting a confirmation result to the billing server; And the billing server generates billing information based on call information in the call rate discount area transmitted from the location information providing server.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a base station for performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center for providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, an exchange for performing call exchange between mobile communication terminals, and use of the mobile communication terminal. A location-based call rate discount service method using a system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to a mobile communication terminal, including a billing server for generating billing information and a location information providing server, wherein the location information is provided. The server includes a database that stores at least one base station location information and call rate discount area information.

The first location information providing server receives the RTD data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal through the base station; The second step of determining, by the location information providing server, a detailed location of the mobile communication terminal based on the RTD data received in the first step and the previously stored base station location information; The location information providing server compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal identified in the second step with the call rate discount area, and confirms whether the mobile communication terminal has made a call in the call rate discount area. step; The location information providing server comprises a fourth step of transmitting to the billing server whether or not a call in the call rate discount area identified in the third step, whether the billing server calls in the call rate discount area; To generate the billing information based on.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a base station for performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center for providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, an exchange for performing call exchange between mobile communication terminals, and the mobile communication terminal. A location-based call rate discount service system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to the mobile communication terminal, including a billing server for generating billing information according to use,

A base station for transmitting a signal including its location to the mobile communication terminal in response to the call origination of the mobile communication terminal; A mobile communication terminal for identifying its detailed location based on the RTD data between the base station and the mobile communication terminal generated by the signal transmitted from the base station and the location of the base station, and applying the same to the location-based call rate discount; When the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal received from the mobile communication terminal is received through the base station, the mobile communication terminal compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal with a predetermined call rate discount area and the mobile communication terminal is within the call rate discount area. Billing information based on call information in the call rate discount area transmitted by the billing server from the location information providing server, including a location information providing server for checking whether or not a call has been made, and transmitting a verification result to the billing server; Create a.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a base station for performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center for providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, an exchange for performing call exchange between mobile communication terminals, and the mobile communication terminal. A location-based call rate discount service method using a system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to the mobile communication terminal, including a billing server for generating billing information according to usage and a location information providing server,

When the base station transmits a response to the call origination of the mobile communication terminal, the base station transmits its location (including the location of the base station), the location information providing server includes a database for storing the call rate discount area information,

A first step of the mobile communication terminal receiving a response including the location of the base station transmitted from the base station after attempting to make a call; A second step of generating, by the mobile communication terminal, RTD data between the base station and the mobile communication terminal according to the response received from the base station; A third step of identifying, by the mobile communication terminal, its detailed location based on the RTD data and the location of the base station, and transmitting the detailed location thereof to the location information providing server; The location information providing server compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal identified in the third step with the call rate discounted area to determine whether the mobile communication terminal has made a call in the call rate discounted area; step; And a fifth step of transmitting, to the billing server, whether the call is in the call rate discount zone identified in the fourth step. To create it.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention will be divided into two types according to whether the mobile terminal directly calculates its location. When the mobile communication terminal directly calculates its location, the base station transmits a response signal to the call origination of the mobile communication terminal to the mobile communication terminal, including its location (base station location coordinates).

In addition, in the detailed description of the present invention, the mobile communication terminal 100 will be described under the assumption that the call charge discount service subscriber is targeted.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a connection between a call rate discount service system and a communication network according to the present invention, and will be described with reference to FIG. 3 illustrating signal transmission between a mobile communication terminal and a base station.

The call rate discount service system is a system for providing a discount service for call rates when the location of the mobile communication terminal 100 that performs a call is located and is within a preset call rate discount service zone, and includes a mobile communication network 500 and mobile communication. It includes a location information providing server 400 to determine the location of the terminal 100 and the billing server 300 for generating / charging the billing information according to the use of the mobile communication terminal (100).

In more detail, when the mobile communication terminal 100 attempts to make a call, the mobile communication terminal 100 receives a response to the call origination transmitted from the base stations BS1, BS2, and BS3 as shown in FIG. do. Thereafter, the mobile communication terminal 100 is located close to the mobile communication terminal 100 and connected to the base station BS1 having the shortest signal transmission time to transmit and receive information related to a call.

The mobile communication terminal 100 transmits a round trip delay (RTD) data generated by a response transmitted from the base stations BS1 to BS3 to the location information providing server 400 and transmits the data to the mobile communication terminal 100. ) To get the detailed location.

In this case, the RTD data is a value calculated by calculating the time delay between the base stations BS1 to BS3 and the terminal 100 in units of 1/8, and is measured through an access channel at the time of origination and reception. Measure in 8-chip units. That is, the RTD data includes all delay values between the base station and the terminal, that is, the delay value of the base station itself, the transmission delay value in the air, the reception delay value of the terminal, the transmission delay value of the terminal, the reception delay value in the air, and the reception delay of the base station. It is the value converted by chip unit by adding up all the values.

Thereafter, the location information providing server 400 is based on the RTD data collected from the mobile communication terminal 100 through the base station BS1 and the location of the base stations BS1 to BS3 previously stored in the server. Identify the detailed location of the.

Subsequently, the location information providing server 400 checks whether the location of the mobile communication terminal 100 is within a call rate discount service area, and the confirmed result is reflected in the charging information generation for the mobile communication terminal 100. Create a location confirmation message to be transmitted to the billing server (300). At this time, the location confirmation message is whether or not the call within the call rate discount service area and information on the calling / called terminal.

When the billing server 300 receives the location confirmation message transmitted from the location information providing server 400, the billing server 300 generates billing information by reflecting whether the mobile communication terminal 100 is a call in a call rate discount service area.

4 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a configuration of a server for providing location information according to the present invention.

The location information providing server 400 may include a control unit 440 for overall operation control, an RTD data collection unit 410 for collecting RTD data between the mobile communication terminal 100 and the base station through the mobile communication network 500, RTD data and A database 450 storing various information, a terminal position calculator 420 for calculating a detailed position of the terminal, and a position determiner 430 for determining whether the mobile communication terminal 100 is a call in a call rate discount service area. It includes.

Here, the base station / base station controller 200, 220 of the mobile communication network 500 transmits the RTD data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 100 to the location information providing server 400.

In more detail, the database 450 includes an RTD information DB 451 for storing RTD data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 100 through the base station 200 and a base station for storing at least one base station coordinate (location). And a call rate discount area information DB 455 that stores a location DB 453 and preset call rate discount area and call rate discount service subscriber information.

Here, the RTD data represents a time delay value between at least one or more base stations (BS1 to BS3 in FIG. 3) and the mobile communication terminal 100, and is referred to when calculating the distance between the base station and the mobile communication terminal.

When the RTD data collection unit 410 receives the RTD data transmitted from the mobile communication network 500, the RTD data collecting unit 410 stores the RTD data in the RTD information DB 451 and determines the detailed position of the mobile communication terminal 100. Send a signal).

The terminal location calculator 420 determines the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal 100 based on the RTD data and the base station location stored in the database 450. For example, the terminal position calculating unit 420 based on the coordinates of the base station extracted from the base station position DB 453 and the RTD data (time delay value between the base station and the mobile terminal) based on the base station code included in the RTD data. To calculate the detailed position of the mobile communication terminal (100).

Thereafter, the location determining unit 430 compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal 100 calculated by the terminal location calculating unit 420 with the call rate discount area designated by the user, and determines whether the call is in the service area. . The location determiner 430 transmits a location confirmation message (results of checking whether a call is in the service area) to the billing server 300 so that it can be reflected in the user billing information generation.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a location-based call rate discount service method according to the present invention.

When the mobile communication terminal 100 attempts to make a call, the mobile communication terminal 100 receives a response from at least one or more base stations and is connected to the nearest base station 200 to transmit and receive call connection related information (S101). When the mobile communication terminal 100 is connected to the base station 200, the mobile communication terminal 100 transmits RTD data between at least one base station and the mobile communication terminal to the base station 200.

Here, the RTD data is a time delay value between at least one base station (BS1 to BS3 in FIG. 3) and the mobile communication terminal 100, and is referred to when calculating the distance between the base station and the mobile communication terminal.

When the base station 200 receives the RTD data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 100, the base station 200 transmits the RTD data to the location information providing server 400 so as to determine the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal 100 (S103).

When the location information providing server 400 receives the RTD data from the base station 200 and stores it in the RTD information DB 451 (S103).

Thereafter, the terminal location calculator 420 of the location information providing server 400 determines the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal 100 based on the RTD data and the base station location stored in the database 450 (S105). For example, the terminal location calculator 420 extracts corresponding base station coordinates of the RTD data from the base station position DB 453 and calculates the detailed position of the mobile communication terminal 100 based on the extracted base station coordinates and the RTD data. .

The location determining unit 430 compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal 100 calculated by the terminal location calculating unit 420 with a call charge discount area designated by the user, and determines whether the call is within a service area (S107). ).

The location determining unit 430 transmits the result of checking whether the call is in the service area to the billing server 300 so that it can be reflected in the billing information generation (S109).

When the billing server 300 receives the check result of the call rate discount service area of the mobile communication terminal 100 transmitted from the location information providing server 400, when generating the billing information of the mobile communication terminal 100; The received confirmation result is reflected (S111).

6 to 8 will be described based on a configuration in which the mobile communication terminal 100 directly calculates its position using RTD data and base station coordinates (location).

In addition, when a call origination is attempted from the mobile communication terminal 100, the base station 200 of the mobile communication network 500 transmits a response to the call origination including its location to the mobile communication terminal 100.

6 is a view showing the configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention.

As shown, the mobile communication terminal 100 includes a control unit 110, an input unit 120, a memory 130, a wireless communication unit 140, a display unit 150, a location calculator 160, and an application storage unit 170. ) And an output unit 180. In the case of the mobile communication terminal 30 for performing short-range communication, a short-range communication module should be mounted.

Input unit 120 for input and output control, memory 130 for storing various data, wireless communication unit 140 for performing wireless communication, for indicating the current state of the mobile communication terminal or the event processing state requested by the user The display unit 150, the application storage unit 170 to install the application program according to the model or model of the mobile communication terminal, and an output unit for providing audible data required for using the voice call service or data service 180 is a general configuration of a mobile communication terminal, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The mobile communication terminal 100 applied to the present invention further includes a location calculator 160.

The location calculator 160 receives a signal including base station location information from at least one base station in response to call origination. In this case, the position calculator 160 obtains RTD data (time delay value) between the base station and the mobile communication terminal.

Thereafter, the location calculator 160 calculates its detailed location based on the RTD data and the base station location information between the at least one base station and the mobile communication terminal 100. The location calculator 160 transmits the calculated location information of the mobile communication terminal 100 to the wireless communication unit 140 to be transmitted to the location information providing server 400.

7 is a view showing another embodiment of the configuration of the location information providing server according to the present invention.

The location information providing server 400 may include a control unit 440 for overall operation control, a terminal location collection unit 460 for collecting terminal location information calculated by the mobile communication terminal 100 from the mobile communication network 500, and terminal location information. And a location determination unit 430 for determining whether the database 450 storing various kinds of information and the mobile communication terminal 100 are calls in the call rate discount service area.

In more detail, the database 450 includes a terminal location information DB 457 that stores terminal location information transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 100 through the base station 200, and a preset call rate discount area and call rate discount service. The telephone call rate discount area information DB 455 which stores subscriber information is included.

When the terminal location collection unit 460 receives the terminal location information transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 100 through the base station 220, the terminal location collection unit 460 stores the terminal location information in the terminal location information DB 457 and the mobile communication terminal 100 charges the call. The signal is transmitted to the location determiner 430 to determine whether the call is in the discount service area.

Thereafter, the location determining unit 430 compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal 100 with the call rate discount area designated by the user according to the signal transmitted from the terminal location collecting unit 460 to determine whether the call is in the service area. To judge. The location determiner 430 transmits a location confirmation message (results of checking whether a call is in the service area) to the billing server 300 so that it can be reflected in the user billing information generation.

8 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a method for discounting location-based call charges according to the present invention.

When the mobile communication terminal 100 attempts to make a call, the mobile communication terminal 100 receives a response from at least one base station and is connected to the nearest base station 200 to transmit and receive information (S201, S203).

At this time, when the base station 200 of the mobile communication network 500 attempts to make a call from the mobile communication terminal 100, the base station 200 transmits a response to the call origination including its coordinates (location) to the mobile communication terminal 100.

The mobile communication terminal 100 obtains RTD data through a response to a call origination transmitted from at least one base station. The mobile communication terminal 100 calculates its detailed location based on the RTD data and the base station location (S205). Here, the RTD data is a time delay value between at least one base station (BS1 to BS3 in FIG. 3) and the mobile communication terminal 100, and is referred to when calculating the distance between the base station and the mobile communication terminal.

Thereafter, the base station 200 receives the detailed location information of the mobile communication terminal 100 and the incoming / outgoing terminal information transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 100 (S207) and transmits it to the location information providing server 400. (S209).

The location determining unit 430 of the location information providing server 400 compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal 100 calculated by the mobile communication terminal 100 with a call rate discount area designated by the user, and determines whether the call is within a service area. It is determined whether or not (S211).

The location determination unit 430 transmits a location confirmation message (results of checking whether a call is in the service area) to the billing server 300 so that it can be reflected in the user call charge generation (S213).

When the billing server 300 receives the check result of the call rate discount service area of the mobile communication terminal 100 transmitted from the location information providing server 400, when generating the billing information of the mobile communication terminal 100; The received confirmation result is reflected (S215).

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are to be understood as illustrative in all respects and not as restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the following claims rather than the detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. do.

As described above, the present invention grasps the detailed position of the mobile communication terminal based on the time delay value between the base station and the mobile communication terminal and the location of the base station. Can increase the reliability.

1 is a view for explaining a conventional location-based call rate discount service method,

2 is a diagram illustrating a connection between a call rate discount service system and a communication network according to the present invention;

3 is a view for explaining a location-based call rate discount service method according to the present invention;

4 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a configuration of a server for providing location information according to the present invention;

5 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for discounting location-based call charges according to the present invention;

6 is a view showing the configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention;

7 is a view showing another embodiment of a configuration of a location information providing server according to the present invention;

8 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a method for discounting location-based call charges according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: mobile communication terminal 110: control unit

120: input unit 130: memory

140: wireless communication unit 150: display unit

160: location calculator 170: application storage unit

180: output unit 200: base station (BTS)

220: base station controller (BSC) 240: switchboard (MSC)

260: Home Location Register (HLR) 280: Data Core Network (DCN)

300: billing server 400: location information providing server

410: RTD data collector 420: terminal location calculator

430: position determining unit 440: control unit

450: Database 451: RTD Information DB

453: base station location DB 455: call rate discount area information DB

457: call rate discount area information DB 460: terminal location collector

Claims (6)

A base station for performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center for providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, an exchange for performing call exchange between mobile communication terminals, and billing information according to the use of the mobile communication terminal. Including a billing server for generating a location-based call rate discount service system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to the mobile communication terminal, A base station for receiving RTD data between the base station and the mobile communication terminal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal; And Store at least one base station location information, receive / store the RTD data transmitted from the base station, determine the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal based on the RTD data and the base station location information, A location information providing server which compares a detailed location of the mobile communication terminal with a predetermined call rate discount area to determine whether the mobile communication terminal has called in the call rate discount area, and transmits a confirmation result to the billing server; And wherein the billing server generates billing information based on call availability information in the call rate discount area transmitted from the location information providing server. According to claim 1, The location information providing server, A database storing the RTD data, at least one base station-specific location, a preset call rate discount area, and call rate discount service subscriber information; An RTD data collector configured to store and manage the RTD data transmitted from the base station in the database; A terminal location calculator for determining a detailed location of the mobile communication terminal based on the RTD data and the base station location stored in the database; And A position determination unit comparing the detailed position of the mobile communication terminal calculated by the terminal position calculating unit with the call rate discount area to determine whether the call is within a service area and providing the result to the billing server; And the billing server generates billing information based on call availability information in the call rate discount area transmitted from the location determination unit. A base station performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, an exchange performing call exchange between mobile communication terminals, and billing information according to the use of the mobile communication terminal. A location-based call rate discount service method using a system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to a mobile communication terminal, including a billing server for generating a location information providing server, The location information providing server includes a database storing at least one base station location information and call rate discount area information. The first location information providing server receives the RTD data transmitted from the mobile communication terminal through the base station; The second step of determining, by the location information providing server, a detailed location of the mobile communication terminal based on the RTD data received in the first step and the previously stored base station location information; The location information providing server compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal identified in the second step with the call rate discount area, and confirms whether the mobile communication terminal has made a call in the call rate discount area. step; And A fourth step of transmitting, by the location information providing server, whether the call is in the call rate discount area identified in the third step to the billing server; And the billing server to generate billing information based on whether or not the call is in the call rate discount area. A base station for performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center for providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, an exchange for performing call exchange between mobile communication terminals, and billing information according to the use of the mobile communication terminal. Including a billing server for generating a location-based call rate discount service system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to the mobile communication terminal, A base station for transmitting a signal including its location to the mobile communication terminal in response to the call origination of the mobile communication terminal; A mobile communication terminal for identifying its detailed location based on the RTD data between the base station and the mobile communication terminal generated by the signal transmitted from the base station and the location of the base station, and applying the same to the location-based call rate discount; And When the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal received from the mobile communication terminal is received through the base station, the mobile communication terminal compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal with a predetermined call rate discount area and the mobile communication terminal is within the call rate discount area. A location information providing server which checks whether or not the call has been made and transmits a verification result to the billing server; And wherein the billing server generates billing information based on call availability information in the call rate discount area transmitted from the location information providing server. The method of claim 4, wherein The location information providing server, A database that stores preset call rate discount area and call rate discount service subscriber information; A terminal location collector which stores and manages detailed location information of the mobile communication terminal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal through the base station in the database; And A position determination unit comparing the detailed position of the mobile communication terminal with the call rate discount area and determining whether the call is within a service area; Location-based call rate discount service system comprising a. A base station performing wireless section communication with a mobile communication terminal, a short message service center providing a short message service to the mobile communication terminal, an exchange performing call exchange between mobile communication terminals, and billing information according to the use of the mobile communication terminal. A location-based call rate discount service method using a system for providing a call rate discount service in a specific location to a mobile communication terminal, including a billing server for generating a location information providing server, When the base station transmits a response to the call origination of the mobile communication terminal, the base station transmits its location (including the location of the base station), the location information providing server includes a database for storing the call rate discount area information, A first step of the mobile communication terminal receiving a response including the location of the base station transmitted from the base station after attempting to make a call; A second step of generating, by the mobile communication terminal, RTD data between the base station and the mobile communication terminal according to the response received from the base station; A third step of identifying, by the mobile communication terminal, its detailed location based on the RTD data and the location of the base station, and transmitting the detailed location thereof to the location information providing server; The location information providing server compares the detailed location of the mobile communication terminal identified in the third step with the call rate discounted area to determine whether the mobile communication terminal has made a call in the call rate discounted area; step; And A fifth step of transmitting, to the billing server, whether or not a call is made in the call rate discount area identified in the fourth step; And the billing server to generate billing information based on whether or not the call is in the call rate discount area.