EP1097564A1 - Procede et systeme pour facturer des appels a valeur ajoutee - Google Patents

Procede et systeme pour facturer des appels a valeur ajoutee

Info

Publication number
EP1097564A1
EP1097564A1 EP00927280A EP00927280A EP1097564A1 EP 1097564 A1 EP1097564 A1 EP 1097564A1 EP 00927280 A EP00927280 A EP 00927280A EP 00927280 A EP00927280 A EP 00927280A EP 1097564 A1 EP1097564 A1 EP 1097564A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
call
database
financial institution
connection
scp
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP00927280A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Lauri Isotalo
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Elisa Communications Oyj
Original Assignee
Elisa Communications Oyj
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Elisa Communications Oyj filed Critical Elisa Communications Oyj
Publication of EP1097564A1 publication Critical patent/EP1097564A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/83—Notification aspects
    • H04M15/85—Notification aspects characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
    • H04M15/854—Available credit
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/68—Payment of value-added services
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M15/00—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
    • H04M15/90—Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M17/00—Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q3/00—Selecting arrangements
    • H04Q3/0016—Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
    • H04Q3/0029—Provisions for intelligent networking
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
    • H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
    • H04M2215/016—Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
    • H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
    • H04M2215/0168—On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
    • H04M2215/01—Details of billing arrangements
    • H04M2215/0196—Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M2215/00—Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
    • H04M2215/81—Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
    • H04M2215/815—Notification when a specific condition, service or event is met
    • H04M2215/8166—Available credit

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to telecommunications and electronic payments. More specifically, the present invention relates to a call billing method for a telecommunications network, which includes an intelligent network portion comprising at least a service switching point SSP and a service control point SCP equipped with a control logic for calls placed to a value-added access number, and for an external financial institution, such as a bank or credit company, that jointly offer a service based on a value-added access number, in which method the control logic is activated from the number of the calling party, later called the A-number, through the dialing of the value-added access number, later called the B-number, whereby in the method the following steps are carried out steered by the control logic: - the need for control by the intelligent network portion is identified on the basis of the dialed B-number and the call control is forwarded to a telephone network exchange that has integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicates with said SSP unit of the intelligent network, in the SSP, the B-number is analyzed and
  • the intelligent network control logic assigned to the value-added access call established by the dialing of the B-number is activated.
  • the invention also relates to a call billing system for a telecommunications network, which includes an intelligent network portion comprising at least a service switching point SSP and a service control point SCP equipped with a control logic for calls placed to a value-added access number, and for an external financial institution, such as a bank or credit company, that jointly offer a service based on a value-added access number, in which system the control logic is activated from the number of the calling party, later called the A-number, through the dialing of the value-added access number, later called the B-number, whereby in the method the following steps are carried out steered by the control logic: the need for control by the intelligent network portion is identified by the telecommunication network on the basis of the dialed B-number and the call control is forwarded to a telephone network exchange that has integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicates with an intelligent network SSP, - in the SSP, the B-number is analyzed and a query based thereon is sent to the SCP of
  • Calls placed to value-added access numbers are subject, among others, to the following limitations: a. Telecommunications sector agreements and frequently, also regulations set up by authorities, curtail the upper limits of value-added access calls as per maximum call charge or duration that can be billed per call, whereby a major ob- stacle is posed to the electronic commerce of goods and services over the telecommunications network. b. Value-added call charging to a caller using a payphone or other nonsubscriber- type of connection for the service is impossible, because conventional signaling does not support any other charging information but such that can be attributed to the subscriber owning the connection. c.
  • Value-added access calls are not possible if the subscriber owning the connection has ordered a call restriction service in order to prevent calls from being placed to value-added access numbers.
  • Calls placed from abroad cannot be billed to the calling party's connection with the value-added charge, because charging information (e.g., ticks) is not transmitted between two countries in the signaling of international calls.
  • charging information e.g., ticks
  • value-added service takes place by dialing the value-added access number, such as a 0600- or 0700-prefixed access number serving as the B-number, whereby the telecommunications network performs conversion of the B-number conversion upon the call placed to said B-number serving as an access number and the call is then routed to a C-number assigned to the B-number.
  • the network operator carries out the billing of the value-added charge in the telephone bill sent to the owner of the A-number connection and the value-added is then passed to the service provider.
  • value-added calls are generally subject to regulations issued by authorities in regard to the maximum overall duration of the access number call (e.g., by a maximum duration of 20 min) and/or maximum charge billed to the owner of the A-number connection.
  • the caller generally has a prepaid credit on his call virtual billing account that can be charged by the access call time and other charge rates.
  • the caller can get more prepaid call time either by paying the network operator a given sum of prepayment for ' recharging" his call billing account or, if the account is a one-time agreement, by paying the value of a new account agreement.
  • the latter type of one-time service agreements are generally purchased from the retailers of the network operator, such as magazine kiosks, in the form of calling cards having a nominal value of, e.g., FIM 50, 100 or 200 and including a user code and a password.
  • FIM 50 nominal value
  • the caller is identified by his user code and PIN.
  • the calls are placed by dialing a specific access number that generally is a toll- free number such as any 0800-prefixed number, whereupon the caller is requested to enter his user code and PIN. After caller identification, the caller is urged to dial the number he wishes to reach.
  • a call to be charged to a prepaid account is known in the art as a prepaid account call.
  • Nappula® offered by Sonera Oyj PLC.
  • An alternative arrangement is that the caller has made a separate arrangement with his network operator that allows him to place calls billable to his specific account by given quantity of calls or number of ticks during a month. The call charges are later billed by a separate bill at agreed intervals or are included in the caller's normal telephone bill. Also in this case, placing the calls occurs in the same manner as in the above-mentioned prepaid account calls.
  • One product of this type is the Green CardTM offered by HPY.
  • Prior-art embodiments are handicapped by requiring the caller to separately make arrangements for above-described account calls even when he would not need the facility for any other calls but infrequent ones to value-added access numbers.
  • the credit of the prepaid call account must either be "recharged" at certain intervals or, in the case of nonrenawable prepaid call services, a new card must be purchased.
  • the user code and PIN of the prepaid access number calling card will change with each purchase of a new dispensable calling card.
  • a subscriber who makes a separate account billing agreement must bear extra trouble and, additionally, is in most cases required to pay a fixed signing-on fee, monthly basic rate or annuity.
  • prepaid account calls are charged at a higher rate, even 50 to 200 % more than calls placed from a conventional subscriber connection. Nevertheless, prepaid account calls are generally less lucrative to the network operator, because they generate minimal chargeable traffic as compared to the fixed billing and maintenance costs of the offered service product.
  • This goal is attained by virtue of the method described earlier, the method being principally characterized by the steps of: analyzing the location and/or type of the A-number connection, - the caller placing a call from the A-number connection being informed by means of voice announcements generated by the telecommunications network facilities on the billing terms of the access number call, accessibility thereof and/or possibility of paying the call by instruments issued by a financial institution external to the telecommunication network, - entering from the A-number connection the selection of the payment instrument and the caller's identification data, transferring an amount of currency corresponding to the preset price or estimated costs from the financial institution to an intelligent network server database DB residing in the telecommunications network, - converting the dialed B-number with the help of the intelligent network call control database into a preset connection number of the target access number
  • the telecommunications network analyzes the location and/or type of the A-number connection, - the telecommunications network generates voice announcements in order to inform the caller placing a call from the A-number connection on the billing terms of the access number call, accessibility thereof and/or possibility of paying the call by instruments issued by a financial institution external to the telecommunication network, - the caller using the A-number connection selects the payment instrument and identifies himself by his personal identification data,
  • the financial institution transfers an amount of currency corresponding to the preset price or estimated costs to an intelligent network server database DB residing in the telecommunications network
  • the intelligent network portion converts the dialed B-number with the help of the network call control database into a preset connection number associated with the target access number, later called the C-number, or, alternatively, the caller may dial the desired target connection number, that is, the C-number, for connecting the call
  • an SSP establishes a connection from the telephone network exchange having the SSP integrated thereto or, alternatively, communicating with the SSP, to the C-number connection, at the termination of the call
  • the incurred cost is compared to the amount of credit stored in the database DB of the database server in order to determine the remaining balance
  • a database server submits the information on the remaining balance to the financial institution for meriting the credit or bank account allocated to the caller.
  • the location and/or type of the connection, later called the A-number connection, wherefrom the call is placed to the access number, are/is analyzed based on the incoming call pathway signaling, a call information field such as the OPC (Originating Point Code) field of the signaling associated with the incoming call, the A-subscriber identity information missing from the incoming call signaling, or the A-number analysis results of the caller's connection.
  • a call information field such as the OPC (Originating Point Code) field of the signaling associated with the incoming call, the A-subscriber identity information missing from the incoming call signaling, or the A-number analysis results of the caller's connection.
  • a preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the SCP sets up a connection via a database server supporting said database DB to a financial institution such as a credit company or a bank for accomplishing a money transfer from the financial institution to the database DB.
  • the IP accessory device or the IVR device may be arranged to support external communications, whereby said communications and setting up of a connection can be performed directly from the IP or IVR device via the database DB to the credit card company or bank.
  • the SCP generates for the identification of each payment transaction separately a signature (e.g., an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers) that is transmitted to the database DB of the database server and thus acts as a signature of the payment transaction.
  • a signature e.g., an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers
  • the billing system according to the invention of calls placed to an access number is characterized in that the amount of electronic money to be transferred from the financial institution is determined with the help of the database server and is then stored in the database, e.g., into a memory register thereof, whereby the amount of electronic money to be deposited is advantageously equal to a sum corresponding to the maximum accrued charge levied from calling the access number and using the maximum allowable duration of such a call.
  • the balance of the real costs is immediately refunded to the caller's account from the database DB of the database server.
  • the service control logic is enabled to carry out further steps comprising connecting the call to the C-number and starting the monitoring of the call maximum duration/incurred charge in the SSP exchange under the control of the SCP.
  • the call is terminated by
  • the SSP exchange writes a ticket from the call and reports the situation to the SCP call control database.
  • the SCP computes the price of the call ticket drawing upon information on
  • the ticket price information is transmitted to the database DB that computes the balance remaining from the sum initially charged from the caller and, finally, the database DB transfers the possible balance credit to the caller's "account" residing in the financial institution or bank.
  • the present method makes it unnecessary to make the above-described separate arrangements for calling a value-added access number from abroad, a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls to access numbers. Rather, the caller can use, e.g., his PLN-coded credit card or the above-cited electrical payment techniques such as Solo, Kultaraha and others that are becoming ever more popular, whereby the invention offers a novel and alternative method of payment, wherein communications costs and/or access number charges can be billed in an essentially real-time manner via an external financial institution such as a bank or a credit card company.
  • an external financial institution such as a bank or a credit card company.
  • the caller may also at an early stage be informed on the possibility of making payments and/or donations up to very substantial sums of money thus bringing an essential relief in the problems of electronic business simul- taneously as the invention permits an open marketplace to be established in the public telephone network so that both the financial institutions and the users can gain access to the marketplace via a database server.
  • FIG. 1 is a set of diagrams illustrating an access call billing method and system according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention suited for use in a public telecommunication network;
  • FIG. 2 is a set of diagrams illustrating an access call billing method and system according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention suited for use in a public telecommunication network.
  • the billing system according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated therein as an application adapted to utilize the public wireline telecommunication network comprises:
  • a financial institution 32 arranged to communicate with the telecommunication network, and 2. Telecommunication network elements comprising: i. an intelligent network portion including a service switching point SSP 22, a service control point SCP 24 and an intelligent network accessory device IP 25, ii. a first telephone exchange 22 that may be a national or an international exchange, a. via which the owner of a connection 21 communicating with said telecommunication network, when calling an access number, is connected to an intelligent network portion 23, 24, 25 of the telecommunication network , and b.
  • an intelligent network portion including a service switching point SSP 22, a service control point SCP 24 and an intelligent network accessory device IP 25, ii. a first telephone exchange 22 that may be a national or an international exchange, a. via which the owner of a connection 21 communicating with said telecommunication network, when calling an access number, is connected to an intelligent network portion 23, 24, 25 of the telecommunication network , and b.
  • a communications path is established to a target number connection 26 of the telecommunication network as soon as, in the intelligent network portion 23, 24, 25 of the telecommunication network, has been performed a conversion of the dialed B-number, that is, of the desired access number, dialed at the calling party's connection, or the A-number connection 21 , into the actual access number of the target connection, that is, of the C-number connection 26, iii. a second telephone exchange 26 having said target number connection, that is, the C-number 26 connected thereto, and iv. a database server wherein a database DB 31 is maintained and via which the telecommunication network communicates with the financial institution 32.
  • both the A-number and C-number connections may obviously reside within the operating area of one and the same telephone exchange.
  • the second telephone exchange 26 shown in FIG. 1 is redundant and both the calling party's A-number connection 21 and the target number, that is, the C-number connection 26 are connected to the same telephone exchange 22.
  • the telecommunications and data transfer connections between the elements of the telecommunication network are accomplished in the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 by way of arranging an SS7 signaling system based on the connectionless common channel CCS signaling standards as defined in the ITU-T recommendations to func- tion between the telecommunication network elements.
  • the signaling system may be accomplished as CAS signaling of the connection-specific signaling type, wherein the signals are transferred along with the voice channel and the signaling convention is based on the R2 protocol.
  • the network elements which include the A-number connection 21, the first telephone exchange 22, the service switching point SSP 23 of the intelligent network, the second telephone exchange 26 and the C-number connection 27 are adapted to perform telecommunications and data transfer by means of the ISUP (Integrated Services digital network User Part) protocol usable above
  • ISUP Integrated Services digital network User Part
  • PCM links for example.
  • the service switching point SSP 23, die service control point SCP 24 and the intelligent network accessory device IP 25 are all implemented for telecommunications and data transfer using hardware compatible with the conventions of the Layer 7 LNAP (Intelligent Network
  • the service control point SCP 24 the database server, wherein the database DB resides, and the server system of the financial institution 32 accomplish the telecommunications and data transfer connections therebetween using as their mutual data transfer network a packet- switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router-based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer proto- col advantageously is TCP/IP.
  • the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router-based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer proto- col advantageously is TCP/IP.
  • the IP accessory device 25 may also be arranged to support external data transfer in addition to its normal data communications with the intelligent network 23, 24. Then, this facility of external data transfer can be utilized to set up a connection and data transmission from the IP accessory device 25 via the database DB 31 to the financial institution 32.
  • the SCP 24 To identify each payment transaction, the SCP 24 generates and sends to the database DB 31 a signature identifier (such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers) that acts as a signature of the payment transaction.
  • a signature identifier such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers
  • the telecommuni- cations and data transfer connections between the IP accessory device 25 and the database 32 can be implemented using for data transfer a packet-switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router-based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer protocol advantageously is TCP/IP.
  • a financial institution 32 arranged to communicate with the telecommunication network
  • Telecommunication network elements comprising: i. an intelligent network portion including a service switching point SSP 22 and a service control point SCP 24, ii. an intelligent voice response device IVR 28, iii. a first telephone exchange 22 that may be a national or an international exchange, a. via which the owner of a connection 21 communicating with said telecommunication network, when calling an access number, is connected to an intelligent network portion 23, 24 of the telecommunication network and to the intelligent voice response device IVR 28, and b.
  • a communications path is established to a target number connection 26 of the telecommunication network as soon as, in the intelligent network portion 23, 24 of the telecommunication network, has been performed a conversion of the dialed B-number, that is, of the desired access number, dialed at the calling party's connection, or the A-number connection 21, into the actual access number of the target connection, that is, of the C-number connection 26, iv. a second telephone exchange 26 having said target number connection, that is, the C-number 26 connected thereto, and 3. a database server wherein a database DB 31 is maintained and via which the telecommunication network communicates with the financial institution 32.
  • both the A-number and C-number connections may obviously reside within the operating area of one and the same telephone exchange.
  • the second telephone exchange 26 shown in FIG. 2 is redundant and both the calling party's A-number connection 21 and the target number, that is, the C-number connection 27 are connected to the same telephone exchange 22.
  • the telecommunica- tions and data transfer connections between the elements of the telecommunication network are accomplished in the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 by way of arranging an SS7 signaling system based on the connectionless common channel CCS signaling standards as defined in the ITU-T recommendations to function between the telecommunication network elements.
  • the signaling system may be accomplished as CAS signaling of the connection-specific signaling type, wherein the signals are transferred along with the voice channel and the signaling convention is based on the R2 protocol.
  • the network elements which include the A-number connection 21, the first telephone exchange 22, the service switching point SSP 23 of the intelligent network, the second telephone exchange 26 and the C-number connection 27 are adapted to perform telecommunications and data transfer by means of the ISUP (Integrated Services digital network User Part) protocol usable above Layer 3 of the SS7 protocol stack in the OSI model or by the TUP (Telephony User Part) protocol, whereby the telecommunications and data transfer connections between these portions of the network are accomplished over connections according to the SS7 - MTP (ITU-T Recommendations: Signalling System No. 7 / Message Transfer Part) established via physical PCM links, for example.
  • ISUP Integrated Services digital network User Part
  • TUP Transmission User Part
  • the service switching point SSP 23, the service control point SCP 24 and the intelligent voice response device IVR 28 are all implemented for telecommunications and data transfer using hardware compatible with the conventions of the Layer 7 LNAP (Intelligent Network Application Part) protocol of the SS7 protocol stack in the OSI model, whereby the telecommunications and data transfer connections between these portions of the network are accomplished over connections according to the SS7 - MTP
  • Layer 7 LNAP Intelligent Network Application Part
  • the service control point SCP 24 of the intelligent network, the database server, wherein the database DB resides, and the server system of the financial institution 32 accomplish the telecommunications and data transfer connections therebetween using as their mutual data transfer network a packet-switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router- based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer protocol advantageously is TCP/IP.
  • the IVR device 28 may also be arranged to support external data transfer in addition to its normal data communications with the intelligent network 23, 24. Then, this facility of external data transfer can be utilized to set up a connection and data transmission from the IVR device 28 via the database DB 31 of the database server further to the financial institution 32.
  • the SCP 24 To identify each payment transaction, the SCP 24 generates and sends to the database DB 31 a signature identifier (such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers) that acts as a signature of the payment transaction.
  • a signature identifier such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers
  • the telecommunications and data transfer connections between the IVR device 28 and the financial institution 32 can be implemented using for data transfer a packet-switched data network, wherein the transfer protocol is advantageously X.25, or a router-based data network such as the Internet, wherein the transfer protocol advantageously is TCP/IP.
  • the first preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 and the second preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 are characterized in that the service control logic for the call placed to the access number is arranged to reside in the SPC 24 of the intelligent network and that, steered by this control logic, the progress of the access number call takes place as described below.
  • the reference numerals used in the description are equivalent to those of FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • a caller calling from abroad, a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls placed to access numbers can call an access number by way of placing a call from an A-number connection 21 by dialing a B-number representing a value-added access number. Then, the call is first directed to a first telephone exchange 22 that may be a national exchange serving to switch national calls or, alternatively, an international exchange switching international calls.
  • the call placed from the A-number connection 21 is identified by the dialed B-number to be of an LN call type needing call control with the help of intelligent network facilities, whereby the call is routed to a telephone exchange that has integrated thereto or communicates with an intelligent network portion or at least an intelligent network service switching point SSP 23.
  • this kind of a telephone exchange having integrated thereto or communicating with an intelligent network portion or at least a service switching point SSP 23 thereof is denoted for simplicity by the term SSP exchange.
  • the SSP exchange analyzes the dialed B-number and sends a query based thereon to the call control database of that service control point SCP 24 of the intelligent network portion of the telecommunication network wherein the call control logic associated with the access number concerned resides.
  • the SCP 24 activates a proper control logic.
  • the SCP 24 analyzes the incoming call as to being placed from abroad, a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls placed to an access number. This analysis can be based on, e.g., i. the incoming call pathway signaling, ii. the call information field such as the OPC (Originating Point Code) field of the signaling associated with the incoming call, iii. the A-subscriber identity information missing from the incoming call signaling, or iv. the analysis of calling party's A-number.
  • the SCP 24 informs the SSP exchange to direct the call to: i. IP accessory device 25, whereby the service control logic is adapted to reside in the SCP 24 and the only function of the IP accessory device 25 is to issue the voice announcements commanded by the SCP 24 and to gather the dial codes entered from the A-number connection 21 and to submit the same to the SCP 24, or ii. IVR device 28, whereby the service control logic is adapted to reside in the SCP 24 and the function of the IVR device 28 is to issue the preset voice announcement and to gather the dial codes entered from the
  • the SCP 24 generates a suitable signature for the ongoing connection, such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers.
  • Information to the caller is issued in the following steps: i. A call rate announcement appropriate to the value-added access number is played to the caller, ii. the caller is informed about the nonaccessibility of the desired service or product, because the A-number connection 21 is located abroad, is a payphone or a connection having a restriction on calls to the dialed access number, whereupon the caller is informed on the possibility of paying the offered service by way of utilizing the electronic payment techniques of a financial institution 32 external to the telecommunication network, iii.
  • the caller is informed about the accessibility of the desired service or product by way of paying the offered service or product by way of utilizing the electronic payment techniques of a financial institution 32 external to the telecommunication network, and if the caller opts to utilize the electronic payment facility, iv. a voice announcement menu is played to the caller on the currently valid payment techniques (various credit cards, SET protocol payment and the electronic payment methods used by different banks), of which the caller may then select the most appropriate payment technique for his needs.
  • a voice announcement menu is played to the caller on the currently valid payment techniques (various credit cards, SET protocol payment and the electronic payment methods used by different banks), of which the caller may then select the most appropriate payment technique for his needs.
  • the SCP 24 calls via the database DB 31 residing in the database server the selected financial institution 32, such as a credit company or bank, for the transfer of the required amount of money by electronic payment means from the financial institution 32 to the database DB 31.
  • a suitable signature generated by the SCP 24 such as an A-number identification code selected from the group of unallocated telephone numbers.
  • the IP accessory device 25 is adapted to support external data communications, the data transfer into the database DB 31 may take place directly from the IP accessory device 25. Concurrently with this step, the appropriate signature generated by the SCP 24 is transferred into the database DB 31.
  • the IVR device 28 establishes a connection to the database server, wherein the database DB 31 resides.
  • From the database DB 31 is further established a connection to the selected financial institution 32, such as a credit company or bank, for the transfer of the required amount of money by electronic payment means from the financial institution 32 to the database DB 31.
  • the database DB 31 is transferred to the selected financial institution 32, such as a credit company or bank, a request to establish a connection that is responded by request to identify the calling customer.
  • the selected financial institution 32 such as a credit company or bank
  • the caller may be identified through the following steps: i. If the selected financial institution 32 is a credit card company, the caller typically enters in conjunction with this type of a credit card payment the number of his credit card and a signature identifier of the card such as a PIN code, ii. If the selected financial institution 32 is a bank, the caller typically enters in conjunction with this banking type of an electronic payment transaction his bank customer number or user code and a password or the like that can be found, e.g., from a printed list sent earlier to the bank's customer.
  • the record of a successful payment transaction is stored into the database DB 31.
  • the credit card number and PIN code of a credit card payment or, alternatively, the customer ID code and password required in the selected way of electronic payment, are transmitted via the telecommunication network and the database DB 31 to the credit card company 32 or the like.
  • the SCP 24 releases the connection to the IP accessory device 25 or, respectively, the IVR device 28 releases backwards the connection to the SSP exchange 23.
  • the SCP 24 verifies from the database DB 31 of the database server that the payment transaction from the financial institution 32 to the database DB 31 was successful. In this manner, the payment transaction becomes a one-time payment stored into a memory register of the database DB 31 and uniquely confirmed by a signature generated by the SCP 25.
  • the SCP 25 continues to keep the service control logic associated with the selected value-added access number in an activated state, whereby the following items are determined: i. the correct charge rate, and ii. the actual target number, that is, the C-number, which is either a C-number directly associated with the dialed B-number or, alternatively, is specifically dialed by the caller.
  • the call is next switched from the SSP exchange 23 to the C-number and the monitoring of the call maximum duration/charge is initiated in the SSP exchange under the control of the SCP 24.
  • the call is terminated when: i.
  • the SSP exchange 23 sends information on the call termination and written ticket to the call control database of the SCP 24.
  • the SCP 24 Based on the information submitted by the SSP exchange 23, the SCP 24 computes the charge or billing value of the access number call utilizing such data as call duration, tariff class and possibly the number ticks received from direction of the C-number. Next, the SCP 24 sends this charge or billing value information to the database DB 31 residing in the database server that then computes the balance possibly remaining from amount of money initially trans- ferred from the financial institution 32 into the database DB 31 , that is, from the sum initially charged from the caller. If the comparison shows a positive balance to be credited to the caller, information thereon is sent to the financial institution for i. returning the correct balance to the credit card company's credit account wherefrom the initial sum was paid, or ii.
  • the service payment registers of the database DB 31 will not keep or store any amount of money that could be later used for other services.
  • the wireline connection of the calling A-number and/or the target number, that is, the C-number may as well be a so-called mobile connection such as a mobile phone
  • the wireline public telephone network may as well be a mobile phone network
  • the intelligent network portion of the telecommunication network may reside in or be connected to a mobile phone network, instead of a wireline telecommunication network, and that, in general, all kinds of combinations of the type mobile-to-stationary terminal or mobile-to-wireline telecommunication network with an intelligent network portion may be contemplated with the cooperation of an external financial institution according to the invention in order to carry out in real time the steps of
  • the invention offers a novel type of alternative payment technique for paying calls to a value- added access number, facilitates calling beyond preset number restrictions, and makes it easier to charge larger sums of money or donations, e.g., a flat sum of FIM50 from the caller inasmuch the method does not need sending ticks, whereby there is no need to set a minimum duration for a call.
  • the database server with its residing database DB 31 may be implemented as hardware that is or is not integral with the telecommunica- tion network, whereby the hardware may also be maintained by the service provider and, thus, there is no direct connection from the financial institution 32 to:
  • the intelligent network portion 24 of the telecommunication network the intelligent voice response device IVR 28 or the intelligent accessory device IP 25.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé et un système pour facturer des appels dans un réseau de télécommunication comprenant une partie intelligente (23, 24) équipée d'une logique de commande pour des appels effectués vers un numéro d'accès à valeur ajoutée et pour une institution financière externe (32), qui offrent conjointement un service fondé sur un numéro d'accès à valeur ajoutée. Selon ce procédé, la logique de commande est activée à partir du numéro du demandeur, désigné ci-après numéro A (21), par l'intermédiaire de la composition d'un numéro B. Ledit procédé comprend les étapes suivantes, dirigées par la logique de commande : le réseau de télécommunication identifie la nécessité d'une commande par la partie intelligente (23, 24), et la commande de l'appel est acheminée à un central (22) du réseau téléphonique, présentant un commutateur d'accès aux services SSP intégré (23) d'un réseau intelligent ; ensuite, le SSP (23) analyse le numéro B et envoie une demande sur la base de l'analyse à un point de commande de services SCP (24) du réseau intelligent où se trouve une base de données de commande d'appel ; ensuite, la logique de commande de réseau intelligent est activée dans le SCP. L'invention est principalement caractérisée en ce que l'emplacement et/ou le type de la connexion au numéro A sont analysés ; des annonces vocales sont effectuées, concernant les conditions de facturation de l'appel du numéro d'accès, son accessibilité et/ou la possibilité de payer la communication au moyen d'instruments émis par une institution financière (32), externe au réseau de télécommunication. Le demandeur entre à partir de la connexion au numéro A (21) la sélection de l'instrument de paiement et les données d'identification du demandeur. Une somme d'argent est transférée de l'institution financière (32) à la base de données DB (31) du serveur de la base de données. Le numéro B composé est converti en un numéro de connexion prédéfini du numéro d'accès cible, c'est-à-dire le numéro C. Le SSP (23) établit une connexion avec le numéro C (27). Les coûts engagés à la fin de l'appel sont comparés à la somme du crédit stocké dans la base de données DB (31), et les informations concernant la valeur résiduelle sont soumises à l'institution financière (32) pour que cette dernière débite le crédit ou le compte bancaire alloué au demandeur.
EP00927280A 1999-05-12 2000-05-12 Procede et systeme pour facturer des appels a valeur ajoutee Withdrawn EP1097564A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FI991099 1999-05-12
FI991099A FI108190B (fi) 1999-05-12 1999-05-12 Menetelmä ja järjestelmä maksullisen palvelunumeropuhelun laskutusta varten
PCT/FI2000/000434 WO2000070858A1 (fr) 1999-05-12 2000-05-12 Procede et systeme pour facturer des appels a valeur ajoutee

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EP1097564A1 true EP1097564A1 (fr) 2001-05-09

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EP (1) EP1097564A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU4571400A (fr)
FI (1) FI108190B (fr)
NO (1) NO20010162L (fr)
WO (1) WO2000070858A1 (fr)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060193278A1 (en) 1997-10-15 2006-08-31 Wolfgang Theimer Mobile telephone for Internet applications
US6826269B2 (en) * 2000-11-30 2004-11-30 Mci, Inc. Professional services billing personal identification number
GB0031459D0 (en) 2000-12-22 2001-02-07 Nokia Networks Oy Charging in a communication system
CN100407738C (zh) * 2002-08-29 2008-07-30 中兴通讯股份有限公司 实现国际记帐卡业务的方法
CN100574354C (zh) * 2004-03-16 2009-12-23 中兴通讯股份有限公司 小灵通智能网预付费业务中实现顺序振铃的方法
CN1874390B (zh) * 2005-06-01 2010-08-04 华为技术有限公司 实现一号通号码到同时振铃号码间计费的方法
CN101350727B (zh) * 2007-07-18 2010-10-20 华为技术有限公司 帐户数据快照方法、装置、帐务平衡方法及实时计费系统

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FI101664B1 (fi) * 1996-02-19 1998-07-31 Finland Telecom Oy Menetelmä maksupalvelun järjestämiseksi televerkossa
FI106344B (fi) * 1998-07-06 2001-01-15 Ericsson Telefon Ab L M Maksut tietoliikennejärjestelmässä

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AU4571400A (en) 2000-12-05
FI108190B (fi) 2001-11-30
NO20010162L (no) 2001-03-09
WO2000070858A1 (fr) 2000-11-23
FI991099A (fi) 2000-11-13
NO20010162D0 (no) 2001-01-10
FI991099A0 (fi) 1999-05-12

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