WO2005046197A1

WO2005046197A1 - Method for operation of a mobile component in a mobile radio network

Info

Publication number: WO2005046197A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/012500
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harald Leineweber; Wolfgang Rankl
Original assignee: Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh
Priority date: 2003-11-06
Filing date: 2004-11-04
Publication date: 2005-05-19
Also published as: DE10351763A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operation of a mobile component (1) in a mobile radio network (3), whereby the mobile component (1) comprises a security module (2), by means of which access to the mobile radio network (3) may be achieved. Said method is characterised in that before, or on beginning to use a charge service, the mobile component (1) displays the charge rate at which the charge service will be charged.

Description

Method for operating a handset in a mobile radio network

The invention relates to a method for operating a handset in a mobile radio network. The invention further relates to a security module for a handset, a handset and a system consisting of a mobile radio network and at least one handset.

In the case of mobile networks, in addition to handling telephone calls and any other services that may be available, the calculation of charges is an extensive and important aspect. The calculations, which are sometimes very complex, are used to determine the charges that the individual subscribers make for the telephone calls they make or for the use of other services fee-based services are to be imposed, are to be managed as reliably as possible and with as little effort as possible. As a rule, the network operator determines the charges by means of computing systems provided for this purpose and assigns them to the individual subscribers of the mobile radio network on the basis of clearly assignable subscriber identifications. It is also possible to carry out the charge calculation in the handset of the subscriber to whom the charges are to be assigned.

In this context, it is known from EP 0 808 547 B1 to provide an algorithm for billing and a tariff table in the mobile part. The algorithm classifies each phone call into a category and selects a tariff accordingly. Depending on the tariff selected, a fee for the telephone call will be charged and deducted from a credit account. If required, the credit account can be topped up via a connection to a primary computer.

Furthermore, EP 1 038 387 B1 describes a method for billing a call from a subscriber identified with an identification card known a telecommunications network. In this method, the duration of the call is measured by a time measuring device integrated in the identification card. A time controller checks the time determined in the identification card and transmits a time receipt to the identification card if the time is incorrect. Depending on the call duration determined and on at least one tariff table stored in the identification card, the amount to be charged is evaluated, the time of day determined by the time measuring device also being taken into account. The amount determined can then either be debited directly to a prepaid account on the identification card and / or packed in an invoice document and transmitted to a debit server in the telecommunications network.

In the above-described procedures, the subscribers of the mobile radio network receive a charge calculation at predetermined time intervals, for example at monthly intervals. In some cases, the charge calculated for this is displayed by the handset after a telephone call. During the phone call, however, there may be some uncertainty about the charges. This uncertainty arises, among other things, from the fact that no general assignment between see numbers and the associated network operators is possible, since the original network-specific phone numbers can be retained when changing to another network operator.

The invention is based on the object of enabling the subscribers of a mobile radio network to be able to exercise the best possible cost control at all times. This object is achieved by a method with the combination of features of claim 1.

The method according to the invention relates to the operation of a mobile part in a mobile radio network, the mobile part having a security module with the aid of which access to the mobile radio network can be obtained. The peculiarity of the method according to the invention is that the handset indicates, prior to or at the beginning of the use of a fee-based service, the rate at which the fee-based service is billed.

The invention has the advantage that a high degree of cost transparency is achieved when using chargeable services with a mobile part in a mobile radio network.

It is particularly advantageous if the display of the charge rate is controlled by the security module. This makes it possible to retrofit the display function on a conventional handset using the security module.

With a corresponding user specification, the rate of charge can be disregarded, so that the user of the handset can decide under which conditions he would like to be informed about the rate of charge.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, information about the fee-based service is transmitted from the security module to the mobile radio network. The cell phone network is thereby informed of which fee-based service is to be started. In the preferred embodiment Example, information about the associated charge rate is then transmitted from the mobile radio network to the security module. This has the advantage that only the information that is required in each case is transmitted to the security module and that this information is very up-to-date. The information about the charge rate can be secured with a cryptographic check sum and / or transmitted in encrypted form. In this way, tampering or transmission errors can be reliably detected. In particular, a time stamp can be transmitted together with the information about the charge rate. Furthermore, the information about the charge rate for potential re-use can be stored in the security module. This has the advantage that, in particular if the same fee-based service is used frequently, there is no need for an unnecessary load on the mobile radio network and the time required for the transmission can be saved. The information about the fee rate can contain, for example, information about the price and length of a unit of the fee-based service and about the currency used.

It is particularly advantageous if the fee-based service is only started after the user of the handset has released it, or if a fee-based service that is already running is terminated if the release is refused. In this way, active cost control can be implemented, with the user of the handset being able to decide, in each case knowing the costs, whether he would like to use the fee-based service. Misunderstandings and uncertainties regarding the costs associated with using the fee-based service are avoided. Furthermore, there is the possibility within the scope of the method according to the invention that the security module is informed by the mobile radio network of the start time and the end time of the fee-based service. The security module can use the specified start time and end time to determine a time period for which the fee-based service has been used. In addition, the security module can determine a fee due for the use of the fee-based service. Finally, it is possible for the security module to store information on the use of the fee-based service in a log file. The log file opens up the possibility of making inquiries in the event of a dispute over billing. So that the log file can be used as evidence in the event of a dispute, it should be protected against unauthorized write access. From a given number of entries in the log file, the oldest entry is preferably overwritten with each new entry. As a result, the storage requirements for the log file can be kept within reasonable limits and the information can nevertheless be obtained over a period of time as long as possible.

In a further development of the method according to the invention, the handset indicates that a predetermined limit for the cumulative fees for the services subject to charges has been exceeded. This can prevent very high fees being incurred without being noticed.

The security module according to the invention for a handset that is operated in a mobile radio network is distinguished by the fact that an application is implemented therein by means of which before or at the start of a if a service subject to a fee were to be notified of a fee rate to be applied.

The invention further relates to a handset which has a security module designed in this way.

Finally, the invention relates to a system consisting of a mobile radio network and at least one mobile part with a security module, with the aid of which access to the mobile radio network can be obtained. The peculiarity of the system according to the invention is that an application is implemented in the security module, by means of which, prior to or at the beginning of the use of a fee-based service, an indication of a rate set to be used is initiated and the mobile radio network has means for generating information about the rate set and for Has transmission to the security module.

The invention is explained below with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawing.

Show it:

1 shows some components of a mobile radio system in a highly schematic representation to explain the principle of operation of the invention,

2 shows a flowchart to illustrate the method according to the invention and

Fig. 3 shows a simplified representation of a log file. Fig. 1 shows some components of a mobile radio system in a highly schematic representation to explain the principle of operation of the invention. A handset 1 with a security module 2 and a mobile radio network 3 are shown in detail. The mobile radio network 3 is only shown symbolically and comprises a large number of individual components which are required for establishing and maintaining a data connection with the mobile part 1 and for the administration, including charging, of telephone calls and other services supported by the mobile radio network 3. These components are, in particular, transceiver stations including the infrastructure required for their operation and sometimes very powerful computing systems. The security module 2 has a memory 4 and can be designed as a chip card that can be inserted into the mobile part 1. Such a chip card is usually referred to as a Subscriber Identity Module, SIM for short, or in a UMTS (= Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) application accordingly as a USIM (= Universal Subscriber Identity Module). As an alternative to this, there is also the possibility of designing the security module 2 as an integrated circuit that is permanently installed in the handset 1. A subarea of an integrated circuit provided for the operation of the mobile part 1 can also be used as the security module 2. Finally, the security module 2 can also be implemented as a logical unit in the mobile part 1. The handset 1 also has an antenna 5 for communication with the mobile radio network 3 and a display device 6 and a keypad 7.

One of the tasks of the security module 2 is to identify the owner of the security module 2 to the mobile radio network 3 as an authorized subscriber and to uniquely identify it within the mobile radio network 3 by means of a corresponding identifier. The unique identification tion is particularly important with regard to the charging of charges by the cellular network 3. The mobile network 3 uses the computing systems provided for this purpose to determine the fees charged for the use of a fee-based service, such as making a telephone call. In the case of a telephone call, the duration of the call and a rate set dependent on a number of parameters are included in the fee calculation. The fees determined are stored for the individual identifiers in order to be able to issue an invoice to the holders of the security modules 2 at predetermined time intervals, for example monthly. Alternatively, the fees determined can be debited from corresponding credit accounts that are kept for the individual identifiers.

As will be explained in more detail below, the security modules 2 are equipped according to the invention with a functionality which causes the associated handset 1 to display the rate of charges for the use of a desired fee-based service. In a further development of the invention, it is also provided that every use of a fee-based service is logged in the memory 4 of the security module 2.

2 shows a flowchart to illustrate the method according to the invention. In a step S1, it is first checked whether a fee-based service has been selected. A fee-based service can be, for example, an outgoing telephone call, an incoming telephone call, a short message to be sent, etc. If it is determined in step S1 that no fee-based service has been selected, the flow of the flowchart is ended. If, on the other hand, service has been selected, step S2 is followed by step S2, in which the security module 2 requests information about the rate of charge for the selected fee-based service from the mobile radio network 3 via the mobile part 1. In addition, the security module 2 causes the fee-based service not to be started for the time being. The request can be made, for example, in the form of a short message or via another suitable transmission channel. As part of the request, details of the selected fee-based service are transmitted to the mobile radio network 3. If the selected fee-based service is, for example, an outgoing telephone call, information about the telephone number to be called and the current location of the caller are transmitted with the request.

In a step S3 following step S2, the mobile radio network 3 determines the charge rate to be used for the use of the fee-based service and in turn transmits corresponding information as a short message or via another suitable channel to the handset 1 and thus also to the security module 2. In the case of the outgoing call The call rate is determined based on the phone number to be called, the caller's home network, the caller's tariff model, the caller's current location and, if applicable, the current location of the called party. The information transmitted to the security module 2 relates to the price and the length of a fee unit as well as the underlying currency and can be provided with a digital signature by the mobile radio network 3 to prove the authorship. There is also the option of transmitting a time stamp from the mobile radio network 3 to the security module 2 in order to ensure reliable verifiability at a later point in time. To protect against manipulation, the data can also be combined with a cryptographic graphic checksum in encrypted form from the mobile radio network 3 to the security module 2. The cryptographic checksum is formed from the price of a fee unit, the length of a fee unit and the underlying currency by means of a secret shared by the mobile radio network 3 and the security module 2. Furthermore, the price of a fee unit, the length of a fee unit, the underlying currency and the cryptographic checksum are encrypted using the secret. The encrypted information is then transmitted to the security module 2, where it is decrypted and checked for integrity.

In order to increase the execution speed and to reduce the network load, there is also the possibility of storing information about the charge rates in the security module 2 and only requesting such information from the mobile radio network 3 if no information is stored in the security module 2 for the selected fee-based service or the existing information is already out of date. In this case, a possibility should be provided for the user of the handset 1 or for the mobile radio network 3 to delete the stored information in order to force an update. In the case of telephone calls, information about the associated charge rate can be stored in the security module 2 for a few particularly frequently used call numbers. In addition to the phone number, the fee calculated per unit of time and an indication of the validity of the storage entry can be saved.

Step S3 is followed by step S4, in which the security module 2 uses the stored or transmitted information to determine the fee rate according to which the selected fee-based service is billed. The fee rate indicates which fee is charged per unit of time using the fee-based service. Depending on the form in which the information about the fee rate is available, the determination of the fee rate can be very simple, for example by combining the individual information.

In a step S5 following step S4, the charge rate is output by the security module 2 to the handset 1 and displayed by the display device 6 of the handset 1. Furthermore, the user is asked via the display device 6 of the handset 1 whether he would like to use the fee-based service. Step S5 is followed by step S6, in which the input of the user of the handset 1, which is carried out by corresponding actuation of the keypad 7, is evaluated. If the evaluation shows that the user of the handset 1 wants to use the fee-based service, a step S7 follows step S6. Otherwise the flowchart has ended. In step S7, the security module 2 causes the fee-based service to be started. The actual start of the fee-based service is communicated to the security module 2 by the mobile radio network 3. Upon termination of the fee-based service, step S7 is followed by a step S8 in which the mobile radio network 3 notifies the security module 2 of the termination of the fee-based service. Depending on the exemplary embodiment, step S8 can be followed by step S9, in which the security module 2 determines which fees are to be billed for the use of the fee-based service. In the case of a telephone call, the determination is made on the basis of the charge rate and the duration of the telephone call determined by the security module 2. Step S 9 is followed by a step S10 in which the security module 2 contains information which is necessary for the billing of the use of the fee-based Service relevant are stored in a log file in memory 4. More information on the storage of the billing-relevant information is explained with reference to FIG. 3. In addition to the storage of the billing-relevant information, it can also be arranged that the determined fee is output to the display device 6 of the handset 1. The flow of the flowchart is ended with step S10.

FIG. 3 shows a simplified illustration of a log file with some typical data records 8, which were created by the security module 2 after a telephone call was carried out. The log file is structured cyclically so that the oldest entries are overwritten as soon as all data records 8 are occupied. Ideally, the log file is so large that it contains information on all services that are subject to a fee and for which the objection period granted to the holder of the security module 2 has not yet expired. Write access to the log file is only possible through the authorized application. In this way, manipulation of the log file can be prevented, so that the log file can be used as evidence in the event of a dispute between the owner of the security module 2 and the operator of the mobile radio network 3. In this context, read access is not critical and can generally be permitted. It is also possible to make read access dependent on the correct entry of a personal PIN. Read access gives, for example, the possibility of displaying the total charges so far with the display device 6 of the handset 1. Furthermore, lists can be created on the basis of the data stored in the log file and displayed with the display device 6 of the handset 1 or can also be transmitted to an external device. In addition, the proto- coll file can also be used to monitor a charge limit, the exceeding of which is indicated by handset 1.

Each data record 8 of the log file can contain a series of information, which are shown successively from left to right in FIG. 3. A first indication, which is represented by an arrow in FIG. 3, shows whether the call is an incoming or an outgoing call. This is followed by an indication of the date of the phone call. The fee per telephone unit, the underlying billing currency and the duration of a telephone unit are also noted. This is followed by the start and end time of the phone call and the total charge for the phone call. In order to ensure the integrity of the data records 8, each data record 8 can also contain a checksum, not shown in FIG. 3. As an alternative to this, the data records 8 can each consist of the telephone number, the charge rate and the date and time of the dial-in. Optionally, a digital signature of the charge rate with the date and time could also be provided. Mixed forms of the aforementioned data record formats as well as further variants of data record formats are also possible.

Within the scope of the invention. The method does not only offer the possibility of displaying fee rates for such fee-based services that are started by the user of the handset 1 itself, but also for fee-based services that are initiated by third parties, as is the case, for example, with incoming telephone calls subject to charge. The user of the handset 1 can then decide, for example, whether he wants to answer the phone call. Incoming phone calls that are subject to charges may be present, for example, if the called party is abroad. In this case, the caller usually pays the charges up to the national border and the called party pays the remaining charges.

The notification of the fee rate does not necessarily have to be carried out before each use of a fee-based service. As an alternative to this, there is also the possibility of displaying the rate of charge only selectively for certain fee-based services or if certain parameters of a fee-based service are available. The relevant prior to this can be configured by the user of the handset 1. There is also the possibility of letting the user of the handset 1 decide in each individual case whether the charge rate should be displayed. These possibilities of influence on the part of the user of the handset 1 are of particular interest if the charge rate is not displayed free of charge.

Furthermore, there is the possibility to postpone the display of the fee rate somewhat and thus not to be carried out before the start of the fee-based service, but rather in the initial phase of the fee-based service already started. In this case, the fee-based service is canceled if the user of the handset 1 does not release its continuation.

Claims

Patent claims

1. A method for operating a mobile part (1) in a mobile radio network (3), the mobile part (1) having a security module (2), with the aid of which access to the mobile radio network (3) can be obtained, characterized in that the mobile part (1) Before or at the beginning of the use of a fee-based service, the rate at which the fee-based service is billed is displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the display of the fee rate is controlled by the security module (2).

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a display of the fee rate is dispensed with a corresponding user specification.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that information about the fee-based service is transmitted from the security module (2) to the mobile radio network (3).

5. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that information about the rate of charges is transmitted from the mobile radio network (3) to the security module (2).

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the information about the charge rate is secured with a cryptographic check sum and / or transmitted in encrypted form.

7. The method according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that a time stamp is transmitted together with the information about the fee rate.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the information about the charge rate for potential repeated use is stored in the security module (2).

9. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the information about the fee rate contains information on the price and length of a unit of the fee-based service and on the currency used.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fee-based service is only started after a release by the user of the handset (1) or an already running fee-based service is terminated if the release is refused.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the security module (2) from the mobile network (3) the start time and the end time of the fee-based service are communicated.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the security module (2) with the aid of the communicated start time and end time determines a time period for which the fee-based service has been used.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the security module (2) determines a fee due for the use of the fee-based service.

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the security module (2) stores information on the use of the fee-based service in a log file.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the log file is protected against unauthorized write access.

16. The method according to any one of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that from a predetermined number of entries in the log file with each new entry, the oldest entry is overwritten.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handset (1) indicates that a predetermined limit for the cumulative fees for the fee-based services used has been exceeded.

18. Security module for a handset (1), which is operated in a mobile radio network (3), characterized in that an application is implemented in the security module (2) by means of which an indication of a service is displayed before or at the beginning of a service charge the fee rate to be applied is initiated.

19. Handset with a security module (2), with the aid of which access to the mobile radio network (3) can be obtained, characterized in that an application is implemented in the security module (2) by means of which a person liable to pay charges is used before or at the start Service is prompted to display an applicable rate of charge.

20. System comprising a mobile radio network and at least one mobile part (1) with a security module (2), with the aid of which access to the mobile radio network (3) can be obtained, characterized in that an application is implemented in the security module (2) which, prior to or at the beginning of the use of a fee-based service, is prompted to display a rate set to be used and the mobile radio network (3) has means for generating information about the rate set and for transmission to the security module (2).