DE19933886A1 - Levying mobile radio network tariffs depending on position and distance involves associating connection origin/destination with defined origin/target regions for levying charges - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves associating the origin and/or destination of the connection with at least one defined origin and/or target region during the connection or when establishing it and levying charges for the connection depending on the determined origin and/or destination regions. Association involves forming an image of the radio cell identity currently supplying the subscriber on one or more local network regions defined by local network codes.

Description

The invention relates to a method for location and / or distance-based charging in mobile networks.

When considering tariffs with a local character, there are basically two variants in mobile networks:

• - Target dependency of a conversation in the form of a destination number to be agreed individually for each subscriber regardless of the origin of a conversation. These are tariffs at which the target dependence of a conversation in the form of a destination number to be agreed individually for each subscriber regardless of the origin. The participant can or specify several fixed numbers or area codes for which is charged a special tariff.
• - Dependency of origin of a conversation in addition to the Distance or target dependency. Conversations that result from a any region and be a destination within this region will have a discounted rate settled. For the cheaper tariff only calls are made Fixed network considered. A participant can have one or more subscribe to certain, fixed regions. All outgoing Talks from such a region then become one discounted tariff invoiced (Home Region).

Conversations that were held from another region are set according to another (e.g. normal tariff) settled.

So far there has been the problem in cellular networks with connections a distance-dependent between the mobile network and the fixed network Realize charging because the distance between Mobile phone subscribers and fixed network subscribers not at all or only could be determined with considerable effort.

The present invention is based on the object Method for location and / or distance dependent To propose charging in mobile networks, which is relatively easy to implement and good accuracy supplies with the location assignment.

This object is achieved by the specified in claim 1 Features resolved.

An essential feature of the invention is that during the Connection or when establishing the connection the origin and / or the destination of the communication link is at least one are assigned to certain regions of origin and / or destination, and depending on the determined origin and / or Target region charging the communication link he follows.

In a preferred embodiment it is provided that for the assignment to a specific region is an illustration of the Identity of the radio cell that the subscriber instantly supplied to one or more by area code certain local network areas of the fixed network. Thereby can origin and destination of a communication link  within the cellular network or between cellular network and Fixed network determined based on the specific area code become. The settlement then takes place with location and / or distance-dependent tariffs, as known from the fixed network are.

This has the advantage that the call charges - how it is done in the fixed network - based on the determined Local area codes of origin and destination determined and can be settled. It is essential that the Determination and evaluation of the tariff online, d. H. already during the connection or when establishing a connection.

Several local area codes can be assigned to one zone be summarized. For the assignment of Local area codes can also only simplify one certain number of leading digits can be used.

A relatively easy to implement variant provides that the radio cell according to the geographic coordinates of the assigned base station (s), the area code and their Local network areas are assigned. This has the advantage that it’s a very simple procedure that’s daily for the entire network can be implemented in the shortest possible time. It is however, it is possible that the antenna emission point depends on the cell size to some 10 km from the most distant own supply point away. This makes the probability that Mobile station is actually in the assigned local area stops, at least in the case of widely expanded cells, relatively low.

In another variant it is provided that the Coverage of the mobile network in a variety of  Area elements is divided, with each Area element that best supplies this area element Radio cell is determined. Then everyone will assigned the local area code (s) to a specific radio cell, in which they find the best on at least one surface element Radio coverage supplies.

It is advantageous that the possible cells in which the Subscriber can log in within the local area, can also be assigned with certainty to this area. The process is relatively complex. Theoretically must for everyone Network state a recalculation is carried out. There are additional ones Check routines necessary to ensure that everyone is in operation existing network elements have been assigned. The procedure is depending on the accuracy of the prediction. In exceptional cases can a booking of the within the local network area Mobile station in a cell not assigned to the area respectively.

A modification of the second variant described above sees before that only the radio cells assigned to a local area code be a certain percentage of their supply area within the considered area network area.

In addition to the advantages of the "Best- Server "assignment can be the one that is effective for the participant Area to be reduced to a necessary minimum. The Uncertainty of posting in a non-local area assigned cell is compared to the first "best server" - Variant, however, slightly higher.

A third variant provides that for each radio cell possible coverage area is determined, and this Coverage area of one or more local area codes is assigned.  

In addition to the advantages of "best server" mapping Possible network element failures are also taken into account here. However, this assignment procedure is very complex. It can an extreme enlargement of the effective area compared to the actual tariffed local area Have consequence.

In a second embodiment it is provided that for the Assignment to a specific region an illustration of the Radio cell in which the subscriber is currently located one or more regions determined by zip codes he follows.

Another embodiment provides that for the assignment a picture of the radio cell in a certain region the participant is currently on one or several municipalities and / or counties.

Ultimately, it can also be provided that for the assignment of the Location of a particular region an illustration of the Radio cell in which the subscriber is currently staying, one or more previously defined regions occurs.

The invention is described below with reference to several Exemplary embodiments with reference to several drawings explained in more detail. Here go from the drawings and theirs Description of further features and advantages of the invention forth.

Show it:

Fig. 1 Schematic representation of local areas and cells of a mobile network;

Fig. 2 Schematic representation of local network areas and cells of a mobile radio network with a superimposed grid of surface elements.

On the basis of a network database, each radio cell (cell IDentity) of a cellular network one or more previously assigned to defined regions. This mapping table will then handed over to the further processing systems IN / IV. Yourself resulting changes (e.g. due to the commissioning of new ones Base stations) are added at regular intervals.

Definition of origins

The combinations of MSC, BSC / DA and Cell ID are mapped onto a freely definable, topographical grid that consists of topographical points. A topographical point is mapped to exactly one zoning origin, whereby an origin can comprise several topographical points. The smallest granularity would look like this:

1 cell ID = 1 topographical point = 1 origin

The population can be found in a network database provided data are used, which automatically can be imported. Per radio cell of the network would be in the Topography table at least one entry required. Assuming that 5 local area codes per origin (ONKZ) include the close range, a maximum of 6 entries per origin be generated. At 5000 origins, for example consequently 30,000 entries are created. Other zones are of course possible and would have the entries per origin for each Increase ONKZ by one.  

Design of origin zones and target regions Definition of zones of origin

The area of origin is the area from which one of the Mobile subscriber initiated call (Mobile Originated Call) is discontinued. The network operator uses several possible zones of origin are defined and the participant becomes one assigned to these zones. The origin zone variants are in briefly outlined below.

version 1 Area code (ONKZ)

The area of the Federal Republic of Germany is 5200 Local network areas divided. By summarizing to maximum 4-digit ONKZ (0222... Etc.) result in 620 zones. These local network areas can be very well as zones of origin use. It is advantageous that the ONKZ through the participant the Telekom fixed network are already known. Furthermore, the ONKZ (4 digits) for the mobile subscriber already in Offered in connection with local tariffs. That needed Data for cell assignment is available.

Variant 2 Postcodes

Analogous to the local network areas, there is a division of Area of the Federal Republic of Germany in postcode areas by Deutsche Post AG. The establishment of zones of origin is theoretically possible, but offers no advantages over the ONKZ.

Variant 3 Community borders, political borders

Another possible zone configuration is based on political borders such as national or Municipal boundaries. Here, too, it is technical View around closed polygons, which the cells of the  Mobile network can be assigned as with the ONKZ or the postal code can, but here are no advantages over ONKZ recognizable.

Variant 4 Regions (freely defined)

Regardless of the above, in the population already well-known, area divisions is also an independent Distribution by the network operator conceivable. Here is however, a considerable manual effort in advance at the Definition and digitization of these zones necessary.

The technical implementation of the assignment to the zones of origin is independent of the selected variant.

The local network areas are already over the Tariff structure of Telekom and local tariffs common. The Use of local network areas and the assigned ONKZ appears most transparent to the participant.

The assignment of the cells of the cellular network to the different local network areas can be after several different procedures. The respective principle these procedures are described below using the Drawing figures 1 and 2 explained.

Location assignment (location assignment)

The cells 2 , 4 of the mobile radio network 1 in FIG. 1 are divided into the individual local areas 6-8 according to their antenna coordinates or coordinates of the base stations 3 , 5 , or assigned to the individual local areas 6-8 . The location of base station 3 of cell 2 is e.g. B. assigned to the local network 6 with the ONKZ = 0223. This assignment is relatively precise and unambiguous, since the majority of the area of the cell 2 lies in the local network 6 .

The assignment of cell 4, however, is not so clear. The base station 5 of the cell 4 is in the local network 7 with the ONKZ = 0222 and is therefore assigned to this local network, but also includes the neighboring local network with ONKZ = 0223 in its transmission range.

Best supplier (best server) assignment

First, a best server calculation is carried out for the entire network 1 in FIG. 2. The total area of the mobile network 1 is divided into a geometric grid of surface elements, and for each individual surface element, for. B. 10 , 11 or 13 , 14 , the cell 9 or 12 determined with the highest field strength in the respective surface element. This information is then intersected with the local network information. This gives z. B. the cell 9 assigned all local network areas in which it is the best server, ie the best provider, on at least one grid element. In the example, this is the local network area 6 with the ONKZ = 0223. The cell 12 is on the surface elements. 13 and 14 of the best suppliers. This overlaps with all three local network areas 6-8 shown , so that all three local network areas are assigned to this cell 9 . The effective coverage area for the subscriber can thus exceed the actual local network area many times over, since all cells, e.g. B. Cell 9 , which have a minimal supply share within an ONKZ, have been assigned.

Best server allocation (percentage)

The procedure corresponds essentially to the "best server" assignment described above. To reduce the expansion of the actual local network area mentioned in this method, only the cells are allocated which contain at least a fixed percentage, e.g. B. 5% of their supply area within the considered area. In the example according to FIG. 2, with an assumed percentage of 5%, the cell 12 would still have to be assigned to all three local network areas. Assuming a percentage of 20%, the local network area 7 , ONKZ = 0222 would, however, be eliminated.

All-server mapping

A calculation of the respective coverage area is carried out for each individual cell of the entire mobile radio network. In Fig. 1, the hexagonal cell representation is assumed to be the coverage area. The result is blended with the local network areas and the cells are thus assigned to local network areas. This means that the cell 4 , the supply area of which largely falls within the local network area 7 , is also assigned to this local network area 7 . This cell is also assigned to the local network area 6 , since a small part of its coverage area is in region 6 . In contrast to the two "best server" variants described above, this method also intercepts all network status changes due to cell failure. The local network area effective for the subscriber exceeds the actually predefined area many times over, since this method also assigns stations 20 to 25 km away.

Drawing legend

1

Cellular network

2nd

Radio cell

3rd

Base station

4th

Radio cell

5

Base station

6

Local area "0223"

7

Local area area "0222"

8th

Local area area "0224"

9

Radio cell

10th

Surface element

11

Surface element

12th

Radio cell

13

Surface element

14

Surface element

Claims (12)

1. A method for location and / or distance-dependent charging of communication connections of participants in a mobile radio network, characterized in that during the connection or during the establishment of the connection, the origin and / or the destination of the communication connection are assigned to at least one specific origin and / or destination region, and depending on the determined origin and / or destination region, the communication connection is billed. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for the assignment to a specific region is an illustration of the Identity of the radio cell that the subscriber instantly supplied on one or more by area code certain local network areas of the fixed network. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that multiple area code to one zone be summarized. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized characterized in that when assigning the Area codes only a certain number of the leading Digits is used. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized in that the coverage area of the Mobile network in a variety of surface elements is divided, with this for each surface element  Surface element best supplying radio cell determined becomes. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized characterized in that each previously determined radio cell Area code (s) is / are assigned in which they the best on at least one surface element Radio coverage supplies. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized characterized in that only the radio cells of one Area code that can be assigned a specific Percentage of their supply area within the considered area network area. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized in that the radio cell according to the geographical coordinates of the assigned Base station (s) the area code and their Local network areas are assigned. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized in that the possible for each radio cell Coverage area is determined, and this Coverage area of one or more local area codes is assigned. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized that for the assignment to a certain Region an image of the radio cell in which the Participant is currently staying on one or more regions determined by postcodes.   11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized that for the assignment to a certain Region an image of the radio cell in which the Participant is currently staying on one or more Municipal districts and / or counties. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized characterized that for the assignment of the whereabouts an image of the radio cell in a specific region which the participant is currently on or several previously defined regions.